LifeLines - May/June
Rochester Area Right To Life
LifeLines - May/June |
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Rochester Area Right To Life |
LifeLines - May/June 1999
LifeLines is the newsletter of the Rochester Area Right to Life. Older, complete issues in print are available in the Rochester office. These articles have been selected from the issue in print.
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To the women we each know and love as our Mom Whoever she is, still with us or not, for her we take a day to cheer and give thanks. She may have carried us in body and/or heart to birth, nurtured through childhood to our days together as friends. |
Pro-abortion Groups Think Abortion Helps in Kosovo
The United Population Fund and other pro-abortion groups, including Planned Parenthood, seem to think abortion is the way to help refugees. Saying abortion is a "basic human right," Planned Parenthood donated $100,000 to the Fund and to the Albanian Family Planning Association. Some of the money will be used for "emergency contraception," e.g. high doses of some drugs to cause an abortion. PP is also advocating use of the abortifacient birth control method for Kosovar women, victims of rape by Serbian soldiers.
Ethnic Albanian women, overwhelmingly Muslim, are also suffering rapes. The Islamic faith teaches strongly against abortion. There is concern that high dosage birth control abortifacients will be either forced on Albanian women or that they will use the pills without knowledge that they are abortifacients, i.e. drugs which prevent implantation of child in mother’s womb so child dies.
Source: http://www.prolife.org/cps-online60 Minutes II; a Biased Program
On 4/14/99, CBS again met lowest possible expectations of broadcast journalism in a 13-minute piece on "abortion-related violence." They profiled Michael Bray who hypocritically thinks one can only be "pro-life" by killing others.
They strongly implied Bray represents the pro-life community and that numerous pro-life people agree with his militant, destructive thinking. In fact, Bray’s commitment to abortion-related violence has been soundly criticized and rejected by countless pro-life people and pro-life organizations across the country. Bray is a loner in his extremist philosophy, but not as portrayed on 60 Minutes II in biased reporting.
CBS presented Bray’s views without comment from reputable pro-life leaders. 80% of the show covered interviews of Bray, a pro-abortion lobbyist and a pro-abortion pastor.
We encourage you to contact 60 Minutes II and express your outrage.
60 Minutes II; 524 West 57th Street; NY, NY 10019
or
60II@cbsnews.com
RARTL has a long-standing policy of not supporting or participating in any illegal activity done to abortion providers or abortion facilities. It is outrageous to find ours and the majority of pro-life work done across the country lumped together and mis-represented as violent in the style of an extremist like Michael Bray.
Want details? An application form? |
Race Begins at 8:00 A.M. - 5 K Run/Walk Kid’s Fun Run (Ages 5 - 12) begins at 9:00 A.M. Registration begins at 7:00A.M. Location: Ellison Park, Rochester, NY |
3/26/99 Jack Kevorkian was convicted of 2nd degree murder for injecting lethal drugs into 52-year old Thomas Youk who had Lou Gehrig disease. His videotaped injection and Mr. Youk’s death were shown 2 months later on TV.
His family maintained Mr. Youk "was not depressed, was not a victim. He requested Kevorkian’s help and was grateful for it." Family testimony was not allowed during the trial. It was deemed irrelevant because a victim’s suffering is not considered a defense in a murder trial under state law.
Kevorkian was pushing for tolerance of more active euthanasia than found in suicide assistance. He had already been tried 4 times for assisted suicide with 3 acquittals and 1 mistrial. Had he provided lethal drugs for Youk to self-ad-minister, Youk’s death would have been the result of assisted suicide. We applaud Michigan jurors for rejecting Kevorkian’s contempt for life.
4/13/99: Jack Kevorkian was sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison for the Youk murder and 3 to 7 years for delivery of a controlled substance. The sentences will run concurrently. He will be eligible for parole after serving 2/3rds, i.e. 7 years, of his sentence. In sentencing Kevorkian, Judge Jessica Cooper said
"This trial was not about the political or moral correctness of euthanasia. It was about lawlessness. It was about disrespect for a society that exists because of the strength of the legal system. No one, sir, is above the law. No one. You had the audacity to go on national television, show the world what you did and dare the legal system to stop you. Well, sir, consider yourself stopped."
Kevorkian was taken to jail at the end of the trial. Judge Cooper denied bond. An appeal is expected to be filed for Kevorkian. He did not do a hunger strike as he had threatened.
