LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Thursday, October 20, 2011
| For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com. |
Current Headlines
Top Stories
• Cain Releases Clarifying Statement: I m Pro-Life on Abortion
• Cain: Government Shouldn t Make Decision on Abortion, Rape
• Abby Johnson: Planned Parenthood Kept Me in the Dark on My Abortion
• 40 Days for Life Up to 328 Babies Saved From Abortion
More Pro-Life News
• Santorum Fundraising Email Blasts Cain s Abortion Comments
• Pro-Lifers: Obama Religious Outreach Can t Hide Abortion Record
• Pro-Life Students Speak Loudly Against Abortion on Silent Day
• Planned Parenthood Marks 95 Years With Funding Cuts, Closures
• Phill Kline Wrongly Targeted For Taking on Planned Parenthood
• Pro-Life Response to Deaths of Kortney and Jon Heartwarming
• Funeral Plans Announced for Pro-Lifer Jon Scharfenberger
• Greenpeace Was Behind EU Lawsuit Seeking to Patent Embryos
---> Please like the LifeNews.com page at Facebook for the latest pro-life news/info. http://www.facebook.com/lifenews
Cain Releases Clarifying Statement: I m Pro-Life on Abortion
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has released a new statement clarifying his remarks on abortion that has caused considerable debate about whether he is truly pro-life.
As LifeNews.com reported, Cain gave an interview to CNN in which he used typical pro-choice language about government not making abortion decisions for women that applied, depending on the listener, to either abortions in the case of rape and incest or abortion policy in general. Either way, pro-life advocates have been disappointed today following the comments and they have called on Cain to clarify the comments which he did in a short message on twitter later in the day saying he is 100% pro-life.
The statement reads: "Yesterday in an interview with Piers Morgan on CNN, I was asked questions about abortion policy and the role of the President. I understood the thrust of the question to ask whether that I, as president, would simply order people to not seek an abortion. My answer was focused on the role of the President. The President has no constitutional authority to order any such action by anyone. That was the point I was trying to convey.
As to my political policy view on abortion, I am 100% pro-life. End of story."
"I will appoint judges who understand the original intent of the Constitution. Judges who are committed to the rule of law know that the Constitution contains no right to take the life of unborn children.
I will oppose government funding of abortion. I will veto any legislation that contains funds for Planned Parenthood. I will do everything that a President can do, consistent with his constitutional role, to advance the culture of life." http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/cain-releases-clarifying-statement-im-pro-life-on-abortion/
Cain: Government Shouldn t Make Decision on Abortion, Rape
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is raising eyebrows today of pro-life advocates and political pundits who thought he had previously taken a pro-life position on abortion.
In a new interview with Piers Morgan Wednesday night on CNN, Cain put forward a position that is reminding some of political like Mario Cuomo or Bill Clinton, who said they were personally pro-life but would not allow government to put laws into place protecting unborn children. Cain responded to questions concerning abortion in the case of rape or incest and said that, while he is pro-life, government should have no role in making the decision.
However, some observers say Cain was talking about more than rape or incest and point to his comments saying it appears he was talking about abortion in a general sense when saying government should have no role in protecting unborn children from abortions. If Cain is putting forward a nuanced view on abortions in cases of rape or incest, he joins the ranks of many pro-life Republican presidential candidates who have taken such views. But if Cain is saying abortions should not be prohibited by law, that would put him at odds with most Republicans and a majority of Americans who take a strongly pro-life position. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/cain-government-shouldnt-make-decision-on-abortion-rape/
Abby Johnson: Planned Parenthood Kept Me in the Dark on My Abortion
In 2009, I had my tonsils removed. They had been bothering me for a while and no one knows what they are really for anyway so I figured I might as well have them out. I knew a lot of tonsil-less people, so I wasn t nervous at all about surgery.
A couple days before I went under the knife I had my pre-op visit with my ENT. We were going over a few things that I already knew. Then, he started talking about the risks. I guess I hadn t really thought there would be risks with a tonsillectomy. Severing vocal cords and being unable to speak damage to teeth extreme blood loss damage to my tongue and even death.
WHAT??? Um, maybe I should just keep my annoying tonsils. I suddenly became very nervous. My doctor assured me that my fear were kind of irrational he just HAD to tell me those things. Needless to say, two days later, the tonsils came out. I had no problems. My throat has never been happier.
Now, flashback to 2003. I was 23 years old, a volunteer at Planned Parenthood, a college student, a woman who was 8 weeks pregnant by her husband a husband she was divorcing. I didn t want a baby so I had a solution abortion. I had already had one abortion and it was easy. Surely, this time it would be the same. Instead of a surgical abortion, I thought this time I would choose a more natural way to abort the medication abortion. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/abby-johnson-planned-parenthood-kept-me-in-the-dark-on-my-abortion/
40 Days for Life Up to 328 Babies Saved From Abortion
Many people think there can be nothing more depressing than praying in front of an abortion facility. I admit it. On the surface, it sounds glum and we ve talked about the darkness. But, because of prayer, there is also great peace and joy at a place that otherwise has no peace and has no joy.
