Senator Stabenow joined other pro-abortion senators to attack Komen, praise America's biggest abortion provider

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) was one of 26 U.S. Senators who signed a letter which attacked the Susan G. Komen for a Cure's decision to stop providing grants to Planned Parenthood, America's leading abortion provider. The letter praised Planned Parenthood as a "trusted provider of health care for women" and urged Komen to reconsider its decision to defund the abortion giant.

Komen decided to stop providing grants to Planned Parenthood as part of new policy to not provide grants to organizations under governmental investigation and a new drive to providing direct funding to organization which provide mammograms. Planned Parenthood doesn't provide mammograms and is currently being investigated by Congress and numerous states for the misuse of tax dollars. The defunding decision was quietly announced to Planned Parenthood who went on to create a media firestorm by attacking Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

After being attacked by various pro-abortion organizations and individuals, Komen reversed their decision and will allow Planned Parenthood to apply for grants.

FULL STORY

SENATOR STABENOW'S RECORD ON ABORTION POLICIES

LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S ABORTION AGENDA

Umbilical cord stem cells to be used in clinical trial for hearing loss

A phase I clinical trial in Texas will investigate whether a child's umbilical cord blood stem cells can help restore hearing loss.

The hearing trial in Texas aims to take a first step in testing the safety, and later the efficacy, of transfusing cord blood in children age six weeks to 18 months who have sustained post-birth sensorineural hearing loss.

Some reasons that children lose their hearing at or after birth may include oxygen deprivation, head injury, infection, strong doses of antibiotics or loud noises.

Sensorineural hearing loss affects approximately six per 1,000 children, and there is no available medical treatment. Hearing aids or cochlear implants are typically offered to boost the ability of the damaged tissues.

"Stem cell therapy may potentially repair the damaged structures of the inner ear and restore normal hearing," lead investigator Samer Fakhri told AFP.

"We are at the initial stages of this process and the results are looking promising," Fakhri added.

FULL STORY

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFE-AFFIRMING FORMS OF STEM CELL RESEARCH

Senator Marco Rubio discusses abortion at SBA List gala

On February 1, 2012, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) spoke at the Susan B. Anthony List's Campaign for Life Gala. His speech includes a discussion of arguments in favor of abortion. Below is a video of part of his speech.



View the other parts of speech at the SBA List's web site.

National Right to Life statement on Komen's decision reversal

National Right to Life President Carol Tobias issued the following statement in response to Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision to allow Planned Parenthood to remain eligible for grants.

Shortly after news broke earlier this week that Komen was withdrawing future grant funding to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, the abortion giant and its allies began a shrill online campaign to bring Komen to its knees by bullying the organization into submission.

Any decision to provide future grants approved for Planned Parenthood, which boasts a $1.1 billion budget, would be extremely and sadly misguided. Any grants to Planned Parenthood would be detrimental to women and their unborn children. Even in their own press statements, Planned Parenthood states that they refer for mammograms, an indication they don’t perform them.

Planned Parenthood is not in the business of fighting breast cancer, they’re in the business of performing abortions to the tune of more than 300,000 a year, which accounts for at least one-third of Planned Parenthood’s nongovernmental clinic income. In fact, Planned Parenthood has announced that all of their affiliates will be required to perform abortions.

National Right to Life strongly urges Susan G. Komen for the Cure and all cancer research organizations to approve no future funding to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest chain of abortion clinics. Right-to-life supporters do not want their donations for fighting cancer to go to organizations that perform abortions.

FULL STORY

WZZM interviews RLM on Komen/Planned Parenthood connection

Pamela Sherstad, Right to Life of Michigan's Director of Public Information, was recently interviewed by WZZM regarding the connection between Susan G. Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood, America's leading abortion provider.

Komen for the Cure reverses decision, will allow Planned Parenthood to continue to receive grants

According to numerous news outlets, after intense bullying from Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has reversed its choice to not send grant money to organizations under congressional investigation and will resume giving money to Planned Parenthood, the #1 provider and promoter of abortions in the United States.

FULL STORY

Poll on Komen/Planned Parenthood debate

Mlive.com has a story and poll on the debate over Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision to stop sending money to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business.

Komen officials said they stopped the funding because a new policy bars support for organizations under investigation. A House committee is investigating whether Planned Parenthood improperly spent federal funds on abortions.

Anger over Komen's decision erupted on Twitter and Facebook. Planned Parenthood supporters accused Komen leaders of bowing to pressure from anti-abortion groups.

