WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2012/Christian Newswire --

Citing a violation of First Amendment Rights, the Georgia State Supreme Court today struck the state's 1994 law which classified as a felony anyone who "publicly advertises, offers or holds himself out as offering that he or she will intentionally and actively assist another person in the commission of suicide and commits any overt act to further that purpose." The decision leaves Georgia with no protections against assisting suicide.

"Today's ruling by the Georgia Supreme Court puts the lives of older people and those with disabilities in grave danger because it opens the door for the fringe advocates of doctor-prescribed death to openly advertise the practice in the state of Georgia," said Burke Balch, J.D., director of National Right to Life's Powell Center for Medical Ethics. "This ruling essentially says if you want to advertise helping people jump off a cliff, you can hang out your shingle in Georgia."

At the heart of the ruling was a case involving four members of the Final Exit Network who were charged in February 2009 with the death of a 58-year-old cancer patient. As a result of today's ruling, the four will not face a criminal trial.

At present only Oregon and Washington State have legalized doctor-prescribed death. A Montana Supreme Court ruling in 2010 left the status of assisting suicide in that state ambiguous. Other efforts to legalize the practice, which would put countless patients at risk, have been defeated in Maine, Hawaii, and Michigan among others.

"We call on the Georgia legislature to quickly remedy today's ruling by enacting into statute legal protections against doctor-prescribed death and other forms of assisting suicide," added Balch. "Failure to take swift action could result in the deaths of countless older people and those with disabilities."

February 6, 2012/Birmingham, AL/Operation Rescue --

Just two weeks after botched abortions at Birmingham's New Woman All Women sent two patients to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, a Georgia abortionist with financial ties to the clinic has quit doing abortions there.

Abortionist Ivan Diamond has stopped doing abortions in Birmingham under pressure from pro-life activists, according to Fr. Terry Gensemer, director of CEC for Life, who met with a representative of Diamond's employer in Atlanta, Georgia, last week where the news was confirmed.

On January 21, 2012, ambulances and fire department vehicles were summoned to the New Woman abortion clinic where paramedics were forced to negotiate gurneys down a trash-strewn alley only to discover that the rear entrance of the clinic could not accommodate them. One woman, bloodied and partially clad, was hand-lifted from a narrow doorway and down several steps with a broken safety rail to an awaiting gurney. A second woman was wheeled to her gurney in a wheelchair.

Diamond has financial affiliations with Diane Derzis, who is listed as the owner of New Woman and of the Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi.

"In OR's experience, clinics like New Woman have a narrow hold on staying in business. They have two possible botched abortions for which they are being investigated, a dilapidated building, and one of their abortionists jumping ship," said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation, who has been consulting with Fr. Genesmer concerning their efforts to close the dangerous abortion clinic through peaceful and legal means.

"While ceasing the practice of abortion in Alabama is a good first step, Diamond should completely divest himself from the abortion business and stop profiting from the taking of innocent human life."

Diamond's departure leaves only one part-time abortionist at New Woman All Women.

"We are praying that New Woman's last abortionist will also quit amid a growing investigation into dangerous conditions at that abortion mill," said Newman.

Read CEC for Life's full press statement.
Read Diamond's profile at AbortionDocs.org

WASHINGTON - Succumbing to pressure from the mainstream media and Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen for the Cure today announced Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates will remain eligible for grant funding. Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider, performing approximately 27% of all abortions annually in the United States.
 
The following statement may be attributed to National Right to Life President Carol Tobias:
 

Shortly after news broke earlier this week that Komen was withdrawing future grant funding to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, the abortion giant and its allies began a shrill online campaign to bring Komen to its knees by bullying the organization into submission. 
 
Any decision to provide future grants approved for Planned Parenthood, which boasts a $1.1 billion budget, would be extremely and sadly misguided. Any grants to Planned Parenthood would be detrimental to women and their unborn children. Even in their own press statements, Planned Parenthood states that they refer for mammograms, an indication they don't perform them.
 
Planned Parenthood is not in the business of fighting breast cancer, they're in the business of performing abortions to the tune of more than 300,000 a year, which accounts for at least one-third of Planned Parenthood's nongovernmental clinic income. In fact, Planned Parenthood has announced that all of their affiliates will be required to perform abortions.
 
National Right to Life strongly urges Susan G. Komen for the Cure and all cancer research organizations to approve no future funding to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest chain of abortion clinics.  Right-to-life supporters do not want their donations for fighting cancer to go to organizations that perform abortions.
 

February 2, 2012/Columbus, OH/Operation Rescue --

Operation Rescue has sent one if its Truth Trucks to Ohio in support of efforts to pass legislation known as the Heartbeat Bill. The pro-life group Created Equal launched an awareness campaign using the billboard-sized banners mounted on a large box truck to encourage the Senate to move forward on the Heartbeat Bill, which passed handily in the House.

