LifeBeat for December 27, 2008

Barbara Listing, president of Right to Life of Michigan, looks back at what has happened with prolife issues in Michigan over the last year and discusses Right to Life of Michigan's prolife work.

LifeBeat for December 20, 2008

Amanda Fulford, Students for Life Coordinator for Grand Rapids Right to Life, discusses the March for Life and the various bus trips heading to Washington, D.C. from Michigan for this event. To listen, click here.

Abortion advocates give President-Elect Obama their wish list

Change.gov, the web site of President-elect Barack Obama has recently posted a document entitled “Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration.” The document was produced by abortion advocates (including Planned Parenthood and NARAL) who call on Obama to “advance and implement the(ir) agenda.”

That agenda includes, among other things, providing tax-funded abortions, removing a prolife clause which protects prolife health care providers from discrimination, putting forward a health care plan whose “benefits must include access” to “abortion care,” allowing tax dollars to fund organizations who provide and promote abortion overseas, selecting only pro-choice judges and calling on Congress to pass the Freedom of Choice Act (legislation which would dismantle numerous state and federal prolife laws). They want all that within the first 100 days.

You can read this document online and write comments encouraging President-elect Barack Obama to avoid these policies.

LifeBeat for December 13, 2008

Wesley Smith discusses how assisted suicide and euthanasia are advancing in other countries. In Switzerland, there is something called “suicide tourism” where individuals from other countries travel to Switzerland to commit suicide. To listen, click here.

Focusing on FOCA

We’ve recently posted a LifeNotes fact sheet on the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) in the Hot Topics section of our web site which explains what FOCA is and what it would do, its history, Barack Obama and FOCA, and provides other helpful web sites dealing with FOCA.

LifeBeat for December 6, 2008

Wesley Smith talks about assisted suicide and the problems it has caused in Oregon. Once a lethal assisted suicide prescription is written there are no protections for patients and the guidelines aren’t being followed. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for November 29, 2008

Wesley Smith talks about human exceptionalism and the idea that human beings have rights simply because they are human. He also talks about the consequences of not accepting human exceptionalism. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for November 22, 2008

Kris Faasse, director of adoption services at Bethany Christian Services, talks about the process of adoption and what services her organization provides to women looking to place a child for adoption and couples looking to adopt. To listen, click here.

Freedom of Choice Act Update

"The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do." -- Senator Barack Obama, speaking to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, July 17, 2007

President-elect Barack Obama made a promise in the summer of 2007 to Planned Parenthood supporters. The promise highlighted the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). FOCA is a proposed federal law to nullify virtually all federal and state limitations on abortion. President-elect Obama’s statement was more than an empty pledge. He emphasized signing FOCA will be the “first thing” he’ll do as president. Prolife people have kept the Freedom of Choice Act from reaching any president’s desk. Learn more about FOCA, its history and how you can partner with Right to Life of Michigan to protect Michigan’s commonsense laws by clicking here.

LifeBeat for November 15, 2008

Kris Faasse, director of adoption services at Bethany Christian Services, discusses the various kinds of adoption and some incorrect perceptions people can have about adoption. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for November 8, 2008

Michael Voris of St. Michael’s Media talks about abortion and the toll it has taken on our society and economy over the last 35 years. To listen, click here.

Members of the President’s Council of Bioethics warn that Proposal 2 has been misrepresented by supporters

The statement from the President’s Council of Bioethics members Robert George, Gilbert Meilaender, William Hurlbut, Peter Lawler and Diana Schaub is available online here.

The statement notes that Michigan law doesn’t prohibit embryonic stem cell research, there is no federal law regulating research on human embryos, Proposal 2's language leaves non-stem cell forms of research on human embryos completely unregulated, Proposal 2 might create incentives for in-vitro fertility clinics to intentionally create more human embryos than are typically used for fertility treatments and how proponents of Proposal 2 are basing their campaign on “cures” when embryonic stem cell research hasn’t led to a single treatment or cure.

The statement concludes by saying,

In short, Proposal 2 would create a new constitutional right to engage in destruction of human embryos for any medical research purpose, without meaningful limitations. It is not primarily about stem cell research, or about “cures” unobtainable in other, less controversial ways. Michigan voters have a right to know this before they vote.

Proposal 2 is just the beginning

Sue O’Shea, the director of Michigan’s Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, recently admitted in an interview with the magazine Nature that even if Proposal 2 passes, Michigan researchers might not be able to create new embryonic stem cell lines unless they receive taxpayer funding. She added, “It will just make life easier knowing we can do it.” Proposal 2 isn't really about cures, it’s about giving researchers the ability to do whatever they want and preventing any local or state regulations on their research.

