Life as the Inalienable Right

Posted on by
Translator

Olde Courthouse LewistownBy Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director gallagher@paprolife.org

In the shadow of the Olde Courthouse in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, people from all different faiths and walks of life gathered to recognize life as an inalienable right.

The peaceful protest was just one of the many held throughout the country this past weekend in a show of quiet solidarity for pregnant women and their babies.

The Life Chain events are known for their calm dignity and prayerful presence. At the Lewistown event, the soulful hymns were punctuated by inspiring speeches illustrating the many pro-life successes of 2017.

We have a man on the U.S. Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, who is determined to strictly interpret the law, rather than actively make laws from the bench. An Executive Order ensures that no taxpayer funding will support organizations that perform and promote abortions overseas. Stellar pro-life individuals have filled the President’s Cabinet, and, for the first time this past January, a Vice-President addressed the annual March for Life.

In Pennsylvania, abortion centers that could not or would not meet basic health and safety standards have shut their doors. Abortion totals are at their lowest rate in the Keystone State since the tragic 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade. A new optimism and a renewed commitment flow through Pennsylvania’s pro-life ranks.

Life Chain 2017 marks a turning point in the history of our Commonwealth and of our nation–and that is cause for celebration!

The Tragic Love Story of Governor Wolf and Planned Parenthood

Posted on by
Translator

Lovebirds

cartoon by Dan Bartkowiak

Romeo and Juliet…Lancelot and Guinevere…Pocahontas and John Smith…tragic love stories abound throughout our culture. However, none of those love stories are nearly as tragic, or have had near the devastating impact, as the love story between pro-abortion Governor Wolf and Planned Parenthood.

The “relationship” between Governor Wolf and Planned Parenthood goes back to his days as a private citizen when he acted as a volunteer “escort” at a Planned Parenthood in York.  As an escort, Wolf would go out to the vehicles of mothers as they arrived at Planned Parenthood and prevent them from hearing the loving and supportive statements of pro-lifers outside the abortion center.  It blossomed into Planned Parenthood spending thousands of dollars supporting Governor Wolf’s election in 2014. It is no wonder then that Governor Wolf repeats Planned Parenthood’s lies every chance he gets and that just last week, he visited and praised the Elizabeth Blackwell abortion center in Philadelphia, despite it failing over 50% of its safety inspections.

The love story between Governor Wolf and Planned Parenthood is tragic for the over 17,000 Pennsylvania babies who die at a Planned Parenthood abortion center every year.  It is time for Governor Wolf to end his partnership with Planned Parenthood and start helping people remember there is always a reason to choose life.

Troubled Harrisburg Abortion Facility Closes

Posted on by
Translator

HillcrestBy Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

The embattled Hillcrest  Women’s Medical Center has shut its doors.

Government sources have confirmed that Hillcrest has voluntarily relinquished its license to operate as an abortion facility.

The abortion center had until August 31st to fix the myriad of health and safety problems discovered during an inspection earlier this year. That inspection yielded an astounding 44 pages worth of violations.

A group of state Senators demanded to know why the state Health Department allowed the facility to remain open, given its abysmal safety record. A follow-up inspection resulted in Hillcrest being shuttered until it could meet basic health standards.

But the deadline for compliance came and went with little indication the abortion center would reopen. A notice posted by the local natural gas company indicated that the gas had been shut off. A subsequent notice by the electric company said the electricity would be cut off if $1,600 in bills was not paid within the week.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health website now lists Hillcrest as “closed.” For the health and safety of central Pennsylvania women, the closure is long overdue.

 

Two VERY Different Responses to Hurricane Harvey

Posted on by
Translator

hurricane-harvey-rescue-3-ap-jt-170827_4x3_992

In the midst of the devastation and destruction of Hurricane Harvey, some inspiring stories have arisen of people putting aside their personal differences and helping each other get through this tragedy.  It has been interesting to note the difference in responses between pro-abortion activists and pro-life advocates.

On one hand, there are the pro-abortion activists. Never afraid to take advantage of a tragedy, abortion advocates are using the situation in Houston to raise money to fund abortion.  The pro-abortion group The Lilith Fund is soliciting money for women “seeking abortion but (who) cannot afford it.”  Pro-abortion writer Bayetti Flores jumped on the bandwagon and encouraged her Twitter followers to donate to a Texas abortion fund.

At the same time, the pro-life response to this tragedy has been nothing short of heroic and inspiring. Stories like that of Cathy Rude, a midwife who used an inflatable swan to float to her laboring patient and help deliver her baby, or Danielle Palmer, who donated over 1000 ounces of saved breast milk to families affected by Hurricane Harvey. These pro-lifers are leading the way in showing everyone how to respond to a natural disaster in a way that does not promote a culture of death, but in a way that encourages people that they can always choose life!

Reaching Out to Pregnant Women Facing Challenges

Posted on by
Translator

huggies-3d-fetus-blind-ultrasound-mom

By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

gallagher@paprolife.org

One of the greatest attributes of the pro-life movement is the concern it shows to pregnant women facing serious challenges in their lives.

There is no woman in Pennsylvania–or across the country–who should feel as if she is being forced into abortion. Help is as close as the nearest cell phone or Internet connection.

The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation has the most comprehensive list of PA pregnancy care centers on the World Wide Web. Chances are you or a friend can find a center within driving distance of home. You can find the complete list here.

You can also call the toll-free hotline at 1-888-Life-Aid.  Compassionate, caring individuals are ready to take your call.

