March for Life

5 Days of Life: Congress Remembers Roe

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5 Days of Life: Congress Remembers Roe

For the second year in a row the House Leadership has scheduled a recess during the week of the annual March for Life.  Regardless a number of pro-life men and women went to the House floor to talk about the importance of the life issue.  This is from a friend on the Hill:

Pro-life Groups:

 

Last night Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) organized an opportunity for Members of Congress to speak in remembrance of the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade and its devastating effects on women and children. 

You may be interested in the following videos speeches given today:

 

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL)

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL)

Rep. Robert Latta (R-OH)

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)

Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN)

Rep. Bill Huizinga (R-MI)

Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO)

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)

Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL)

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)

Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN)

Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA)

Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC)

Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI)

Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ)

 

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Working to End the Divisiveness of Abortion

Guest Blog Post by Katherine Rosario

The March for Life is a sign of unity in a society that is riddled with division.  The March for Life is a time for hope and strength, when hundreds of thousands gather in our nation’s capital to stand for the lives of the unborn.  January 22, 2013 marked the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that along with an accompanying ruling in Doe v. Bolton, allowed abortion on demand in all 50 states.   More than 500 thousand people gathered to March and witness to the value and dignity of every human life.

This unified statement stands in contrast with the division we see almost everywhere in society.  The 113th Congress was the “least productive” in recent history in terms of the number of bills that became law (though legislating for the sake of legislating is a step backward if bad bills become law).  Examples of division abound in our culture. The issue of abortion is itself divisive, but the tide is turning and America is becoming increasingly pro-life. 

What could be more divisive than the physical separation of a child from his or her mother when developing in the safety of the womb during an abortion?   As the Gospel of John 17:20-24 tells us, Christ’s prayer for the world was that we would “all be one,” as He and the Father are one.  Why?  He wants to give us the glory which the Father has given Him.    

Whether our pro-life convictions are founded on religious beliefs coupled with rational thought and science, or whether we are motivated by science alone, the March for Life is a moment of profound unity in a divided, deceptive culture (think of the lies told by the abortion giant, Planned Parenthood).

While there is always a place for optimism and positivity, we cannot forget what an uphill battle we face, both at a cultural and political level.  President Obama’s signature achievement, Obamacare, opens doors to potential new streams of abortion funding for Planned Parenthood and other elective abortion providers and entangles taxpayer funds in abortion coverage offered on state and federal exchanges.  The great injustice of abortion pervades our society, sometimes at levels which the average person leading their daily life does not have time to notice. 

That’s why the March for Life is so important. 

It helps prevent numbness to the great evil that is abortion from setting in.  And, since the society’s position on abortion is a matter of life or death, there is no room for silence in this debate.  The March for Life is our yearly loud speaker. It’s an ideal opportunity to increase awareness of the evils and dangers of abortion – to women, children, families, the economy, and society as a whole – drawing strength from one another as we march.    

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6 Days of Life: Crunching the Numbers of the Abortion Industry

Today the Family Research Council released a new paper looking at the “Demographics of Women Who Report Having an Abortion.” 

The press release has some (but not all) of the highlights:

Among the MARRI paper’s significant findings on women who reported having an abortion:

* The majority of those who abort have one abortion only: Whereas about five percent of ever-pregnant women report having two or more abortions, 15 percent report having one.

* Abortion occurs most widely among younger women: Among women who report having had one or more abortions, nearly half are 20 years old or younger, and three-quarters are 24 or younger.

* Women with multiple sexual and cohabiting partners have a markedly higher abortion rate: Nearly 90 percent of women who report one or more abortions have had three or more male sexual partners.

* Almost 60 percent of women who report one or more abortions have cohabited with two or more men.

* Abortion rate is lower among women from biologically intact or intact, adoptive families: Whereas about 26 percent of women from broken families report some abortion history, only 16 percent of women from biologically intact families or intact, adoptive families report abortion history.

* No marked difference in abortion rates across income categories, no clear relationship detectible between abortion rates and education: Abortion rates do not vary markedly among women of the different income categories assessed in this report.

* No clear relationship or pattern is detectible between abortion rates and women of particular educational attainment levels.

To read the paper, click here: http://marri.us/abortion-demographics

The study found that while abortion rates don’t vary much between income levels with race it is a different.  African American women have the highest abortion rate, finding that 27.8 percent of African American women who have been pregnant have had an abortion (compared to 15 percent of Hispanic women and 19.9 percent of white non-Hispanic women.) 

