file: /pub/resources/text/ProLife.News: pln-0416.txt ---------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Life Communications - Volume 4, No. 16 October, 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 . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) CANADIAN ABORTIONS UP TO RECORD HIGHS; BLAMED ON ECONOMY The number of abortions in Canadian clinics and hospitals has reached a record high of 100,000 a year, and both pro-life and pro-choice supporters are blaming the high figures on the longstanding economic recession. Statistics Canada said on Monday (October 3) that in 1992, there were 100,497 abortions performed in Canada (25.2 for every 100 live births). This is the highest abortion rate since 1970, the year Statistics Canada first started collecting data on this question; and it represents a 43% increase since the 1987 figure of 70,000. Also significant was that both sides of the debate deplored the high numbers of abortions, singling out the economic recession as the main cause and demanding that the government try to bring the numbers down. Sabina McLuhan, of Canada's Campaign Life Coalition, called the figures "absolutely terrible," and said, "We can't be a civilized society if we can't help women keep their children." Meanwhile, Canadian Abortion Rights Action League past president Kit Holmwood said that economic reasons drove the high numbers, and that her group will continue to lobby the government to provide enough family planning services to reduce the abortion rate. - Julian Smith ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) CANADIAN ABORTIONIST WINS LEGAL FIGHT OVER FREDERICTON CLINIC Canadian abortion doctor Henry Morgentaler won his legal battle on September 14 to re-open his Fredericton, New Brunswick freestanding abortion clinic. The clinic had been closed pending the outcome of the New Brunswick provincial government's court challenge against it. New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench Justice Ronald Stevenson concluded that the provincial government's medical legislation had overstepped its authority; the province had no right to restrict abortions to hospitals, the judge argued. "The only purpose of the legislation," Stevenson wrote, "was to prohibit the establishment of freestanding abortion clinics and particularly the establishment of such a clinic by Doctor Morgentaler." Morgentaler was pleased with the decision; in a Toronto interview, he said that New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna, who opposed the clinic, was insensitive to the suffering of women. "He had no legal leg to stand on," Morgentaler concluded. Morgentaler said his Fredericton clinic would re-open in one week (September 21). - Julian Smith ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) American Shorts: Denver CO *Three Demonstrators Injured by PP Guard* Three Pro-life Demonstrators, while cleaning up from a morning protest, were injured in Colorado after allegedly being assaulted by an abortion clinic employee. The result of the incident left two pro-life protesters requiring stitches, and a 51-year-old pro-life protester with a bruised arm. The Planned Parenthood employee, armed with a nightstick, claimed he was defending himself. [For a more detailed report, ask for "ColoradoMelee.rmn"] Houston TX *Mother gets 50 years for Infanticide* At the beginning of September, Kimberly Harris, 25, of Houston was given a 50-year prison term for drowning her infant in a local bayou last year. She was found guilty last week of murdering her daughter, Brittany Renee Harris, in April 1993."I just wanted her to have a better life," she had told detectives during questioning. Providence RI *Church Asks Parishoners to Switch Banks* The Respect Life Office of the Diocese of Providence, responding to a grassroots initiative, is encouraging members of the state's 157 parishes to boycott Citizens Bank following its appointment of Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, medical director of Planned Parenthood-Rhode Island. St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church in Cranston was the first to protest the appointment. It withdrew $76,000 earlier this month. "Everybody in creation knows Pablo Rodriguez is the leading abortionist in the state," said the Rev. Richard Donnelly, pastor of St. Mark's. 65% of Rhode Islanders are Catholic, the highest percentage in the US. Milwaulkee WI *Pro-Life Rescuer Sues for Unlawful Arrest* On August 3, 1993 Bryan Longworth, founder of Youth America was taken into custody by the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Department while sitting in the courtroom of Judge Daniel Konkol. Apparently ordered, a warrant was never issued yet Longworth was still incarcerated. Longworth explained that he believes this was a violation of his constitutional rights. "If the citizens of Wisconsin can be taken into custody when there is no warrant for their arrest, that is violating their rights to be free from search and seizures," he said. The case is due to be heard in February 1995. Longworth is currently serving a two-year sentence for violating a permanent injunction prohibiting him from "rescuing" at abortion clinics. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Wisconsin Satute 940.34 On Sept. 29 1994 at 6:00 A.M., six pro-lifers interposed themselves at the door of the Wisconsin Women's abortion clinic located at 8634 W. Brown Deer Road in Milwaukee, WI. They parked vehicles in front of both the back and front doors and locked themselves to the vehicles in order to provide protection for preborn babies threatened with death by abortionist Paul Seamars. Seamars advertises in the Yellow Pages to offer abortions up to 18 weeks gestation. Over 30 government vehicles carrying police, firemen and federal agents converged on the scene. They spent more than four hours dislodging the pro-lifers so that the killing of the preborn could continue. Those arrested included Rev. George Wilson, Rev. Mike Skott, Daniel Balint, John Stambaugh, Bob Braun and Jim Ketchum, all of Milwaukee. All are being charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Law, according to Braun, who was released on his own recognizance. Joan Clark, a spokeswoman for the Milwaukee Clinic Protection Coalition, told the media the "rescue" was a "fundraiser" and referred to those at the door as "idiots." When asked, "Why are you doing this today?" Rev. Matt Trewhella, spokesman for the group, responded, "Because they are killing babies today... Jesus taught, 'love your neighbor as yourself.' These people are here to show love to their neighbor who is threatened with death by an abortionist." Rev. George Wilson informed police and federal agents when they arrived, "I George L. Wilson, am present at 8634 W. Brown Deer Road in order to protect unborn children from the unlawful and felonious actions of Paul Seamars, who I believe intends to take their lives by violence, as forbidden by Wisconsin Statute 940.04. I am fulfilling my duty as a citizen of Wisconsin as described in Wisconsin Statute 940.34. I am calling on you to assist me in protecting the lives of these helpless human beings from the unlawful actions of Paul Seamars." Satute 940.34 is the Good Samaritan law in Wisconsin, and Rev. Wilson is being charged with the crime of blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic. - Tim Ruchti ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) What Works: Use Examples from History Here's something you might like, it is a speech by Abraham Lincoln, addressing those "personally opposed, but..." to slavery. Just substitute "abortion" in for "slavery". The arguments Lincoln denounced sound surprisingly like those we hear concerning the attempt to prevent abortion from being discussed or denounced in the public forum. > Speech by then presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, > 6 March, 1860 "What we want, and all we want, is to have with us the men who think slavery is wrong. But those who say that they hate slavery, and are opposed to it, but yet act with the Democratic Party - where are they? Let us apply a few tests. You say that you think slavery is wrong, but you denounce all attempts to restrain it. Is there anything else that you think is wrong that you are not willing to deal with as wrong? Why are you so careful, so tender of this one and no other? You will not let us do a single thing as if it was wrong! We must not call it wrong in the slave states because it is there; we must not call it wrong in politics because that is bringing morality into politics, and we must not call it wrong in the pulpit, because that would be bringing politics into religion; we must not bring it into the Tract Society or other societies, because those are unsuitable places, and there is no single place, according to you, where this wrong can properly be called wrong." The main point is that the "choice" side has used "choice" to grab the apathetic. Its easy to say "I'm personally opposed, but its up to the person," because you come out sounding moral, but wimp out of the meaningful part of it. - Tom 'CaptZoom' Scarince ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) New On-Line Resources: "As Many Abortions as Possible" An excellent study documenting the population control policies of the National Socialists (Nazis) before and during the Second World War. Includes an exceptional list of references documenting the use of abortion and forced abortion as a means to control the population of inferior races. [Ask for "NaziPopulationControl"] "Words Will Tell - When Abortion Isn't" An insightful Paul Greensburg article that analyses the Abortion-speak of the Clinton Administrations' 