Author Archives: Matthew Wagner

Happy Book Lovers Day

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August-9-National-Book-Lovers-DayThese days there seems to be a holiday for everything. As someone who spent much of his childhood with his nose in a book, today is a celebration I can really get behind—Book Lovers Day.  Recently I read two pro-life books that I thought were particularly interesting, and I thought I would share some thoughts on them in honor of the day.

The first is Not Equal: Civil Rights Gone Wrong by Ryan Bomberger. Yes, the same Ryan Bomberger who is the keynote speaker at this year’s Celebrate Life Banquet September 28, 2017 in Harrisburg.  Ryan’s book addresses important pro-life issues such as abortion, adoption, liberal feminism, free speech, and religious liberty. What I appreciated most about his book is that it is primarily a series of articles he’s written over the years so it is an easy read for those who can only sit with a book for a short period at a time.  The great thing is, if you pick up his book now, when you attend the Celebrate Life Banquet September 28th you can get it signed!

The second book I wanted to mention is Gosnell: The Untold Story of America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer by Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer.  In this book the authors examine all the aspects of the trial of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortionist who committed infanticide in his filthy and unsanitary abortion office in Philadelphia.  I was admittedly a little hesitant to read this—I’ve never been a fan of horror movies or literature, but the authors do a great job of applying an unbiased, journalistic viewpoint to the situation.

The links to the books above will take you to where the books can be purchased on www.amazon.com.  Before purchasing them, please visit www.smile.amazon.com and choose the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation Education Fund as the charity you support so a portion of your purchase will benefit our life-saving work.  Happy reading, and email me at lifelines@paprolife.org and let me know what you think of these pro-life books.

What’s the Difference?

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“What is the difference between these babies”?

That is perhaps my favorite question when I’m using our baby models at a pro-life information table.  I point to the baby models we have that represent children in the womb at 12, 20, 26, and 30 weeks gestation at their approximate size and weight.

“Some are bigger than others” is the answer I most commonly hear.

“Right”, I say. “Each one is a little bigger, and a little older. That is the only difference between them. That is also the only difference between them and you or me. We are even bigger and older yet. So logically, if it is ok for someone to kill one of these babies, it should be ok for them to kill you or me if the only difference between us is size and age.  That is why abortion is wrong…it determines an arbitrary age and size of a human being when it is ok to kill someone and when it is not.  We believe that it is wrong to kill someone no matter how old or young, big or small they are. Don’t you agree”?

Sometimes the simplest arguments are the best!

Father’s Day Reflections

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With Father’s Day approaching, I find myself reflecting on the lessons my father taught me…and not the lessons of how to fish, tie my shoe, ride a bike, or even drive…but lessons of how to be a man. How to stand up for what you believe in, how to admit when you are wrong (one I’m admittedly still working on), and how to stand up for those who can’t defend themselves, among many others.

It’s that last lesson—standing up for those who can’t defend themselves– that stands out for me the most.  Maybe it’s because I’m the oldest of four living siblings, but I have always felt I have an obligation to work toward making the world a better place, mainly by doing what I can to help those who need it most.

That is why I am pro-life—I believe that not just as a father, or even just as a man, but as a human being I have an obligation to defend pre-born babies who can’t defend themselves—we all do!

That is why I find the argument that I shouldn’t express my thoughts about the horror of abortion just because of my gender absolutely wrong.  I have never understood what my gender has to do with whether or not I can speak out against injustice.  Certainly it was not only slaves who spoke out against slavery…men joined women in speaking out for women’s suffrage, and I don’t have to be the victim of a crime to know that crime is wrong.  The morality, or immorality, of a statement (e.g. “all life deserves protecting”) is independent of the person who makes the statement.

So this Father’s Day, and every day, I encourage all fathers, indeed all humans, to stand up against injustice against the most vulnerable among us.  I guarantee you that leaving a legacy of a life-respecting society is better than any tie you can get your Dad this Father’s day!

Senators Demand Answers for Failed Inspection at Abortion Facility

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

gallagher@paprolife.org

A trio of Pennsylvania state Senators are asking why the license of a Pennsylvania abortion operation was not revoked, once serious health and safety violations were uncovered.

Senators Joe Scarnati, Bob Mensch, and John DiSanto have sent a letter to Health Department Secretary Karen Murphy which states, “The DOH inspection report portrays a facility which is clearly unsafe and unhealthy for both patients and staff alike. Given this, we would like an explanation as to why DOH did not immediately move to suspend or revoke Hillcrest Women’s Medical Center’s license upon finding such numerous egregious violations.”

State health officials have cited Hillcrest for the fourth time in six years for violating Pennsylvania law. The violations run the gamut, from failing to have proper medical credentials to performing abortions without a nurse present. Staff members failed to complete the criminal background checks necessary for dealing with patients under 18 years old. Some supplies were so outdated they could be traced back to 2004.