Take the time to vote and express your thanks to the Komen Foundation's decision to stop giving grants to Planned Parenthood.


FULL STORY

Komen for the Cure stops giving grants to Planned Parenthood

Susan G. Komen for the Cure has announced they will stop sending grants to Planned Parenthood due to their new rule that grants will not be given to organizations under local, state or federal investigation. Planned Parenthood is currently under congressional investigation for several violations. Planned Parenthood is America's #1 abortion provider.

Planned Parenthood said the Komen grants totaled roughly $680,000 last year and $580,000 the year before, going to at least 19 of its affiliates for breast-cancer screening and other breast-health services.

Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun said the cutoff results from the charity’s newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations that are under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. According to Komen, this applies to Planned Parenthood because it’s the focus of an inquiry launched by Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., seeking to determine whether public money was improperly spent on abortions.

FULL STORY

MORE INFORMATION ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S ABORTION AGENDA

CBS affiliate's March for Life photos show media bias against prolifers

The web site of ChicagoNow details how the local CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. originally failed to publish any photos of the March for Life on their website. Instead, they featured 7 photographs of a small group of abortion supporters while ignoring the hundreds of thousands of prolifers.

After numerous complaints from prolifers, the station added 7 photos of the prolifers at the March for Life. No reason was given for why photos of prolifers were absent from the original story.

Pro-lifers can take heart that they were heard by the TV station causing it to take action to correct the sleight. But the fact that CBS put up a slide show of photos taken at a pro-life rally but didn't feature a single photo of any pro-lifers pretty much shows the bias from which the TV station came when it initially posted the webpage.

But even with the alteration, we still see CBS' bias. After all there were 50,0000 pro-life supporters and a paltry few hundred pro-infanticide supporters yet CBS gives them equal treatment as if they were the same.

Yep, the bias still reigns.

FULL STORY

Errors plague Detroit News columnist Laura Berman's attack on "Choose Life" license plates

In today's Detroit News, columnist Laura Berman pens an attack on legislation to create "Choose Life" license plates in the state of Michigan.

Berman's column makes a variety of errors.

Berman claims allowing drivers to purchase "Choose Life" plates is somehow a governmental intrusion. No reason is given for how simply allowing drivers who wish to select a specialty plate is an intrusion into their lives.

She erroneously claims the license plate will cost the state of Michigan "$15,000 up front." The non-refundable up front costs are actually paid for by organization sponsoring the plates, not the state of Michigan. The state also makes money on every specialty plate which is sold.

Berman then claims that in other states the money raised from "Choose Life" license plates have gone to "‘pregnancy centers' that have been accused of providing women with false medical information and overtly religious messages." Berman fails to mention that the pregnancy center accusers are abortion advocates. She also can't bring herself to recognize the good work of pregnancy centers which provide their services for free to women and families in need of diapers, baby food, formula, cribs, strollers, baby clothes, help with finding resources, etc.

Finally, the original piece (which has now been corrected) showed that it was thrown together in haste and lacked the eye of a competent editor. Berman continuously misspelled the name of the legislation's sponsor, Senator Patrick Colbeck. First, she claimed his name was "Frank Colbeck" and then proceeded to spell his last name "Kolbeck" through the rest of the piece.

LAURA BERMAN'S ERROR-FILLED EDITORIAL

MORE INFORMATION ON CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATE LEGISLATION

FAQS ABOUT CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATES

Diaper drop-off and speaker's series

All are welcome to participate in a diaper drop-off and Black History Month Life Speaker's Series. Right to Life of Michigan Educational Resource Centers in Macomb and Wayne counties are just two of the locations accepting donations of baby diapers and wipes to help local pregnancies centers. Learn about the exciting events in February.

MORE INFO

Michigan abortion data shows slight increase

According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, a total of 23,307 induced abortions were reported in Michigan in 2010, which was a 4.25 percent increase from the total of 22,357 reported in 2009, but a 52.5 percent decrease since 1987 (the year with the largest number of induced abortions).

Right to Life of Michigan will continue to reach out to women in need so they know abortion is not their only option. There are far too many women who enter an abortion clinic thinking abortion is the only choice for them. Thinking abortion is your only choice is equivalent to having no choice at all.