1994 Health Care Reform Package, and how it has been sold to the American public. [Ask for "WordsWillTell"] "The American Way of Death" A biting column by Paul Greensburg, commenting on the changeover in American sensibilities, where 1.53 million abortions can be hailed as middle-of-the-paper news. [Ask for "WayOfDeath"] "Norplant's Physical Side Effects and Implications" A summary of some of the major physical side effects to the mother using the abortifacient contraceptive Continuous Subdermal Levonorgestrel (Norplant). Includes references. [ Ask for "Norplant"] "Medical References to the use of Methotrexate as an Abortifacient" Documents journal articles that document the use of Methotrexate as an abortifacient (like RU-486). Includes several news items from back issues of the ProLife News as background material. [Ask for "Methotrexate"] "Related RU-486 Articles" A collection of seven articles stretching from 1991 to 1994 that illustrate different points of view on the controversies surrounding the importation and use of the French Abortifacient RU-486. [Ask for "RU-486"] "Ideas & Trends; Enter RU-486, Exit Hype" A _NYT_ Article documenting some of the difficulties of RU-486 use. Tries to dispell the popular myth put forward by abortion advocates as carried in _Time_ magazine and other media accounts that RU-486 use is private, quick, painless and lacking complications. [Ask for "ExitHype.nyt"] "Focus on the Family - Who We Are and What We Stand For" The statement that summerizes what Focus on the Family stands for - FOF is one of the leading pro-life voices in Evangelical Christianity around the world. [ Ask for "WhatWeStandFor.fof" ] "Melee Breaks Out at Abortion-Clinic Protest" A Newspaper report on how three pro-life demonstrators were injured in confrontation between Pro-Life Action Network and Planned Parenthood staff. Includes a partial transcript from Denver radio talk-show interview with two of the injured pro-life demonstrators. [Ask for "ColoradoMelee.rmn"] To request any of the above items, please send a list of items by title to the editor, e.g.: "Please send v4n7, SciForLife.Jan94, ClintonCare.frc" To request a copy of the list of available resources, please ask for "*v4Topics*". These and other on-line resources are also available via the World Wide Web at URL "http://www.pitt.edu/ ~stfst/pln/AboutPLN.html", or via anonymous from in the directory "users/s/t/stfst/pln". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) Announcements: *American Collegian's for Life (ACL) seventh annual conference - Jan. 20-22, 1995* "This is Generation X" will be held in Washington, DC at the Washington Marriott. ACL is a national pro-life organization dedicated to educating college students on the horrors of abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. The $40 cost includes three meals, all conference materials and housing for the first 150 registrants who request it. Speakers include Judie Brown, Molly Kelly, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Chris Long, Kay James, Alan Keyes, Armstrong Williams and Chuck Asay. For more information, please contact Bart Haggerty, ACL Conference, 115 Greenway North, Forest Hills, NY 11375. (718) 793-0868. - Jeannie Edwards ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) Reader Comments: *How to Vote Pro-Life* 1) Register and vote in every election. 2) If an election is between a pro-life candidate and a pro-abortion candidate, vote for the pro-lifer in every case. 3) If an election is between two pro-abortionists, vote against the incumbent. The longer that elected officials hold office, the more power they tend to accumulate. A newly elected pro-abortionist is less undesirable than a pro-abortionist with seniority. 4) If an election offers neither a pro-life candidate to vote for nor an incumbent to vote against, vote for the member of the party which is *less* likely to run a pro-lifer next time (In most of the United States, this means to vote for the Democrat, and pray that a pro-life Republican runs next time). This is because the winner is likely to run for re-election next time, while the loser is less likely to run again. You want to have the option of voting for a pro-lifer next time. 5) If an election is between two pro-lifers, vote for the incumbent, if there is one. If there is no incumbent, decide on another basis, but vote. 6) Don't be fooled by politicians who say that they are "personally opposed" to abortion but don't feel that they have the right to "impose their morality" on those who disagree. Don't you suppose that they will "impose their morality" on political assassins? 7) Realize that most (but not all) politicians are in politics for their own power. When it appears that the Pro-life movement offers them less chance of keeping their power than our enemies do, some politicians will try to "moderate" their position. Have a long memory of those who betray the innocent. 