Fall 2011 issue of RLM News online

The Fall 2011 issue of the Right to Life of Michigan News is now online.

Articles include stories about Michigan's ban on partial birth abortion, Senator Debbie Stabenow's record on abortion, a family which chooses hope after a troubling prenatal diagnosis, and a Right to Life of Michigan Conference recap.

Abortion clinic workers plead guilty to murder

Two abortion clinic workers pled guilty yesterday to third-degree murder charges for the roles they played in the deaths of an infant who survived an abortion and a woman who died during an abortion. The two women were employed by Pennsylvania abortionist Kermit Gosnell.

Adrienne Moton, 34, of Upper Darby, admitted to killing a baby delivered alive. Sherry West, 52, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in the death of a 41-year-old immigrant who was given a lethal overdose of painkillers and anesthesia......

Moton, who knew Gosnell through his niece, assisted with abortions and followed Gosnell's practice of using scissors to cut the spinal cords of late-term fetuses, the report said.

Like many newborns, Baby D was delivered by a woman who spent hours in labor over a toilet, one of Moton's coworkers, Kareema Cross, told the grand jury.

"The baby was moving and looked like it was swimming," said Cross, who was not charged. "Moton reached into the toilet, got the baby out, and cut its neck."

FULL STORY

Euthanasia in Europe

In an article for the National Review, Wesley Smith discusses the spread of euthanasia in Europe where the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland have drifted further and further away from respecting vulnerable lives and have embraced killing as the solution to suffering.

This is cause for great worry, for, once a society embraces doctor prescribed death as an acceptable answer to human suffering or as some kind of fundamental liberty right, there are no brakes. We need only look to European countries that have gone down the Euthanasia Highway to see how society is impacted deleteriously by accepting killing as a suitable answer to the problem of human suffering.....

If the Dutch parliament passes a law consistent with the KNMG's ethical opinion, it will mean every physician in the Netherlands would be forced to be complicit in euthanasia — even if they are pro-life or believe in the Hippocratic Oath's prohibition against physician-assisted suicide — by finding a doctor willing to kill their euthanasia-qualified patients.....

Matters are even worse in Belgium, which legalized euthanasia in 2002. Where the Dutch slid slowly down the slippery slope over decades, Belgium has leaped off the moral cliff head-first. Consider that Belgian doctors have coupled euthanasia with organ harvesting.

FULL STORY

Prolife ads airing statewide

Two prolife ads produced by the Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund are currently airing statewide. Accusations, a 30-second ad currently airing statewide, reinforces that no matter what obstacles are in your path, life is the best option.

VIEW "ACCUSATIONS" ONLINE

New video shares abortion pill facts

A new YouTube video produced by the Human Development Resource Council shares some facts about the abortion pill.

Local media outlets cover passage of prolife legislation in Michigan Senate

Different local media outlets including the Niles Daily Star, WTVB and WLNS covered the passage of legislation to revise how abortion clinics dispose of aborted children. The legislation was first introduced after the remains of a number of aborted children were found in an abortion clinic dumpster.

From the Niles Daily Star:

“Life is a gift that should be protected and cherished,” said Proos, R-St. Joseph. “That is why I was shocked and disgusted when I heard about a situation in Michigan where a medical clinic was disposing of baby remains by throwing them into the trash. This practice is unsafe, unsanitary and immoral.”

Senate Bill 25 would establish requirements for the proper disposal of fetal remains. Under a companion measure, SB 54, physicians would be required to inform parents that state law mandates them to decide how the remains would be handled.

Michigan Senate passes bills to ensure humane disposition of fetal remains

Senate Bill 25 and Senate Bill 54 were approved by the Michigan Senate today by votes of 33-5, closing loopholes in Michigan law which currently allow the bodies of aborted babies to be legally thrown into common trash dumpsters if certain disposal procedures are first followed. The two bills change the law to require that the remains of unborn children be either buried or cremated.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION

Bryan Kemper looks back on Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity

Bryan Kemper, the co-founder of Rock for Life and founder and president of Stand True Ministries, discusses The Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity, which took place on October 18. This is a day where thousands of students don't speak for the day to stand in silent solidarity with unborn children who do not have a voice.