FRC is not the only organization looking at some of the numbers going around the abortion issue. 

This week Americans United for Life released its annual ranking of states by their anti-abortion laws. Louisiana tops the list with the strictest abortion laws, followed by Oklahoma, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Texas. Washington state ranked on the other end of the list, with the most-lenient laws, followed by California, Vermont, New York and Connecticut. The pro-abortion group National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) tried to horn in on the action by releasing their own scorecard.  California, who basically passed a law allowing for your plumber to do an abortion, ranks first on their list. 

The top 10 states on AUL’s annual ranking received F’s on NARAL’s report card while states at the bottom of AUL’s list received an A+, A or A- from NARAL.

Considering most of the numbers on abortions are controlled by the very people who profit from them I am glad that groups like FRC and AUL are taking a closer look at the industry.

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Marching On

After the March for Life, we want you to keep marching back to your communities for life!  One person can make a difference, and there are so many different ways to do this – we have provided a list of suggestions below.  We also want to hear your #MarchingOn stories – email us at info@marchforlife.org and your story could be featured on our website!

Support Your Local Pregnancy Center (PRC)

Pregnancy resource centers are on the front line of caring for women who are faced with an unexpected pregnancy.  Consider sponsoring a diaper drive for you local PRC, volunteering, or supporting financially.

You can read more about these centers on our educational resources.

Care Net, with its affiliate pregnancy centers, and through the Pregnancy Decision Line, helps prevent forced, coerced and otherwise unwanted abortions by promoting positive life choices.

Heartbeat International works to inspire and equip Christian communities worldwide to rescue women and couples from abortion through the development of neighborhood pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and adoption services.

Pray

Bound4Life is a grassroots prayer mobilization movement focused on the ending of abortion through public stands of silent prayer wearing Life Tape in front of courthouses and abortion centers around the nation.

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils, and community outreach.

Counsel

Sidewalk Advocates for Life seeks to train, equip, and support local communities across the United States in “sidewalk advocacy”: to be the hands and feet of Christ, offering loving, life-affirming alternatives to all present at the abortion center, thereby eliminating demand and ending abortion.

Start a Pro-Life Group at Your School

Students for Life of America trains and equips college, high school, medical, and law school students so that they can defend unborn children and help their mothers on their campuses.  

Movie Screening

Screen a movie with a pro-life message such as “Bella,” “October Baby,” or “It’s a Girl,” for friends, family, your church, or your community and hold a discussion afterwards.

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The Pro-Life Movement

It’s been 40+ years since the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated all 50 state abortion laws in Roe v. Wade. The pro-life movement has made tremendous strides to educate the American people on the gift of life. Although there is much more to do, there are many reasons that pro-lifers must have hope!

40 bright spots in the pro-life effort

Polling & Data on Abortion

1) According to polls, “pro-life” has been the “new normal” for Americans since 2009. In 2012, 50% of Americans identified as pro-life, while those identifying as “pro-choice” hit a record low of 41%.

2) Young people are increasingly pro-life, which is evident as thousands of youth travel to the March for Life each year. Trends show that support of unlimited access to abortion by young people has dropped 12 percent points since 1990. According to Gallup “support for making abortion broadly illegal [is] growing fastest among young adults.”

3) Admitting that the pro-abortion movement is losing support among young people, pro-abortion NARAL President Nancy Keenan recently submitted her resignation to allow a younger president to conduct youth outreach. Commenting on the March for Life she lamented, “There are so many of them, and they are so young.” 

4) According to a NARAL study, 51% of pro-life voters under 30 consider a candidate’s stance on abortion very important, yet only 26% of pro-abortion voters of the same group  consider a candidate’s stance on abortion to be very important.

5) Most Americans do not agree with United States abortion laws. Abortion is legal through all nine months of pregnancy, but most believe that abortion should be highly restricted: 79% believe it should be illegal after the first trimester; 87% of Americans believe that abortion should be illegal after 6 months of pregnancy, while only 16% believe it should be legal through all 9 months of pregnancy.

6) The number of abortions in the United States has steadily declined since 1990. Abortion rates dropped 5% in 2009, the last year for which statistics are available.

Pregnancy Resource Centers

7) Throughout the United States, there are more than 2,000 Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC) that offer help to mothers experiencing unplanned pregnancies. There are 1,793 abortion providers through the country.

