file: /pub/resources/text/ProLife.News/1994: PLN-0403.TXT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Life Communications - Volume 4, No. 3 February, 1994 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter is intended to provide articles and news information to those interested in Pro-Life issues. All submissions should be sent to the editor, Steve or the assistant editor Sean ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Across the Pond: Japan *Tokyo, Japan*: The U.N.-sponsored International Conference on Population and Development(ICPD) recently released its action plan to the Kyodo News Service, calls for worldwide birth control by the year 2015. "All countries...should in all cases by the year 2015 seek to provide universal access to the full range of safe and reliable family planning methods." Highlights of the draft include: *1)* "Countries should strive to reduce their infant and under-5 mortality rates by one-third," *2)* Population explosion in developing nations is largely due to the perceived need for large families to offset high infant, child and maternal mortality rates, *3)* Governments must guarantee that the use of family planning remains voluntary, *4)* Contraceptive use predicted to soar to 69 percent in the developing world over the next two decades, *5)* Condom distribution urged to "become integral components of all reproductive health-care services," under the threat of the higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS, *6)* Rich donor countries will have to provide some $4.4 billion in 2000, $4.8 billion in 2005, $5.3 billion in 2010 and $5.7 billion in 2015. These plans are expected to be adopted when the ICPD meets in Cairo later this year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Across the (other) Pond: Norway *Oslo, Norway* Norwegians Deport American Pro-Lifers Following through on their promise to deport those suspected of disturbing the Olympic Games being held in Norway, on February 10th, twelve American pro-lifers were met at the Oslo Airport by Norwegian security. The Americans were questioned for eight hours, held overnight and then deported back to the United States. No crimes were committed, and all were held and deported on the suspicion of intending to commit a crime in Norway. The pro-lifers were from different parts of the country, most of whom were there by the invitation of Norwegian clergy to speak at pro-life rallies being held in Norway. Reportedly, one of those deported was there simply to visit their family members, and had no intention of protesting. Responding to the calls from those detained, the U.S. State Department refused to either intervene or aid the americans, claiming that they were busy with Hillary Rodham Clinton's pending visit to the country. Reportedly, the 12 were detained based on a list of suspected activists that was given to the Norwegians by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). *Editorial Comments*: While the Norwegian response to a threat of demonstrations was harsh, even alarmingly so, it is difficult to comprehend the one-sided treatment that the State Department and the FBI give to their own citizens - and consider the message that it gives to all who oppose Government policy: Those who hold a particular (opposing) belief (ie. such as that life begins at conception) are somehow treated differently: On foreign soil they warrant no succor when their rights are abridged by a foreign country, and furthermore, that they are liable to official harrasment. None of those deported committed any crimes in Norway, none were ever convicted of federal crimes, and none belonged to organizations that supported the overthrow of either the US or Norwegian Governments. It seems that "The Land of the Free" is expanding their list of second-class citizens again: and guess what folks: From what's transpired in Norway, Pro-Lifers are on that list. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) On the National Front (US) *Washington, DC*: A Breath of Fresh Air Last month, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, addressed the National Prayer Breakfast with a stoic President Clinton at her side. She delivered an impassioned plea for an end to abortion, especially in America. The tiny Nobel Peace Prize winner told the annual gathering of some of the nation's most powerful people: "Please don't kill the child. Give it to me. I want it." She was straight to the point: "Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want." There was immediate clapping, but none at the head table. [ A transcript of this speech is available... Ed.] Earlier this month, she also presented Supreme Court with a brief arguing that life begins at conception. The case pending is that of Alexander Loce, convicted of trespass in 1990 for trying to stop his fiancee from having an abortion. *Washington, DC*: Who wants Abortion in the National Health Care Plan? Emphasizing its new directive and reflecting the nation's evolutionary policy on abortion, NARAL -- formerly the National Abortion Rights Action League -- changed its name to become the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League. The group is planning an intense lobbying campaign to ensure Congress passes a health care bill that includes a "comprehensive approach to reproductive health," including abortion coverage. Touting School-based clinics as an answer, NARRAL president Kate Michelman commented "It is time to address the reasons why so many children are born unwanted, and it is time to develop a comprehensive, integrated approach to reproductive health." Planned Parenthood has pledged $10 Million to support the addition of abortion in