The Truth Truck features authenticated images of aborted baby remains along with text encouraging the Senate to take up House Bill 125, which would protect pre-born babies from abortion after a heartbeat has been detected. It would stop the majority of the approximately 28,000 abortions now taking place each year in Ohio.

"You've heard from the teddy bears, we've heard from the politicians, activists, women who regretted their abortions, Planned Parenthood, NARAL. It's time the victims speak," said Mark Harrington of Created Equal at a press conference on Tuesday.

"Every day the bill is delayed, babies die," said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation. "We are asking the Ohio Senate to stop the delay tactics and put this bill on the agenda for an up or down vote."

In addition, Harrington launched a graphic video showing actual abortion footage with images of recognizable body parts extracted during a first trimester abortion in order to drive the message home to voters as well as members of the Senate.

"A picture is worth a thousand words, and if the Senate is going to drag this out, they really should see what kind of carnage they are enabling," said Newman. "We encourage the good people of Ohio to contact their senator and ask for them to move the Heartbeat Bill forward.

"Our point is this: each day the Senate delays a vote on HB 125 - seventy one babies die - ten every hour - one every six minutes. Let that sink in. One baby is brutally dismembered, decapitated or disemboweled every six minutes in this state," said Harrington. "If HB 125 would have been passed into law at least 90% of these children would be alive today. In other words, these unnecessary delays in the Senate are responsible for 14,675 deaths."

Click here for the contact page for Ohio Senate Members

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL, Feb. 1, 2012/Christian Newswire --

The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer applauds the breast cancer group, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, for discontinuing its grants to Planned Parenthood (PP) while the abortion provider is under investigation by Congress. Komen said it will not resume payment of the grants unless PP is exonerated. Komen attributed its decision to a new policy that prohibits grants from going to organizations under investigation by governmental authorities.

"Our group will remain as Komen's critic as long as it continues to work against its own mission to eradicate breast cancer. Komen's decision is a step in the right direction to protect women's lives. However, I will not donate to Komen while it is still cooperating in the cover-up of the abortion-breast cancer link and downplaying the risk of using oral contraceptives (OCs)." asserted Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer.

"PP is a primary cause of the breast cancer epidemic. It sells cancer-causing abortions and oral contraceptives (OCs), also called 'the birth control pill.' Medical texts reveal that increased childbearing, especially starting early before age 24, substantially reduces lifetime breast cancer risk. Abortion not only deprives women of this protection, but 52 of 68 epidemiological studies show it raises breast cancer risk. [1] The World Health Organization lists OCs containing estrogen and progesterone on its list of Group 1 carcinogens -- the highest level as a cancer-causing agent. [2] OCs are associated with the deadly triple-negative breast cancer. [3,4] Komen and the Institute of Medicine had an opportunity to reduce the incidence of breast cancer with its December 2011 study, "Breast Cancer and the Environment," but they chose not to review reproductive risk factors and include avoidance of abortion and OCs among the ways to prevent the disease. We sincerely hope Komen will develop the political courage needed to fulfill its mission.

"PP has done substantial harm to women's health. Additionally, PP does not do mammograms, although PP president Cecile Richards had led the public to believe otherwise.

"The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer was the first to expose the Komen-PP relationship to the world in 2003. We thank our supporters for doing such a marvelous job by contacting Komen and stating their objections to this irregular relationship, and we remind them their work is not yet done. Contact Komen at ww5.komen.org/Contact.aspx. Politely thank Komen's representatives for temporarily halting its gifts to Planned Parenthood. Ask them to permanently halt their grants to PP and tell the full truth about the breast cancer risks associated with induced abortion and oral contraceptives."

January 31, 2012/Fargo, North Dakota/Operation Rescue --

The Red River Women's Clinic, which is the only abortion clinic in North Dakota, is challenging a new law that is aimed at protecting women from the misuse of the dangerous abortion-inducing drug mifeprex, also known as RU486.

East Central District Judge Wickham Corwin issued a temporary restraining order against the law on August 1, then heard arguments about its Constitutionality on Friday, January 27, 2012. Judge Corwin delayed making a decision until he could review more information about the safety of the drug. Additional briefs are due in two weeks.

The new law would virtually ban medication abortions in North Dakota and would place the requirement that a licensed physician be present when the drugs are administered. This would prevent what is known as telemed or "webcam" abortions from taking place where unlicensed and inadequately trained workers dispense the dangerous drugs after the patient has had a brief consultation over an Internet video conferencing connection with an abortionist in another location. This abortion pill distribution was first uncovered by an Operation Rescue undercover investigation.

Attorneys for the Center for Reproductive Rights, a pro-abortion New York law firm, argue that the law creates an "undue burden" on women.

Clinic director Tammy Kromenaker told reporters that the FDA protocol "isn't good for women" and defended her misuse of the two drug cocktail. Twenty percent of Kromenaker's annual abortion business is done in medication abortions.

"It is ludicrous to say that requiring steps to ensure patient safety creates an 'undue burden' on them. I'd rather be inconvenienced than dead," said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue and Pro-life Nation. "This is really about keeping that abortion clinic open no matter who suffers."