Yesterday I saw a glimpse into the heart of the “pro-life generation” and I am so excited to be a part of this movement right now. I saw a courage that I would have never had at that age — a courage that will change this world. I saw a resolve that blew my mind, a resolve that can accomplish anything — even bringing an end to abortion. I saw character that would make me proud as a parent to see in my children — a character that is surly making their heavenly Father proud.

FULL STORY

New book provides prolife arguments, answers to pro-abortion arguments

Christopher Kaczor, a professor at Loyola Marymount University has written a new book on abortion entitled, "The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice." National Review recently interviewed him about his book.

LOPEZ: Are there myths about abortion you’d like to use this book to shoot down?

KACZOR: There are many myths surrounding abortion. One, just mentioned, is that all opposition to abortion is based on religious faith. A second myth is that there is a debate about “when life begins.” In fact, informed parties, both those opposed to and those in favor of abortion, acknowledge that the human fetus is a living organism, growing, developing, and maintaining homeostasis. These are characteristics of living creatures. Only living things can die, and clearly the human fetus can die, so it is alive. A third myth is that the debate is about whether the “fetus is a human being.” Informed participants in this discussion, regardless of their views about abortion, understand that the living organism within the woman is a member of the species homo sapiens. With a human mother and a human father, with human DNA and a human path of development, the progeny is a human being. The real question in the debate is: Should all human beings be respected and protected, or just some? I favor the inclusive view in part because every single time in human history that we’ve chosen the exclusive view, we’ve made a horrible mistake.

FULL INTERVIEW

NRLC's President Carol Tobias on Planned Parenthood/Komen connection

Carol Tobias, President of National Right to Life Committee, recently penned an article for Legatus regarding the connection between the Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood.

Almost everyone in America knows a woman who has had breast cancer. Some of those beloved friends and family members may have died from it. So when an organization like Susan G. Komen for the Cure conducts fundraising projects for research, it’s difficult to say no. We’re encouraged to help by buying a certain brand of yogurt or a certain soft drink. Pink ribbons pop up on products everywhere. We can buy items we would normally buy and feel good about helping find a cure.

So if Komen’s mission is to find a cure for breast cancer, why are they giving huge sums of money to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider? According to its Form 990, Komen affiliates gave more than $550,000 to affiliates of Planned Parenthood in 2010. A year earlier, they donated over $731,000. Komen says the grants are used to fund breast exams and mammograms. However, numerous reports confirm that Planned Parenthood doesn’t do mammograms. What Planned Parenthood does do is abortion.

FULL STORY

The slippery slope gets even slipperier: Dutch doctors now want income level and loneliness to be factors in deciding whether euthanasia can be considered

The Dutch Physicians Association is hoping to further liberalize their euthanasia law to allow Dutch doctors to euthanize patients who are poor and lonely, since they believe being poor and lonely can mean a person has unbearable and lasting suffering.

Until now, factors such as income or a patient's social life played almost no role when physicians were considering a euthanasia request. However, the new guidelines will certainly change that. After almost a year of discussions, the KNMG has published a paper which says a combination of social factors and diseases and ailments that are not terminal may also qualify as unbearable and lasting suffering under the Euthanasia Act.

Some doctors want to go even further and allow patients who aren't terminally ill to be euthanized.

The physicians association says further investigation into non-medical factors is needed and Dr Nieuwenhuijzen Kruseman adds that euthanasia should be allowed even when a patient is not suffering from a terminal disease.

FULL STORY


MORE INFORMATION ON EUTHANASIA

European Court rules stem cell researchers can't patent research involving the destruction of human embryos

In a setback for European researchers hoping to make a fortune off of killing human embryos, the European Union's highest court ruled that stem cell research involving human embryos can not be patented.

Under an EU law from 1998, research methods that involve human embryos for industrial or commercial purposes can't be patented. A German court handling the dispute at the center of today's case sought the EU tribunal's view on how to interpret the phrase "for scientific research involving human embryos" and to clarify the term "human embryo."

