Pro-Life Leaders to Address March for Life

January 17, 2015 By Scott Zipperle 2 Comments

Pro-Life Leaders to Address March for Life

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 16, 2015

CONTACT: Ryan Hughes
Shirley & Banister Public Affairs
703-739-5920/800-536-5920
RHughes@SBPublicAffairs.com

Speakers to Share Experience with Global Pro-Life Movement

Washington, D.C.—The March for Life Education and Defense Fund announced today the lineup of speakers for the March for Life’s Annual Gathering on the National Mall on January 22, 2015 at 11:00 AM ET. They will have the opportunity to share their touching stories and experiences with the global pro-life movement.

“We welcome these remarkable speakers to join our cause to help advocate for the protection of every life, and they strongly believe that every life is a gift,” said Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, President of March for Life Education and Defense Fund. “Their moving experience and testimonies will give us all the more reason to gather in solidarity to advocate for every life.”

Rev. Joseph Kurtz, President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie, M.D.
Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL)
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
Kathleen Wilson of Mary’s Shelter
Julia Johnson, Senior at Shanley High School
Nancy Kreuzer, Silent No More
Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life
Rev. Sammy Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

The March for Life in Washington, D.C., began as a small demonstration on January 22, 1974, the first anniversary of the now-infamous Supreme Court decisions in Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton and rapidly grew to be the largest pro-life event in the world. The peaceful demonstration that has followed on this somber anniversary every year since is a witness to the truth concerning the greatest human rights violation of our time, legalized abortion on demand.

Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, President of March for Life Education and Defense Fund, is available for interviews. For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Hughes at RHughes@SBPublicAffairs.com or (703) 739-5920.

January 14, 2015 By Scott Zipperle Leave a Comment

Senator Tim Scott & House GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris-Rodgers to Lead Congressional Delegation in March for Life

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2015

CONTACT: Ryan Hughes
Shirley & Banister Public Affairs
703-739-5920/800-536-5920
RHughes@SBPublicAffairs.com

Members will Honor Every Life as a Gift in Annual Pro-Life Event

Washington, D.C.—The March for Life Education and Defense Fund announced today that House GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA), Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Representative Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), and Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) will lead the congressional delegation as featured speakers at the March for Life on January 22, 2014 during the annual pro-life event. They will have the opportunity to share their touching stories and experiences with the global pro-life movement.

“These remarkable congressional leaders are joining our cause to help advocate for the protection of the unborn, and they strongly believe that every life is a gift,” said Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, President of March for Life Education and Defense Fund. “Their commitment to this cause is crucial in passing laws to protect lives in this country.”

On the exact day of the march, the house is set to vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, or HR 36, first introduced by Representative Trent Franks and Representative Marsha Blackburn, which will put an end to abortion after 20 weeks, or five months, based on the child’s ability to feel pain.

“This vote will give us even more reason to rally on the National Mall with the hundreds of thousands and subsequently march to the Supreme Court in celebration of life. We’re hopeful that this is a sign of more pro-life legislation in the future.”

January 14, 2015 By Scott Zipperle 2 Comments

Brothers are a Gift: Andrew and Joseph

Guest Blog post by Kim Dupliantier. Kim & Allan Dupliantier live in Stafford, VA. Their sons, Andrew (9) & Joseph (2), are just two of their nine children. Brothers Andrew and Joseph both have Down Syndrome.

Andrew and Joseph have enriched our lives in countless ways. These special boys bring so much love and joy to our family. Their smiles light up a room. We have all learned to be patient as we have watched them persevere to reach developmental milestones that I took for granted with my other children-sitting, crawling, eating, walking, talking. We celebrate with them and feel their pride. They have taught my other children to be kind, charitable and compassionate as they are quick to help Andrew and Joseph with their needs. This has extended beyond our home, as two of my daughters have volunteered with therapeutic horseback riding for other children with special needs. One of my daughters is preparing to become a nurse, and has expressed interest in working with people with special needs. Another daughter would also like to pursue some field of therapy. I believe this desire has come from having Andrew and Joseph in our family.

M4L_Christmas_Memes9 — Photo Credit: Tiffany Michelle Photography, LLC

The most important way that brothers Andrew and Joseph have enriched our lives is by showing us the power of prayer and that miracles do happen. Both Andrew and Joseph were born with many medical issues. Andrew was born with a heart defect and duodenal atresia and has had numerous surgeries and complications. God has blessed us with wonderful doctors and nurses and we have witnessed firsthand His healing power. When Joseph was born ten weeks early, he weighed only 2 pounds and was 14 inches long. He was truly a miracle baby, as the doctors told us if they had waited even an hour longer to deliver him, he would have been stillbirth. As he struggled in the NICU, so many were praying and we watched as the prayers were answered. When Joseph came home from the hospital, we noticed that he was not responsive as Andrew and my other children had been as a baby. He made no eye contact, did not respond to any sounds and could not even hold up his head or grasp a finger. We brought him to many specialists, who tried to rule out blindness and hearing loss. Eventually, Joseph began having seizures and was diagnosed with West Syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy. He was having more than a hundred seizures a day. We were devastated. I have never prayed so hard in my life. We watched as God performed another miracle and his seizures are finally under control. He is sitting up and starting to crawl and say words and eat solid food-things I feared we would never see. Joseph smiled for the first time at 13 months old and has not stopped since! He is truly a miracle and we are so blessed!

