Category Archives: Culture War

Sincere Pro-Lifer to Sincere Abortion Supporter

A couple of years ago, the pro-life organization in which I serve as a volunteer, West Virginians For Life (the statewide affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee) distributed a mailer regarding a then-upcoming election. A seemingly sincere pro-abortion woman, Amanda, sent her response (regarding the mailer) by way of publicly commenting at one of our pro-life websites.

Here is her brief comment and my open reply follows it:

Dear Pro lifers of West Virginia,

I just got your advertisement in the mail today telling me not to vote for Natalie Tennat [sic]. Not only am I voting for Natalie for Senate, but she is the only reason I am going to vote. Your philosophies seem to govern much around religion and your love for the Constitution, but only in so far that they pertain to you. You do not care about the rights of others. The right to an abortion, freedom of and from religion. You do not care about women and how the right to abortion, sex education and birth control is a matter of Public Health.

I believe in your freedom of speech as much as believe in my own. I do not wish anything less, or any ill will. All I ask is you refrain from making laws that do not pertain to yourself. If you don’t want an abortion than [sic] don’t have one, but when you take the access away from women you are causing harm onto them. Also, please refrain from using laws from the Old Testament to define your purpose when you yourself do not follow all the laws. Thank you.

Note: for several points in my reply (below) scholarly support is available in the “40 Years of Roe” symposium video available here.

Dear Amanda

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to the mailer.
Did you know that every time a woman has an abortion, she significantly increases her risk of breast cancer, and significantly increases her risk of future preterm delivery, and significantly increases her chance of a future baby being afflicted with cerebral palsy? Not only does a baby whose heartbeat and brainwaves are detectable lose its life in every abortion (practically all abortions happen after the baby has already reached such a stage of development), but the mother is a victim as well.

Many studies have demonstrated links to not only breast cancer, preterm births, and cerebral palsy, but also depression, suicide, and divorce, just to list a few. In almost all cases, the abortion is done merely for the sake of convenience. Quite often it is done because the mother or father don’t like the gender of the baby, or because they don’t want to raise a child that might have an imperfection or disability (and often the doctors are wrong in forecasting such things). Furthermore, not only do the aforementioned detriments occur, but there is a “dose effect” in that with each repeated abortion, her odds get exponentially worse for having these issues. To watch a free online, scholarly presentation of these issues, click here: http://harrison.wvforlife.com/2013/04/28/40-years-of-roe-recap/

Also, did you know that America’s infatuation with abortion is a result of the racism of the people who conjured this movement? Do you know the real history behind it? Did you know the abortion industry’s biggest player, Planned Parenthood, was once openly known by its earlier name as an American Eugenics organization? Do you know the history and motives of Eugenics? Check out maafa21.com – you can watch a startling documentary for free on youtube.com here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqLyyIsKyCU (or via the maafa21.com site, to watch there, via a free code).

Are you aware that the abortionists use (and have used) targeting of their placement of clinics, and targeting of ads, etc, to increase the abortion rate among ethnic minorities? Did you know that before they got American women to “want” to kill their own children, they took in hand to get policies in place to sterilize American women, and did so, by the many thousands, at times without the women’s consent and sometimes even without their knowledge? And that it was especially targeted against Blacks and native American Indians?

Did you know that abortions also have noted detrimental effects on the fathers of the aborted babies as well?

You seem VERY sincere. Please consider that your accusation that we (as pro-life people) don’t care about the rights of others is simply a mistaken mindset. We care about the right to life, and right to good health, of both the women, the men, and the babies affected by the terrible blight of abortion.

I hope you will take some time to learn more about this crucial topic.

Sincerely,
Pastor Doug Joseph
Clarksburg, WV

Should the AMA Support Healing or Killing?

ama-logo-large_1440x800

There is an effort currently underway within the American Medical Association (AMA) to abandon its decades-long position opposing assisted suicide and take a neutral stance which only sends a green light to the states that legalizing is acceptable. However, National Right to Life was recently made aware that the AMA will hold an interim meeting on November 13 and 14 in Orlando where a special breakout session will be held on assisted suicide.

Both the national and state medical societies’ opposition to doctor-prescribed suicide have been instrumental in stopping the spread of these dangerous laws. In fact, when the Vermont and California medical societies took neutral positions, it was devastating to the efforts in the legislature to block legalization. Assisting suicide is now legal in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and California, and the practice may have some legal protection in the state of Montana.

ACTION NEEDED!!!

  1. Please contact one or both contacts below via phone or email.
  2. Please restrict arguments to the suggested bullet points, in your own words.
  3. Speak with any physicians you know and urge them to contact the AMA.
  4. Ask for a written response and report any information received back to National Right to Life at jpopik@nrlc.org.