Currently the Red River Women's Clinic uses an off-label application of the abortion pill in conjunction with an ulcer drug called Cytotec (Misoprostol) to force women to artificially abort their pre-born babies in an event that simulates miscarriage. Manufacturers of Cytotec have issued warnings against using the drug to induce abortions.

Red River Women's Clinic also uses the abortion pill in violation of FDA protocols, which require at least two office visits in addition to follow-up care and limits the use of RU-486 to under seven weeks. Red River improperly uses the abortion pill through nine weeks of pregnancy. The medication abortion process causes the body to reject the implanted baby and force contractions to expel the remains. It can be a long, painful process that lasts multiple days. The abortion fails 7-20% of the time, creating a potentially life-threatening condition that requires surgical intervention.

There have been at least 15 documented deaths from use of the abortion pill.

"We do not support the use of the abortion pill under any circumstances out of concern for women and their pre-born babies. However, the rejection of the FDA's minimal safety protocols by Red River Women's Clinic shows that they care more about protecting a significant portion of their abortion income than they care about the health and safety of women," said Sullenger. "They don't want to follow the rules they and they don't want to follow the law because they are abortionists and think they are above the law. We hope that the judge considering this case does the right thing and protects women from predatory abortion practices such as the dangerous misuse of abortion-causing drugs."

When we last left off with our look behind the doors of death at "A Woman's World Medical Center" in Part One of this series, the investigator from the Agency for Health Care Administration was hot on the trail of the mysterious man named "Lab Tech" who despite not actually being employed by the clinic, was in charge of sterilizing instruments, collecting and examining the aborted baby remains, and carrying patients to the recovery room after their abortion was complete (translation: after their child was killed). Although "Lab Tech" is never actually named in the report, it is the well-educated guess of this writer that he is none other than the owner's husband - Mr. Arnold Guerrero.

Arnold has been observed at this death mill engaged in various tasks from cutting the lawn, taking out the trash, yelling at the pro-lifers and swiping literature out of their hands, and perhaps his most sinister task of all, picking up the abortionist from a top-secret location (aka the Wal-Mart parking lot located 4 miles down the road) and driving him under the cover of a sheet into the death mill garage.

He's got quite a load on his plate for someone who is not mentioned anywhere in the clinic's personnel files.

But enough about Arnold, there's much more to uncover in this most recent statement of deficiencies at "A Woman's World Medical Center". We turn our attention to asking the obvious question: Just who else roams the halls with "Lab Tech" tending to patients who are boldly exercising their right to choose (death)? ...

Read entire article here.

Operation Rescue/Albuquerque, New Mexico/Cheryl Sullenger --

A shocking number of medical emergencies at two Albuquerque abortion clinics over the past few months have raised questions about clinic safety and who is responsible for oversight. After months of investigation, pro-life groups have determined that abortion clinics often operate in regulatory gaps and actively seek to "fly under the radar," as one regulator put it. This has created a public safety crisis in New Mexico.

A total of 14 calls for emergency medical assistance were placed to 911 dispatchers by Southwestern Women's Options (SWO) and the University of New Mexico Center for Reproductive Health (UNMCRH) over a 35-month time frame between November, 2008, and September, 2011. Three were placed from the UNMCRH while, alarmingly, eleven of the calls for help originated from SWO.

Complaints were filed with the New Mexico Medical Board (NMMB) against the known abortionists who work at those clinics by representatives of Project Defending Life and Operation Rescue. However, the NMMB is only responsible for oversight of licensed physicians and is not responsible for oversight of the abortion clinic itself.

"That means trash could be piled to the ceiling inside those clinics, and the NMMB would not have the authority to do anything about it," said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation. "The clinics themselves are never inspected or held to any standard. That creates the potential for a Gosnell-like 'house of horrors' to operate directly under the nose of regulators."

Conversations with Department of Health regulators confirmed Newman's concerns.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY

Launching on January 19, 2012, AbortionWiki.org will serve as a comprehensive and impartial resource of all information relevant to beginning and end of life issues such as abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research.

"Sir Francis Bacon said it best when he wrote, 'Knowledge is power,'" says AbortionWiki Director, Andy Moore. "AbortionWiki makes use of this power by documenting the U.S. and international abortion industry and lobby on one wiki-based website."

AbortionWiki seeks to expose the abortion industry on an international scale. It will achieve this by making use of the powerful yet simple wiki software - the same software which powers Wikipedia.org. By connecting the dots between the various facets of the abortion industry and lobby, a clearer picture will be made visible.

