--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Life Communications - Volume 5, No. 2 February, 1995 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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) Across the Pond: Publicly-Funded UK Abortions Reach Record Levels Record numbers of women are having abortions through the NHS [the publicly funded National Health Service] as senior staff divert funds from other funds to pay for them. Since 1989, the number of NHS abortions has risen by 9,000 to almost 80,000, the highest level recorded since the UK Abortion Act was passed in 1967, despite a fall in the total number of abortions. [Abortions peaked at 174,000 in 1990, falling to 160,500 in 1992.] It is thought that the increase is caused by the greater influence of young, sexually active managers on health service spending. Under the NHS reforms, managers have taken over responsibility for setting the level of service from older, mostly male, gynecologists, who were generally reluctant to abort unwanted pregnancies. The feeling by many gynecologists that abortion was unethical or distasteful has led to wide regional variations in the provision of NHS services. [ The NHS is full of conflict at present. The government would like to see it run more as a business, by business managers, out to please customers. Doctors and nurses naturally think of themselves as following a vocation, concerned with patients. It is interesting though not surprising, in the circumstances, to see that managers favor the provision of what are called - in the sinister phrase - "reproductive services". - C.C.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Clinton Nominates Abortion-Tainted OB/GYN for Surgeon General U.S. President Bill Clinton recently nominated Dr. Henry Foster, Jr. to replace the sacked Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders. Foster, an obstetrician/ gynecologist from Tennessee has been reported to have participated in abortion studies designed to allow women to self-abort at home. Originally, Foster claimed to have participated in only one abortion, which was later revised to 'a dozen', which pro-abortion sources claim (perhaps correctly) as having been only cases of rape or where the mother's life was threatened. However, a revised estimate of the number of abortions performed by Foster have jumped from one dozen to 39, plus overseeing 55 more in abortifacient trials. These abortifacient trials were sponsored by Upjohn. Through much of the '70's and '80's, Right-to-Lifers sponsored a boycott of Upjohn because of these tests. Upjohn steadfastly denied that they were involved with any such tests, despite the evidence to the contrary. It is not clear how the Republican-controlled Senate will respond to the nomination. [ Want to influence your senator's vote? Now's a good time to call... NARAL has already announced their calls to support Foster. Ed.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) American Shorts *Washington DC* The annual March for Life drew upwards of 125,000 people to protest abortion in the U.S. Capitol. Held on 23 January, the march was held near the date of the infamous _Roe v. Wade_ Supreme Court decision which overturned all U.S. anti-abortion legislation in 1973. Crowd estimates ran from 45,000 to 125,000. *Toronto ON* A recent Canadian Security Intelligence Review report quotes an unnamed source as saying that the unsolved May, 1992 bombing of Toronto's Morgentaler abortion clinic was actually carried out by a pro-choice left-wing activist, in the hope of forcing the federal government to place restrictions on the Canadian pro-life movement. So far, no charges have been laid. Canada's leading pro-life organization, the Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), has offered a 10,000 dollar reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the bombing. *Toronto ON* In response to the recent abortion-related violence in the US, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has come out in favor of continued peaceful protests at abortion clinics. "It is unfair to blame the millions of people who are pro-life for the reprehensible acts of a few individuals," The CCCB statement said. "This approach is an unseemly attempt to take advantage of a terrible tragedy by discrediting the pro-life movement and silencing public discussion of the realities of abortion." The CCCB added that vigils outside clinics are an "important witness" against abortion, and encouraged those who work to make our society "truly hospitable to life." The Canadian Abortion Rights Action League (CARAL) had requested a moratorium on all demonstrations outside clinics to halt the "current volatile climate of terrorism" *Washington DC* Urging the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to make abortion training *mandatory* for all obstetricians and gynecologists, David Grimes, chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Task Force on Violence said "We physicians are working hard to see that safe abortion services remain accessible to the women we serve." His views pushing for the curriculum change were supported by Feminist Majority Foundation, the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, the National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood among other groups. National Right to Life spokeswoman Michele Arocha Allen called required abortion training an "absurd proposition," saying the decision not to teach the curriculum has come from within the medical community, not because of outside pressure. *Vancouver, BC* Pro-Life Activist Gordon Watson has planned an odd form of protest against abortions in his home city of Vancouver: He said he would slit a lamb's throat every time a woman enters the Elizabeth Bagshaw clinic at Granville and 16th for an abortion. Watson plans to slaughter the sheep as an "artistic" protest. "This society is more concerned about a couple of little animals than they are for suffering babies." Canadian animal rights campaigner Peter Hamilton claimed he would put a stop to Watson's plans. Evidently, last year a near-riot occurred as a result of an "artist's" plan to squash some mice/rats as part of an exhibit. At present, It is not clear that Watson has caried out his