MICHIGAN ABORTION STATISTICS FOR 2010

Federal legislation hopes to ban late-term abortion in the nation's capital

Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) has introduced legislation entitled, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803), to ban prohibit abortions after 20-weeks in Washington, D.C. Some abortion clinics in Washington, D.C. advertise that they perform abortions thru 6 months of pregnancy. Five states have already passed late-term abortion bans using similar legislation.

In this bill, Congress would declare that at least by 20 weeks after fertilization, an unborn child has the capacity to experience pain -- and, on that basis, the bill would prohibit abortions within the Federal District (except when acute physical problems endanger the life of the mother) from that point on (from the beginning of the sixth month, in layperson's terminology).

FULL STORY

Prolife teleseminar today

Today (January 26), Right to Life of Michigan will host a Prolife Update Teleseminar. The teleseminar will begin at 1 p.m.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing will provide an update from the National Right to Life January Board Meeting; Minority Outreach Director Kathy Crombie will share information on the Black History Month Life Speaker's Series; Karen Walacavage will highlight the March for Life and Pam Sherstad will share the responses we have had from our state-wide television ad campaign.

We are excited to share what is happening in Michigan. Please plan to join us! The teleseminar will last about 30 minutes and is open to all prolife people.

Below are the details.

Title: Right to Life of Michigan Prolife Update
Time: Thursday, January 26th at 1:00pm Eastern
Listening method: Phone + Web Simulcast
To attend, visit:

http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=25801050

Phone Number: (616) 712-3139
Pin Code: 662744#

Michigan Senate Committee approves "Choose Life" license plates

On January 24, Michigan's Senate Transportation Committee unanimously approved prolife legislation which would allow the state to offer drivers the ability to purchase specialty license plates with the phrase "Choose Life" on them. The legislation now moves to full Senate.

Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton Township, introduced the bill for the license plates.

"Michigan residents have long supported policies that encourage alternatives to abortion and our Choose Life license plate program echoes that sentiment," Colbeck said in a press release. "It will provide drivers a way to promote abortion alternatives and protect the lives of the most helpless members of our society."

(Right to Life of Michigan Legislative Director Ed) Rivet said it was unclear how much money the plates could raise for Right to Life, but added the group has a mailing list of "hundreds of thousands" of homes in Michigan. Once the money is collected annually, an operating committee will decide which affiliated abortion prevention agencies or programs will receive funding.

FULL STORY

MORE INFORMATION ON CHOOSE LIFE LICENSE PLATE LEGISLATION

The dishonesty of Roe vs. Wade

In the Washington Examiner, Timothy Carney lists a variety of legal critiques which legal scholars in favor of legal abortion have leveled against Roe v. Wade and contrasts those criticisms with the praise given the decision by President Barack Obama.

So when President Obama praises the decision on its 39th anniversary, he either shows a strikingly poor understanding of constitutional law (especially for a Harvard Law grad), or he buys into the dishonesty that pervades the opinion and its defenses.

Just look at what pro-choice legal scholars say. Ruth Bader Ginsburg called the ruling "heavy-handed judicial activism." Laurence Tribe wrote "behind its own verbal smokescreen, the substantive judgment on which it rests is nowhere to be found." Former Harry Blackmun clerk Edward Lazarus wrote "[A]s a matter of constitutional interpretation, even most liberal jurisprudes — if you administer truth serum — will tell you it is basically indefensible."

FULL STORY

Abortion survivor interviewed on FoxNews

Recently, Fox News reported on yesterday's March for Life by interviewing abortion survivor Melissa Ohden. Melissa will be speaking at our Legislative Day on March 27

VIEW INTERVIEW


LEARN MORE ABOUT LEGISLATIVE DAY

President Barack Obama celebrates "historic" Roe v. Wade decision which has led to the deaths of 54 million unborn children

On the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion throughout the United States, President Barack Obama issued a statement celebrating the decision, claiming abortion is a "fundamental constitutional right."

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S STATEMENT ON ROE V. WADE

The Wrongness of Roe v. Wade

At the web site of the Witherspoon Institute's Public Discource, Michael Stokes Paulsen writes about the wrongness of Roe v. Wade, noting the decision's radicalness, it's legal untenability and it's immorality.