"A process which involves removal of a stem cell from a human embryo at the blastocyst stage, entailing the destruction of that embryo, cannot be patented," said the EU court. The blastocyst stage is about five days after fertilization.

FULL STORY

U.S. House passes Protect Life Act

Yesterday, by a 251-172 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed The Protect Life Act (H.R. 358). This bill would nullify the multiple abortion-expanding provisions of the 2010 federal health care law, commonly known as "ObamaCare."

(Insurance) (p)roviders that offer abortion coverage would have to set up identical plans without abortion coverage to participate in the health insurance exchanges to be set up under the new law.

The legislation, which passed 251-172, is unlikely to be considered by the Democratic-led Senate and faces a veto threat from President Barack Obama. But it gives House Republicans a chance to reaffirm their credentials on social conservative issues.

Supporters of the bill, including author Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., say they are trying to close loopholes in the health care act that could lead to violations of the longstanding prohibition of the federal funding of abortion.

FULL STORY

President Obama threatens to veto Protect Life Act

National Right to Life reports the Obama administration issued a statement opposing The Protect Life Act (H.R. 358). The House of Representatives will vote on The Protect Life Act today.

The objective of the Protect Life Act is to correct the “multiple provisions that authorize subsidies for abortion, as well as provisions that could be employed for abortion-expanding administrative mandates,” as NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson said in testimony before a congressional subcommittee in February. But since President Obama has never conceded that such provisions exist, not surprisingly the letter today again denies what is self-evidently true.

Thus, there is this assurance:

“Longstanding Federal policy prohibits Federal funds from being used for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered” and “ObamaCare preserved this prohibition and included policies to ensure that Federal funding is segregated from any private dollars used to fund abortions for which Federal funding is prohibited.“

Why fight so vigorously a law to limit abortion-expanding provisions in ObamaCare if supposedly they don’t even exist?

FULL STORY

Three mothers choose life after ultrasounds in Grand Rapids

A wonderful story from LifeNews and 40 Days for Life:

A visibly upset young woman and her mother had just walked out of the abortion center where the 40 Days for Life vigil is going on – and walked right up to one of the prayer volunteers.

She had been advised to have an abortion because she had difficulties in her life.

After a short discussion, the two women seemed interested in the offer of a free ultrasound at a local pregnancy care center. But there were two challenges.

First of all, it was 8:30 in the morning – and the pregnancy center wouldn’t open til 9:00.....

The second challenge seemed a bit more formidable. While an ultrasound MACHINE was available, there might not be an ultrasound TECHNICIAN available......

About the same time, yet another couple arrived for an appointment. They had significant financial challenges – and they, too, had been encouraged to abort. “And yes,” said the volunteer, “couple number three also wanted a free ultrasound.”

Meanwhile, back at the pregnancy center, a car had entered the parking lot. None of the volunteers recognized the car. A woman got out. They didn’t recognize her, either.

She walked over and introduced herself. “I’m an ultrasound tech and I have nothing to do today,” she said. “Do you know of anyone that could use my skills?”

“Seriously!” said the volunteer. “Just like that!”

Three young women saw ultrasound images of their babies that day. And despite all the reasons each had been encouraged to abort – they each chose life for their children.

FULL STORY

Michigan governor signs partial birth abortion ban

Today, October 11, 2011, Governor Rick Snyder signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban into law. The law is a long awaited, celebrated achievement by dedicated prolife people in Michigan.

Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing made the following statement:

"Partial Birth Abortion shall be no more in the great state of Michigan.

"More than 15 years ago the reality of this horrific abortion procedure first came into the public light. Since that time, prolife citizens have partnered with elected officials to ban partial birth abortions in Michigan. We are celebrating this achievement, not for ourselves, but for our state as a whole. The final step to this journey, Gov. Snyder's signature, restores a sense of sanity and restores more respect for human life. We express our profound gratitude to the legislature and the governor for their role in making this a reality."

