Another Planned Parenthood affiliate decides to disaffiliate because of abortion requirement

While Planned Parenthood (the nation's largest abortion provider) claims abortion is only a small part of what they do, they quietly issued a new policy which requires every Planned Parenthood affiliate to provide abortions by the beginning of 2013.  While some affiliates have merged to comply with the abortion edict, other affiliates have chosen not to comply and disaffiliated themselves with Planned Parenthood.  The latest news of disaffiliation comes from the state of New York.

Planned Parenthood of South Central New York will change its name because of a requirement by the national federation that will force all local offices to perform abortions by 2013.

In a news release issued Wednesday evening, officials with Planned Parenthood of South Central New York said the local offices will become an independent organization next year.

If abortion is only a small part of what Planned Parenthood does, then why are they forcing affiliates to provide them and in the process losing affiliates? 

Planned Parenthood provided 329,445 abortions performed in 2010 which is more than 1/4 of all abortions performed in the United States. 

FULL STORY

LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S ABORTION AGENDA

Life After 40: Week 33

During the 33rd week of pregnancy, small pupils in the baby’s eyes can function, dilating and constricting in dim or bright light.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FETAL DEVELOPMENT AT LIFE AFTER 40

Prolife Lobby Day on December 6

 Make plans to attend Lobby Day on Thursday, December 6 in Lansing! We've worked too hard to have our Prolife Bus Bill and Obamacare Abortion Opt-Out Package left out at the end of the term. Join us for morning briefings in the Capitol at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 or 11:30, followed by an opportunity to communicate with our representatives.

If you can help us pass these life-saving laws, email us at lobbyday@rtl.org to tell us you are coming. The first 100 RSVPs will receive a free prolife t-shirt at Lobby Day.

Letter to editor points out failings in supporting spending Michigan tax dollars on embryonic stem cell research

In a letter to the editor published in the Detroit Free Press, Paul Long, President and CEO of Michigan Catholic Conference, ably demonstrates the folly of encouraging the state of Michigan to throw money down the drain and use tax-dollars to support embryonic stem cell research.

Four years past Michigan's ballot question that allowed for human embryos to be destroyed in Michigan, the research continues to divide both the research community and the general public.

With campaign promises of life-saving cures and an influx of jobs entirely unfulfilled, advocates now claim that a lack of taxpayer funding has impeded results. This tacit request for tax dollars should sound the alarm, as it did for the proposal's supporters who accused opponents of lying when the question of public funding was raised.

Considering that more than $100 million in private grant dollars have been allocated in Michigan toward an industry that has, state after state, failed to live up to its hype, calls for hundreds of millions more in public funding will certainly blow away with the wind.

In recent days, both the Detroit Free Press and the Michigan Daily have advocated on behalf of spending Michigan tax dollars on failed embryonic stem cell experiments. 

FULL LETTER

CDC: U.S. Abortions Fell by 5% in 2009

The Centers for Disease Control recently released their 2009 Abortion Surveillance  report which notes that abortions fell 5% from 2008.  The report doesn't include reporting from a number of states, including California but reports trends from states which have reliably provided them abortion statistics over the years.

To come up with reliable year-to-year comparisons, the CDC used the numbers from 43 states and two cities — those that have been sending in data consistently for at least 10 years. The researchers found that abortions per 1,000 women of child-bearing age fell from about 16 in 2008 to roughly 15 in 2009. That translates to nearly 38,000 fewer abortions in one year.

The report also says that at least 12 women died in 2008 from legal abortions. 

FULL STORY

CDC'S 2009 ABORTION SURVEILLANCE REPORT

Critical Prolife Teleseminar at 1 p.m. today

On Tuesday, November 27, at 1 p.m., Right to Life of Michigan will host a Teleseminar to provide details regarding the upcoming Lobby Day slated for Thursday, December 6.

During the Teleseminar you will hear from Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing and Right to Life of Michigan Legislative Director Ed Rivet about Lobby Day in Lansing at the State Capitol on Thursday, December 6, 2012.  We need hundreds of prolife citizen activists to flood the Capitol Building that day to be sure the Prolife Bus bill and the ObamaCare Abortion Opt Out package get final action before the year ends.

