Week in Review – Euthanasia in Texas; PP defunding in Ohio; Pro-abort violence
Texans are fighting to save the lives of hospital patients. The vehicle they are using is the Respecting Texas Patients’ Right to Life Act (HB 3158 and SB 2089). Current Texas law provides a statutory process by which a physician or hospital is permitted to withdraw basic life-sustaining treatment against the expressed wishes of a patient or his or her legal surrogate. Under the statute, a physician must merely receive permission from the hospital’s own committee to withdraw or withhold the requested life-sustaining treatment. Current law awards the physician and hospital unilateral authority over the patient’s life. After judgement is handed down by the committee, a 10-day countdown begins and the patient and his or her family have no ability to appeal the decision. The law unreasonably assumes the patient or the patient’s family has the ability to locate, authorize, and facilitate a medical transfer. As written, the law is a grievous affront to due process and is undoubtedly biased against vulnerable patients, creating an incentive for hospitals to work contrary to the well-being of those in their care and to make deadly judgments about their “quality of life.”
The two bills seek to repeal the 10-day rule and return control to the patients and their families. This week, a letter supporting the two bills was released. It was signed by over two dozen pro-life/pro-family leaders, including Julie Grimstad, president of the Healthcare Advocacy and Leadership Organization (HALO).
Back in 2016, the state of Ohio passed a law taking taxpayer money away from Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood sued. Last week the courts ruled against Planned Parenthood and said Ohio was within its rights to cut off the approximately $600,000 in taxpayer funds allocated to the organization. This week, FOX NEWS reports that Planned Parenthood’s 24 facilities in the state received notices from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) that state funding would end on April 20. Planned Parenthood, of course, is upset with the loss of funds. It called the governor “heartless” for cutting its funding. As an interesting side note: The court of appeals supported the taking of money from Planned Parenthood by an 11-6 vote. Yet, the news media continues to portray the decision as being from “a divided court,” without giving the actual vote numbers.
CBNnews reported this week that “an 85-year-old man was recently attacked during a peaceful protest with pro-life advocacy group 40 Days For Life. Ron, a participant in 40 Days For Life campaigns for years, was outside of a Planned Parenthood Clinic in San Francisco when a young male attempted to steal the sign he was holding. The video,that is part of the article, shows Ron’s attempt to stop the theft by putting the stick holding the banner into the spokes of the man’s bicycle. The man immediately shoved Ron to ground and started violently kicking him. The video, which has gone viral, shows the man threatening Ron as well.”
UNPLANNED, the movie, had its official release in theaters all across the United States today. You can read Judie Brown’s statement about the film here. Additional information about the film and where it is playing can be found on the film’s website.
ALL in the News – Covering heroes; the Vatican; and Planned Parenthood
Judie Brown gives witness to a true pro-life hero in her commentary, Father Fidelis Moscinski, CFR: Warrior for Christ.
Judie Brown was quoted in the following article on Life Site News:Vatican Life Academy: Parents must vaccinate, even if vaccines come from aborted babies.
Jim Sedlak’s article, Is anyone really listening to Dr. Wen? looks at some of the statements of the new president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Dwain Currier continues to provide cutting-edge commentary and images on American Life League’s Twitter account. One of his tweets this week looks at one of Cecile Richards’ legacies to Planned Parenthood that she doesn’t want to talk about.
Jim Sedlak’s Pro-Life Activism from Creation to Deathis a weekly talk-radio program on the Radio Maria USA network. It can be heard live every Friday at noon (Eastern Time) and is repeated on Saturdays (10 PM) and Mondays (10 PM).
Video of the Week – Abby Johnson, whose story is featured in the movie, ‘Unplanned’— opening today—describes in her own words how she left Planned Parenthood
Nine-and-a-half years ago, Abby Johnson left her job as director of Planned Parenthood in Bryan, TX. Two years later, Abby began her public speaking career, which included the following talk that she gave to the students at St. Michael the Archangel High School, a program of American Life League.