AbortionWiki's newly-formed advisory board consists of an all-star cast of pro-life leaders:

• Bryan Kemper of Stand True Christ Centered Pro-Life


• Dr. Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life


• Dr. Eoghan De Faoite of Ireland's Youth Defence


• Eric Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League


• Jill Stanek of JillStanek.com


• Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America


• Steven Ertelt of LifeNews.com


• Troy Newman of Operation Rescue

"AbortionWiki will be powerful because it is people-powered. Thousands of people around the world will have the opportunity to log in and contribute their local and specialized knowledge," says Mr. Moore. "What has the abortion industry got to hide? If there is nothing wrong with abortion, why is this industry so shrouded in secrecy? Why are the blinds down at every Planned Parenthood clinic you drive past?"

"In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes, 'Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.' That's exactly our goal in launching this website," Mr. Moore continues.

AbortionWiki will become a comprehensive and reliable turn-to reference point for all matters relating to abortion and other life issues. This will be achieved through stringent referencing and quality control, and by a network of moderators ensuring that only factual information is provided on the website.

Subjects covered will include abortionists, clinic workers, abortion methods, pro-choice groups, activists, the history of abortion, voting records of politicians, statistics and much more.

"Our research has shown that wiki-based websites are extremely search-engine friendly," Mr. Moore says. "If you are involved in the abortion industry, you can look forward to your very own article on AbortionWiki, there for your children and grandchildren to see in years to come."

Contact:

Andy Moore, Director
andy@abortionwiki.org
phone: 815-277-6244

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 25, 2012/Christian Newswire --

Attorneys with Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project and two other pro-life legal defense organizations announced this morning that they have delivered a letter to the City of Austin's legal counsel urging the City at its next meeting tomorrow to repeal Austin City Code Chapter 10-9 and withdraw proposed Chapter 10-10 because both abridge Austin Life Care's constitutional rights to freedom of speech, association and religious free exercise under both state and federal law. The letter concludes: "We look forward to hearing from your office regarding this matter on or before January 26, 2012. We are hopeful that you will concur with us that Chapter 10-9 ought to be repealed and proposed Chapter 10-10 withdrawn as unconstitutional and, therefore, unenforceable against any covered entity located in Austin, including our client. Should your client not do so we will assume, until advised otherwise, that your client simply wishes to resume the pending litigation and risk the substantial 'further litigation costs' such an unfortunate and unconstitutional decision necessarily entails."

Austin LifeCare's Executive Director, Pam Cobern, said: "Austin LifeCare has been serving women in Central Texas with excellence and without charge for more than 27 years. Our communications are clear, honest and appropriate. We provide all clients with full disclosure of the types of 'life-affirming' services we provide starting with the 'about us' and 'services' tabs on our web site. Every person who mentions abortion while calling Austin LifeCare for an appointment is told we neither perform nor refer for abortion. Before she can meet with a counselor or nurse, the woman signs a statement that states 'the Center does not perform or refer for abortions.' In addition, there are framed 'Commitment of Care' statements reiterating this fact displayed prominently in the waiting area. Our clients receive medically accurate and unbiased information, including limited ultrasound services under direct physician supervision, to help them make their own decision, not one imposed by someone else's agenda. Austin LifeCare trusts women, tells them the truth, and treats them with dignity and respect while respecting their right to choose in the most fully informed fashion they request."

General Counsel of the Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project, Samuel Casey, said: "Having hand-delivered two demand letters to the City on April 22 and September 16 asking it to stand down from enforcing its unconstitutional ordinance and being completely stone-walled, in the face of our multiple requests for some reply, we had no choice now but to file our Verified Complaint seeking judicial relief, including a preliminary injunction. When we did so, the City's lawyers agreed not to enforce the unconstitutional ordinance to give the City time to repeal it. We are glad that the City's Legal Department has now advised the City to do so to 'avoid further litigation expense.' We are encouraging the City to do just that and not to make matters worse by simply adopting an even more unconstitutional ordinance in its place as Council Spelman and Martinez are proposing."

On April 8, 2010, after no more than a 30 minute hearing wherein its rules were waived and discussion was limited by the presiding officer to "15 minutes per side," and no evidence of any unlawfully deceptive or misleading conduct by LifeCare was presented, Austin City Council passed Chapter 10-9 to restrict the operations of what it calls "Limited Service Pregnancy Centers," facilities that help pregnant women carry their babies to term without offering abortions, referrals to abortionists, or so-called "comprehensive birth control services." Under the ordinance, centers such as Austin LifeCare are required to "prominently display, at the entrance of the center, two black and white signs, one in English and one in Spanish, that state as follows: 'This center does not provide abortions or refer to abortion providers. This center does not provide or refer to providers of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved birth control drugs and medical devices.'" The first offense is punishable by a minimum $250 fine; a minimum fine of $350 is issued for the second offense and a minimum $450 fine for the third. The fines only apply to individuals or organizations that primarily provide counseling information about pregnancy services or options. The ordinance does not require centers performing or referring for abortions to post any kind of signs about services that they do not offer....

Read entire press release here.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 24, 2012/Christian Newswire -- It is not insignificant that a question about the state sanctioned, court ordered death of Terri Schiavo by dehydration made it into the top tier questions at the Republican debate last night.