the National Health Care Plans currently under consideration by Congress. In the same vein, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) has begun a campaign to register to vote the women who come to their clinics for abortions. This tactic is explicitly intended to promote the inclusion of abortion in the proposed National Health Care plans. "We want that (universal access) included in the health care package," NAF Executive Director Sylvia Stengle said. "That [abortion] is absolutely preventive health care at its most responsible and effective." To keep the record straight, in an October 1993 Harris Poll, only 27 percent of respondents said they wanted abortion included in the basic benefits of a national health plan. *Fargo, North Dakota*: 24-hr waiting period upheld. In a 2-1 decision, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the states 1991 informed consent law was not an undue burden for rural women and pregnant minors. The law had been challenged by the Fargo Women's Health Organization, the only clinic in the state where abortions are performed. "Although the distance a woman must travel to obtain an abortion may be a factor in obtaining abortion, it is not the result of the state regulation," said Senior Judge John R. Gibson, writing for the majority on the appeals court. *Buffalo, New York*: Minister's sentence overturned. On appeal, the Rev. Robert Schenck's conviction for resisting arrest was thrown out. Schenck was charged with resisting arrest when he went limp while police tried to carry him away from an abortion protest in May 1992. Schenck, an Assembly of God minister, organized pro-life protests that drew thousands of people from both sides of the issue to Buffalo-area clinics in April and May 1992. He is also known for being one of two men fined $25,000 each for violating a federal court order by showing a fetus to President Clinton during the 1992 Democratic national convention. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Assisted Suicide Still in the Courts: Kevorkian on the Street In January, the constitutionality of Michigan's assisted suicide law came before the Michigan Appellate Court. This follows closely on the controversial ruling in December of 1993, when a Detroit judge ruled against Michigan's assisted suicide law, stating that a person with a terminal illness has a right to commit suicide if that person is mentally competent. Judge Richard C. Kaufman ruled the law to be unconstitutionally vague and dismissed the charges charges against Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Kevorkian has been linked to the assisted suicides of 20 people. He was charged with murder after assisting in the deaths of Marjorie Wantz and Sherry Miller -- but those charges were dropped after a judge determined Michigan had no law prohibiting assisted suicide. This decision led the Michigan Legislature to adopt a law against assisted suicide aimed specifically at Kevorkian - the law that is currently before the Michigan Appellate Court. Kevorkian attorney Geoffrey Fieger has likened an individual's right to suicide to a woman's right to abortion, stating that both the federal and state constitutions protect an individual's right to be left alone, an argument not dissimilar from that used in the infamous 1973_Roe vs. Wade_ decision, that legalized abortion in the United States throughout all nine months of pregnancy. Americans United for Life issued a statement saying there is no constitutional right to assisted suicide: "Nowhere in the 14th Amendment does it state that assisted suicide is a constitutional right," said Paul Linton, an attorney for the group. "If this case advances to the United States Supreme Court, it could be the _Roe vs. Wade_ of assisted suicide." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Illinois State Tries to Protect an Unborn Child An interesting series of events played out in Chicago this past December. Concerned about oxygen starvation due to an insufficiently developed placenta, doctors wanted a 22-year-old expectant mother to undergo a Caesarean section. The woman and her husband refused, and cited their fundamentalist Christian beliefs. The state of Illinois then went to court to _force_ the woman to have a Caesarean, to protect the unborn child; the ACLU defended the couple. The ACLU and the couple prevailed. Fortunately, the woman gave birth naturally to an apparently healthy child. Will all due respect for the gravity of the situation, it seems rather ironic that the state attorney general's office was _trying_ to get a court order issued to save a "fetus" _against the mother's will_. After all, what ever happened to "freedom of choice" and "reproductive rights"? Isn't this, as conventional wisdom goes, a violation of a woman's right to privacy? (In the name of these rights, the ACLU sought to establish that a woman has a right to damage an unborn child that WILL be born!) Somehow, the state believes it has a right to save the then-unborn child against the mother's will. The incredible part is that this child was wanted, and the doctors thought it was in danger and needed to be delivered, so the state attorney general did indeed go to bat. The ironic part is that on that same day, thousands of similar (though unwanted) babies were scheduled for abortion; the doctors and state attorney general expressed no interest in trying to save even one of their lives. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) On-Line Resources "Whatever You Did Unto One of the Least, You Did Unto Me" A transcript of the speech that Mother Teresa of Calcutta gave before President Clinton and his wife at the National Prayer Breakfast in February, 1994. Her prayer and discourse are very moving, and it is a real grace to be able to help distribute her message and call to love. [ Ask for "NatPrayer94" ] "Quotes from the Early Christian Church on Abortion" fourteen documented quotes from Christian (and Jewish) writers from the first through eighth centuries. Includes some background information for each quote. [ Ask for "EarlyChurchQuotes" ] "Home Abortions" This contains two articles from 1992 and 1993, the first describing a network of women committed to training others in performing illegal home abortions, innocuously called 'menstrual extraction'. The second is about a high-school in Sonoma California that ran a class on using a (potentially dangerous) herbal mixture to induce abortions. Ask for "HomeAbortions" ] "College Pro-Life Information Network" A short description and contact information for college pro-lifers. If you are a college student and seeking referrals or materials, this is a good place to start! [Ask for "CollegeInfoNet"] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) Off-Line Resources Name : THE CHRISTIAN ACTIVIST - A journal of Orthodox Opinion Contact: : Frank Schaeffer, Editor Address : PO Box 740 Mt Hermon CA 94041 Description : Newspaper tabloid format Additional Info : A free copy of this publication can be obtained by writing Lead stories are multi-page and abortion related for past several issues--a big story on human rights abuses against pro-life activists, "The Church against Abortion" (history), the article "Picture Perfect: The Politics of Pre-natal Testing" (which previously appeared in Neuhaus' "First Things" and then in Human Life Review). It is an unabashedly Orthodox paper and so so carries articles on Orthodox theology. It also contains general conservative cultural critique of a form Christians can appreciate (Sowell, Neuhaus, Sheldon Van Auken, Frank Schaeffer, etc...) It is published as a ministry and on an "as can afford basis". So if you can afford, you ought to pay, but if not, the information is still available to you. I consider this a very important publication, and got my church's Benevolent Fund to include it on the list of supportable charities, and have given enough to cover several subscriptions myself. Its that good! - Daniel Lieuwen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) Announcements *Pro-Life Power Tools* - Saturday, February 26. Hosted by Boston University this event comprising four pro-life workshops. For more information, call Bruce Hall at (617) 242-4199. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- *23rd Semi-Annual PA Intercollegiate Federation for Life Convention* - March 11-13. Sponsored by the Seton Hill College (Greensburg PA) Respect Life Club. Registration (including admission, food, etc.) is $16 before March 1st, and $18 thereafter. Speakers include Tim Burns, Jeff Paladina, and Pat Anderson. For more information write to IFL, PO Box 10664 State College PA 16805, call (814)867-6263, or contact Andy Sicree at . -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Life Dynamics, Inc. is developing a reporting service for abortion malpractice attorneys with information on doctors, staff, clinics, and hospitals who perform abortions around the country. They are looking for information on these abortion operations including copies of newspaper, magazine, and TV coverage; medical board, court, and police records; "dumpster" data and personal correspondence. Contact Life Dynamics, Inc. at P.O.Box 185, Lewisville TX 75067 or call (214) 436-3885 or (214) 436-4058 if you can help. [The last two items are from _The Pro-Life Collegian_, Newsletter of the Intercollegiate Federation for Life (IFL) of PA, Jan-Feb 1994.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) Reader Questions On self-defense: [v4n1 QOM] "Suppose, in the encounter between doctor and child [in an abortion], the child won half of the time, and killed the doctor in self-defense - something he would have every right to do..." This really cuts to the root of the question of how far one can go to defend the innocents being slaughtered. So, the child (human foetus) has the natural right to self-defense. But then can another act in his stead?! - Will Bralick -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- On *depo provera*: There's an ad in _The Tartan_ this week put out by Planned Parenthood. It looks like this, with *Depo Provera* in large outline font: > *DEPO PROVERA*, THE > THREE-MONTH BIRTH CONTROL > SHOT, IS NOW AVAILABLE AT > PLANNED PARENTHOOD. > Call now for a confidential appointment > to discuss your birth control options. followed by the PP logo and name, with phone numbers. What I was curious about was, what is this 'depo provera'? Is it an abortifacient? What information do we have on this new drug, and should prolifers have something to say about it? I mean, it says a birth control shot, but we all know that PP is just famous for calling abortion 'birth control' or an 'option'. Thanks. - David Sacco -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Looking for Pro-Life Orthodox Netter's: By the way, if you are, or know any Orthodox pro-life activists on the net, could you please get in contact with me ?? - Daniel Lieuwen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote of the Month: "I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?" - Mother Teresa of Calcutta, given at the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Credits: | | 1,2,5 - Many thanks to Eric Ewanco. | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Anyone desiring information on specific prolife groups, literature, tapes, or help with problems is encouraged to contact the editor.