WHO TO CONTACT:

Dr. Andrew W. Gurman, MD, AMA President
Email: andrew.gurman@ama-assn.org
330 N Wabash, Ste 43482
Chicago IL 60611-5885
312.464.5618 ph
312.464.4094 fx

Bette Crigger, PhD, CEJA’s Secretary,
Secretary, Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs
American Medical Association
Email: bette.crigger@ama-assn.org
330 N Wabash, Ste 43482
Chicago  IL 60611-5885
312.464.5223 ph
312.224.6911 fx

WHAT TO SAY:

(Select one or more of the following statements and re-word or add your own thoughts.)

The AMA should retain its longstanding position in opposition to the legalization of assisted suicide because:

  • Medical professionals should focus on providing care and comfort to patients – NOT becoming a source of lethal drugs.  I would not want my doctor to have this power and suggest suicide to me as an “option.”
  • Will the government and insurance companies do the right thing – pay for treatment costing thousands of dollars – or the cheap thing – pay for lethal drugs costing hundreds of dollars?
  • Everyone knows someone who has been misdiagnosed or outlived a terminal diagnosis.
  • Wanting to die because of depression is treatable.  Millions of people are living proof.
  • Everyone agrees that dying in pain is unacceptable, however nearly all pain is now treatable. A patient in pain should find a new doctor.
  • Oregon is proof that general suicides rise dramatically once assisted suicide is promoted as a “good.”
  • My family member could die from taking lethal drugs and I wouldn’t know about it until he/she is dead because no family notification is required in advance.
  • Assisted suicide is a recipe for elder and disability abuse because it can put lethal drugs in the hands of abusers.
  • A relative who is an heir to the patient’s estate or an abusive caregiver can pick up the lethal drugs and administer them without the patient’s knowledge or consent.  There is no oversight and no witnesses are required once the lethal drugs leave the pharmacy

LifeChain – Pro-Life Event at New Pointe, Clarksburg, WV – Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016 – from 2:00 to 3:00pm

LifeChain_Texas_Allen_2006-10-01lg_cropped

When: Sunday, October 2, 2016  – from 2:00 to 3:00pm

Where: Beside Emily Drive (in the grassy, public right-of-way) at East Pointe shopping center,in Clarksburg, WV.

Who: All Pro-Lifers from both Doddridge County & Harrison County. (This event is sponsored by both counties’ chapters of West Virginians For Life.)

What & Why: This is a public prayer vigil in which Pro-Life people line up alongside a major road, holding signs in defense of preborn babies, and praying for an end to abortion. It lasts about 1 hour, and is a powerful and effective peaceful demonstration that greatly affects the public’s awareness of the issue of abortion.

Note: Feel free to bring baby strollers, lawn chairs, umbrellas, water bottles, etc.

More info:

Some 60 million rejected unborn children have perished by abortion in the United States since 1973. Through the use of science and ultrasound, we know that these children died horrific deaths; none died peacefully during these procedures. Last year, West Virginia passed (for the second time, and then overrode the governor’s second veto of) a ban of abortions after 20 weeks because we know that the unborn child suffers excruciating pain during the abortion procedure. Undercover YouTube videos prove that the barbarous Planned Parenthood turns a continued profit by the selling of aborted babies’ body parts. This year, West Virginia banned the gruesome practice of ripping apart living, preborn babies, limb from limb (which law required the overriding of another veto by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin). We are slowly turning the tide!

The Harrison County & Doddridge County chapters of West Virginians for Life are again organizing participation in the 29th annual National Life Chain that will take place nationwide on October 2, 2016. There will be 12 other life chains participating throughout West Virginia.

Life Chain is a one-hour (60-minutes) silent prayer chain and public witness against abortion. Christians will stand up and pray on behalf of our voiceless preborn citizens and seek God’s divine intervention for the healing of our community and nation and the ultimate end of abortion. This must be done humbly in the true spirit of II Chronicles 7:14.

Because prayer is our most essential weapon, we respectfully ask that you and your congregants join us for these 60 minutes. Please mark this date—October 2, 2016—on your church calendar and help us build a devout prayer vigil that God can use to change hearts and save lives and families in our area.

All participants in this Life Chain will stand beside Emily Drive (in the grassy, public right-of-way) at East Pointe shopping center. Parking is available behind Chick-Fil-A (at Kohl’s). It will be on Sunday, October 2, 2016 from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm. We will carry signs that read, “Lord, heal our land,” “Pray for an end to abortion,” and “Abortion kills children.” They will be provided for all participants (signs are given out near Chick-Fil-A, and received there for return afterward as well). We welcome any concerns or questions. Feel free to contact us. Also, take note of our websites: harrison.wvforlife.com and doddridge.wvforlife.com

LifeChain – Pro-Life Event at New Pointe, Clarksburg, WV – Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015 – from 2:30 to 3:30pm

LifeChain_Texas_Allen_2006-10-01lg_cropped

When: Sunday, October 25, 2015  – from 2:30 to 3:30pm

Where: Emily Drive, in Clarksburg, WV — behind the guardrail — starting at ALDI’s and going up to Applebee’s — permission to park at Star Furniture has been granted.

