DEACON FOR LIFE

Were there to be no support in the whole history of ethical and moral thought, were there no acknowledged confirmation from medical science, were the history of legal opinion to the contrary, we would still have to conclude on the basis of God's Holy Word that the unborn child is a person in the sight of God. He is protected by the sanctity of life graciously given to each individual by the Creator, Who alone places His image upon man and grants them any right to life which they have.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report 2/22/12

LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com.

Current Headlines

Top Stories
• Pro-Abortion Rape Myth Debunked, 99% of Abortion Clinics Do Ultrasounds
• Virginia House OKs Modified Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Bill
• Poll: Americans Oppose Obama Birth Control Coverage Mandate
• 70,000 Americans Tell Obama to Overturn the HHS Mandate

More Pro-Life News
• Abortion Drug Has Killed Women Without Ultrasound Before
• British Paper: Illegal Sex-Selection Abortions Done, No Questions
• 40 Days for Life Pro-Life Campaign Off to Excellent Start
• Rape Victim: Pro-Abortion Ultrasound Comparison Offensive
• Pro-Life Groups Launch Road Tour Supporting Rick Santorum
• Santorum Picks Up Endorsement From Idaho Pro-Life Group
• Judge: Washington Can t Mandate Pharmacists Dispense Plan B
• Prayers Needed: Pro-life Student Dying of Leukemia
• Wisconsin OKs Bill to Stop Forced Abortion, Webcam Abortions
• Missouri s MOSIRA Funding Embryonic Research is Unconstitutional
• McDonnell: Virginia Lawmakers Should Revise Ultrasound Bill

---> Tell Obama: Stop This Pro-Abortion Mandate - Sign the Petition and pass it on!

BPro-Abortion Rape Myth Debunked, 99% of Abortion Clinics Do Ultrasound
Abortion advocates in Virginia have come under heavy criticism for equating the ultrasound legislation there would allow women to see before an abortion to rape. Yet, while abortion backers say having an ultrasound is like getting raped, a 2003 study shows 99% of Planned Parenthood abortion facilities do them beforehand.

Published in the medical journal Contraception in 2003, researchers with the pro-abortion group IPAS, the University of North Carolina, a consortium of Planned Parenthood clinics and the National Abortion Federation surveyed staff at 113 Planned Parenthood affiliates and independent abortion businesses between February and April 2000.

The study specifically concerned the use of the dangerous abortion drug RU 486 (mifepristone) and the survey indicated the drug could be given to women at Planned Parenthood centers and abortion clinics because of vaginal ultrasounds. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/planned-parenthood-rape-myth-debunked-99-do-ultrasounds/

Virginia House OKs Modified Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Bill
The Virginia state House has approved a modified version of the pre-abortion ultrasound bill that has drawn national attention as abortion backers have equated ultrasounds with rape.

After Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell called for modifications to the bill to ensure that women are not required to get a transvaginal ultrasound, the state House today passed a measure indicating that an abdominal ultrasound is fine as long as women are given the ability to have one before their abortion. The Virginia House of Delegates approved the bill in the Republican-controlled House 65-32.

The Family Foundation, a statewide pro-life group that is one of the main backers of the bill, told its members this afternoon that it has become clear that the only way for the bill to pass the legislature is to have the bill amended. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/virginia-house-oks-modified-pre-abortion-ultrasound-bill/

Looking for a Pro-Life Speaker?

Looking for a pro-life speaker for your next banquet, conference or convention? LifeNews.com editor and CEO Steven Ertelt is available to speak to your pro-life group or crisis pregnancy center to present a message about how the pro-life community is winning the abortion battle. Mr. Ertelt can help you fill a spot for a keynote speaker or workshop presenter for your event and help you stay below budget at the same time. For more information, email news@LifeNews.com

Poll: Americans Oppose Obama Birth Control Coverage Mandate
A new national poll Rasmussen Reports conducted finds Americans oppose the Obama administration mandate requiring religious employers to pay for coverage for birth control (which also includes drugs that may cause early abortions).

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 38 percent of likely voters think health insurance companies should be required by law to cover the morning after pill without co-payments or other charges to the patient. But 50 percent of Americans disagree and oppose this requirement while 13 percent are undecided.

That s less support than the 43% who believe health insurers should be required to provide free contraception in general, pollster Scott Rasmussen noted. Only 39% are opposed to the policy of providing free contraceptive services, 11 points lower than opposition to mandated coverage of the morning after pill. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/poll-americans-oppose-obama-birth-control-coverage-mandate/

70,000 Americans Tell Obama to Overturn the HHS Mandate
The White House has indicated Obama administration officials will meet with religious employers over the controversial mandate that requires them to pay for birth control and drugs that may cause abortions for their employees. Meanwhile, 70,000 Americans have signaled they want the mandate revered.