To be pro-life is to be pro-woman…both supportive of the woman carrying a child…and of the daughter inside her mother’s womb.

Signs of Life at Walmart

Posted on by
Translator

Picture1By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

gallagher@paprolife.org

Signs of life can definitely be found at Walmarts across the country.

A recently released survey found that child-related items are among the top selling-products at a number of the retail giants’ mega stores.

For instance, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the top-selling item at Walmart is Legos! Peanut butter and jelly, a childhood staple, is the top seller in Maine, while apple juice, a perennial favorite of the younger set, wins top honors in Colorado.

Baby products take the lead in Arkansas Walmarts, diapers are a hot commodity in Iowa, and kid-friendly Jell-O leads the pack in Rhode Island.

What this retailing survey shows is that children remain a vital part of the American Family, despite four decades of abortion on demand. While abortions in the U.S. total nearly a million per year, abortion numbers overall are at their lowest level since the tragic 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade.

Although election results are an important indicator of where the nation is headed, a trip to your local superstore holds some key clues as well. Life is indeed winning in America–from the White House to Walmart!

 

 

Report Details Troubles at Pennsylvania Abortion Center

Posted on by
Translator

HillcrestBy Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

gallagher@paprolife.org

We now have a better idea of what led state officials finally to crack down on a troubled central Pennsylvania abortion center.

A report on the PA Health Department website dated July 8th offers details of the myriad of health and safety violations found at the Hillcrest Women’s Medical Center in Harrisburg in June.

The failures included:

  • Outdated medication and supplies
  • Lack of documentation that a consultant physician had proper credentials for advising staff to ensure satisfactory treatment of patients
  • Medication stored in refrigerators with inappropriate temperatures
  • Failure to provide a sanitary environment. Deficiencies included ceiling tiles stained with an unidentified brown substance, torn padding on exam tables, and a front yard with grass measuring two to three feet high.

Reading the 12 page report, it’s no wonder health officials shut Hillcrest down–but the closure came only after a complaint letter from state Senators demanding to know why the abortion facility was still open after a previous 44-page list of health and safety violations.

The latest report includes plans of correction for all the deficiencies cited. But, with Hillcrest failing inspection after inspection in the past, how can we trust the management to safeguard the health and safety of women?

Hillcrest has been closed until further notice by order of the state until it could be re-inspected.

However, Hillcrest has failed women time and time again with its abysmal safety record. It is time for the facility to be shut down once and for all.

Eliminating Down Syndrome?

Posted on by
Translator

Image result for down syndrome babyA CBS News feature recently described what the reporter called the eradication of Down syndrome in Iceland. But it was really something else–the abortion of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome. Tragically, while Iceland has gone further than most countries in killing all babies with Down syndrome, they are not the only one.  Because of fear of what life with a child with Down syndrome may be like, parents all over the world, and even in the United States, are choosing to abort their babies if they are diagnosed with Down syndrome.

In Pennsylvania, we have chosen to address the fears associated with potentially having a child with Down syndrome a different way.  In 2014 the Pennsylvania legislature passed, and pro-life Governor Tom Corbett signed into law, legislation requiring that medical practitioners give accurate information about Down syndrome and available resources to parents whose preborn baby is diagnosed with potentially having Down syndrome.  We believe making sure parents who may have a baby with Down syndrome deserve information, not to have their child killed simply because that child is different.

We encourage all pro-lifers to educate themselves about Down syndrome.  You can then help educate someone who receives this diagnosis for their child.  That may be the information they need to remind them they can always choose life.

Pushing Doctors to Perform Assisted Suicide

Posted on by
Translator

Assisted suicide 2

By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

The old Hemlock Society wants to push doctors to perform assisted suicide–which is more aptly described as doctor-prescribed suicide.

Under the revised name of Compassion & Choices, they want the American Medical Association to end its long-standing opposition to the lethal practice. You can urge the AMA to stand strong by clicking here.

In addition, the lawyer who tried to create a Roe v. Wade-style judicial edict for assisted suicide is now suing a California hospital that refused to perform doctor-prescribed suicide. As ethics expert Wesley Smith notes:

The lawsuit illustrates where the assisted suicide/euthanasia movement wants to go. As in Ontario, Canada, they want doctors and hospitals to be forced to participate in assisted suicide or get out of medicine.
For resources for fighting the threat of doctor-prescribed suicide in Pennsylvania, visit www.noassistedsuicidepa.org .

Why This Veteran with Cancer Opposes Assisted Suicide

Posted on by
Translator

JJ Hanson & family

J.J. Hanson is a natural fighter. He fought for his country as a Marine. He combatted cancer as a civilian. And now he is battling doctor-prescribed suicide in his role with the Patients Rights Action Fund.

In 2014, Hanson was told he had four months to live, after having been diagnosed with brain cancer. But he has refused to give up on his life, or the lives of other people placed in vulnerable positions by some insurance companies and members of the medical establishment.

As he told the Daily Signal, “People who are making end-of-life decisions have basically been told ‘We’re not going to give you what you’d like to get, but we will give you assisted suicide,’ which is very scary for someone like myself.”

Hanson’s wife, Kristen, is supporting him wholeheartedly in his fight against doctor-prescribed suicide. Kristen told the Daily Signal, “It’s really not about offering more choices. It takes choices away from patients like J.J. who want to fight,”

To read more about the Hanson’s fight, click here.

To find out how you can stop the legalization of doctor-prescribed suicide in Pennsylvania, click here.