Although Terri Schiavo's death occurred in 2005, what happened to her takes place every single day in health care facilities across our nation. Indeed, the courts and pro-euthanasia movement exploited her situation to introduce our country to "Obamacare." Every candidate missed the opportunity to make this connection last night.

We are grateful and recognize the two candidates who attempted to defend Terri's right to life, although clarification of her condition is warranted as this debate continues.

Terri Schiavo was not dying, not in a coma, and not brain dead. Terri was not on a respirator, and she was not in vegetative state. Terri was a woman with a brain injury and simply needed to be fed through a feeding tube.

The elderly, persons with cognitive disabilities, and the medically vulnerable are having their medical rights denied every day and dying at the hands of hospital 'death panels' that are making decisions to withhold their food and water.

"These lives need to be defended and protected, and we applaud former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for recognizing the obvious by saying last night, 'We offer federal safeguards for condemned murderers - why not a helpless woman whose parents just want to care for her for the rest of her life?'" said Bobby Schindler, Co-Executive Director of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network and Terri's brother.

"We also applaud Senator Rick Santorum for standing by Terri and our family in 2005, calling for a judicial review and stating during last night's debate he 'would do it again,'" added Schindler.

According to the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities, 20 million Americans - seven percent of the U.S. population - are affected by some type of brain injury.

Among them are hundreds of thousands of people with conditions similar to Terri's, including members of our military returning home from battle.

Now more than ever this country needs a president who respects life at every stage and is willing to protect the weakest among us.

by Tony Perkins

Thanks to President Obama, the tens and thousands of pro-lifers who streamed into D.C. for today's March have another cause to fight: the future of religious liberty. Late Friday, the Obama administration marked the anniversary of Roe v. Wade by cementing one of the biggest attacks on conscience rights the country has ever seen. Starting next year, any organization that offers health insurance to employees will be forced to cover birth control, sterilizations, and abortifacients--no matter what their objections.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius finalized the rule after her agency fielded more than 200,000 public comments--many objecting to the administration's policies that flow from an anti-child ideology. FRC has been fighting alongside dozens of evangelical and Catholic groups, who see this decision for what it is: naked aggression against America 's most fundamental freedom. "Never," said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, "has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience." Sebelius is waving off the controversy by pointing to the mandate's "religious exemption," which is nothing but a narrow protection for churches. Other religiously affiliated groups like faith-based schools, hospitals, and charities are ordered to comply.

The decision was such a slap in the face of the First Amendment that even newspapers like the Washington Post shook their heads. "Requiring a religiously affiliated employer to spend its own money in a way that violates its religious principles," the Post editorial board wrote, "does not make an adequate accommodation for those deeply held views." Others, like the New York Daily News, were not so reserved. "Wrong, wrong, high-handedly, obtusely wrong."

The U.S. Supreme Court just finished rebuking the President for meddling in church business, and now his agencies are using policies as a weapon to blunt the church's community involvement. As the White House well knows, most of these charities would rather close their doors than meet these requirements. That would suit this administration just fine, since it wants to eliminate the government's competition for services and drive the church out of the public square. "What war and disease could not do to the congregation," wrote one church, "the government of the United States will. It will shut them down."

To help organizations "transition," Sebelius is waiting until August 2013 to implement the mandate. "In effect, the President is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences," Dolan fumed. The Left can also avoid the political pain of staking out such an unpopular position before Election Day. Despite the outrage, the delay should signal just how politically potent the life issue can be. The President recognizes it. Obviously, Secretary Sebelius recognizes it. The only ones who seem to be slow in understanding are those Republicans who say the issue is not important and should not be allowed to define the Party. It's time for the Establishment to see what the Left already does: pro-lifers are not a liability; we're an asset. And, as today's March proved, a growing one....

Read entire article here.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2012/Christian Newswire --

Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, will march with the women and men of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign for the 2012 March for Life today. Father Pavone will be available to provide commentary on the March, as well as discuss the state of the pro-life movement 39 years after Roe vs. Wade and the prospects for ending abortion.

Marching with him will be many members of the Priests for Life Pastoral Team. To arrange an interview with Father Pavone or any of the Priests for Life and Silent No More team, please call Leslie Palma at 347-286-7277 or 732-757-9087.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2012/Christian Newswire --

Catholic Advocate President Matt Smith issued the following statement today in response to the Department of Health and Human Services' decision to force religious organizations to provide contraceptive coverage even though it conflicts with their principles:

This is a fig leaf to faith-based organizations.

Make no mistake - today's decision by the Obama administration is just a stay of execution. People of faith must unite against this administration's constant assault on our religious liberties.

For President Obama to say at Notre Dame he wanted to find 'Common Ground' with people of faith and then allow this decision to move forward, should send a strong signal to people of faith that the 'Closed' sign is on the door.

The pro-abortion lobby is raising a toast today knowing their president came through for them again.

People of faith should contact Congress immediately and ask them to move on the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act authored by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R, NE-01). We must send a message to those in our nation's Capitol who want to remove the core from one of our founding principles found in the First Amendment of our Constitution.

