Thanksgiving message from Barbara Listing

 Dear Life Protector,

During this time of thanksgiving, I want to give you an update on the work of Right to Life of Michigan and to thank you for your involvement. 

Together our accomplishments have changed hearts and brought hope to our state. 

• In 2013, five Michigan abortion businesses closed their doors. We have helped close 10 abortion businesses in the last 23 months. Back in the late 1980's, there were approximately 72 free-standing abortion clinics operating in our state. Today, only 28 remain.
• We are very close to "opting out" of mandatory abortion provisions found in the Affordable Care Act. Together we collected more than 316,000 signatures to initiate the Abortion Insurance Opt-Out Act.  
• Michigan abortions performed in 2012 represent the second-lowest level since official record-keeping began back in 1979.
• Teen abortions are down 73 percent since 1990.
• Overall, we have cut the abortion rate in Michigan by more than half since the peak year of 1987.

While it is exciting to note a few of our accomplishments for 2013, we know our work is far from complete.

Each day women experience the panic of untimely pregnancies. Right to Life of Michigan is in place to be a constant reminder of life-giving options; community based resources and the truth that every life is precious and irreplaceable.

I wanted to let you know generous donors have come together to provide a matching challenge to help the Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund. This is a chance to double your online donation up to $40,000.

Year-end, online tax-deductible donations to the Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund up to $40,000 will be matched until December 31. That means your gift toward the lifesaving work of the Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund will be doubled. 

Thank you for aiding our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. Together we can offer the hope which comes with life!

 Please consider a donation today.

With a thankful heart,

Barbara Listing, President
Right to Life of Michigan

No Taxes for Abortion Insurance petition drive advances

Yesterday, the Michigan Secretary of State's office officially confirmed that the No Taxes for Abortion Insurance petition drive gathered enough valid signatures.  The Board of Canvassers will meet on December 2 to consider the certification of the signatures and send the proposal to the state legislature.  The legislature will then have 40 days to approve the legislation.

If you haven't already, now is the time to contact your state legislators and voice your support for the Abortion Insurance Opt-Out 

The Michigan Secretary of State's office confirmed Monday evening that a deadline has passed without any public challenge to more than 315,000 signatures turned in last month by Right to Life of Michigan.

The Bureau of Elections analyzed a sample and concluded that at an estimated 299,941 signatures are valid, far more than the 258,088 needed to advance the measure.

 The Board of State Canvassers is expected to meet next Monday to consider the petitions. Certification would send the proposal to the Legislature, which would have up to 40 days to vote it into law or allow voters to decide on the 2014 statewide ballot.

FULL STORY

MORE INFORMATION ON PETITION DRIVE

Grand Rapids Right to Life refused entranced into parade

MLive has a story on Grand Rapids Right to Life not being allowed to participate in the Santa Parade tomorrow. GRRTL participated last year with the float pictured above and kids in Santa hats handing out candy.

The nonprofit, pro-life organization planned to have a float banner that reads “Life: A Precious Gift," along with people wearing Santa hats.

But that apparently didn't fit with organizers' desires for the annual parade that welcomes the holiday season in a 9 a.m. procession through downtown.

“This year we filled out an entry form per normal and they refused us,” said Laura Alexandria, director of operations for Grand Rapids Right to Life. “The understanding we received from (parade organizers) is that they wanted all of the entrants to be neutral.

“We certainly thought we were neutral (last year) by wearing Santa hats. The message on our float only says ‘Life: A Precious Gift.’”

FULL STORY

Students for Life of Michigan host Vice President of Feminists for Life

On November 18, Sally Winn, Vice President of Feminists for Life, spoke on the campus of the University of Michigan. 

Winn began her lecture on inequalities that women have faced throughout history, such as a lack of suffrage, property rights and access to education. Winn then spoke about her experience as a college student at Indiana University who struggled with an unplanned pregnancy, later becoming a student mother.

Winn argued that the real issue was the lack of resources provided by her campus and the lack of resources provided to pregnant women in general.

“Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women,” Winn said. “Women don’t have abortions because they want to; they have abortions because they lack support emotionally and finically and all the things they need to have to have a child.”

FULL STORY

How abortion will be covered in Obamacare

At the website of the Heritage Foundation, Sarah Torre breaks down Obamacare’s abortion surcharge and how taxpayers will fund abortion coverage in Obamacare.

Individuals and families who live in states that allow abortion coverage in their exchanges could find themselves paying directly for elective abortions through a separate premium, possibly without their knowledge.

Every individual enrolled in a plan that is eligible for federal tax credits and includes coverage of abortion will be forced to pay an additional abortion premium of at least $12 per year with private dollars. Obamacare mandates that insurance companies then “segregate” any federal affordability tax credits it receives from the individual premiums used to pay for abortions. The law provides no opt-out for individuals or families who may want to buy a particular plan that fits their health needs but does not include abortion coverage.

FULL STORY
       

End of the year opportunity to double your life saving gift

End-of-year donations to the Right to Life of Michigan Educational Fund will be matched if $40,000 can be raised. Your support makes all of our educational resources and outreaches possible: TV advertising, websites, flyers, research, current events. 

 If you'd like to donate, use the link below. Thank you for your support of prolife education, both financially and by sharing a prolife message with others!

 DONATE TO RLM ED FUND

Holiday issue of RLM News now online

The Holiday 2013 issue of the Right to Life of Michigan News is now online.  

Articles include the President's Message, a petition drive update, and information about the hidden abortion coverage in Obamacare.

Phase 2 of petition drive starts now!

Over the summer, prolife volunteers from across the state of Michigan collected more than 315,000 signatures to keep our tax dollars and insurance premiums from paying for abortions.

We turned the signatures in on October 4 to complete Phase 1 but our work is not done. Once the signatures are certified, the bill will presented to the state legislature.  A vote by the legislature is expected in early December. 

That's why Phase 2 starts now.  Prolife people need to contact their legislators and lobby them to vote in favor of the Abortion Insurance Opt Out Act. 

Below is a downloadable and printable flyer which can be used to promote lobbying along with links to web page to help you find your state legislators.


Again, the time to act is now as a vote is expected in early December. 

FLYER TO PROMOTE LOBBYING

FIND YOUR STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE

FIND YOUR STATE SENATOR

MICHIGAN'S VOICE WEBSITE

  

No Taxes for Abortion Insurance petition drive update

On November 8, the Board of Canvassers held a meeting and at the meeting they established a deadline for groups to challenge the signatures gathered.  Pro-abortion groups will have until November 25 to challenge signatures.  At this point, no pro-abortion has indicated plans to challenge the petitions.

In a preliminary review of a sample from the 315,477 signatures turned in last month, the state said the group needs 82 percent of the signatures to be valid, Secretary of State Elections Director Chris Thomas told the state Board of Canvassers today. And since the group turned in more than 65,000 more signatures than required by law, the cushion is likely to hold up.

That review can’t be certified, however, until opponents of the legislative initiative have the opportunity to challenge the signatures. They will have until 5 p.m. Nov. 25 to challenge the petition.

After that deadline, the SOS has to certify that at least 258,088 of the signatures are valid. The petitions move to the state Board of Canvassers and then on to the state Legislature, which has 40 calendar days to approve or reject the petitions.

FULL STORY

The Obamacare controversy not getting headlines: Hidden abortion coverage

Media headlines like “Glitches hamper rollout of Obamacare website” and “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan” have hounded President Barack Obama as national health care reform struggles for traction.

Testimonies of families who received notices of discontinuing health care coverage have reminded the country that national health care reform is not going as planned. Terminally ill people are saddled with the challenge of finding new health care plans and confusion abounds. With so many problems making headlines, one serious issue with the Affordable Care Act that is not getting the attention it deserves is the hidden coverage of abortion in Obamacare insurance plans.