Today, thousands of people at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., are commemorating the thirty-ninth anniversary of a legal and moral monstrosity, Roe v. Wade, and its companion case, Doe v. Bolton. The two cases, in combination, created an essentially unqualified constitutional right of pregnant women to abortion—the right to kill their children, gestating in their wombs, up to the point of birth. After nearly four decades, Roe's human death toll stands at nearly sixty million human lives, a total exceeding the Nazi Holocaust, Stalin's purges, Pol Pot's killing fields, and the Rwandan genocide combined. Over the past forty years, one-sixth of the American population has been killed by abortion. One in four African-Americans is killed before birth. Abortion is the leading cause of (unnatural) death in America.

It is almost too much to contemplate: the prospect that we are living in the midst of, and accepting (to various degrees) one of the greatest human holocausts in history. And so we don't contemplate it. Instead, we look for ways to deny this grim reality, minimize it, or explain away our complacency—or complicity.

FULL STORY

Prolife video features Right to Life of Michigan volunteer

A new video produced by Students for Life of America on the eve of the March for Life features one of Right to Life of Michigan's volunteers and her husband. The Smiths story of how they were encouraged to abort their daughter Hannah can be found here.

Below is the video from Students for Life of America.

Casting Crowns' prolife music video "Just Another Birthday"

The musical group Casting Crowns recent music video "Just Another Birthday" features a prolife storyline. Below are some of the lyrics to the song.

In the company of strangers
In a cold and sterile room
All alone with a child inside me
And I don’t know what to do
Jesus, can You hear me
Come and heal my brokenness
Put the pieces back together
And be a Father to the fatherless

A Father to the fatherless

Twenty-one finds me
Blowing out candles and making wishes
And all around me
My barefoot princess twirls and sings
It’s so amazing
Looking back at all God’s brought us through
You are my happy birthday
And you were born to break the chains

Watch the video below.

Prolife Update Teleseminar on January 26

Please mark January 26 on your calendar for a Right to Life of Michigan Prolife Update Teleseminar. The teleseminar will begin at 1 p.m.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing will provide an update from the National Right to Life January Board Meeting; Minority Outreach Director Kathy Crombie will share information on the Black History Month Life Speaker's Series; Karen Walacavage will highlight the March for Life and Pam Sherstad will share the responses we've had from our state-wide television ad campaign.

We are excited to share what is happening in Michigan. Please plan to join us! The teleseminar will last about 30 minutes and is open to all prolife people.

Below are the details:

Title: Right to Life of Michigan Prolife Update
Time: Thursday, January 26th at 1:00pm Eastern
Listening method: Phone + Web Simulcast
To attend, visit:

http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=25801050

Phone Number: (616) 712-3139
Pin Code: 662744#

Statistics show 54 million abortions since Roe v. Wade

There have been more than 54 million abortions performed in the US since the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton court decisions were handed down by the US Supreme Court Justices. That action legalized abortion in all 50 states through all nine months of pregnancy in 1973.  

The most recent statistics show 22,357 abortions were performed in Michigan in 2009, and there have been 1,017,229 abortions in Michigan since statistics were first kept in 1980.

ABORTION FACTS & STATS

How will you get involved on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday?

photo credit: Craig van der Lende

Everyone can make a positive difference in the prolife movement. It doesn't matter how old you are, how young you are, how busy you are or how skilled you are. Everyone can help save lives.

If you are not already involved in your local prolife group, now is a great time to start. While hundreds from Michigan will travel to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life, thousands of Michigan citizens will be involved in numerous events across the state to commemorate the 39th anniversary of two ill-conceived U.S. Supreme Court decisions. When Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton were handed down, abortion was legalized in all 50 states through all nine months of pregnancy. In the last 39 years, more than 54 million unborn children have lost their lives to abortion. Unborn children for too long have been denied access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Prolife groups across Michigan mourn these deaths and pay tribute to the countless told and untold stories of those affected by legalized abortion.


Many events are planned on or around January 22, Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.

LISTING OF LOCAL EVENTS

Jackson paper covers students heading to the March for Life

The Jackson Citizen-Patriot has an article about a group of students from Jackson, Michigan heading the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Kathy Potts, adviser of Students for Life, thinks these students are becoming activists at a young age.

“They get to see their generation take on this issue passionately,” said Potts. “This helps them learn to stand up for what they believe and take a stance on a very important issue.”

Maggie Emmert, 16, has been involved with Students for Life of Jackson since
September 2009 and is proud to be involved with people who feel strongly about the anti-abortion cause.

“There are a lot of influences out there. People need to make sure they are informed with both sides of the issues presented,” said Emmert. “I have learned through my involvement with Students for Life to stand strong for my beliefs and to speak them freely.”

FULL STORY