It's 2012. She's been in business since 1991. And she still can't get it right.

Candace Dye, owner and administrator of A Woman's World Medical Center - the Treasure Coast's only operating abortion clinic, was recently visited by an inspector from Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration. The visit marked the fourth year in a row that deficiencies were noted in the clinic's operation, and yet, the clinic remains in business.

Although some of the deficiencies noted appear insignificant (ie; not posting a current license in a conspicuous place where it can be viewed by patients), each one represents a failure of the administrator to follow the basic requirements of licensure procedures in Florida. And the failure to follow the procedures established by the State should result in a significant and appropriate consequence. Isn't that what civilized society demands from its laws? Apparently, not when it comes to abortion. Give a pass to the sacred cow. Again.

Now, a license posted in the wrong place may not raise the hairs on the back of your neck, but how about resuscitation bags that have not been checked since 2009? An oxygen tank that posted a sticker noting it had last been checked in 2010? Oh I know, abortion is safe, they probably never need those things anyway. Right.

When given the opportunity to point towards the preventative maintenance programs that were developed and maintained at the clinic (and perhaps hidden away in the policy and procedures manual) the long-time administrator of this clinic again faltered. She acknowledged to the inspector that indeed, there were "no policies" for the maintenance of "patient monitoring equipment, anesthesia, surgical equipment, and all surgical instruments." Apparently, the policy and procedures manual is pretty thin. Aside from missing the section on equipment maintenance, it lacks a section on the requirement to ensure that employees receive proper training and are capable of providing appropriate service and supervision to patients. The LPN on staff was working with a license that the State of Florida had designated as "under emergency suspension" and "not approved to engage in nursing practice." Additionally, said employee was restricted (again, by the State of Florida) from access to narcotics which at this abortion clinic, are stored under lock and key in a "tackle box on a cart in the procedure room". Darn all these rules, rules, rules! If you don't like them, just ignore them....

Read entire article here.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2012/Christian Newswire --

The women of Operation Outcry will hold a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 20, 2012, to discuss this issue. All of the women of Operation Outcry are women who have been hurt by abortion.

Myra Myers, a member of the Operation Outcry National Advisory Committee states, "Roe v. Wade was the worst thing that ever happened in my life. I had my abortion shortly after Roe v. Wade. Before Roe, I was pregnant out of wedlock and never considered abortion. My husband and I got married and had four more children. Only after Roe v. Wade was legalized, did we consider abortion. It adversely impacted me physically and emotionally. Abortion should never have been legalized. If we had seen a sonogram, we would not have done it."

Danelle Hallenbeck of Operation Outcry in North Carolina said, "I am absolutely not better off under Roe and Doe. I lost a child and recently a grandchild. It caused physical problems and immense grief and sadness."

"Many women have experienced mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual trauma as a result of the effects of legalized abortion due to Roe v. Wade or Doe v. Bolton, can anyone say that's OK? It is not OK for any woman to experience these negative effects.... Now add to this, the men and families whose lives have been severely traumatized as a result of abortion!" stated Karen Holdren, a member of the Operation Outcry National Advisory Committee.

Karen Bodle, also a member of the Operation Outcry National Advisory Committee said, "We are not better off under abortion. It devastated me. We are calling for millions of women to join their voices with us."

The women of Operation Outcry have collected over 5,000 legally admissible testimonies from women who have had abortions. They have presented these testimonies to courts and legislatures considering the effect of abortion on women and men.

Their own devastating stories of physical and psychological trauma also are supported by scientific research including the most recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry by Professor Priscilla Coleman. This meta-analysis recently reviewed 22 major studies and found that women who had an abortion had an 81% increased likelihood of adverse mental health consequences, and that ten percent of female mental health problems studied were attributable to abortion.

Testimonies of Operation Outcry women hurt by legal abortion have influenced three major courts in America, including the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the partial birth abortion ban in the Gonzales v. Carhart case, and most recently when the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Texas Sonogram law, on January 10, 2012, in Texas Medical Providers, et al v. David Lakey, et al. The third major court influenced by their testimony was the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld the South Dakota statute requiring abortionists to tell a woman in writing that abortion "will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being." What the testimonies of the women have demonstrated repeatedly to the courts of the United States is "some women come to regret their choice to abort the infant life they once created and sustained... Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow."

It is the beginning of the 40th year of Roe and Doe and the end of both cases as controlling precedent.

For anyone who is suffering from abortion, please call the National Helpline for Abortion Recovery 1-866-482-5433(LIFE).

WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 17, 2012/Christian Newswire --

Operation Rescue has launched a major new initiative called Pro-Life Nation, whose purpose is to implement a comprehensive, unified, and goal-oriented strategy to end abortion in the United States. The plan involves informing and activating the pro-life grassroots while exposing the dirty truth about America's abortion cartel and demanding enforcement of abortion laws.