plan. *Washington, DC* Prevention (CDC) recently reported that the _percentage_ of U.S. pregnancies ended by legal abortions is at its lowest level in 15 years. The CDC said there were about three times as many live births as legal, induced abortions in 1992, a 2.1 percent decrease from the year before. There were 335 abortions for each 1,000 live births in the U.S. in 1992. [ For more info, ask for "USAbortRates.92" ] *Topeka, KS* - A bill introduced into the Kansas State House would require public schools to teach students that abstinence from sex outside marriage is the "expected standard." It would also allow students to opt out of AIDS education. *Boston, MA* The misinformed get sued: on November 15th, 1994, Operation Rescue filed a libel suit in Dedham Superior Court against Senator Ted Kennedy for a statement he made on WBZ-TV on November 15th, 1993: > "When you have a national organization like Operation Rescue > that has as a matter of national policy firebombing or even > murder, that's unacceptable." OR, which has a strict policy of nonviolence in pursuing its goals, charged that Kennedy's remarks were false and "showed actual malice." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Pro-Lifer Sues Clinics Over Abortion Funding A Calgary, Alberta pro-life activist has filed suit against two abortion clinics and the provincial and federal governments in a bid to stop public funding of abortions. Michael O'Malley, Campaign Life president in Alberta, has charged the provincial government with extra-billing of patients, a practice strictly forbidden under Canadian medicare, and under Alberta law: According to section 5.2 of the Alberta Health Care Insurance Amendment Act of 1994, no physician may charge fees or collect moneys in addition to the standard benefits already provided for insured services like abortions. O'Malley's lawsuit names 10 persons and groups, including Canadian abortionist Dr. Henry Morgentaler, the Calgary and Edmonton abortion clinics, and various levels of government. Presently, Alberta province pays doctors a sliding rate for performing abortions, Physicians earn anywhere from $107 to $600 from the province for each abortion, with higher tariffs being paid by the provincial government for older fetuses. This is not at issue. The point is that the clinics also charge their patients a 'facility fee' of CDN$ 200 or more, and O'Malley argues that this fee is actually an example of extra-billing: the clinics are owned by the abortion doctors, and the 'facility fee' becomes additional physician income _above_ the rate given by medicare. "Where is the justification for charging a facility fee?" O'Malley asked. "I researched every health law in Alberta...there is none." Alberta Health spokesman Clay Adams has rejected O'Malley's claim, arguing that the fee is not extra billing because it is used to support the abortion clinic facilities, rather than being given to the doctors. But the federal government appears to be siding with O'Malley; it has threatened to withhold $756,000,000 from the Alberta government on the grounds that facility fees violate the Canada Health Act. - Julian Smith --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) American Collegians for Life has Successful Conference The weekend of January 20-22, American Collegians for Life celebrated their 8th annual conference with captivating speakers and the election of a new president for 1995. The conference began Friday night and included Chris Long, Vice-President of ISI, and Serrin Foster, Executive Director for Feminists for Life. As Foster noted, "You are generation X - the generation with the highest abortion rates: that is certainly not a pro-woman message." At the meeting, ACL Newsletter Editor Steve Ertelt was elected as the new president of the organization. Ertelt plans on making organizational development, including the formation of fifty state affiliates and hundreds of campus pro-life groups, his main goal of the year. "We have to potential to be the leading student organization in the nation and we will begin to realize this potential this year." For more information contact ACL President Steve Ertelt --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Announcements *9th Ivy League Coalition for Life Convention - Feb. 17-18* Harvard Law School Society for Law, Life, & Religion is pleased to announce the 9th Ivy League Coalition for Life Convention to be held Friday and Saturday, February 17-18, 1995 on the Harvard Law School campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. All Pro-life college students from any school in the Northeast are warmly encouraged to attend. Non-students, as well, are welcome to attend the talks and workshops. Speakers include Helen Alvare, Clarke Forsythe, and Fr. Richard Neuhaus. Housing is available. For more information, contact Patrick Lannon at: (617) 493-9241 or *Free Calls to DC - until April 30th* If you're a Working Assets Long Distance (WALD) customer, please note that WALD is making EVERY DAY between now and April 30 a FREE SPEECH DAY. You can call the policymakers listed on your WALD bill and give 'em a piece of your mind for FREE (limit 5 minutes/call, 2 calls/day). Call President Clinton at 202-456-1111 and you won't be charged for the call. *American Academy of Natural Family Planning Call For Papers - July, 1995* The American Academy of Natural Family Planning (AANFP) invites you to submit an abstract for presentation at its annual meeting, to be held July 12-15, 1995, in St. Louis, Missouri. Topics include natural family planning, infertility, vaginal discharge, reproductive anatomy and physiology, anatomy and physiology of the cervix, psychosocial dimensions of family planning, prevention of adolescent pregnancy, demography of natural fertility regulation and other topics relevant to natural family planning. Abstracts may be of original research (clinical or basic science), literature reviews, theoretical development, or demonstration projects. All abstracts must be received by February 28, 1995. Notification of acceptance will be sent by April 21, 1995. For abstract instructions, please call or write: > Joseph B. Stanford, MD, MSPH, > Chairperson, AANFP Science and Research Committee > University of Utah Department of Family and Preventive Medicine > 50 North Medical Drive > Salt Lake City, UT 84132 > voice: (801) 581-7234 ext 342 > FAX: (801) 581-2759 > internet: stanford@msscc.med.utah.