Before Obamacare was passed, prolife people consistently warned the public there was nothing in the law to prevent abortion from being covered in the tax-subsidized plans in the Obamacare insurance exchanges. Instead of being transparent, the Obama administration has attempted to hide which plans cover abortions. While some states, like Michigan, have moved to ban abortion coverage, others have not.

During an October 30, 2013, hearing, Representative John Shimkus (R-IL) pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about this lack of transparency and if she knew which plans covered abortion as a number of his constituents did not want to have plans which included paying for the killing of unborn children.

Secretary Sebelius responded by saying, “Sir, I don’t know. I know exactly the issue you’re talking about. I will check and make sure that is clearly identifiable.”

Shimkus followed up and requested that the administration provide the committee with a list of insurers in the exchange who do not provide abortion coverage and Sebelius said, “We should be able to do that.”

Knowing the history of the Obama administration’s previous attempts to hide the abortion coverage in Obamacare, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) has introduced the “Abortion Full Disclosure Act of 2013.” The bill would require abortion coverage to be disclosed and prominently displayed by insurance companies when plans are offered on the Obamacare exchange.

Representative Smith said, “Americans have a right to know upfront and with full transparency when they are purchasing a plan that subsidizes the killing of unborn children. Even the most ardent advocate of abortion should embrace full disclosure.”

To learn more about prolife legislation, please visit Right to Life of Michigan online at www.rtl.org.

Michigan State Senate approves new investigation rules after complaint against dangerous abortionist was dismissed

On Thursday, the Michigan State Senate passed four bills which would change how complaints against doctors are handled.  The legislation was spurred after a complaint against an abortionist was dismissed by his former mentor. 

The Michigan Senate unanimously approved four bills regarding state oversight of medical professionals that sponsors say will help protect patients from potentially bad doctors.

A Target 8 investigation revealed that complaints to the state Board of Medicine against Dr. Robert Alexander, who was operating out of a Muskegon clinic, were dismissed without investigation. Those complaints involved alleged botched abortions that potentially put women's lives at risk.

The decision to dismiss the allegations was made single-handedly by board chair Dr. Robert Shade, who had previously served as Alexander's mentor.

FULL STORY

Prolife legislators introduced Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham introduced the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act today with 33 co-sponsors.  The legislation would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Similar legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in June. 

"At twenty weeks, mothers are encouraged to speak and sing as the baby can recognize the voice of the mother," said Graham. "The question for the American people is, ‘Should we be silent when it comes to protecting these unborn children entering the sixth month of pregnancy? Or is it incumbent on us to speak up and act on their behalf? I say we must speak up and act.

"Science and technology have advanced tremendously since 1973," said Graham. "We now know that an unborn child at the twentieth week of pregnancy can feel pain. In fact, anesthesia is administered directly to unborn children in second trimester fetal surgery. Given these facts and my continued strong support for life, I believe there is a compelling interest in protecting these unborn children who are among the most vulnerable in our society. I'm confident that over time the American people and their elected representatives will say yes as well."

FULL PRESS RELEASE

Images of Adoption event in Grand Rapids

On Thursday, November 7th, D.A. Blodgett and St. John's are hosting an event where prospective adoptive parents can learn more about adopting children through Michigan's foster care system and the children who are looking for permanent homes. 

On Thursday, prospective parents will have the opportunity to learn more about children who need homes during D.A. Blodgett-St. John's Images of Adoption event that corresponds with National Adoption Month. Any adult interested in adopting a child from Michigan’s foster care system is invited to attend the event, which runs from 5-7 p.m. at D.A. Blodgett-St. John's, 805 Leonard St. NE.

D.A. Blodgett-St. John's partnered with six local agencies for the second annual event. Prospective parents will learn about the adoption process and can inquire about available children, who will not be present. Adoption Program Manager Joy Engelsman said the evening will focus on helping possible parents take the next step, whether they're looking to adopt soon or down the road.

Kids to be featured Thursday in videos and photos range in age from 3 to 17, and the majority are teenagers or pre-teens.