8) Consider working on the campaign of a pro-life candidate, or running for office yourself, against a pro-abortion incumbent. Even if there is no chance of winning, campaign advertising can put pro-life facts and pictures into the media which will never be seen there otherwise. 9) Pro-abortionists have fewer children than Pro-lifers. Raise your children well and the next generation will have a Pro-life majority. The Pro-abortion movement looks unbeatable, but it is at its peak and will soon start downward. Hang on; the future is ours. - Philip A. C. McLane ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) Reader Responses: Long Distance for Life? [v4n15] > So is there a Pro-Life response to this? You bet! And more than one! I disagree with this approach. I would think it would be a lot more productive to encourage AT&T to give like amounts of money to organizations like Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, the Rutherford Institute, and the Madison Project. The amounts they are giving to the liberal organizations are not large compared to their revenue or budget. They will bristle in defensiveness at calls for them to defund these organizations, but might well be receptive to pleas for them to fund organizations "on the other side" that are addressing real problems. The problem with taking your LD business elsewhere is that most of these players are so small that they don't do much to hurt AT&T's business, while at the same time, AT&T goes on with its one-sided funding policy. Further, while the rates that you get from these bit-players are lower than AT&T's, they are probably not as low as from some other "alternative" LD providers. Many pro-family folks do not realize that corporations don't spontaneously fund "anti-family" groups; they do so because they are lobbied, usually over a period of several years. It is time that we began doing the same. -Ed Gehringer -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- An Eyewitness Report from Cairo [v4n15] Thanks for the latest. I was sickened by the media's portrayal of the supposed disruption of the population conference as being only those whacked out people at the Vatican and those Muslim zealots. People ask, why should the Vatican try to rule the world? What they fail to realize is what fat cats like us are trying to do is tell all those third world countries how to manage their populations and resources. What these liberals conveniently forget is that large portions of the people in these developing countries are either Catholic or Muslim. I just hope someone like Al Gore develops an appreciation of the horror of what he advocates. I have for a while contended that the liberals, for all their political correctness and outspokeness against bigotry, are more fundamentally racist because of the subtle effects of their policies. In this country, they continue to uphold a situation where blacks are dependent on government, and have decided that they know what is best for all blacks and gays and other minorities. And now apparently their "population control" policies seem to be directed at blacks and Asians globally. Kind of makes me sick. - Mike Vanauker [ Mother Teresa, who runs hundreds of orphanages worldwide, appealed to the Cairo population conference to strike abortion from its agenda, offering to care for any unwanted baby. "If there is a child that you don't want or can't feed or educate, give that child to me. I will not refuse any child."] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote of the Month: "In 1973, the Supreme Court said they could not tell if the preborn child is a person, and thus rendered an unjust decision which has resulted 33 million deaths. A humble author named Dr. Seuss taught me differently when I was growing up in the 1950's. He wrote -- 'a person is a person, no matter how small.'" - Rev. Mike Skott, commenting on his 29 September 1994 arrest under FACE. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Credits: | | 1 - From reports in the Toronto papers (_Globe/Star_) of October 4, 1994 | | 2 - From reports in the Toronto papers (_Globe/Star_) of September 27, 1994| | 3 - Many thanks to reader Sean Smith. WI news from _The Christian | | Interpreter_, Oct. 1994, v 3 n 10, many thanks to reader Tim Ruchti | | 4 - Tim works with _The Christian Interpreter_, P.O. Box 25318, Milwaukee | | WI 53225, (414) 255-0220. Compiled from press releases from | | Missionaries to the Preborn (414) 462-3399. | |QOM - Many thanks to reader Bob Tatz. Quoted from _The Washington Post_ | | June 14, 1994 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Anyone desiring information on specific prolife groups, literature, or help with problems is encouraged to contact the editor. For those on the web, there is a preliminary WWW page at