The verdict and sentence affirm that people with disabilities deserve the same quality of justice as the able-bodied.
American Medical Association (AMA) Response
4/14/99: D. Ted Lewers, MD, AMA Board of Trustees Vice-Chairman labeled Kevorkian’s 10-25 year sentence "a deterrent to those who would take the lives of patients prematurely." As in earlier AMA statements on Kevorkian’s activities, Dr. Lewers stated the AMA opinion that physician-assisted suicide is unethical and in direct opposition to the role of physician as healer. He affirmed the AMA commitment to assuring patients of dignity and adequate relief of pain at the end of life. He reminded the public the AMA "has long supported compassionate, quality care for dying patients" and that the AMA will continue its efforts "to teach physicians everything they should know about proper end-of-life care."
We applaud the strong stand the AMA has taken in opposition to euthanasia.
How tragic they did not and have not taken a stand in opposition to abortion. They and we will never know what a difference they could have made in stemming the abortion tide that has ended millions of lives before birth.
Medicare re-structuring
likely in 1999
(Continuation from 1 & 3/99 LIFE-LINES)
Are there any unrationed Medicare alternatives besides private fee-for-service plans?
Yes…an experimental alternative known …as "high deductible non-network
plans linked with a Medical Savings Account." In the private fee-for-service
alternative previously described, you can be assured of unrationed insurance by paying
more in monthly premiums. Under the high deductible/Medical Savings Account alternative,
you obtain assurance by foregoing insurance for routine health expenses, which you cover
yourself with the help of a ‘Medical Savings Account.’…
Aren’t the unrationed alternatives more expensive?
…the best choice will not be the least expensive. …most of the insurance
options available to older people will risk rationing. Only by picking the
‘high-end,’ more expensive options will they be relatively safe. …For most,
setting priorities is the issue, i.e. making certain sacrifices, e.g. forego a vacation,
cut back on eating out… The key thing to remember is that you cannot travel, dine in
a restaurant, or live in style if you are dead. You pay the money and make your
choice….
What must be done?
However Medicare is reformed or restructured in the wake of the bipartisan commission
report, the ability to add one’s own money to obtain unmanaged private
fee-for-service health insurance under Medicare+Choice must be preserved. It is also
important to retain the option of high deductible/Medical Savings Account plans.
Contact
Both NY senators,
- Hon. Daniel Patrick Moynihan; 464 Russell Office Building, Washington, DC 20510 and
- Hon. Charles Schumer; 229 Dirksen Senate Office Building; Washington, DC 20510 and
- your representative.
| They all must be told that prevention of involuntary euthanasia of older
people requires preserving: (1) ability to purchase private fee-for-service health insurance under Medicare+Choice; (2) the option of high deductible Medical Savings Account plans. |
Food for thought: Today I can grumble about my health |
NY State Legislature "Clinic Access"
The
"Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances" (FACE) Act became law in 1994. It
imposes criminal penalties on "whoever …by force or threat of force or by
physical obstruction intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with any person
because that person is or has been obtaining or providing reproductive health care."
Non-violent physical obstruction is punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and 6 months
imprisonment for the first offense.
On 4/13/99, federal Judge Arcara ruled that the distance must now be 60 feet and that no "bull horns" or sound amplifying devices can be used in public protests about abortion.
Clearly both lawmakers and judges have consistently acted to outlaw nearly all legitimate and peaceful means of pro-life speech and legal protest activity.
As they have often, the NY State Assembly passed clinic access legislation in January. It is crucial that a "clinic access" type bill not be passed in the Senate. Such a bill duplicates existing law and deprives citizens of the right to speak and protest only when the topic is abortion.
ACTION IS NEED
ED!| Write or call: 1. Your State Senator and
Tell them a clinic access bill duplicates existing law and unfairly discriminates against public protest only on the topic of abortion. |
The Honorable _____ or call |
3-24-99 By a vote of 41–19, the New York State Senate passed S1638. This bill creates the crime of partial birth abortion; provides that such crime is a class E felony; bans abortions that are performed by a physician who delivers a living fetus into the vagina before killing the fetus and completing the delivery.
S1638l was sent to the Assembly; there it is A2815. It was referred to the Health Committee. Assembly Speaker Silver and Health Committee Chairman Richard Gottfried have stated their intent to obstruct the bill coming to a vote in committee. That action would "kill the bill" and prevent an Assembly vote.
