2013 was not a bad year for pro-life forces though there is still so much to do.  Here is a list of things to both keep an eye out for and to be aware of in the coming year:

 

1. March for What?

For over 40 years Washington has hosted the largest annual human rights rally in the world – however even the local newspaper can barely find room to print anything about it in its Metro section.  Other papers and news outlets are generally worse.  That is fine though.  Most print newspapers are going out of print and newscasts are losing viewers largely due to new technology as well as people trusting them less and less to bring them news they actually want to read.  Imagine if what happened to Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty had happened 20 years ago before Facebook and the like?  Right now Phil and his family would be likely off the air (not that they would have minded though!) 

Expect more of the same in 2014.  But you know what?  I’m too busy checking my Twitter feed to notice.

 

Check out Media Research Center for more.

 

2. Congressional Avoidance, Or Will It?

In my opinion this is the most pro-life House of Representatives ever . . . at least if you look at their records and statements before getting elected.  It used to be that in a divided government it wasn’t only about making laws but also about passing legislation that defined why American voters should elect more of your party than the other guy’s party.  Partial Birth Abortion was vetoed by Bill Clinton prior to a pro-life President finally signing into law.  However in 2013 Republican Leadership seems more content with the status quo than real positive change.  At the very least Congress should be passing the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” and protections for religious liberty.  At best they should be protecting parental rights in cases of young girls being coerced into sex and abortion. 

 

3. Once Again, Look to the States

Two years ago, partially inspired by failed attempts on the national level, many states moved to defund abortion-giant Planned Parenthood.  This past year the focus, largely due to the exposure of abortionist Kermit Gosnell (convicted this past year of killing a woman as well as babies born alive), was on legislation that protected the unborn after twenty weeks as well as abortion facility regulations. 

 

While I expect those two trends will continue into 2014, especially with new stories breaking constantly of more abortionists like Kermit Gosnell (and some states, see below, trying to make it easier for similar butchers to thrive).  Lately though there has been a growing number of stories of Planned Parenthood and their ilk failing to report statutory rape or other abortions performed on young girls.  In Washington State, one of the leading pro-abortion states in the country, the stories had gotten so bad the legislature even held a hearing on the subject of parental involvement in cases of young girls getting an abortion.  Already Missouri has filed a bill for 2014 to protect both parental rights as well as children – here is to more states doing the same.  To add fuel to the fire – a new app from Planned Parenthood encourage 12 year olds that “having sex feels good.”

 

4. Supreme Court Steps Up – Or Will It?

At least two abortion-related cases this year will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.  One, Eleanor McCullen et al v. Martha Coakley et al is a challenge to a Massachusetts state law that creates a “buffer zone” around abortion facilities to keep pro-life prayers and counsellors away from the facility.  The second case to come before the Supreme Court is actually two cases, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius.  According to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty (the lawyers for Hobby Lobby) 46 for-profit lawsuits have been filed over the HHS mandate. To date, 33 have secured injunctive relief against the mandate, only six have been denied relief, one dismissed on procedural grounds, and five cases are pending review.   On Friday, East Texas Baptist University and Houston Baptist University, Grace Schools in Indiana, Biola University in California and Geneva College in Pennsylvania all received injunctions.   Conestoga Wood is being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom.

 

A loss on either case would be a blow to the pro-life community – especially on the conscience mandate.  The John Roberts Supreme Court though, for better though usually for worse, is notorious for very narrow decisions.  Regardless this is something definitely to watch as a win on both would be a definite blow to the pro-abortion side, which currently controls the U.S. Senate and the Presidency.  Abortion would become a major issue in the 2014 mid-term elections and the too well funded anti-life side would be looking to the states to create some pushback – leading us to . . .

 

5. Abortion strikes back

Without a doubt there were more pro-life victories than not this past year.  And Kansas and Texas lead the way passing a number of laws protecting women and the unborn.  With basically a stalemate on the national level pro-abortion folks are rumbling they need a victory.  Expect them to look to the states to push their radical agenda.  Currently 18 state legislatures are under Democratic only control (generally Democrats are more favorable to abortion than Republicans).  In 12 of those states the Democrats also control the governorship. 