Here are a few examples of how Christ s light and peace are shining at 40 Days for Life vigils:
A girl yelled at me for just standing there on the sidewalk, because she said I didn t understand these women s situations, said Stefanie in Memphis. I just smiled and said I would love to talk to her. To Stefanie s surprise, the girl got into a conversation with her. She told me it was not a baby at two weeks, Stefanie said. I explained to her the baby has distinct DNA like no other person. But if I had not just kept smiling and being sweet to her, she would have driven off. Later, a woman and two men showed up with a homemade sign that suggested God had no place in a discussion of abortion. Women could choose whatever they want, the woman said. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/40-days-for-life-up-to-328-babies-saved-from-abortion/
Santorum Fundraising Email Blasts Cain s Abortion Comments
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum wasted no time in pounding on the controversial comments fellow GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain made on abortion in an interview last night. Now, the former senator has sent out a fundraising email looking to build support off of what he calls Cain s newfound pro-choice position.
As LifeNews.com reported, Cain gave an interview to CNN in which he used typical pro-choice language about government not making abortion decisions for women that applied, depending on the listener, to either abortions in the case of rape and incest or abortion policy in general. Either way, pro-life advocates have been disappointed today following the comments and they have called on Cain to clarify the comments which he did in a short message on twitter later in the day saying he is 100% pro-life.
Santorum responded, saying he doesn t consider Cain pro-life any longer. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/santorum-fundraising-email-blasts-cains-abortion-comments/
Pro-Lifers: Obama Religious Outreach Can t Hide Abortion Record
The Democratic National Committee announced today a new director of religious outreach who will undoubtedly attempt to help Obama get votes from social conservatives, whom he has turned off with his extensive pro-abortion record.
Family Research Council Action president Tony Perkins says he doesn t think the new director will have any luck reaching pro-life advocates who are upset that Obama has repeatedly promoted abortion, forced them to pay for abortions or funding pro-abortion organizations in multiple circumstances, or cozied up with leaders of pro-abortion groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood.
A Barna Research Survey conducted earlier this year shows that President Obama has a 6 percent favorability rating among evangelicals. A more recent Quinnipiac survey reports that the President has a 39 percent favorability rating among Catholics, Perkins said. The DNC and the President may hope this effort will reverse his falling poll numbers among religious voters, but I predict that as the fruit of this administration is examined by Christian voters, the President will find little support.
The President s policies that promote abortion also undermine family formation, Perkins added.
Abortion does this by contributing to infant mortality, victimizing women, and encouraging the abdication of responsibility by men. He has issued executive orders to fund foreign abortion organizations and use tax dollars for experimentation on human embryos. He is even opposed to commonsense parental notification laws. These laws reaffirm the unique role that a mother and father have in the life of a child, the FRC leader continued. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/pro-lifers-obama-religious-outreach-cant-hide-abortion-record/
Pro-Life Students Speak Loudly Against Abortion on Silent Day
For the past 8 years the third Tuesday of October has been one of the most emotional days of the year for me. I generally sit by my computer talking to reporters about why I have asked students to give up talking for the day. In between media interviews, I read stories from students about babies being saved, hearts changing and young people taking a stand for life in this culture of death.
This year s event was dedicated to the memory of fellow abortion abolitionist Kortney Gordon and her pre-born child Sophy, both of whom were killed the week before the Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity in a tragic car accident. This past Saturday I was attending Kortney and Sophy s funeral and wore a button that read, I am the pro-life generation .
My friend Kelsey Hazzard was talking to me about her AbortionSafety.com project when she joked about my wearing the button at my age. I may be 44 years old but I have had a key role in helping build the pro-life generation , as I have been active in youth pro-life work for 20 years.
The pro-life generation is not just a term to describe this generation; it is what is happening across America and around the world. I strongly believe this generation will be the one to usher in a culture of life and bring an end to legalized child killing. We are witnessing courage, conviction and resolve like never before. Young people like Korntney don t just want to fight abortion; they are bound and determined to end it. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/pro-life-students-speak-loudly-against-abortion-on-silent-day/
Planned Parenthood Marks 95 Years With Funding Cuts, Closures
Planned Parenthood s national leader, Cecile Richards, tried to remain festive as she announced the abortion giant s 95th birthday this week. But her optimistic shouts of We are here to stay! were tempered by her obvious distraction from plucking arrows out of the organization on so many levels. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/19/planned-parenthood-marks-95-years-with-funding-cuts-closures/
Phill Kline Wrongly Targeted For Taking on Planned Parenthood
What happens when a prosecutor takes on the corrupt abortion industry in a state that has been governed by abortion-lobby-endorsed politicians and Supreme Court justices appointed for life by a pro-abortion governor? What if he files criminal charges against Planned Parenthood that could result in the loss of its federal funding?. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/19/phill-kline-wrongly-targeted-for-taking-on-planned-parenthood/
Pro-Life Response to Deaths of Kortney and Jon Heartwarming
Thank you for the abundant outpouring of support and prayers as we continue to grieve the losses of our dear friends Jon and Kortney and Kortney s pre-born baby, Sophy. We are still working to rebuild our hearts and our team, but we are more motivated than ever to press on in the fight to protect the lives of the pre-born on college campuses across the nation. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/pro-life-response-to-deaths-of-kortney-and-jon-heartwarming/
Funeral Plans Announced for Pro-Lifer Jon Scharfenberger
Jon s sister, Kim, posted the following funeral arrangements on her Facebook page. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/funeral-plans-announced-for-pro-lifer-jon-scharfenberger/
Greenpeace Was Behind EU Lawsuit Seeking to Patent Embryos
You may or may not have heard that recently a European Union court has ruled that the extraction of embryonic stem cells cannot be patented because it destroys a human embryo. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/20/greenpeace-was-behind-eu-lawsuit-seeking-to-patent-embryos/
Encourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