8) PRCs report that up to 90% of women contemplating abortion who see the ultrasound, and hear their baby’s heart beat, choose to carry their baby to term.

9) Many PRCs offer ultrasounds free of charge to mothers.

10) There is a movement of mobile PRCs bringing ultrasounds to women. By parking in locations where there may be high numbers of women with unexpected pregnancies, such as malls, college campuses, and abortion clinics, these mobile units reach women who would not have otherwise walked into a PRC.

11) PRCs run largely on the generosity of donors, and volunteers. In 2010, approximately 71,000 volunteers performed an estimated 5,705,000 hours of work.

12) Free services offered by PRCs in 2010 were worth well over an estimated  $100 million.

13) As PRCs advance in medical sophistication, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), has trained many in sonography,  helping  make ultrasounds more widely available to expectant mothers.

Conversions and Outreach Ministries

14) Dr. Bernard Nathanson, former abortionist and co-founder of NARAL, had a change of heart in 1980, and became a pro-life advocate until his death in 2011.

15) Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade is now a pro-life advocate.

16) Sandra Cano, the plaintiff of Doe v. Bolton is pro-life, and a popular speaker on pro-life issues.

17) Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood clinic director, left the abortion industry after seeing an abortion on ultrasound. She is pro-life speaker and advocate.

18) Abby Johnson began the ministry “And Then There Were None” to reach out to abortion clinic workers who want to leave the abortion industry. Since the organization’s founding in June 2012, nearly 40 workers have left their places of employment, and through the help of “And Then There Were None” were able to find new jobs.

19) 40 Days for Life is a peaceful prayer campaign where groups dedicate 40 days of prayer and fasting for the protection of life, often in front of abortion clinics. Since beginning in 2007 at least 6,749 lives have been saved, 75 abortion clinic workers have left their jobs.

20) Abortion clinics close at a steady pace; 40 Days for Life reports the closing of at least 25 abortion clinics, including the oldest abortion clinic in New York City.

21) Pro-life campus outreach is flourishing. Students for Life of America reports that in 2011, they had  678 active groups, chapters in 49 states, and  42 trainings on college campuses throughout the year.

22) There are numerous organizations such as Isaiah’s Promise and Be Not Afraid that support expectant parents who receive a poor prenatal diagnosis. These ministries help parents respect the dignity of their babies by carrying them to term regardless of their prognosis.

23) Organizations such as Project Rachel, Lumina, and Silent No More bring post-abortion hope and healing to women and men who have chosen abortion.

Laws – Federal and State

24) In 2003, Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 5, 2003. The ban outlawed use of the procedure that became known as partial birth abortion, and brought the violent and intensive procedure of abortion into the light for the public to see. It is likely that because of this law, public opinion has moved in the pro-life direction.

25) Congress has enacted the Hyde-Weldon, Church and Coats-Snowe Amendments, which all protect conscience rights.

26) Since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has restricted federal funds for abortion.  

27) Between 2010 and 2012 there have been tremendous pro-life advances on the state level. In 2011, a record breaking 92 pro-life laws, and in 2012, 43 state laws were enacted. 

28) In 2011 nine states voted to withhold funding from Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider.

29) Thirty-four states require women receive counseling before an abortion, and twenty-six states have a required waiting period between counseling and abortion.

30) Thirty-eight states have parental involvement laws for minors seeking abortion. Studies show that parental involvement decreases the abortion rate significantly.[17]

31) Twelve states have passed ultrasound legislation, giving women the opportunity to view an ultrasound prior to their abortion.

32) At least five states have pro-life laws on fetal pain.

33) Twenty-seven states now offer specialty “Choose Life” license plates. Proceeds from the license plates benefit PRCs or other organizations that provide alternatives to abortion.

34) Twelve states now provide direct f
unding to PRCs.

Cultural/Miscellaneous

35) The “Too Many Aborted” public ad campaign caused national uproar as it called attention to the fact that over 40% of African American babies conceived are aborted.

36) There have been increasingly more movies that highlight the gift of life including Bella, Juno and October Baby.

37) Adoptions have consistently increased since 1995.

38) Advances in technology show that the developing baby is undeniably a human being and many credit this for influencing public opinion in favor of the pro-life position.

39) Advances in prenatal technology offer lifesaving treatment to the baby in utero, captured in images such as the “Hand of Hope” picture of Samuel Armas.

40) The March for Life has grown from its humble beginnings in 1974 to be the largest pro-life event in the world!