   

In 2013, in a supposed effort to build more Kermit Gosnell horror stories, California expanded the list of unprofessionals who could actually perform an abortion, deciding this complicated and dangerous procedure doesn’t need to be done by a doctor.   They also restricted (possibly unconstitutionally) access for peaceful protestors and prayers around abortion facilities.  Washington State has legislation that would force all insurance to cover abortions and New York State has legislation that would ban any attempt to limit abortions, including parental consent or abortion facility regulations.  New York City just elected a mayor who vowed to close down all pregnancy care centers simply because they are pro
-life.  On the federal level the Democrats introduced the poorly misnamed “Women’s Health Protection Act” which would also turn back the clock to unrestricted abortions paid for by tax dollars.  Expect state level versions to be introduced, especially in those 18 states (California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington State and West Virginia.)

 

6. The War on Women will continue

Are the Democrats correct there is a war on women?  Yes.  What they get wrong is that they are the ones actually waging it.  As a rhetorical tool the Democrats just cannot help themselves when it comes to tossing the phrase around.  to bolster their beleif it has been successful in cowering some in Congress.  The misnamed “Violence Against Women Act” was passed with Republican Leadership approval in 2013 because of fear of the label being given to them by the Democrats and the media.  The bill itself is mostly a slush fund for activist liberal groups, who in turn campaign to elect those mean Republicans out of office.  The phrase was also effective in cowering some in Congress into changing the unborn pain bill into a less than perfect version of itself.  In the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial election the fear of the “War on Women” label kept the far better man from winning. 

 

With 2014 midterm elections looming expect more of the same.  Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has even vowed to do so.   The more that pro-life politicians cower from the phrase “War on Women” the more effective bullying tool it becomes.  Being pro-life should be synonymous with being pro-women . . .  and no amount of rhetoric can change that.

In honor of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ here are some random Biblical quotes on life in no particular order:

“God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27)

 

“Be fertile and multiply” (Genesis 1:28)

 

“Behold, said he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.” (Genesis 16:11)

 

“And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive. But the children struggled in her womb…” (Genesis 25:21-22)

 

“In the womb he supplanted his brother, and as a man he contended with God.” (Hosea 12:3)

 

“But when Rebecca also had conceived at once of Isaac our father. For when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or evil (that the purpose of God according to election might stand) . . .” (Romans 9:10-11)

 

“Truly children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3)

 

“You knit me in my mother’s womb . . . nor was my frame unknown to you when I was made in secret” (Psalm 139:13,15)

 

 “You have been my guide since I was first formed . . . from my mother’s womb you are my God” (Psalm 22:10-11).

 

“God… from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace” (St. Paul to the Galatians 1:15)

 

“They mingled with the nations and learned their works…They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and they shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, desecrating the land with bloodshed” (Psalm 106:35, 37-38)

 

“Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17)

 

“Do unto others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12)

 

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

 

“Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony.” (Matthew 19:18)

 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Every Christmas Eve as a child my siblings and I would gather around as my Dad read “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”  This tradition has been shared by many a family since Clement Clarke Moore wrote the classic poem which was first published on this day in 1823. 

 

And it of course would not be Christmas if I did not parody the classics:

 

Twas 29 Days Until The March

(With apologies to C.C. Moore, but none to Bill Saunders and Mary Novick)

 

It was 29 Days before the March, And all through the town

Most people had gone for Christmas, a virtual holiday “shutdown”

Like many, the holiday food was adding to my girth

As we all waited with anticipation of our Lord Savior’s birth

Here at the March it was bustling, no time for our beds

Visions of hundreds of thousands marching danced in our heads

And Jeanne at her desk, working the phone

Took a breath to be thankful, for how the March had grown

It was over 40 years ago on a cold January day

Where the Lord inspired a remarkable woman, a young Nellie Gray

“To the streets we will March” Nellie declaratively said

“To save the unborn, each and every little head!”
 

Decades later now – a new team had appeared

To carry on the legacy of the women pro-abortionists feared
Though with President Obama would pro-lifers lie down in defeat? . . .

Of course not, how silly, Nellie’s dream is not quite complete

After a quick search on the Internet, to find pro-lifers fates

We came to realize “Forget D.C., just look at the victories in the states”

“While Washington is stuck in shutdowns and partisan bickering

The states, at least many, were done with the dickering!”

