Life Advocacy Briefing

Starting Out

WE ARE A LITTLE OFF SCHEDULE, here at the beginning of the year. Our editor became ill on New Year’s Day and is just now breaking through to being able to write this first edition of Life Advocacy Briefing for our 16th year of publication. We ask and appreciate your forbearance.

March for Life Coming

EACH YEAR, PRO-LIFE AMERICANS MARK the anniversary of the outrage known as Roe v. Wade, the edict handed down by the US Supreme Court on Jan. 22, 1973, declaring a “constitutional right” to abort a preborn boy or girl, trumping statutes criminalizing the obviously criminal act and undermining even regulations of the abortion industry in the few states where child killing had been legalized.

The pre-eminent observance of the anniversary is the annual March for Life in Washington, DC, on the date itself, Jan. 22. Organizers hope for the largest turnout ever, in response to the takeover of government by the most brazen abortion industry advocate ever to be elected President; the Obama inauguration will have occurred just two days before, making a show of pro-life solidarity and determination more critical than ever.

Participants will travel to Washington via auto, train, plane and bus and assemble on the Mall, south of Constitution Avenue, at 7th Street, for a rally featuring remarks by pro-life Congressmen, clergy and leaders, as well as recognition of student essay and poster contest winners. The march will proceed along Constitution Avenue past the Capitol, ending in the vicinity of the Supreme Court edifice. Upwards of 200,000 are expected, based on turnout at the last three marches.

In addition to the rally and march itself, March for Life organizers have planned a banquet and a conference, and other pro-life organizations have scheduled outstanding events. We publish the event roster at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing.

Lila Rose to PP: ‘Come Clean’

THE PRO-LIFE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSING Planned Parenthood’s anti-woman/anti-family practices have now issued a challenge to the abortion behemoth to come clean with the public concerning its actual numbers of surgical abortions and its track record – or lack thereof – in reporting suspected sexual abuse cases to child welfare authorities.

UCLA-based Live Action Films, headed by pro-life undercover specialist Lila Rose, extrapolated abortion death toll figures for Indiana Planned Parenthood from a statement made by a PP staffer in one of Live Action’s undercover videos as showing that PP’s three abortuaries in the state commit at least 14,000 surgical abortions, though the group’s annual report admits to fewer than 4,000.

“In an open letter and a video released [Dec. 30],” reports WorldNetDaily.com (WND), “the pro-life organization said the public should know what is going on at the company that gets millions of federal taxpayer dollars annually.

“‘This is an organization that consistently engages in deceptive practices and lawbreaking,’ said Lila Rose,” quoted by WND. “‘And these practices have very real consequences on real people. We’ve just got to keep pressing this issue,’ she said,” hoping her group’s exposes and analyses would prompt questions, reports WND, “from authorities and lawmakers.

“Among the questions that need to be answered, she said,” in the WND report, “are:

• “How many abortions does Planned Parenthood perform?

• “How many reports does it submit to Child Protective Services regarding minors who enter its businesses?

• “And how does Planned Parenthood expect to reform itself when the agency charged with the assignment is run by a former staff member for PP?”

(PP of Indiana has brought in an outfit called Prevent Child Abuse Indiana to consult PP on its child protection report policies, but Live Action subsequently discovered, reports WND, that PCAI’s “lead ‘prevention specialist,’ Carol Pool, worked for Planned Parenthood of Indiana for 13 years, giving sex education workshops.” Miss Rose’s response, quoted by WND: “‘For Planned Parenthood to enlist the help of its friends and former employees at PCAI in the name of reform is like a predator saying he will babysit his victim.’”)

With respect to the questions concerning reports to child protection authorities, Miss Rose cited her video documentation, notes WND, “of employees in two clinics advising how a juvenile should not report an apparent case of statutory rape,” when Miss Rose posed as a 13-year-old impregnated by a 31-year-old “boyfriend.”

