Author Archives: Matthew Wagner

Abortion from a 7-Year-Old’s Perspective

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A few weeks ago, my parents and my 7-year-old sister came to hear me speak during a pro-life rally in our area. Though my little sister may not understand the details about abortion, she knows that abortion kills a baby in its mommy’s belly.

girlBut during the rally, my sister heard something that she had never thought about before – abortion centers.

As her innocent mind processed the thought, she looked up and asked my mom, “Is that where they kill the babies?”

“Yes,” my mom answered.

“Do they kill children there, too?” my sister asked.

“No,” my mom replied. “Just babies in their mom’s bellies.”

“But they don’t kill children?” my sister asked again.

“No, it’s against the law to kill children,” my mom said.

My sister’s question came from a logical conclusion. If babies aren’t protected then children must not be either, because there is no significant difference between a baby and a child that would justify killing one and not the other.

It didn’t make sense to her why some people are protected and valued in our society and others aren’t. Human life can’t both be valuable and not valuable. It either is or it isn’t. That abortion’s legal told her that human life isn’t protected – and those who can’t defend themselves are the most vulnerable. So, a child like herself could be killed, too.

Should there be a line that determines when humans have value? Some say it’s at viability, others say when there’s a heartbeat, and others say at birth. Some even argue that the ability to reason should be the dividing line, which would making killing infants ok, too.

These lines we draw are so arbitrary, meaningless. My 7-year-old sister gets that. Human beings are valuable because we are human beings. And it’s as plain and simple as that.

Abortion Numbers in U.S. Decline to Near-Historic Low

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Abortion rates are falling steadily in the United States as more pregnant women gain access to the education and support that they and their families need.

2011AbortionNumbersA new report shows U.S. abortion numbers at a near-record low in 2011. There were 1.06 million abortions in 2011, down 13 percent from 2008, according to a new report by the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute. The report reflects a similar trend here in Pennsylvania, where abortions declined by almost 5 percent in one year from 2011 to 2012.

Now more than ever, women are choosing life as they discover the truth about a baby’s development in the womb. And pregnant and new moms can access material and emotional support through pregnancy resource centers in their own communities.

Yet, 1 million abortions per year is still a massive tragedy in our country. Pro-lifers are making progress in helping to protect preborn babies and their mothers from abortion, but there’s still a lot of work to do.

Consider volunteering with one of our 40 chapters as we help Pennsylvanians all across the Commonwealth to see that there’s always a reason to choose life!

Stars Shine Light on Pregnancy Centers in Movie ‘Gimme Shelter’

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I was excited when I heard about the big-name actors who are starring in a new pro-life movie.

“Gimme Shelter” features Vanessa Hudgens (remember “High School Musical”?), James Earl Jones, Rosario Dawson, and Brendan Fraser. GimmeShelterTogether, they present a clear message of hope for pregnant women who are facing troubled times. Watch the trailer here.

The film follows a teenager named Apple who runs away from her abusive mother. Soon after Apple finds her long-absent father, she discovers that she is pregnant. Her father and his well-to-do wife insist that the best thing for Apple is to get an abortion. But while Apple is in the abortion center, she decides that she wants to keep her baby. So, she runs away. After a tragic event, Apple finds hope and friendship at a shelter for pregnant women and moms.

“Gimme Shelter” presents a realistic picture of how harsh life can be for a girl so young. Apple moved from foster home to foster home, faced abuse and neglect, loneliness, and homelessness.

The film shows just how vitally important pregnancy centers are to women like Apple. They support and empower women when no one else will. They walk with the women even when – especially when – it’s difficult, and they don’t give up.

Put “Gimme Shelter” on your to-watch list. The film is rated PG-13 for some thematic elements. It is currently in theaters. To find where it’s showing in your area, visit the “Gimme Shelter” website.

March for Life Is Rally of Faith in ‘Plain, Decent, Everyday Common Rightness’

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Hundreds of thousands of people braved the bitter cold last week to participate in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. on January 22. Despite the sub-zero wind chill, people from all across the country walked to restore the right to life for the preborn.

After the March, my friends and I walked to the Lincoln Memorial. I stood between those humbling columns and remembered the scenes from one of my favorite movies, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”smith3

The film reaches its turning point as a no longer naive young politician sits in the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial, having just been crushed by a political machine. From D.C. to his hometown, the news media is being maneuvered against him.

He feels so small, so helpless, so foolish to have believed that the truth would prevail. He feels beaten, ready to go back to his small town. What can one man do against such corruption, such injustice?

Then a friend finds him in the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial. She reminds him that he shouldn’t place his faith in people but in “plain, decent, everyday common rightness.” She points to Abraham Lincoln, a man who refused to stop fighting though the odds were stacked against him and the opposition was severe. He had faith that “rightness” would win.

“All the good in this world came from fools with faith like that,” she tells the young Mr. Smith.

As I stood there, I felt like Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Smith. The media ignores pro-lifers or distorts the truth to make us look weak. Our opposers paint us as liars and fools.

Yet, I found hope in the memory of Mr. Lincoln. He had faith against the odds when he fought to require rights and protection for every human life.