We have made too much progress on these bills over the past 23 months to see them go by the wayside at the end of session. Everything we have worked for is at stake!

This information may be shared with other prolife leaders.

Please plan to listen to the Teleseminar over the Internet or call in and listen by phone. Details are below.

Title: RLM Lobby Day - December 6

Time: Tuesday, November 27th at 1 p.m.

To attend and listen over the Internet, visit:
http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=35654313

Or, use your phone and call: (206) 402-0100

Pin Code: 662744#

We are looking forward to providing you with all the details regarding this vital December 6 Lobby Day in Lansing. There will be an opportunity to submit questions using the web page, http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventID=35654313

Life After 40: Week 32

During the 32nd week of pregnancy, the baby’s first haircut happens as lanugo begins to fall off.

LEARN MORE AT LIFE AFTER 40

Robin Erb and Detroit Free Press shill for embryonic stem cells again

In the most recent of a long line of puff pieces the Detroit Free Press has printed on embryonic stem cell research, Detroit Free Press Medical Writer Robin Erb continuously reiterates the lie that embryonic stem cell research was banned in Michigan prior to 2008 while at the same time trying to downplay the complete failure of embryonic stem cells to create the cures it advocates promised.

Embryonic stem cell research is a fledgling science, but four years after Michigan voters lifted the ban on such research, U-M is staking its claim.

Instead of cures, Erb celebrates that the University of Michigan is submitting human embryonic stem cell lines to the National Institutes of Health.

On Wednesday, Smith submitted his 11th and 12th embryonic stem cell lines to the National Institutes of Health for inclusion on a national registry, adding to 10 lines submitted and accepted earlier this year

The NIH has accepted 184 human embryonic stem cell lines since 2009.  Remember when stem cell advocates promised cures once President Bush's 2001 funding limits were overturned? 

Erb also includes this ridiculous assertion from embryonic stem cell advocate and billionaire Al Taubman.

Taubman helped finance the campaign to pass the 2008 ballot proposal that lifted the ban and has been relentless in his support of stem cell research, roaring at a politician in 2010:

"Embryonic stem cell is probably the most important thing that's happened in medicine probably ever. Ever."

More important than penicillin?  More important than the development of aspirin?  More important than the development of numerous life-saving vaccines?  Many people would question Taubman's sanity after hearing that assertion.  Not Erb.

Instead of taking the time to find and interview someone who is opposed to killing human embryos for research, Erb finds someone who claims to be prolife but clearly doesn't understand the principles of prolife movement.

Katie Marzolf chooses her words carefully.

"I'm definitely pro-life. I don't believe in abortion. But I'm not going to judge. There's cancer out there, heart disease, MS (multiple sclerosis) ... I understand that it's a human life," she said of the embryos that would be discarded if not used for research. "But I think of the human lives that might be saved" through embryonic stem cell lines.

The article ends with embryonic stem cell advocate Danny Heumann admitting that the promised cures haven't come.

"We are doing so much in the state -- great things. Are we curing anybody yet? No. But will we cure somebody some day? I sure as hell hope so," he said.

Notably missing from the article is any discussion of the numerous problems embryonic stem cells will have to overcome before they cure anyone.  That might have made the story if Erb bothered to interview anyone opposed to treating human beings as research materials.  Also missing is how the discovery of and research on induced pluripotent stem cells have dramatically shifted where scientists are going with stem cell research. 

Life After 40: Week 31

During the 31st week of pregnancy, the baby’s brain has developed enough to control breathing and her own body temperature independent of mother.

LEARN MORE AT LIFE AFTER 40

Couple featured on "16 and Pregnant" reality TV show to speak at U-M and MSU

Catelynn and Tyler, a couple who were featured on the MTV show "16 and Pregnant" will be speaking at the end of November on the campuses of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.  The show followed them as they made an adoption plan for their daughter Carly with the help of Bethany Christian Services.  Catelynn and Tyler will be speaking about their experience as birth parents, adoption, unplanned pregnancy and other issues facing teens and young adults. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT CATELYNN AND TYLER

LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR SPEAKING EVENTS

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday 2013 Bulletin Inserts

Front of 2013 SOHLS Bulletin Insert

Right to Life of Michigan's 2013 Sanctity of Human Life Sunday bulletin inserts are now available! They're only $7/100. 