A new booklet laying out the Pro-Life Nation strategy is available online at ProlifeNation.org.

Pro-life Nation's first project is the launching of a groundbreaking web site AbortionDocs.org. This site is a searchable database that endeavors to list every surgical abortion clinic, every "abortion pill-only" clinic, and every abortionist in the United States. The website boasts that it contains the largest collection of documents ever compiled on the abortion cartel-and is growing daily.

Documents include photos, medical license applications, malpractice suits, disciplinary records, news articles, videos, criminal histories, and more.

"We believe that with the current climate in America, abortion could be eliminated every soon, if a goal-oriented strategy is employed that includes cooperation among various pro-life organizations and individuals," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, who will also serve as president of Pro-Life Nation.

"We are excited to take the next step into expanding new, effective tactics that Operation Rescue has pioneered. While we will maintain Operation Rescue as our activist arm, most of our investigations will be conducted under the new Pro-Life Nation banner. Through Pro-life Nation, we will enlist pro-life supporters across the nation to work together in new ways to expose and report abortion misdeeds, hold officials accountable for enforcing our laws, and build a society that is truly a Pro-Life Nation."

Operation Rescue's Senior Policy Advisor Cheryl Sullenger also serves in the same capacity for Pro-life Nation.

Pro-Life Nation is looking to partner with key pro-life leaders to contribute to the Abortiondocs.org database so that the true scope of abortion abuses that occur daily in this country can be documented and exposed to the American people.

"Pro-life Nation and its inaugural project, AbortionDocs.org, are new works in progress, and include plans to expand the Pro-Life Nation website very soon. We encourage everyone to visit the web sites, sign up for updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and contribute information about your local abortion clinic to the AbortionDocs.org data base," said Newman.

"We face this next chapter with great anticipation and energy, and look forward to working with more wonderful pro-life people than ever to see America move closer to the day when abortion is abolished once and for all."

By Jenn Giroux

In the 1970s, the world was shocked by Dr. and Mrs. Jack Willke's Handbook on Abortion, which first exposed the public to the gruesome reality of abortion. In the 1980s and '90s, Joe Scheidler's Pro-Life Action League ushered in pro-life street activism nationwide through its public displays of graphic abortion images, prayer vigils, demonstrations, and sidewalk counseling at abortion mills. And modern American pro-life activism was taken to a whole new level shortly after an intrepid attorney general was elected in 2002. His story is still unfolding.

After earning a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1987, Phillip D. "Phill" Kline worked as an attorney in private practice until his election to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1992, where he served until 2000. There he helped write and pass Kansas Statute 65-6703, enacted in 1998.

This law prohibits the abortion of viable preborn babies after 22 weeks unless two physicians not legally or financially affiliated with each other determine that "[t]he abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant woman" or "a continuation of the pregnancy will cause a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman." Part of the law's intent was to hold the Kansas abortion industry accountable for its diagnoses and abortion reporting, with oversight provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

As attorney general of Kansas, Kline's visionary leadership resulted in numerous achievements and hundreds of criminal investigations. But the "mainstream" media has focused on just one investigation: the criminal case against late-term abortionist George Tiller (who was slain in 2009) and Planned Parenthood.

Under Kansas law, abortion facilities must report the pregnancy of any girl age 15 and under to the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS). Abortion facilities must additionally report statistical information on each abortion to the KDHE. Kline discovered that, from 2002 to 2003, 166 reported abortions had been committed on children 14 years old and younger, but in the same time period, Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri (in Johnson County, Kansas) and Tiller's abortion mill (in Wichita) had each reported only one instance of child rape to the SRS.

In September 2004, after reviewing Kline's evidence, District Judge Richard Anderson subpoenaed medical records from both facilities. They resisted, and the case went all the way to the Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled in February 2006 that Kline was entitled to the records. However, despite the fact that this was a criminal investigation, the court allowed PP and Tiller to redact their own records. The removal of information that would identify adult patients was ordered, but the attorney general's office needed the names of patients 15 and under in order to investigate child sexual abuse and protect the victims.

If it were proven that PP wasn't reporting child rape, federal law required PP to forfeit all of its federal funding. (Currently, PP nationwide receives over $363 million in annual taxpayer funding.) The abortion industry quickly recognized the threat to its income and public image. So, the clarion call went out among its ranks nationwide, and the brutal attack on Kline's reputation began. "The assault was unbelievable and unrelenting for the next several years," he told World magazine (May 21, 2011). Meanwhile, PP and Tiller enjoyed the full allegiance and protection of Governor Kathleen Sebelius1 and the Kansas Supreme Court.2

The assault reached fever pitch as Kline prepared to file criminal charges and campaign for re-election in 2006....

Read entire article here.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2012/Christian Newswire --

Today, on behalf of the adult stem researchers it represents, the Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project and their co-counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, filed their opening Appellants' Brief asking the United States Court of Appeals to "reverse the district court's judgment in favor of Defendants, reverse the grant of Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment and the denial of [Appellants'] Motion for Summary Judgment, and remand with directions to enter summary judgment for [Appellants]."