FULL STORY

Child in the womb saved after mother killed in Detroit

The Detroit News has details of a child in the womb who was saved after her mother was tragically shot and killed.

Not until he and his crew moved a man’s body from the top of the heap did they realize the woman underneath was pregnant. They knew they had to act quickly to keep the fetus alive.

“I don’t know how far along she is, or say whether the baby will survive; I let the doctors make that call,” said Walinsky, who was among a handful of first responders who were called to the scene Sunday.....

When paramedics arrived, Shaltry, nine months pregnant, was dead, but that didn’t mean the baby had to die.

Walinsky said the crew knew they had to get oxygen to the baby by giving oxygen to the mother. Oxygen could still circulate to the baby through the umbilical chord, Walinsky said.

They worked quickly to get Shaltry to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where the baby girl was delivered by Caesarean section. The mother was in the operating room 30 minutes after the shooting, Walinsky said.

FULL STORY

Patient in minimally-conscious state responded like healthy volunteers

Research continues to show that some patients in minimally-conscious states are able to respond to their environments mentally the same as healthy individuals, and that a diagnosis of "persistent vegetative state" can be inaccurate in many cases. Human beings have infinite value and are not "vegetables."

An analysis of brain activity in 21 patients and eight healthy volunteers showed one of the patients could pick out individual sounds....... 

The patients and volunteers had their brains scanned during the experiment.

They were all played a word every second for 90 seconds. They had been told to count the number of times the word "yes" or "no" appeared during the stream of words.

Brainwave records showed one patient's brain activity was "indistinguishable" from the healthy patients, suggesting he was able to focus his attention on the words.       

FULL STORY

Euthanasia for kids?

Some legislators in Belgium are considering allowing others to legally euthanize children or people with dementia. Laws and regulations on euthanasia in countries where it is legal are poorly followed, especially in Belgium and the Netherlands, where cases of involuntary euthanasia and the killing of disabled newborns aren't widely prosecuted.

In Belgium, the ruling Socialist party has proposed the bill expanding the right of euthanasia. The Christian Democratic Flemish party vowed to oppose the legislation and to challenge it in the European Court of Human Rights, if it passes. A final decision must be approved by Parliament and could take months.

In the meantime, the Senate has heard testimony on both sides of the issue.

"It is strange that minors are considered legally incompetent in key areas, such as getting married, but might (be able) to decide to die," Catholic Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard testified.

FULL STORY

Another ruling against the HHS Mandate

In a 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, has ruled against the HHS Mandate and two brothers who challenged it. 

A divided panel of the D.C. Circuit ruled this morning, in Gilardi v. U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Services, that two brothers, Francis and Philip Gilardi, who own and operate a food-supply company are entitled under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act to a preliminary injunction against imposition of the HHS mandate on contraception and abortifacients.....

Petitions for certiorari from three federal appellate rulings on the HHS mandate are already before the Supreme Court. It is a very safe bet that the Court will grant review in one or more of the cases. Today’s ruling makes it all the more likely that the Court will ensure that the questions presented extend beyond the RFRA rights of for-profit corporations to include the rights of their individual owners.

FULL STORY

Appeals court allows abortion clinic regulation law in Texas to take effect

A Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals panel has ruled that a prolife law in Texas can stay in place while the lawsuit against the law moves forward.  The law regulates abortion clinics and requires abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.  It is possible that up to 12 abortion clinics in Texas may, at least temporarily, close if they are unable to find an abortionist with admitting privileges. 

The panel's decision means as least 12 clinics won't be able to perform the procedure starting as soon as Friday. In its 20-page ruling, it acknowledged that the provision "may increase the cost of accessing an abortion provider and decrease the number of physicians available to perform abortions."

However, the panel said that the U.S. Supreme Court has held that having "the incidental effect of making it more difficult or more expensive to procure an abortion cannot be enough to invalidate" a law that serves a valid purpose, "one not designed to strike at the right itself."

FULL STORY