The Senators note, “These health and safety violations are obviously deeply troubling. However, even more problematic appears to be DOH’s response, which was to allow the abortion clinic to continue operating while granting Hillcrest a six month grace period to correct the cited ‘deficiencies.’”

In 2011 Pennsylvania enacted an abortion center regulations law requiring abortion facilities to undergo unannounced inspections. The legislation grew out of the massive tragedy in West Philadelphia, where abortionist Kermit Gosnell killed living full-term babies and caused the deaths of female patients in a squalid facility labeled a “House of Horrors” by prosecutors.

The law was designed to prevent “future Gosnells” from setting up shop in Pennsylvania. But some legislators now worry the law is not being sufficiently enforced, as evidenced by Hillcrest’s long trail of troubles.

Vice-President Pence’s Commencement Address at Grove City

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PenceGCC-264x160Vice President Mike Pence, a stalwart pro-lifer, recently made another stop in Pennsylvania, giving the commencement address at Grove City College.  For his full remarks click here, but of particular note was this comment: “And I can’t tell you how proud I am to be Vice President to a President who stands without apology for the sanctity of life and all the God-given liberties in the Constitution of the United States.”

The Trump Administration has given pro-lifers a renewed sense of hope after eight years of pro-abortion President Barack Obama.  Some of the administration’s pro-life accomplishments so far include:

  • Vice President Mike Pence’s speech at the 2017 March for Life in Washington DC represented the first time a sitting Vice President spoke at the March.
  • President Trump reinstated a policy that prevents organizations receiving federal foreign aid from performing abortions or promoting them.
  • President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. He is a pro-life Justice in the mold of the late beloved Justice Antonin Scalia.
  • President Trump appointed avid pro-lifers to key cabinet positions including Kellyanne Conway as Senior Advisor, Tom Price as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Nikki Haley as UN Ambassador, and Ben Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
  • President Trump even signed an executive order saying his administration will “provide regulatory relief for religious objectors to Obamacare’s burdensome preventive services mandate, a position supported by the Supreme Court decision in Hobby Lobby.”

These pro-life accomplishments give advocates renewed hope that we will be even more successful in changing people’s minds and reminding them that they can always choose life.

Remembering Vulnerable Mothers This Mother’s Day Weekend

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

gallagher@paprolife.org

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     I stopped in my local grocery store and found a vibrantly colorful display of balloons, roses, and carnations, signaling the start of this weekend’s Mother’s Day celebrations.

Some of us who are mothers will celebrate with bouquets and brunches, cookouts and candy. Hugs and kisses from the children who delivered motherhood to us will remind us of the tremendous gift we have received in birthing and nurturing our offspring.

But, perhaps before the festivities are in full bloom, could you take a moment with me to pray for those pregnant mothers who, on the eve of Mother’s Day weekend, have entered abortion centers?

Pray that they may have a change of mind and choose life, and that they will have all the support that they and their children need, both now and in the future.

National Siblings Day

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Today is National Sibling Day, which got me thinking about my two great brothers and an amazing sister, but it also made me think of my older brother Johnathon who was not fully formed at birth and didn’t survive.  I wonder how life would’ve been different for me if he was healthy, and I had an older brother on this earth instead of looking down on me from Heaven.

I also can’t help but think of other people’s siblings—those lost to abortion since 1973, or worse yet, those never conceived because of the number of couples who end their relationship after an abortion.   These missing siblings are not even included in the 59 million babies killed by abortion…their numbers will never be known.

So on this day, I would encourage you to think of the siblings lost to abortion, and those never conceived since Roe vs. Wade was wrongly decided.  Consider what you can do to make sure no more siblings are lost.  And celebrate all those siblings who have been spared since 1973 because their mother’s chose life!

Celebrate ALL Life

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An interesting phenomenon is occurring on Facebook right now which celebrates life.  My timeline is full of live Facebook videos of April the giraffe, the mother giraffe at Animal Adventure Park in New York, who is expected to give birth any time now.  As we slowly ease into Spring, I imagine there will be many more opportunities to celebrate the birth of new animal life.  Unfortunately, while we do so, precious, pre-born babies are being torn apart, limb by limb, in a horrific, barbaric process known as dismemberment abortion.  This would not be tolerated if it were being done to animals, and yet it is legal to kill pre-born human babies this way.

Thankfully, in Pennsylvania we have an opportunity to treat human babies with the same respect we treat animals.  Senate Bill 3 passed by a bipartisan majority in the State Senate earlier this year. It would end horrific dismemberment abortions.  Senate Bill 3 is awaiting action in the State House of Representatives. We need YOUR help to make this bill law.  Specifically, there are two things you can do to ensure this common-sense legislation is enacted to save babies from a horrific death.