I have faith that one day our country will protect every human being’s right to life inside the womb and out. Until then, we will continue to march, fighting for “plain, decent, everyday common rightness.”

Do you know Roe v. Wade?

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When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its infamous abortion decision 41years ago, it created waves that continue to hurt millions of Americans today.

Roe v. Wade and its companion case, Doe v. Bolton, caused a devastating tidal wave that eroded Americans’ right to life.110124_march_for_life_ap_328

Yet, after four decades, Americans still seem to be confused about what Roe and Doe really did. For proof, just take a look at two polls on the abortion issue.

According to a January 2013 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 70 percent of Americans do not want Roe v. Wade to be overturned.

But, according to a December 2012 poll from Gallup, 70 percent of Americans want restrictions on abortion – which is the exact opposite of what Roe did.

Let’s review the history:

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Roe and Doe on January 22, 1973, specifically noting that the cases should be read together.

According to Roe v. Wade, abortion should be a private decision between a woman and her doctor. During the first six months of pregnancy, a woman may have an abortion for any reason.

In Doe v. Bolton, the justices said a woman may have an abortion in the last three months if she has a “health” reason. The court then defined “health” so broadly that basically anything qualifies.

The two cases struck down all state abortion restrictions and legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.

In 1973, not a single state had abortion laws as broad as those created by Roe and Doe. In fact, the majority of states protected life at the moment of conception.

Americans need to know the truth about Roe v. Wade and how it devastated our nation, how it allowed for the slaughter of 56 million babies, how it led to pain and regret for millions of women and men.

Fortunately, Pennsylvania has been a leader in helping to restore some protections for preborn babies. We continue to work hard every day to achieve a future where every human life is protected from conception to natural death.

The Devastating Effects of a ‘Right’ to an Abortion

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Our organization runs an essay contest every year for students in junior and senior high school. I am always surprised by how profound these students can be.

But last year, there was one essay that really stuck with me. It was written by a middle school girl, who was thinking about women and abortion.SilentNoMore

She wrote: “I believe women are strong. Women are strong to give birth and strong enough to live with rejection. I don’t, however, think women are strong enough to live with the fact that they couldn’t be strong enough to do what their mothers did for them – give the gift of life.”

This young woman saw through the faulty pro-abortion arguments and pointed to a huge flaw: the idea that abortion is a good thing for women, and it should be a woman’s right.

So many women who have exercised their “right” to an abortion now understand the consequences of that “right.” As evidence, just look at the testimonies at the Silent No More Awareness Campaign:

Deborah found out she was pregnant when she was 17 years old. Her boyfriend urged her to have the abortion and she agreed, afraid to tell her parents that she was pregnant.

“I realized that I had done the most awful thing I could ever have done, and it had been done in the most inhumane way. I paid someone to kill my unborn baby. I could see it happening. I could see the doctor doing things inside of me to my baby in order to kill it. After that, I felt that I should suffer, and that it should hurt. I felt cheap and unworthy.”

Maggie prayed for a little girl, but when she became pregnant, she felt daunted by her husband’s and mother-in-law’s abuse. So, she had an abortion. Later, as she began her own healing process, she discovered how her abortion also hurt her other children.

“The consequences of abortion had not only devastated my children’s lives… but soon I discovered how destructive the consequences of abortion also had affected my other sibling’s lives. My brother’s girlfriend aborted their child when they were teens. Today my brother is 44 and childless. I cannot begin to tell you the effects this has had on him every day of his life.”

Women like Maggie and Deborah are not alone. Hundreds of others share their testimonies on Silent No More’s website. Read more testimonies here, and learn more here about post-abortion healing for women and men.

Abortion is a right that never should have been. Hundreds of thousands of women and men are hurting because of it. Some tell their stories, some don’t. And 56 million more will never have the opportunity to share any life story – because our society calls abortion a “right.”

Buffer Zones Hurt Women Seeking Alternatives to Abortion

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The U.S. Supreme Court is getting a lot of attention as religious groups and business owners of faith battle the Affordable Care Act HHS Mandate.

But the high court is about to hear another important case related to abortion and sidewalk counseling.

40 days for lifeIt involves buffer zones around abortion centers. The justices will look at a Massachusetts law that created a 35-foot buffer zone around abortion centers, supposedly to “protect” women from pro-lifers who are trying to offer them a better option.

Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby recently pointed out a serious flaw with these buffer zones — they not only restrict pro-lifer’s free speech but they also “buffer out” women’s right to hear the information that pro-lifers offer.

Jacoby writes:

The (Massachusetts) law, signed by Governor Deval Patrick in 2007, makes no allowance for peaceful or quiet protest. It doesn’t permit an individual to simply stand in silence, holding a sign or offering pamphlets. It forbids approaching even a willing listener who would like to hear — who might be desperate to hear — about a realistic alternative to abortion. The 35-foot boundary is marked with paint, and anyone who steps over it can be sentenced to as much as 2½ years in prison.