LifeBeat for November 1, 2008

Jill Stanek again discusses the Born Alive Infant Protection Act and Barack Obama’s opposition to this legislation when he was in the Illinois State Senate. The Born Alive Infant Protect Act was legislation designed to protect infants who survive abortion. To listen, click here.

The Grand Rapids Press recommends voting NO on Proposal 2

The Grand Rapids Press says this type of research "warrants oversight" that Proposal 2 would prohibit and should not be a "constitutional issue."

According to the newspaper: “As the state's foundational document of government, the Michigan Constitution ought to be amended only for overwhelming cause and where other alternatives are inadequate. Stem cell research doesn't rise to that level. For that reason, we recommend a NO vote on Proposal 2 on the Nov. 4 ballot.”

LifeBeat for October 25, 2008

Jill Stanek discusses her involvement in the Born Alive Infant Protection Act after cradling an infant who survived a late-term abortion. The Born Alive Infant Protection Act was legislation designed to protect infants who survive abortions. To listen, click here.

Recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell research

It seems like there is a new breakthrough in induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell research every week or so. Below are a few of the more recent advances in research that creates pluripotent stem cells (the same property coveted in embryonic stem cells) without killing human embryos.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that researchers at the Salk Institute for Biomedical Research were able to drastically improve the efficiency of creating induced pluripotent stem cells by using hair cells.

Reuters reports that Harvard scientists have found a shortcut in producing iPS cells from ordinary skin cells. Scientists replaced two of the four genes in the usual process with a chemical. This new process could overcome concerns that potential iPS cell treatments would promote cancer.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Japanese researchers have been able to reprogram adult cells in mice to become pluripotent stem cells without using viruses. The article notes the new method appears to be an improvement on earlier techniques. This research doesn't require the killing of human embryos.

National Right to Life exposes Senator Obama's debate distortions

National Right to Life has a press release which notes and explains how a number of Senator Barack Obama's statements in the last presidential debate were highly misleading. The press release explains how Senator Obama mislead viewers regarding his votes on Illinois' Born Alive Infant Protection Act and his position on partial-birth abortion. It also explains Senator Obama's position on the Freedom of Choice Act, a piece of legislation which would force taxpayers to fund abortions and overturn prolife state laws.

LifeBeat for October 18, 2008

Michael Voris, founder of St. Michael’s Media, talks about the economic costs of abortion on America’s economy. Millions of missing people means millions of missing consumers. To listen, click here.

New Critical Reading on Cure Michigan's "Myths and Truth" web page

We've posted a critical reading of factual incorrect "truth" section of Cure Michigan's "Myth and Truth about Stem Cell Research" web page. Cure Michigan is the group behind Proposal 2, a proposal which is attempting to allow unregulated and unrestricted research on human embryos to Michigan.

The "Truth" section of their web page contains a number of "truths" which are blatantly false including the false claim that clinical trials using embryonic stem cells are close to starting, the false claim that Proposal 2 would only allow research on 5-6 day old human embryos and the false claim that experiments using specialized cells derived from embryonic stem cell don't cause tumors in animals.

LifeBeat for October 4, 2008

Michael Voris, founder of St. Michael’s Media, talks about media bias on the abortion issue and how the facts about Doe v. Bolton and what “health” means with regards to abortion often go unmentioned. To listen, click here.

New Critical Reading of Detroit Free Press article on Proposal 2

We've posted a critical reading of Megha Satyanarayana's September 24, 2008, article in the Detroit Free Press on Proposal 2 and its attempt to legalize using and killing human embryos in research experiments.

The article includes a number of misleading and deceptive quotes on stem cell research from Dr. Sean Morrison, who favors killing human embryos for research.

LifeBeat for September 27, 2008

Author Lydia Clarke talks about her experience with abortion and how it affected her. She also stresses how prolife people need to love women who have had abortions. To listen, click here.

“Misleading” stem cell/economics study gets ripped by Michigan State students and political science professor

Proponents of unrestricted research on human embryos (including the Michigan Citizens for Stem Cell Research and Cures) paid $24,000 for Wayne State Professor Allen Goodman to write a "misleading," "unfair" and "arbitrary" paper about the supposed economic impact of passing Proposal 2.

The paper's flaws were easily recognized by a class of Michigan State students. Michigan State Professor Michael Craw (who isn’t opposed to embryonic stem cell research) noted the study’s numerous errors by pointing out that the study provides no justification for its results and could be used to teach students how not to conduct research.

FULL STORY

LifeBeat for September 20, 2008

State Senator Tom George again discusses Proposal 2 and the problems with allowing a new industry like embryonic stem cell research to be completely unregulated by state government. To listen, click here.