“Our boys have forever changed our lives for the better and we are so blessed and grateful.”

M4L_Christmas_Memes10 — Photo Credit: Tiffany Michelle Photography, LLC

Our prayer is that people would not be scared by a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21 or any other chromosomal abnormalities. These special children are truly gifts to be enjoyed and nurtured like all other children. Even with their unique challenges, they are children that need to be loved and want to give love to others. Our boys enjoy life to the fullest, especially the simple things. They like to do all the same things that other children do. They have taught us to live in the present moment. But, most importantly, they have taught our family that a person’s worth is not measured by how healthy they are or how perfect they look or how smart or talented they are. A person’s worth comes from the fact that they are created in the image and likeness of God, with unique gifts and a special purpose. Our boys have forever changed our lives for the better and we are so blessed and grateful.

January 13, 2015 By Scott Zipperle 8 Comments

Doctors Recommended I Be Aborted: Look At Me Now!

Guest blog post by Brittany Hebert.

My name is Brittany Hebert. I attended the March for Life in 2010 with my graduating class from St. Edmund High School in Eunice, Louisiana. It was an amazing, eye-opening experience for everyone. Because I attended a Catholic School, and I am Catholic, I have always been taught that life begins at conception; to end that life is murder. I strongly believe this with every fiber of my being.

The March for Life holds a very dear spot in my heart because of my abortion story. When my mom was pregnant for me, she went in for her normal checkup. Everything was fine until they did her ultrasound. She was 26 weeks pregnant. The doctor spotted a mass on my brain. The doctor immediately told my parents that they should have an abortion because there was no way I would ever live a normal life. My parents objected instantly, but because they were concerned, they decided to travel to Tulane Hospital in New Orleans to do an amniocentesis to know what to expect when I was born. A few weeks later my mom received a call from Tulane. The doctor explained that I was going to be Down Syndrome, if I survived long enough to be born. The mass on my brain had also grown, and was traveling down my spine. The doctor recommended an abortion again. My parents didn’t want to hear it. I was born October 24, 1991, 1 1/2 months premature. I stayed in the NICU for 2 months. There was no mass on my brain, and no abnormalities at all.

I am a healthy, happy, 23 year old. I am engaged to the most wonderful man I have ever known. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education, and I am about to graduate in Elementary Education. I am blessed beyond measure.

January 12, 2015 By Scott Zipperle Leave a Comment

Liberty Law Students: Leading the March for Life

Guest blog post by Sean Maquire, President of Liberty Law Students for Life and Mia Yugo, Vice President of Law Students for Life

On January 22, 1973, the highest court in the land held that abortion was a woman’s “right.” Thus far, over fifty-five million children have been legally aborted as a result of that fateful decision forty-one years ago. Fifty-five million voices silenced before ever uttering a sound.

Liberty University School of Law Students for Life stands for the right to life and defends all life, not just the lives of the young, the strong, and the able-bodied. We firmly believe that all human life is valuable and deserves to be protected. Every life is a gift and must be respected.

Today, those who receive a poor prenatal diagnosis are more-likely-than-not to be legally aborted. This country allows the abortion of any child with a “fetal abnormality.” Although the law protects people with abnormalities after they are born, it fails to do so prior to birth. Law Students for Life is honored to lead the March for Life this January in support of the principle that the law must protect all people – including those who have not yet been born.

The decisions that steered this nation away from the culture of life were rendered long before we were born. Yet, the consequences of abortion continue to impact every generation. There are empty places in our hearts for siblings, friends, cousins, nephews, and nieces who were never born. We see the pain on a woman’s face – the remorse in her eyes – when she remembers the child she never met because she chose to end an innocent life. We cry with men whose girlfriends abort their child while they stand powerless to prevent it. That is the state of our laws.

We are not silent as this pain and destruction of humanity continues. We stand to tell all three branches of our government that the People, the sovereign of this land, oppose the slaughter of innocent life. We march to declare that this evil must be stopped, that all life must be respected at every stage of development, and that this nation must return to its founding principles of life and liberty.

It is a great honor to be able to lead the 42^nd Annual March for Life this January. We look forward to being a part of the great awakening of the 21^st century. To that end, we will lend our voices to those in the legal community declaring that these decisions must be overturned.

Throughout the year, we have been busy making preparations to lead the March. We have raised money by hosting spaghetti and teriyaki lunches in order to charter a bus to the March. We have been praying for a burning passion in our hearts to see abortion end. We have been preparing as legal students, so that we can employ our skills to help bring about this change in the law. Our excitement is building as we prepare to drive up to Washington, D.C. to join the March for Life.

Life is not a choice. It is a right. Abortion is not a mere procedure. It is the destruction of innocent human life and the first step towards the abyss. As all histories have shown, the flame of every society that thinks otherwise is inevitably extinguished. We are a new generation of attorneys ready to call things by their real names, not by euphemisms created to cloud the truth and advance political agendas. If you support life, march with us in January.