Appellants argue that The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for funding human embryonic stem-cell research "are invalid because they violate [the federal law known as] the Dickey-Wicker Amendment" and because they were promulgated in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. Accordingly, Appellants argue that they -- "not Defendants -- are entitled to summary judgment."

Appellants are appealing the United States District Court for the District of Columbia's July 27, 2011, decision dismissing their challenge to the Obama administration's unprecedented and unlawful federal funding of destructive human embryo research. Appellants argue that the district court erroneously interpreted and applied the Court of Appeal's April 29, 2011, ruling vacating the district court's August 23, 2010, preliminary injunction of the NIH Guidelines that the Obama Administration promulgated to permit the federal funding of "research in which" human embryos are "knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death."

While again affirming the standing of adult stem-cell researchers to challenge these regulations, the federal district court dismissed the case saying that it had no choice under the "mandate rule" but to follow the Court of Appeal's April 29 ruling that Congress' ban on human embryonic research was written in a sufficiently "ambiguous" fashion to ban the use of federal funds that risked the "injury or death" of human embryos, but not the use of federal funds to do research on the embryonic stem cells that were derived from such injury or destruction.

In the words of U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth explaining his July 27 decision: "While it may be true that by following the Court of Appeals' conclusion as to the ambiguity of 'research,' the Court has become a grudging partner in a bout of 'linguistic jujitsu,' Sherley, 2011 WL 1599685, at 22 (Henderson, J. dissenting), such is life for an antepenultimate court." ...

Read entire press release here.

NASHVILLE /Jan. 12, 2012/Religion Press Release Services --

From award-winning directors Jon and Andrew Erwin comes October Baby, a groundbreaking, life-affirming movie premiering in theaters nationwide March 23, 2012. Provident Films -- known for its association with such hit faith movies as Courageous and Fireproof -- and Samuel Goldwyn Films (distributor of such hit faith films as Fireproof, Amazing Grace and Facing the Giants, among others) have signed on to market and distribute.

A production of the Erwin Brothers and American Family Studios, October Baby weaves a dramatic, romantic, humorous story of one young woman's search for the truth after a life-changing discovery rocks her world.

"October Baby is the story of 19-year-old Hannah, who finds out she is adopted and is the survivor of an attempted abortion," said co-director and co-writer Jon Erwin. "So, she goes on a road trip to find answers, locate her birth mother and, ultimately, discover how powerful forgiveness can be."

[The film] offers viewers an enjoyable, entertaining, intensely human film about friends hitting the road together and finding more than they bargained for: adventure, romance, truth ... and the power to forgive. But, the film is more than that -- it tells the story of one young woman's journey based on hundreds of stories of abortion survivors. [It] honestly and evenhandedly invites audiences to explore their own views of life's value and the importance of their choices.

"Like all good films, October Baby entertains, encourages and challenges audiences," said Provident Films Senior Vice President Ben Howard. "Long after leaving the theater, viewers will continue conversations that [it] ignites."

[The film] marks the feature film debut of the Erwin Brothers, multiple Dove Award winners for music videos featuring hit contemporary Christian artists such as Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith and Francesca Battistelli. Jon Erwin and Theresa Preston co-wrote the film.

"We're thrilled to introduce these exciting, young filmmakers to audiences nationwide," said Meyer Gottlieb, president of Samuel Goldwyn Films. "October Baby is one more example of Samuel Goldwyn Films' commitment to releasing films with a dedicated audience. That, coupled with getting to collaborate with Provident once again, made this a homerun for us."

Starring newcomer Rachel Hendrix as Hannah, October Baby features John Schneider (Smallville, The Dukes of Hazzard) and Jasmine Guy (A Different World), along with Jason Burkey and American Idol finalist Chris Sligh in his feature film debut.

In support of the film's life-affirming theme, the producers of [the film] have assigned 10 percent of the profits of the film to the Every Life is Beautiful Fund. The money will be distributed to frontline organizations helping women face crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies and those caring for orphans.

"We feel like it's very important to use [the film] as an opportunity to serve, give back and save lives," Jon Erwin said. "That's what we want the Every Life Is Beautiful Fund to be about."

[The film] has already drawn wide praise from advance screenings

Mark Hall of Casting Crowns
"I am now an October Baby activist. This is something I have to be a part of."

Gianna Jessen, abortion survivor, national speaker
"I laughed so hard, cried so hard, and healed. Thank you!"

The Dove Foundation
"We urge you to see this movie. It might just change your life."

One mother's story shared on Facebook
"My 14-year-old daughter watched the movie with me ... at the end, my daughter said, 'Mom, October Baby is my favorite movie ever.' [The film] gave me an opportunity to discuss many issues with her -- forgiveness, healing, abortion and more. Thank you, thank you, thank you again!"

To learn more, visit: OctoberBabyMovie.net