Now, Arkansas, North Dakota, Texas and Alabama!

And North Carolina, Florida and even Indiana!

At least 97 life-affirming measures were enacted in 35 states during the past year!

Such victories should make you grin from ear to ear!

 

In many states it was recognized (of course!) that the unborn feel pain

And in North Dakota killing a fetus because of abnormalities would never happen again!

In Florida a child born in a botched abortion would be allowed to live and cry

This despite President Obama, who always voted for those children to die
 

So many women are now safer, and a few children now are too

But it is no time to rest for there is still so much to do!

So in January we March and we keep up the fight

But for now I say to you:  “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

For most pro-lifers the question if Planned Parenthood is harmful to children would be almost oxymoronic.  Of course they are!  However in the general public how well is it known that this supposedly benign corporation is far from benevolent when ti comes to women or children?  As Rita Diller from American Life League points out in a recent article taxpayer funding of the abortion giant “has increased 77 percent over the last seven years. . . . PPFA closed out the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2013, with total assets of more than $1.6 billion dollars—a $109.4 million dollar increase from 2012—and banked $58.2 million in profits. In the meantime, its level of services has decreased 2.7 percent since 2009.”

 

If the government is so beneficial to Planned Parenthood then how could it be harmful to children?

 

[Let me be clear this is about Planned Parenthood the abortion corporation.  I hold out hope for humanity that many employees of Planned Parenthood are more like Abby Johnson then Cecile Richards.]

 

Abortion

The most obvious harm to children of course is abortion.  Let’s get the little rug rats before they are even born.  According to their latest report (as broken down by Susan B. Anthony List) in 2012, Planned Parenthood performed 327,166 abortions and over the past three reported years (2010-2012), Planned Parenthood has performed nearly one million abortions. 

Planned Parenthood likes to say that abortions are a small part of their business, however, besides government funding, it is the largest part of their profits.  In 2012, abortions made up 93.8 % of Planned Parenthood’s pregnancy services, while prenatal care and adoption referrals accounted for only 5.6 % (19,506) and 0.6% (2,197), respectively.   This breaks down to that for every adoption referral, Planned Parenthood performed 149 abortions.  Prenatal care services have dropped 32% in one year, and 52% since 2009. Adoption referrals are also down 4.5% in one year. 

 

Is this an organization that is looking out for children?  In addition Planned Parenthood spends hundreds of millions each year fighting state and federal laws that help reduce the risks to young girls coming in for an abortion resulting in both the young girl and the unborn child’s health being threatened.

 

Education

One way in which Planned Parenthood receives taxpayer funds is by getting government grants and inserting itself in public education.  What they teach children as young as ten is not what one would call responsible.  Their international affiliate says that children should be seen as “sexual beings” and masturbation should be taught to children as young as five years.  Nationally things are just as bad.  As CNS News reports:

 

One talk-to-your-child tip includes the following bulleted item: “Take your child to the drugstore and point out the pads, tampons, condoms, etc. Take your teen to a clinic for contraception and exams, or let your teen know where to go for help to prepare to be sexually active.”

 

We teach kids not to smoke, don’t do drugs and don’t drink.  However teaching them not to have sex is considered irresponsible? Condoms don’t prevent a host of diseases and children are in no ways prepared for an adult sexual relationship, especially exposure to casual sex. Would we ask kids to smoke but use filters, do drugs but only for recreational and drink, but only drink Miller Lite?

 

Protecting Teenage Mothers

So while Planned Parenthood encourages children to have experiment with sex they do little to protect them once many of them inevitably get pregnant.  As I mentioned, to most clear thinking individuals, children are not prepared for an adult level sexual relationship – further they are not prepared for the emotional turmoil related to abortion.  Despite this abortion giant Planned Parenthood spends millions to stop parents and guardians from being involved in the decision regarding the unborn child, instead insisting there sole advice of abortion is the only answer.  In addition Planned Parenthood has a long history of not reporting incidents of rape, statutory rape or sex trafficking of young girls. 

 

Lastly they support the efforts to close down and lie about pregnancy care centers, whose sole purpose is to give a loving home to pregnant young women in need.

 

Is this a corporation that likes children?

 

Evidently Planned Parenthood needs to come with a warning label:

 

“May be harmful to children, if found remove all taxpayer funding.”