This has been standard operating procedure for pro-life bills referred to the Health Committee. The will of NY state people who want partial-birth abortion banned, 77% in numerous polls, is ignored. A 3/11/99 news release from RN Magazine reported 2/3rds of hospital-based nurses say partial-birth abortions should be prohibited by law. 6/10 will not work in an OB/GYN unit where abortions of any kind are performed.
A2815 sponsor, Assemblyman Patrick Manning (R), attempted to file a Motion to Discharge for the Assembly Health Committee to release A2815 to the Assembly. When a bill is held back by a hostile committee, a Motion to Discharge can be presented to the full Assembly. If passed, the committee then must send the bill to the Assembly for a vote.
Again, Speaker Sheldon Silver prevailed by preventing Mr. Manning from filing a Motion to Discharge. He denied the Assembly their right to vote on having A2815 reported to them for action. Speaker Silver’s arrogance is inexcusable.
ACTION IS NEEDED!
Contact Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to express in your own words:
|
Sheldon Silver LOB 932; Albany, NY 12248; 1-518-455-3791 or |
| Contact Assembly Health Comm. Chrmn. Richard Gottfried to express, in your own words, your strong desire for him to schedule Health Committee Hearings on A 2815 (include points as suggested above) | Hon. Richard Gottfried; LOB 822; or |
| Contact your Assemblymember Urge him/her to represent you by encouraging Assembly leadership to allow it to come to the full floor for vote. |
Hon ____; LOB; Albany, NY 12248 (for home office address, check telephone book) |
Medicaid Abortion Funding in NY State Budget
No surprise. April 20 and NY state has no FY 99/00 Budget. Few of the proposed budget content details. are known. We do know Gov. Pataki again proposed funds for Medicaid abortions. He is not required to do so.
On 3/22/99 in the Assembly, an amendment was introduced that no money in the budget be spent for abortion except in medical necessity to save maternal life or if pregnancy was result of rape as defined by law.
The amendment to ban Medicaid abortion funding in FY 99/00 lost Y= 46 N= 97. We thank local Assemblymembers who voted for the amendment: 123rd Jay Dinga; 128th Robert Oaks; 129th Craig Doran; 130th James Bacalles; 134th Joseph Robach and 137th Charles Nesbitt.
1998 was the first year assisted suicide was available to Oregon residents. Oregon is the only jurisdiction in the world where assisted suicide is sanctioned.
The summary above represents 1998 activity under the "Death with Dignity Act." One concern is that physicians are not required to report assisted suicides. Thus, there is no reliable data on how many assisted suicides did occur.
When the bill to make assisted suicide legal was being pushed, it was strongly stated that reasons for seeking help in dying were to "alleviate pain" or "not be a burden to family." In fact, the 23 above most frequently gave their reason as a desire for "autonomy and personal control." Only one cited pain.
Oregon Legislature is considering changes to the law, e.g. allowing hospitals to prohibit doctors from participating in assisted suicide on their property if they clearly forbid it in the doctor’s contract. Violation would lead to doctor’s loss of hospital privileges or office lease. Another proposal approved by the Senate panel is to require patients seeking assisted suicide to have an Oregon driver’s license. This represents an attempt to prevent Oregon from becoming a "destination for death" because its residency requirement is loosely worded.
TELLING
STATISTICS: Oregon’s first lethal-drug "patients"
First Year of Oregon’s "assisted-suicide" law
Under "Death
with Dignity Act, " 23 persons received lethal prescriptions
15 died after taking the drugs
6 died from underlying illness
2 were alive as of Jan. 1, 1999
Following describes 15 who died after taking drugs:
Sex: 8 males 7 females
Median Age: 69
Illness:
13 had cancer
2 had heart or lung disease
Consults:
4 had psychiatric/psychological
consultations
Time: Median time from
patient’s first request for drugs to death: 20 days
drug ingestion to death: 26 minutes
Articles of Faith: A Front Line History of the Abortion Wars
There are many books about abortion. Cynthia Gorney wrote this book after failing to find a single book that described how the abortion issue had become so "polarized and partisan".
She did copious research and more than 500 interviews with people directly involved with abortion, pro and con, from 1968 - 1996. Through an abortion advocate and abortion opponent’s histories, personal and group activities in clinic operation/opposition, legislation, education, legal work and protests, views from both sides of the issue emerge.