Action Item of the Week – Spend time outside an abortion facility between now and Easter
People ask if it does any good to pray outside an abortion facility. Here are two recent accounts received in ALL’s offices from Eileen Peterson and the wonderful folks in Rockland County, New York, who are constantly outside the Planned Parenthood in Spring Valley.
Four people were outside the Planned Parenthood abortion facility praying on Thursday for the 12 pm hour. Kathy had just told Ann that she should sit in her car when doing the hour because of the brutal winds and the chilling temperatures. Ann responded that she needed to sacrifice for the babies. At that very moment, an SUV pulled out of the Planned Parenthood strip mall and the window rolled down and the woman stated that her daughter is pregnant and is going to keep the baby because of all the prayers they felt and she wanted to thank the people who were praying! We in PRO-LIFE ROCKLAND COUNTY REJOICE, FOR A YOUNG GIRL HAS CHOSEN LIFE INSTEAD OF DEATH.
Second CONFIRMED SAVE! Saturday morning, March 9th, at the 10 am hour there were three Spring Valley Police Cars with a man shouting at a woman to sign the paper repeatedly and a woman in her car [was] frantic. We have found out that the people were at Planned Parenthood to chemically abort their baby, but, the woman upon seeing the people outside praying and the signs supporting and offering help to protect LIFE did not want to go ahead with the abortion. The pressure put upon her from the male person was intense which is why the police were called. Please pray for this brave woman as she has said YES to LIFE in a true crisis pregnancy—WE REJOICE WITH THIS WONDERFUL NEWS!
All that is necessary for you to help save a child’s life is for you to be there. In the coming weeks, please spend some time outside of your nearest abortion facility and make a difference.
“The Irony”: Planned Parenthood CEO Upset by Ohio’s Decision to Cut Funding to “Reduce Black Infant Mortality”
For some entities, government money can be an addiction. Once you get it, you can never get enough of it. Take Planned Parenthood.
Ohio’s Department of Health delivered an important notice recently. Planned Parenthood centers throughout the state can’t get their fix anymore. Ohio is cutting off state grants to the abortion corporation, now that the full 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided “affiliates do not have a due process right to perform abortions.”
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio oversees 19 of Ohio’s 24 Planned Parenthood centers. Its CEO, Iris E. Harvey, did not take the news well.
Gov DeWine is HEARTLESS. Just got a 30 day notice from Health Dept. Defunding Planned Parenthood work to reduce Black infant mortality, prevent violence against women, provide cancer screenings, HIV tests and sex education! All care health depts couldn’t do!
— IRIS E. Harvey (@CeoGreaterOhio) March 21, 2019
Perhaps Ohio’s public health centers couldn’t implement many of those programs because the money went to Planned Parenthood. Fox News reports Ohio giving approximately $600,000 in grants to Planned Parenthood. Imagine what real health care Ohio’s 113 health centers could do with that much money.
Harvey’s tweet didn’t go over so well.
A great day for the State of Ohio. They did what many states should do: pic.twitter.com/ixPEjWl0rp
— Mike Agrippe (@magrippe) March 22, 2019
There is something very rich, and very sick, about ever sending money to Planned Parenthood to “reduce black infant mortality”.
— Saltine Warrior (@dap260) March 22, 2019
Looks like the devil’s workshop is closing early👌
— storminnorman (@storminnormank) March 23, 2019
Our doors stay open!!
— IRIS E. Harvey (@CeoGreaterOhio) March 24, 2019
At least she didn’t refute that Planned Parenthood is “the devil’s workshop.”
Good. Stop killing babies.
YOU, Ma’am, are the “heartless” one.
— Seth Gambee (@sethgambee) March 25, 2019
The irony and chutzpah of your tweet is quite telling. Arguing in defense of America’s number one perpetrator of Black infant mortality, while supposedly fighting against it. #Abortion #ProLife pic.twitter.com/ef26Ydh9A8
— Patrick O’Sullivan (@patrickuzor) March 26, 2019
Learn how to budget better.
— glenws68 (@glenws68) March 25, 2019