Who: All Pro-Lifers from both Doddridge County & Harrison County. (This event is sponsored by both counties’ chapters of West Virginians For Life.)

What & Why: This is a public prayer vigil in which Pro-Life people line up alongside a major road, holding signs in defense of preborn babies, and praying for an end to abortion. It lasts about 1 hour, and is a powerful and effective peaceful demonstration that greatly affects the public’s awareness of the issue of abortion.

Note: Feel free to bring baby strollers, lawn chairs, umbrellas, water bottles, etc.

Latest: both DC’s and WV’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Acts

Pain_baby

Currently, each year many thousands of late-term babies, many of whom are viable (can survive outside the womb) are aborted — without anesthesia — and it is now known that they suffer excruciating pain as their little bodies are ripped apart, limb from limb. On Thursday, January 22, 2015 (the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade/Doe v. Bolton decision by the US Supreme Court in 1973, which overturned existing laws regulating abortion and legalized abortion even up to the time of birth without regulation), Pro-Life legislators in both Washington, DC and in Charleston, WV plan to reintroduce the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would stop abortions on preborn babies after 20 weeks, when those babies are known through medical science to feel pain.

Regarding DC’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: The bill is anticipated to pass both houses. President Obama has indicated he will veto this bill. Please contact your congressman and senators and urge an override of such a veto!

Regarding WV’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: Wanda Franz, President of West Virginians For Life, sent the following update on Wednesday, January 21:

Dear Friends,

John Carey, Karen Cross, and I have been to Charleston, and we are working closely with the leadership to write a bill that improves on the older version and which will be certain of passing.  Other bills can be introduced, including the one that Dave Perry introduced on January 20. He has introduced last year’s version of the bill.  It is not a bad bill and we appreciate the pro-life commitment of the sponsors. However, West Virginians for Life will be working to pass this year’s updated version of the bill. We will let you know as soon as it has sponsors and a bill number.

Wanda Franz,
President

As you may remember, last year West Virginia became the first and only state with a Democrat-controlled legislature to pass a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (similar acts are now law in several other states, but they were all passed by Republican-controlled legislatures), however, after it was passed with overwhelming support (near the end of the session), WV Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, who claimed to be Pro-Life, vetoed the bill. (He delayed until after the session ended to do so, effectively preventing any chance for an override unless a special session was called.) Now that both the WV House of Delegates and the WV Senate are under newly elected leadership majorities, the bill is expected to pass in a manner of timing that would allow an override if the Governor should attempt another veto. We encourage you to contact your representatives in the WV House of Delegates and in the WV Senate and urge them to support the bill, and to override any veto!

Icanfeelpain

Latest: both DC’s and WV’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Acts

Pain_baby

Currently, each year many thousands of late-term babies, many of whom are viable (can survive outside the womb) are aborted — without anesthesia — and it is now known that they suffer excruciating pain as their little bodies are ripped apart, limb from limb. On Thursday, January 22, 2015 (the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade/Doe v. Bolton decision by the US Supreme Court in 1973, which overturned existing laws regulating abortion and legalized abortion even up to the time of birth without regulation), Pro-Life legislators in both Washington, DC and in Charleston, WV plan to reintroduce the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would stop abortions on preborn babies after 20 weeks, when those babies are known through medical science to feel pain.

Regarding DC’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: The bill is anticipated to pass both houses. President Obama has indicated he will veto this bill. Please contact your congressman and senators and urge an override of such a veto!

Regarding WV’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: Wanda Franz, President of West Virginians For Life, sent the following update on Wednesday, January 21:

Dear Friends,

John Carey, Karen Cross, and I have been to Charleston, and we are working closely with the leadership to write a bill that improves on the older version and which will be certain of passing.  Other bills can be introduced, including the one that Dave Perry introduced on January 20. He has introduced last year’s version of the bill.  It is not a bad bill and we appreciate the pro-life commitment of the sponsors. However, West Virginians for Life will be working to pass this year’s updated version of the bill. We will let you know as soon as it has sponsors and a bill number.