The 20-year-old journalism student “called for PP of Indiana to release publicly,” writes WND, “the number of reports to Child Protective Services in conjunction with the number of minors provided sexually-transmitted disease testing, abortion counseling, pregnancy testing and birth control.

“Comparing the numbers, [Miss] Rose said” in the WND report, “would give the public a more accurate picture of the extent to which the business reports – or fails to report – adult-child sexual relationships. … Planned Parenthood of Indiana may either opt for transparency in service to the rule of law,’” Miss Rose said, “‘or choose to continue in the same secrecy that has already caused deep public distrust and summoned a state investigation.’”

Though focusing currently on Indiana, Miss Rose “noted other cases of actual adult-child sexual relationships,” reports WND, “that have been covered up in Arizona, California, Ohio and Washington, DC,” showing, Miss Rose said, “‘a disturbing pattern of lawlessness.’”

Overwhelming Support

OHIO LAWMAKERS HAVE PASSED A BILL worth looking at.

The Protecting Pregnant Women from Coercion & Violence Bill would, according to Right to Life/Cincinnati, “require abortion facilities to display posters, signs and notices indicating that ‘No One Can Force You to Have an Abortion.’”

HB-280 passed the Ohio House in December on a 31-to-2 vote, having earlier passed the Senate 33 to 0, advancing to the desk of Gov. Ted Strickland (D), a former Member of Congress who compiled a record siding with the abortion industry but who, given the near unanimity of the legislature, is expected to sign the measure by the Jan. 12 deadline.

The text of the proposal can be found via the Ohio legislature’s Internet website at www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_280.

Blown Opportunity

FLORIDA GOV. CHARLIE CRIST (R) HAS FORFEITED an opportunity to shift the balance of the dreadful Florida Supreme Court (of Terry Schiavo infamy).

Having previously appointed two outstanding conservatives (including former US Rep. Charles Canady) to fill the vacancies of two retiring conservative justices, Gov. Crist last Friday flinched in his third high-court appointment, replacing a retiring liberal with a man characterized as “a ‘journeyman trial judge’ who ‘has shown no evidence of having a well-formed conservative judicial philosophy.’” That quote is from Ed Whelan, president of the Washington-based Ethics & Public Policy Center, writing a blog entry for National Review Online’s Bench Memos and citing “someone very knowledgeable about the Florida Supreme Court” in accurately predicting appointment of Jorge LaBarga.

Mr. Whelan noted in the Jan. 2 blog entry, again quoting his knowledgeable friend, there was “‘intense pressure on [Gov.] Crist from the media, left-wing activists and plaintiffs’ bar to preserve the liberal majority on the court. The only conservative who made it out of the state’s judicial nominating commission … [was] subjected to a withering character assault, much like the assault on Miguel Estrada,’” who withdrew his nomination to a federal judgeship in the first term of the Bush Administration after relentless media and liberal attacks on his character.

Fighting F.O.C.A.

A GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN WILL TARGET the radical Freedom of Choice Act through circulation of anti-FOCA postcards in parishes across America during the weekend of Jan. 24-25; other weekends are optional locally. The campaign is sponsored by the National Committee for a Human Life Amendment (NCHLA), which works closely with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, co-sponsors of the postcard campaign.

Postcards in English or Spanish can be downloaded via the NCHLA Internet website at http://www.nchla.org/datasource/idocuments/Postcards.Eng&Sp.pdf or can be ordered by calling NCHLA at 1-202/393-0703.

Life Week Schedule

Elaborated from a compilation by Kathleen Gilbert for LifeSiteNews.com

Wed., Jan. 21, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Cardinal O’Connor Conference for college and high school students, at Georgetown University, co-hosted by Georgetown U. Right to Life, Georgetown U. Knights of Columbus and University Faculty for Life, this year featuring Feminists for Life honorary co-chairman actress Margaret Colin, who is honorary co-chairman of Feminists for Life, and Princeton U. Prof. Robert George, who serves on the President’s Council on Bioethics; info: 1-414/305-1699.