Our SOHLS web page provides a means of ordering these bulletin inserts along with a variety of other resources for SOHLS, including presentations, faith resources, SOHLS activities, resources for leaders, information on bus trips to the March for Life and luminary candle kits. 

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SUNDAY 2013 WEB PAGE

Life After 40: Week 30

During the 30th week of pregnancy, the baby’s eyes are wide open now and she has a full head of hair.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FETAL DEVELOPMENT AT LIFE AFTER 40

Political video features girls asking their moms to vote for Obama so they can have abortions when they grow up

Planned Parenthood, America's largest abortion provider, has already noticed and given the thumbs up to the video below. The video's message is: Mommy, vote for Obama so I can abort your grandchildren.

A political video by a novelist and a former "Sex and the City" co-producer caught the approving eye Monday of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America's political arm. It features young girls encouraging their mothers to vote to re-elect President Barack Obama so they can continue to have access to abortion. The children in the video, who range in age from toddlers to their early teens, urge their mothers to vote for abortion access because they cannot.

FULL STORY

Planned Parenthood botches another abortion

An emergency call reveals that a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Denver, Colorado botched an abortion on October 26.

In Denver, the heavily redacted CAD Transcript indicates that a woman was transported from Planned Parenthood using Code 2, which denotes a serious, but not immediately life-threatening condition. The transcript used medical codes that indicated the woman suffered a severe hemorrhage related to an ectopic pregnancy.

FULL STORY

Michigan business wins temporary injunction against HHS Mandate

Michigan business Weingartz Supply Company succeeded in getting a court to issue a temporary injunction against the Obama Administration. The HHS Mandate could be used to force employers to violate their consciences by providing coverage for drugs which may induce abortions.

The Thomas More Law Center, a pro-life legal group, won the victory for the business and Erin Mersino, TMLC’s lead counsel on the case who presented the oral argument, told LifeNews: “The federal court has found that our clients have a likelihood of success and would be irreparably harmed by the unconstitutional overreaching of the HHS mandate.  This is not only a victory for our clients, but for religious freedom.”

Mersino said the mandate forces employers, regardless of their religious convictions, to provide insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception under threat of heavy penalties.

FULL STORY

Do you know who the prolife candidates are in Michigan?

On Tuesday, November 6, registered voters have both the privilege and responsibility to participate in the General Election. The Right to Life of Michigan Political Action Committee made endorsements ranging from president of the United States to county commissioners. These endorsements blanket the state. The opportunities are great to elect prolife men and women who desire to protect the sanctity of human life. Our prolife votes can make sure life is protected at every level of government.  

GET YOUR PERSONAL LIST OF PROLIFE CANDIDATES

Does it make sense for prolife people to vote for pro-abortion candidates?

Paul Stark of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life recently wrote a blog post which responds to some arguments used by prolife people who think they should vote for pro-abortion candidates like President Barack Obama.  It's good article for dealing with excuses about not voting for prolife candidates. Some arguments included are "politicians don't really affect abortion" and "The economic, poverty-reduction, sex education and/or contraception-funding policies of pro-choice candidates would reduce abortions"

With respect to most issues, opposing candidates share the same goals and principles, such as growing the economy, reducing poverty, promoting peace around the world and protecting our national security. They disagree only about the best means of achieving those ends. They disagree on matters of prudence. But with respect to abortion and other right-to-life issues (e.g., euthanasia, embryo-destructive biomedical research), candidates disagree about a matter of fundamental moral principle. Pro-choice candidates seek to exclude an entire class of vulnerable human beings from the moral respect and legal protection that are owed to every member of the human family. Pro-choice candidates deny the very right to life that is the basis for all other rights.

FULL STORY