This book is an excellent historical gathering of what occurred as abortion was being made legal and continuously challenged by opponents. The strategies of both sides are well presented. Very enlightening is the detailed presentation of the US Supreme Court and key legislators in 1973 through 1996. This is an even presentation of both sides of the abortion issue. A copy is available for borrowing from the RARTL Library.
Mrs. Clinton’s Family Planning Advice
Hillary Rodham Clinton took the podium at a UN population conference on 2/9/99. She declared that all women should be allowed to make their own family planning choices and praised those fighting China’s restrictive one-child rule. Mrs. Clinton said all women should have access to family planning programs, including abortion, and ignored the Chinese policy of sex selection abortions to favor boys over girls.
In China presently, abandoned children exceed the number of orphans and most of them are girls. While urban Chinese are limited to one child per family, most rural residents may have a second child if their first is a girl. Often the first-born daughter is abandoned so a couple can try again for a son.
May 2 – For pregnant women whose hearts are troubled, that they may turn to
Christ for help through a difficult pregnancy, we pray.
May 9 – That those who work in the pro-life movement may persevere despite
persecution, we pray.
May 16 – That the Holy Spirit may lead those trapped in the darkness of the
abortion mentality into the light of God’s truth, we pray.
May 30 - That women who have been led to choose abortion may not be condemned but
forgiven by compassionate people of God, we pray.
June 6 – That God may bring this nation out of its slavery to the culture of
death, we pray.
June 13 – For the frail elderly/terminally ill feeling troubled and abandoned
that we may be messengers of Christ’s love to them, we pray.
June 20 – For all church leaders that they may speak words of life and light
to a world overshadowed by the culture of death, we pray.
June 27 – For all elderly people that their lives and contributions may gain
respect in a youth oriented society, we pray.
Save-A-Baby Campaign Winners
Thanks to
pro-life people like you, there were numerous winners in the 1998-99 campaign.
First and foremost are the babies. Donations received in this campaign are vitally important for the on-going pro-life legislative and advocacy efforts of the RARTL Committee to restore legal protection to unborn babies.
This campaign is shared by the NYSRTL Committee and its affiliates. Donations from this area remain here so RARTL directly benefits from local pro-life people’s generous support of this campaign.
Award winners were:
Airfare for 2 cash + St. Croix condo: M/M John Campbell, Holtsville, NY
Cash: M/M John DeNicola; Wappingers Falls, NY
Cash: A. Normandia; New York, NY
Congratulations to the winners. A big round of grateful applause to you for your
participation.
The RARTL Website - It's
Growing
www.righttoliferoch.org
It was born in January and oh, how it has grown. It carries local topics and activities, state information and national issues. It is an aid to a person doing research and others looking for updates of pro-life information.
It is still in infancy but growing well. We have recently learned that it has been put on the Ultimate Pro-Life Resource List at http://www.prolife.org/ultimate. With its current growth rate, we expect our site to be at the thriving toddler stage very shortly and then add size and weight steadily.
If you have not seen it, please visit. In addition to the information, there is excellent shopping with RARTL receiving a percent donation. Check it on iGive. Finally, please give us your evaluation and suggestions. We need your input.
The Pro-Life Infonet is a daily compilation of pro-life news and educational information. Users at RARTL highly recommend this site and urge you to look at it.
To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to: infonet-list-request@list.prolife.org. Infonet is sponsored by Women and Children First (http://www.prolife.org/wcf)
VIDEO CONTEST ! VIDEO CONTEST ! VIDEO CONTEST ! VIDEO CONTEST ! |
||
| First Prize: $250 First place video to be shown at the Leon Holmsten Human Life Award Presentation Banquet, Tuesday, September 14, 1999 Winner invited to receive prize and introduce video that evening. |
for high school age students to produce an original,
scripted, 1 minutes pro-life promotional V.H.S. video reflective of an aspect of the Leo
Holmsten Human Life Committee Mission Statement.
Video can be the work of a single student or a group |
"The LHHL Committee of the Rochester Area Right to Life Committee, Inc. is comprised of individuals who believe in the God-given principle that human life is sacred and should be nurtured from the moment of conception through natural termination in death." |
| Contest applications required for all entries Application deadline to be postmarked no later than June 15, 1999 Finished video to be postmarked no later than July 1, 1999 |
Application forms or more information available by calling Tom Beck at RARTL office: 716-621-4690 Tuesday through Thursday | or sending request to: Video Contest Leo Holmsten Human Life Committee 675 Ling Road, Suite #3 Rochester, NY 14612 |
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