FULL STORY

U.S. House of Representatives to Vote on Protect Life Act

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take up the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358) on or around Thursday, October 13, 2011. This bill would correct the numerous abortion-expanding provisions of the federal health care law ("ObamaCare") enacted in early 2010. The bill, sponsored by Congressman Joe Pitts (R-PA), is similar to the "Stupak-Pitts Amendment" which initially passed the House in 2009, but which was kept out of the final health care law due to opposition from pro-abortion Democratic senators and President Obama.

Let your congressman or congresswoman know that you support the Protect Life Act.

More information about the need for this legislation can be found in the testimony of National Right to Life Committee's Douglas Johnson before the Subcommittee on Health Committee on Energy and Commerce.

DOUGLAS JOHNSON'S TESTIMONY (PDF)

Abortion and disabilities flier

Check out our newest flier, it gives facts and discusses the high rate of abortions performed on unborn children diagnosed with disabilities.

You can find this new flier and most of our other educational fliers and fact sheets available for free download and copying at our Factsheets and Handouts page.

Abortion and disabilities flier (PDF)

Human cloning in the news again

On Wednesday, the Washington Post and a few other papers reported on research out of New York in which researchers attempted to create cloned human embryos and then kill them for their stem cells. After failing to create a cloned embryo who could survive long enough to be killed for her stem cells using regular cloning techniques, scientists at the New York Stem Cell Foundation decided to forego the step of removing the egg's nucleus. This means they created human embryos with 69 chromosomes instead of 46. Since the cells have an abnormal number of chromosomes, they could never be used to treat patients.

The scientists paid $8,000 each to 16 women in order to obtain 270 eggs.

Some researchers, however, questioned the usefulness of the research.

"These are grotesquely abnormal cells, so they have no clinical applications. Even scientifically they are of questionable value," said Maureen L. Condic, an associate professor of neurobiology and anatomy at the University of Utah.

A political cross section of scientists, women's health advocates and bioethicists also expressed concern about paying women for the millions of eggs that would be demanded if the work ever led to treatments for common diseases. Egg donation requires risky hormone injections.

"I do have some very serious concerns about such wholesale solicitation of young women for their eggs at such very attractive prices," said Judy Norsigian, executive director of Our Bodies Ourselves, a women's health guide.

FULL STORY

Wesley Smith has some thoughts on this research and story.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HUMAN CLONING

Clinton County Baby Contest Results in Lansing State Journal

On October 2, the Lansing State Journal published the results of Clinton County Right to Life's 2011 Mint Festival Baby Contest, including pictures of the winning babies.

FULL STORY

University of Michigan Students for Life group brings display of abortion images to campus

This week, students at the University of Michigan are going to get a chance to see what abortion does to unborn children. The University of Michigan Students for Life is hosting a display by the Genocide Awareness Project which displays images of aborted children alongside victims of the Holocaust and the genocide in Darfur.

LSA junior Carmen Allen, president of Students for Life, said the organization asked the Genocide Awareness Project to come to campus because many students here aren't concerned about abortions.

"I think that the University of Michigan is the subject of a lot of apathy on campus that we have labeled tolerance," Allen said. "I think that abortion is an issue that has really fallen under that apathy. The only thing that can really shake up this campus is to see what's going on through the graphic image."

........

The campus group also had a booth on the Diag yesterday dispensing information for women who may be considering abortion and set up a "Free Speech" board on which students could write their opinions about various issues.

FULL STORY

VIDEOS OF INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS

Illinois abortion clinic shut down for health violations

An abortion clinic in Illinois has been shut down indefinitely for health violations. The Northern Illinois Women's Center in Rockford had its license suspended by the Illinois Department of Health after failing a follow-up inspection. The clinic was inspected in June of 2011 and received a plan of correction but when inspectors returned in September, they still found numerous health violations.

The facility did not ensure the presence of a registered nurse in the operating room during all invasive and operative procedures.

The facility did not ensure the presence of a registered nurse to direct and supervise the nursing personnel and the nursing care of patients.

The facility did not ensure that either of the two physicians on staff have and maintain surgical practice privileges with an Illinois-licensed hospital.

The facility did not have a written agreement with a laboratory that possesses a valid clinical laboratory improvement amendment certificate to perform any lab work that is not performed at the facility. The notice also assesses a fine of $15,000 against the facility.

FULL STORY