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) New On-Line Resources *The World Wide Web:* The ProLife News has finally gone all-Web! If you have access to a World-Wide Web browser, not only can you read text (and postscript) backissues and find resource files, but you can now READ THE MOST RECENT ISSUES of the pro-life news DIRECTLY over the net. Please take a look at URL: On the other side, DeathNET recently opened its electronic doors. It is a collaborative WWW service, created by The Right to Die Society of Canada, and Derek Humphry, founder of the National Hemlock Society in the U.S. in 1980, author of the book _Final Exit_ in 1991, and currently Executive Director of Euthanasia Research and Guidance Organization (ERGO!) in Eugene, Oregon. Connect to URL: *Recent additions to our archives:* "Selective Termination and Multi-Fetal Pregnancy Reduction - A Procedure With No Clinical Place" This is the text of a medical paper given by Australian obstetrician Ian MacIsaac at mid 1994 Obstetrics conference in Adelaide, South Australia concerning the reduction of multiple pregnancies by abortion. Includes a glossary of medical terms which occur in the paper. [ Ask for "MultipleTerminations" ] "Distorted Coverage a Major Problem" NRLC Communications Director Michele Arocha Allen outlines some of the US Media bias toward encouraging violence in abortion protest. Also covers NRLC Plans to combat this bias. [ Ask for "DistortedCoverage.nrl" ] "Abortion and the Misuse of the Media" This insightful article by Sandra Winn analyzes the anti-life, anti-Christian bias in the US Media, illustrating her points with excellent examples and her own life story. [ Ask for "MediaMisuse" ] To request any of the above items, please send a list of items by title to the editor, eg.: "Please send v4n17, SciForLife.Jan94, ClintonCare.frc" To obtain the current list of available resources, please ask for "v5Topics". 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 or in the directory "/afs/pitt.edu/public/users/ s/t/stfst/pln". --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) Reader Questions: South African News Sought: [v4n19] One of MCFL's members would like some additional information about the abortion battle going on in South Africa and the recent vote by the Anglican church in that country. Also, info on the ANC position would also be appreciated. This seems like a major victory for pro-life forces and she would like to crow about it and would like more info. - Bruce Hall -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Hoescht and Zyclon B Connection? I read somewhere that the German company Hoescht (inventor of RU-486) is the same company that produced the poison gas used on Jews in WW II. I can't remember where I read this. Can anyone provide source documentation/ reference to back this? - Greg Winston -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- On-Line Debate Support Sought: I'm a member of a abortion debate forum on the FIDONET. is there any one there who would like to take look at any tough questions that I might come across? Since I have a couple of days to reply to any posting I could email the forum posting to you for your review before I send out a reply. - Phillip Relich -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Help Wanted with a Novel: I'm hoping for some assistance with a mainstream novel dealing with the topic of abortion. Mainly, I am looking for some contacts with publishers who accept material dealing with the subject, and possibly more reviewers. The book is a fictional novel, that examines a possible scenario facing the abortion dilemma in the future. It is mainstream, directed at the general population. I didn't candy-coat any of the situations that occur, and I am hoping the piece might reach a section of the public that traditional pro-life works pass by. It is a powerful piece, with an original plot, and I believe it might make some pro-abortion people re-examine their views. Most publishing houses seem to shy away from books on this subject, and I need names of those who don't. I'm looking for any help in achieving a goal of publication. So far, those who've reviewed the book have all given me favorable feedback. However, if anyone is interested in reading it now, I would appreciate reviews. If you have any information or questions, please contact me via email. - Brett --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote of the Month: "Increase in suicides by asphyxiation with a plastic bag the year after the method was recommended in the book _Final Exit_: 313 percent." - _Health Magazine_ "Vital Statistics," October 1994 +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Credits: | | 1 - U.S. Surgeon General news from 8 Feb. 1995 _NYT_ article, C.A.L.L., | | and other sources. | | 2 - From _The Times_, January 3, 1995. Many thanks to reader Christopher| | Coope. | | 3 - Toronto news from various Jan. 1995 reports in the Toronto _Globe | | and Mail_ and the January editions of the _Catholic Register_. | | Abortion training news from AP Wire reports dated 19 Jan. 1995. Many| | thanks to Mark Werner. Vancouver news from _The Vancouver Province_| | published by Pacific Press 2250 Granville St. Vancouver, BC. CDC | | news from 26 Dec. 1994 _USA Today_ article, many thanks to reader | | Scott Dittman. Topeka news from Feb. 3, 1995 edition of _USA Today_| | p. 8A, with many thanks to reader Daryl Alford. | | 3 - From various Jan. 1995 reports in the Toronto _Globe and Mail_ and | | the January editions of the weekly _Catholic Register_ | | 6 - DeathNET info thanks to reader Daniel Lieuwen. | | Boston announcements care of Bruce Hall and MCFL. | |QOM- Many thanks to Landon Cox, moderator for the prolife .| | For information on the list or subscription information, send an | | empty email message to . | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Anyone desiring information on specific prolife groups, literature, or help is encouraged to contact the editor . For WWW access visit URL: ----------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/ProLife.News: /pln-0502.txt .