Wanda Franz,
President

As you may remember, last year West Virginia became the first and only state with a Democrat-controlled legislature to pass a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (similar acts are now law in several other states, but they were all passed by Republican-controlled legislatures), however, after it was passed with overwhelming support (near the end of the session), WV Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, who claimed to be Pro-Life, vetoed the bill. (He delayed until after the session ended to do so, effectively preventing any chance for an override unless a special session was called.) Now that both the WV House of Delegates and the WV Senate are under newly elected leadership majorities, the bill is expected to pass in a manner of timing that would allow an override if the Governor should attempt another veto. We encourage you to contact your representatives in the WV House of Delegates and in the WV Senate and urge them to support the bill, and to override any veto!

Icanfeelpain

Latest: both DC’s and WV’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Acts

Pain_baby

Currently, each year many thousands of late-term babies, many of whom are viable (can survive outside the womb) are aborted — without anesthesia — and it is now known that they suffer excruciating pain as their little bodies are ripped apart, limb from limb. On Thursday, January 22, 2015 (the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade/Doe v. Bolton decision by the US Supreme Court in 1973, which overturned existing laws regulating abortion and legalized abortion even up to the time of birth without regulation), Pro-Life legislators in both Washington, DC and in Charleston, WV plan to reintroduce the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would stop abortions on preborn babies after 20 weeks, when those babies are known through medical science to feel pain.

Regarding DC’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: The bill is anticipated to pass both houses. President Obama has indicated he will veto this bill. Please contact your congressman and senators and urge an override of such a veto!

Regarding WV’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act: Wanda Franz, President of West Virginians For Life, sent the following update on Wednesday, January 21:

Dear Friends,

John Carey, Karen Cross, and I have been to Charleston, and we are working closely with the leadership to write a bill that improves on the older version and which will be certain of passing.  Other bills can be introduced, including the one that Dave Perry introduced on January 20. He has introduced last year’s version of the bill.  It is not a bad bill and we appreciate the pro-life commitment of the sponsors. However, West Virginians for Life will be working to pass this year’s updated version of the bill. We will let you know as soon as it has sponsors and a bill number.

Wanda Franz,
President

As you may remember, last year West Virginia became the first and only state with a Democrat-controlled legislature to pass a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (similar acts are now law in several other states, but they were all passed by Republican-controlled legislatures), however, after it was passed with overwhelming support (near the end of the session), WV Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, who claimed to be Pro-Life, vetoed the bill. (He delayed until after the session ended to do so, effectively preventing any chance for an override unless a special session was called.) Now that both the WV House of Delegates and the WV Senate are under newly elected leadership majorities, the bill is expected to pass in a manner of timing that would allow an override if the Governor should attempt another veto. We encourage you to contact your representatives in the WV House of Delegates and in the WV Senate and urge them to support the bill, and to override any veto!

UPDATE, Jan. 22 – read more at LifeNews.com.

“The US House approved legislation that will put in place a complete ban on taxpayer funding of abortions that ensures abortions are not directly funded in any federal governmental program or department. The legislation combines several policies that must be enacted every year in Congressional battles and puts them into law where they will not be in jeopardy of being overturned every time Congress changes hands from pro-life lawmakers to those who support abortions. The House voted 242-179 for the bill with 239 Republicans and three Democrats voting to ban taxpayer funding of abortions under HR7 while 178 Democrats and one Republican voted against it.” [See the ROLL CALL at the end of the LifeNew.com story.]

Icanfeelpain

The words “It’s a girl” shouldn’t be a death sentence.

Gender-Equality-Starts-Here_940x492

Genetic counselors report sex-selection abortion qualms yet do nothing

Pro-choice feminists find themselves in a quandary when they are faced with sex–selection abortions, especially when, as is usually the case, they are performed because the baby is a girl. Sadly, most feminists have chosen to overlook this obvious misogyny and support such abortions. They argue that a woman has the right to abort her child even if she is doing so solely to prevent another prenatal “woman” from being born. This seems like a blindingly obvious case of discrimination against women, but pro-choicers tend to support these abortions based on “women’s rights.” In bizarre cases, feminist groups even proclaim that fighting female feticide (i.e., abortions to eliminate baby girls) is “anti-feminist.” An example is this… [read more at NationalRightToLifeNews.org]

Planned Parenthood will not appeal Missouri law extending reflection period from 24 hours to 72 hours

Missouri chamber

Many hundreds of pro-life citizens came to the Missouri State Capitol chanting “Override, override, override…”

When pro-abortionists were arguing against a new Missouri law that increased the time of reflection after counseling before an abortion can be performed from 24 hours to 72 hours, they insisted HB 1307 was unconstitutional. Undeterred (as NRL News Today reported last month), the legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Jay Nixon with the law taking effect this Friday. Guess what? Pro-abortionists have chosen not to appeal the “”onerous” and “burdensome” law! Read more at NationalRightToLifeNews.org