Wed., Jan. 21, 9 a.m. – Rock for Life prayer gathering at Planned Parenthood on 16th Street in Washington, followed by memorial walk to the White House, thence to the Supreme Court; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.

Wed., Jan. 21, 1 to 5 p.m. – Rock for Life Training & Activism Week workshops featuring pro-life blogger Jill Stanek, street activism training, and speakers addressing international concerns, at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.

Wed., Jan. 21, 2 to 5 p.m. – March for Life Convention, back to basics in the Life principles, led by March for Life president Nellie Gray, at the Hyatt-Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.marchforlife.org.

Wed., Jan. 21, 7 p.m. – Rock for Life Concert, Praise & Worship Rally, Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.

Wed., Jan. 21, 7 p.m. through the night – National Prayer Vigil for Life organized by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Secretariat and the Catholic University of American Office of Campus Ministry at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave. NE; info: 1-202/541-3000 or www.usccb.org/prolife/prayervigil.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Rally for Life & Youth Mass sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington at the Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW; info: www.adw.org/service/jan22.asp.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 7:30 to 11:50 a.m. – Blogs4Life Conference featuring journalist and author Amanda Carpenter and blogger Jill Stanek at Family Research Council office, 801 G St. NW; info: www.blogs4life.com.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 8 a.m. – Lutherans for Life Worship Service sponsored by the Northern Virginia Chapter and led by Missouri Synod President Gerald Kieschnick, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1801 Russell Road, Alexandria, Virginia, followed by 9:30 a.m. complimentary brunch and carpool to the March for Life; info: www.lutheransforlife.org/march_for_life.htm.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 8 to 9 a.m. – Rock for Life Congressional Education Workshop featuring American Life League’s Congressional Liaison Johanna Dasteel and ALL Leadership Development Director Michael Barnett, at Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 8:15 a.m. – National Memorial for the PreBorn and their Mothers & Fathers interdenominational prayer service led by Priests for Life director Fr. Frank Pavone; arrive early for clearance through security; this event is scheduled for a TBA location in the US Senate; info: www.priestsforlife.org/roe/index.htm.

Thurs., Jan. 22, Noon to 4 p.m. – March for Life Rally and March at the National Mall; info: www.marchforlife.org.

Thurs. Jan. 22, 3:45 p.m. – Silent No More Awareness Campaign Gathering featuring Fr. Pavone and co-founders Janet Morana and Georgette Forney, as well as regretful aborted mothers offering testimony to the tragedy of legalized abortion, at the steps of the US Supreme Court building, 1 First St. NE; info: www.silentnomoreawareness.org. (Those wishing to offer testimony must pre-register.)

Thurs., Jan. 22, 4:45 to 7 p.m. – International Culture of Life “Champions for Family” Award Reception honoring US Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA), Rene Bullecer MD and Rev. Jerome Magat, co-hosted by Filipino Family Fund and Culture of Life Foundation, at Phoenix Park Hotel, 520 N. Capitol St. NW; info: www.culture-of-life.org.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 6 p.m. – March for Life Rose Dinner at Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.marchforlife.org/content/view/19/34.

Thurs., Jan. 22, 7 p.m. – Rock for Life Concert at the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.

Fri., Jan. 23, American Life League Personhood Conference at Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; opening with 7:30 a.m. Catholic Mass, followed by 8 a.m. breakfast and blog awards. Workshops running from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. feature such pro-life notables as ALL president Judie Brown, Live Action Films president Lila Rose, blogger Jill Stanek, Ambassador Alan Keyes, Colorado Personhood Initiative leader Kristi Burton and 40 Days for Life coordinator David Bereit; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.

Fri., Jan. 23, 6 p.m. – Students for Life of America Concert featuring Barlow Girl and Laura Ingraham, Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Ave. NW; info: www.rockforlife.org/taw.