For years, the abortion industry has been pushing for buffer zones to help them hide the facts about abortion. They don’t want women to know the truth that abortion kills a baby and harms many women physically and emotionally. They don’t want women to know that help is available for them and their babies.

More than ever before, pregnant and new moms have access to counseling, temporary shelter, diapers, maternity clothes, and much more. But abortion providers are trying to prevent women from knowing that it’s there.

Do Our Tax Dollars Fund Abortions?

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The issue of tax dollars paying for abortions can be complex and confusing. But it is happening, and taxpayers deserve to know the truth.

abortion-is-not-healthcareYou may remember that in 2013, Pennsylvania legislators passed Act 13, which stops taxpayer funding of abortion in the health insurance exchange created in the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.

It was a big victory for Pennsylvania. We know that more abortions occur when tax dollars pay for them. We also know that polls consistently show a strong majority of Americans don’t want their tax dollars to pay for abortions.

Unfortunately, there are other avenues through which our tax dollars pay for abortion.

The nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, received $540 million in taxpayer funding in 2012. While the agency isn’t supposed to use that money for abortion, some former Planned Parenthood employees have said they do it anyway.

Another way our tax dollars go toward abortion is through the United Nations Population Fund. The U.S. gives millions to the UNFPA and other organizations that perform abortions overseas. Disturbingly, this includes support for the forced abortions that take place because of China’s One Child policy.

As if this isn’t enough, lately I’ve seen a growing push from pro-abortion advocates to overturn the pro-life Hyde Amendment, which protects our taxes from pay for abortions in health care programs such as Medicaid.

We have created a new petition to help us in our work to protect our tax dollars from paying for the deaths of innocent preborn babies. Sign the petition here.

PA Abortion Rate Down 5 Percent in 2012 – Good News for Women, Babies

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania’s abortion rate is on the decline—and that’s good news for women and their families, according to the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the state’s largest single-issue pro-life organization.

“Fewer unborn children are losing their lives to abortion, and more women are being ultrasoundempowered to make life-affirming decisions for themselves and their families,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

“Social media and 4D ultrasound are providing a window to the womb, showing the humanity of the unborn child. The Internet has also proven to be highly effective in linking pregnant women to the resources and comprehensive support they and their babies need. Technology is saving the day—and it’s saving unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion,” Gallagher added.

Statistics released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday show that abortions declined 4.8 percent in 2012. The closure of abortion facilities, the assistance offered by pregnancy help centers and state-of-the-art technology are all playing a role in the decrease in abortion totals in the Commonwealth.

“We know that Pennsylvania’s abortion rate would be much higher were it not for the state’s groundbreaking Alternatives to Abortion program, which is administered by Real Alternatives, Inc. Real Alternatives centers, coupled with other pregnancy resource centers around the state, offer everything from diapers to day care referrals, counseling to classes in parenting and life skills, to assist pregnant women,” Gallagher added.

“No pregnant woman should feel as if she is alone. Thanks to Pennsylvania’s innovative programs and policies, women have somewhere and someone to turn to when faced with unexpected pregnancies. As a result, they can experience the unexpected joys and blessings that babies bring,” Gallagher added.

To view the full report, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.

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The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation is a grassroots right-to-life organization with members statewide. As the state affiliate of National Right to Life, PPLF is committed to promoting the dignity and value of human life from conception to natural death and to restoring legal protection for preborn children.

Embracing the Unexpected and Discovering the Joys of Life

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A few weeks ago, I visited one of my oldest friends and her new baby boy. He was a beautiful, dark haired cuddly little thing. My friend looked beautiful, motherly and just a little tired as she held him and brushed his soft hair away from his eyes.

The visit seemed a little surreal somehow. As little girls, we often pretended we were grown up with husbands and children and houses of our own.

WomenrunningWhile I was visiting, my friend dug out a faded envelope from her closet. It was covered in pencil scrawling and tied with a rainbow shoelace. Inside were letters we had written as little girls to our adult selves. We predicted all our dreams and happiness fulfilled by age 20 – romance and marriage, motherhood and career success.

Both of us are now 28, and we laughed about our naïve childhood ideas of the perfect life. How different our dreams and expectations were compared to what our lives really are today.

We never imagined dirty dishes and piles of laundry. Student loans and mortgages. Husbands working late on advanced degrees. Sleepless nights and other new mom pains for one of us, and another year of longing for a child for the other. Neither of us the modern day L.M. Montgomery or Laura Ingalls Wilder who we once aspired to be. A husband losing his job. A father’s sudden illness. Discontentedness.

And yet, as I looked at my friend cradling her sleeping child softly in her arms, I felt glad that life isn’t always what we dreamed it would be.

The struggles of new motherhood are quickly forgotten when the baby smiles up at his mom. The pain of infertility also brings the time and the passion to help others. These are joys that we never could have predicted as children, joys made so much sweeter by the pains.

I wish I could share these reflections with women facing an unplanned pregnancy, women thinking about having an abortion.

Our dreams aren’t always what we imagine them to be. And often, life doesn’t turn out as we planned. But I’ve found that the joys are there anyway, and real life actually can turn out to be so much sweeter than our dreams – as long as we let it.