First, please consider taking a few minutes to call your state Representative and let him or her know you want a vote to end dismemberment abortions in Pennsylvania. If you don’t know who your State Representative is, you can find out at http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address

Second, you can sign our petition at https://www.paprolife.org/petition to let Governor Wolf know you want him to protect his pre-born constituents from being torn apart limb-by-limb.  Please take a minute to sign the petition online, and then share it on your social media.  You can also get a paper version of the petition to circulate among friends and family, or at any upcoming events.  To obtain the paper version, simply email your request to lifelines@paprolife.org or call 717-541-0034.

Thank you for helping to spare babies and their mothers from the grave harm of dismemberment abortions.

Gary Cangemi Died Saturday in Scranton: Cartoonist Created Congenial Umbert the Unborn

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By Michael Ciccocioppo, Executive Director

ciccocioppo@paprolife.org

Gary-Cangemi-Portrait-WEBThe pro-life movement in Pennsylvania and the nation suffered a great loss on Saturday, March 18, 2017 when Gary L. Cangemi died at the age of 62 in Scranton.

 Early in my tenure in 2002 as executive director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the Pennsylvania affiliate of National Right to Life, I met Gary and we were immediately drawn to each other by our passion to end the killing of innocent babies in their mother’s wombs, and by our mutual Italian heritage!

Gary introduced me to the character he created in 2001, Umbert the Unborn. Umbert developed into a nationally syndicated comic strip, a parade float for our chapter in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvanians for Human Life Scranton Chapter, an annual workshop at the National Right to Life Convention, comic books and trading cards to name a few.

The first time I attended one of Gary’s workshops, I was struck by how he could use little Umbert and his preborn pals to both entertain the audience and to make them think about the reality of all preborn babies growing and developing as they awaited their transition to the world outside comfy womb life.  During his workshops, Gary would start with a blank sheet of paper.  Then he would elicit ideas from the audience until he developed a brand new four panel comic strip featuring Umbert that always made everyone laugh and think at the same time.

Gary was a determined activist for the pro-life movement and an important member of the Scranton Chapter.  He was a talented artist and writer who was generous to the Chapter in helping educate pro-lifers and the general public about working toward the day when abortion will be unthinkable in our state and the nation.

The board of directors, members, staff and volunteers of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation are deeply grateful for the life of Gary Cangemi and extend our most sincere sympathies to his loving wife, children, sisters and brothers.  He is deeply missed!

Those who wish to post a message on Gary’s Guest Book may do so until April 19, 2017.

To send a message of condolence to the Pennsylvanians for Human Life, Scranton Chapter, email them at email@prolifescranton.org.

“Life” is Getting a Second Chance in Easton PA

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

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Another abortion center is shutting its doors in Pennsylvania, as abortion giant Planned Parenthood has announced plans to close down its Easton, Pennsylvania facility at the end of March.

The center performed chemical abortions, which now account for more than a third of all abortions in Pennsylvania. According to figures released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, non-surgical, also known as “medical” abortions, totaled 11,314 in PA in 2015, the latest year for which statistics are available. The total number of abortions that year was 31,818.

The facility’s closure is welcome news to a number of area residents, who believed the center was targeting teenagers because of its proximity to nearby schools.

Still, Planned Parenthood continues to operate a number of abortion centers in Pennsylvania.

A report in The Morning Call newspaper indicated Planned Parenthood Keystone, which has been running the Easton center, will be referring women to its Allentown abortion center, which also performs surgical abortions.

Interestingly enough, Planned Parenthood has also been closing facilities in Pennsylvania that do not perform abortions. Three Planned Parenthood centers in the state shut down in December alone, and another in southeastern Pennsylvania (Bristol) will reportedly cease operations at the end of March.

Planned Parenthood Keystone CEO Melissa Reed told The Morning Call the closings stemmed from a “market analysis” in August. “If we had health centers that are really close together and competing in the same market, it doesn’t make sense to have two buildings to support.” Reed said.

Fortunately, mirroring national trends, abortions have been on a downward trend in Pennsylvania. The total of 31,818 abortions in 2015 represented the fewest on record!

The miracle of ultrasound technology—which can show babies smiling, crying, even giving a “thumbs up” in the womb—have helped to humanize the unborn child and strengthened the mother-child bond. Pregnancy resource centers—which provide everything from diapers to day care referrals—have also provided the compassionate support which empowers mothers to reject abortion.

The tens of thousands of abortions which continue to occur in Pennsylvania are an epic tragedy. But the closure of one more abortion center offers renewed hope that the lives of more precious babies will be saved—and more women will escape the devastating grief caused by the loss of a child to abortion.

“Life” is getting a second chance in Easton, Pennsylvania—and that gives us all reason to rejoice!