As The Hill reports: A White House official said the administration will begin meeting in the coming days with religious organizations and insurers to try to hammer out policies that respect religious liberty and ensure access to preventive services for women enrolled in self-insured group health plans sponsored by religious organizations.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also emphasized last week that the administration is looking for a solution that will not require religious institutions to pay for contraception. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/70000-americans-tell-obama-to-overturn-the-hhs-mandate/

Abortion Drug Has Killed Women Without Ultrasound Before
As the national debate continues over a bill in the Virginia state legislature allowing women a chance to see the ultrasound that abortion centers typically perform before an abortion, pro-life advocates say those ultrasounds are medically necessary when the abortion drug is used.

By arguing that ultrasounds aren t needed before an abortion or that they are supposedly against women s rights and health, abortion proponents may be putting women at risk.

The mifepristone drug has already been documented to have claimed the lives of at least 14 women around the world, according to FDA figures and has injured another 2,200 in the United States alone. The European manufacturer suggests more may have died as well. Two women died after ruptured ectopic pregnancies that could presumably have been treated if a physician had conducted a thorough examination of the woman, including use of ultrasound to determine the location of the pregnancy. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/abortion-drug-has-killed-women-without-ultrasound-before/

British Paper: Illegal Sex-Selection Abortions Done, No Questions
The London Telegraph today released a front-page expose revealing how abortion practitioners in England are doing illegal late-term abortions under the radar and outside even the hardly-stringent abortion guidelines there.

Doctors at British clinics have been secretly filmed agreeing to terminate foetuses purely because they are either male or female. Clinicians admitted they were prepared to falsify paperwork to arrange the abortions even though it is illegal to conduct such sex-selection procedures.

Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, said: I m extremely concerned to hear about these allegations. Sex selection is illegal and is morally wrong. I ve asked my officials to investigate this as a matter of urgency. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/british-paper-illegal-sex-selection-abortions-done-no-questions/

40 Days for Life Pro-Life Campaign Off to Excellent Start
It s Day 1 and 40 Days for Life is off to a fast start!

I have spoken at kickoff events in three cities. Our national director, David Bereit is speaking in College Station, Texas tonight to launch the 10th campaign there since he and I led the first-ever 40 Days for Life in 2004. Be part of this 40 day journey just follow this link to the list of 258 campaign locations and find the one nearest you.

Let me tell you about a couple of the cities I ve visited, and add a quick story about another location. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/40-days-for-life-pro-life-campaign-off-to-excellent-start/

Rape Victim: Pro-Abortion Ultrasound Comparison Offensive
Planned Parenthood has now said that the new proposed Virginia Ultrasound Law is akin to rape. I m sorry, what? I am so upset by this. I just want to cry. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/rape-victim-planned-parenthood-ultrasound-comparison-offensive/

Looking for a Pro-Life Speaker?

Pro-Life Groups Launch Road Tour Supporting Rick Santorum
Two national pro-life groups that have endorsed pro-life Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum have launched a new road tour that will have them raising support for his campaign in the state of Michigan, which votes next Tuesday. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/pro-life-groups-launch-road-tour-supporting-rick-santorum/

Santorum Picks Up Endorsement From Idaho Pro-Life Group
As Idaho voters prepare to cast their ballots for a Republican nominee for president on Super Tuesday on March 6, a statewide pro-life organization there is urging Idaho residents to support former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/santorum-picks-up-endorsement-from-idaho-pro-life-group/

Judge: Washington Can t Mandate Pharmacists Dispense Plan B
A federal court in Tacoma, Washington, struck down a Washington law that requires pharmacists to dispense the morning-after pill even when doing so would violate their religious beliefs. The court held that the law violates the First Amendment right to free exercise of religion. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/judge-washington-cant-mandate-pharmacists-dispense-plan-b/

Prayers Needed: Pro-life Student Dying of Leukemia
This is one of the most important prayer requests I have ever sent out. A young, dedicated and fearless pro-life student from Franciscan University is dying of Leukemia. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/prayers-needed-pro-life-student-dying-of-leukemia/

Wisconsin OKs Bill to Stop Forced Abortion, Webcam Abortions
After Democrats prevented passage of a bill yesterday that would halt forced and coerced abortions and ban the practice of webcam abortions, the Wisconsin state Senate today approved the measure. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/wisconsin-oks-bill-to-stop-forced-abortion-webcam-abortions/

Missouri s MOSIRA Funding Embryonic Research is Unconstitutional
A Judge Daniel Green in the Cole County Circuit Court ruled Monday evening that the MOSIRA (Missouri Science Innovation and Reinvestment Act) that allows for embryonic stem cell research and human cloning funding is unconstitutional.. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/missouris-mosira-funding-embryonic-research-unconstitutional/

McDonnell: Virginia Lawmakers Should Revise Ultrasound Bill
Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia has released a statement advising pro-life lawmakers in the Virginia legislature pursuing a bill to allow women to have an ultrasound performed before an abortion to make change to the legislation. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/22/mcdonnell-virginia-lawmakers-should-revise-ultrasound-bill/

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