4/15/05
in this issue:
hot button issues: ALL’S NATIONAL PRO-LIFE T-SHIRT DAY / CATHOLIC CRUSADE / MAGGIE AWARDS / PLANNED PARENTHOOD CONFERENCE
abortion: CULTURE OF CONFLICT / LOUISIANA LICENSE PLATES
congress: FDA VOTE DELAYED
conscience: ARIZONA / WISCONSIN
human embryonic stem cell research: CORPORATIONS / MARYLAND / WASHINGTON
reminder: RIGHT TO LIFE ACT OF 2005
reflection for prayer: PSALM 117
hot button issues
ALL’S NATIONAL PRO-LIFE T-SHIRT DAY: American Life League’s third annual National Pro-life T-shirt Day is April 26. All pro-life Americans, especially students, are encouraged to wear pro-life apparel that day to show support for the preborn. The official shirt of ALL’s National Pro-life T-shirt Day is available online. The cost is $5 plus shipping and handling. The last day to order shirts through normal delivery methods is Monday, April 18.
CATHOLIC CRUSADE: American Life League held a pro-life vigil outside the Washington, D.C. hotel where Planned Parenthood is holding its national conference. The hope was to reach pro-abortion Catholics who work for and support Planned Parenthood, particularly, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan, who claims to be Catholic.
(Reading: “American Life League to lead peaceful prayer vigil outside Planned Parenthood’s D.C. conference,” American Life League news release, 4/13/05)
MAGGIE AWARDS: Planned Parenthood bestowed its annual media awards on the movies “Kinsey” and “Vera Drake,” which both have pro-abortion themes, and on the book “Sacred Work,” which insists that Planned Parenthood’s operations are holy. “In recent years Planned Parenthood has done everything in its power to align itself with religious institutions in order to normalize their business of selling sex to kids and aborting babies,” said David Bereit of ALL’s STOPP International. “It really makes your stomach turn.”
(Reading: “Planned Parenthood’s Maggie Awards honor pro-abortion movies and books,” American Life League news release, 4/14/05)
STOPP INTERNATIONAL: American Life League’s STOPP International is launching three aggressive new campaigns against Planned Parenthood. The initiatives seek to build local coalitions of churches, to get Planned Parenthood out of local schools, and to cut state funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates.
(Reading: “STOPP International announces aggressive new campaign against Planned Parenthood,” American Life League news release, 4/13/05)
abortion
CULTURE OF CONFLICT: The Washington Post magazine’s cover story recounts a suburban Washington couple’s experience with a difficult pregnancy. Saqib and Susan Ali learned their preborn child had a chromosomal problem and would not survive. The mother was also told the pregnancy could be harmful to her own health. Saqib favored abortion, but Susan did not. A clergyman told them it would not be a sin to have an abortion in such a case. But the minister also told the husband it would be a serious mistake to pressure his wife into having an abortion against her will. Eventually, the child was born. Leila Ali lived for 67 minutes after her birth. Saqib Ali said he would consider having other children, but only by in vitro fertilization to rule out the possibility of chromosomal anomaly.
(Reading: “Hard labor,” Washington Post, 4/10/05)
LOUISIANA LICENSE PLATES: A federal appeals court has thrown out a lawsuit challenging the state’s “choose life” license plates. Plates could go on sale in three weeks, unless opponents appeal the decision. Pro-abortion interests sued to stop distribution of the licenses, charging the state discriminates by not offering a license expressing their viewpoint.
(Reading: “La. license plate lawsuit rejected,” The [Baton Rouge] Advocate, 4/14/05)
congress
FDA VOTE DELAYED: The Senate will wait before voting on Lester Crawford’s nomination as head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Senators unhappy over the agency’s handling of a morning-after abortion pill — Plan B — have asked for the delay. An FDA advisory committee okayed over-the-counter distribution of Plan B in 2003, but the full panel has not taken final action on that recommendation.
(Reading: “FDA confirmation vote postponed,” MarketWatch, 4/14/05)
conscience
ARIZONA: Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed legislation that would have permitted pharmacists to cite moral or religious reasons for opting out of services related to abortion or so-called emergency contraception. In a joint statement, Catholic bishops Thomas Olmstead, Gerald Kicanas and Donald Pelotte expressed disappointment with the veto and noted that rights of conscience “are particularly important when they involve the taking of an innocent human life.”
(Reading: “‘Conscience’ bill for pharmacists vetoed,” Arizona Republic, 4/14/05)
WISCONSIN: A state board approved a reprimand and license limitation for pharmacist Neil Noesen, who refused to fill a prescription for birth control pills because of his religious beliefs. Pro-Life Wisconsin, an American Life League associate group, said the ruling “is wrong and is simply un-American. One person’s convenience should not trump another’s conscience.”
(Reading: “Wisconsin pharmacist punished for exercising religious beliefs,” Pro-Life Wisconsin news release, 4/13/05)
human embryonic stem cell research
CORPORATIONS: The Wall Street Journal reports several large corporation are becoming involved in human embryonic stem cell research. The Journal reports some of the largest drug companies are involve in research projects that involve human embryonic stem cells. Firms mentioned in the report include Johnson & Johnson, General Electric, Novartis and Invitrogen.
(Reading: “Large U.S. companies pursuing embryonic stem cell research,” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 4/12/05)
MARYLAND: A bill that would have authorized millions in state spending for human embryonic stem cell research was caught in a legislative logjam. Senators adjourned without voting on the measure, which puts it to rest for this session.
(Reading: “Stem-cell bill dies in senate,” Baltimore Sun, 4/12/05)
WASHINGTON: State senators defeated a bill that would have specifically permitted human embryonic stem cell research. Washington currently has no laws affecting such research.
(Reading: “Bill to regulate stem cell research fails,” Associated Press, 4/11/05)
reminder
RIGHT TO LIFE ACT OF 2005: This bill (go to Library of Congress and search for HR552) states, “The terms ‘human person’ and ‘human being’ include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including, but not limited to, the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.”
COMMENT: Is your member of Congress a co-sponsor? He or she should be. Ask!
reflection for prayer
PSALM 117: Praise the Lord, all you nations! Give glory, all you peoples! The Lord’s love for us is strong; the Lord is faithful forever. Alleluia!