In This Issue
- Planned Parenthood files lawsuit against Lubbock, Texas
- Planned Parenthood loses in Idaho!
- Planned Parenthood exploiting religion to appear mainstream
- Happy Birthday, Dad
Planned Parenthood files lawsuit against Lubbock, Texas
By Jim Sedlak
Well, it did not take long for Planned Parenthood to run to the courts to try and block the will of the citizens of Lubbock, Texas. It was less than a month ago that residents of Lubbock went to the voting booth and passed a local ordinance barring anyone from committing abortion within the city limits.
The ordinance was not a surprise. For many months, city residents tried to get the city declared a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn.” They first attempted to get the city council to make the declaration, but the council did not take that step. So, the citizens circulated a petition to have the residents be able to vote on the matter. Citizens collected more than enough signatures and the question appeared on the city ballots on Saturday, May 1. Over 34,000 residents went to the polls that day and the Sanctuary City ordinance was approved with 62 percent of the votes.
Following the vote, the city certified the results on May 11 and the new ordinance will be effective as early as June 1, 2021.
We noted that at the time the proposed ordinance was first brought to the city council, Planned Parenthood was not doing abortions in the city. However, by the time of the public vote, abortions at Planned Parenthood (the only abortionist in the city) had begun. Lubbock was the 24th city in Texas to become a Sanctuary City for the Unborn but the first to have an active abortion facility within city limits. Planned Parenthood did not immediately comment on the ordinance other than to say that its lawyers were studying it.
As the waiting continued, the city council of Abernathy, Texas—located 20 miles north of Lubbock—unanimously declared itself to also be a Sanctuary City for the Unborn. One News Now reported that “One concern that brought (the declaration) about was nearby Lubbock, whose voters approved an abortion ban May 1st, even though the town has a Planned Parenthood facility. So, Abernathy wanted to ensure that the abortion provider would not set up shop within its limits. ‘We didn’t want them here . . . They can go outside our city limits and build a building if that’s what they want to do, but we can only control our city.’ As for what the new ordinance allows if an abortionist does set up shop, the city manager says: ‘It’s a private punishment thing. Any citizen could sue the abortionist or the clinic for doing so.’”
In the latest development on the Lubbock ordinance, the Texas Tribune reported on Monday, May 17, that “Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas sued the city of Lubbock on Monday over a voter-approved ‘sanctuary city for the unborn’ ordinance that seeks to outlaw abortions in the West Texas city’s limits. The ordinance—which the lawsuit says is unconstitutional—was passed by local voters earlier this month over the opposition of City Council members who warned it could not be enforced and would prompt a costly legal fight. “The lawsuit was filed in a federal district court and seeks to stop the abortion ban from taking effect on June 1 . . . The lawsuit says the ordinance imposes significant liability on people who perform—or help someone get—an abortion in Lubbock.
“The legal and financial risk to the health center and to its personnel personally is too great,” the complaint says. “Even if they were to successfully defend against a civil suit, the litigation costs from the barrage of civil lawsuits encouraged by the ordinance would be crushing. Indeed, the Ordinance has already forced Plaintiffs to cancel abortion-related appointments to avoid potential liability.”
Planned Parenthood filing the lawsuit prompted the following response from the City of Lubbock:
“Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Surgical Health Services and G. Sealy Massingill, M.D. filed a lawsuit Monday, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock Division, challenging Lubbock’s recently adopted Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance. This ordinance was enacted by the voters of Lubbock through the Charter petition process and the Lubbock City Council certified the election results on May 11, 2021. The City will vigorously defend this ordinance and looks forward to presenting that defense in court. Heather Hacker and Andrew Stephens of Hacker Stephens LLP of Austin, and Fernando Bustos of the Bustos Law Firm, P.C., of Lubbock, will represent the City of Lubbock in this lawsuit.”
Once again, when Planned Parenthood can’t get its way, it turns to the courts to force its business of killing babies on citizens who clearly do not want killing chambers in their cities.
Let us pray for the attorneys representing Lubbock in this case.
Jim Sedlak is executive director of American Life League, founder of STOPP International, and host of a weekly talk show on the Radio Maria Network. He has been successfully fighting Planned Parenthood since 1985.
Planned Parenthood exploiting religion to appear mainstream
Planned Parenthood has always had an image problem. From its beginnings, it has championed causes and lifestyles that are opposed by almost all major religions in the world.
Birth control (including abortion) and approval of sexual activities among unmarried teens, and even pre-teens, are just some examples. In the last few decades, it has added the encouragement of homosexuality, comprehensive sexual indoctrination programs, transgender programs, and gender identity to its list.
In order to allay the rebuke it would get from traditional religions, Planned Parenthood established support for itself from the fringe elements of religious life.
One long-term subterfuge it has employed is maintaining the Planned Parenthood Clergy Committees. Last month, the Religious News Service reported that Planned Parenthood added nine new members to its Clergy Advocacy Board. In making the announcement, Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America said: “Planned Parenthood is proud to have religious leaders of all faiths standing with us in this fight.”
However, statements from a couple of the new members revealed how small PP support by clergy really is:
Rev. Katey Zeh of North Carolina said: “There are so few of us who are people of faith who are willing to be bold and audacious about supporting reproductive freedom because of our faith.”
Rev. Elise Saulsberry of Tennessee said: “You ‘can’t put a price’ on the role of faith-based abortion rights activism because ‘much of the pushback’ to abortion ‘comes from the church.’”
As much as Planned Parenthood wants to make believe that its positions are in lockstep with churches in America, even the members of its Clergy Advocacy Board recognize the truth that most religious clergy don’t want to be anywhere near Planned Parenthood.
Another thrust by Planned Parenthood is to present the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC [pronounced rik-rik]) as a mainstream organization. An APNEWS story documented that the Kentucky RCRC organization “. . . paid for the digital billboards that are on display at the Expo Center in Louisville and in Nicholasville and Paducah. The rotating messages on the billboards say:
“Walk in my shoes before you judge my abortion.”
“Good people have abortions. God knows and loves you.”
“Abortion: A personal decision between you and God.”
In case there was any confusion about the difference between the Planned Parenthood and RCRC propaganda and the real Gospel message, Dr. Todd Gray, executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention stated that the scrolling messages the billboards are delivering in the Kentucky cities is a “misuse of God’s name and misrepresentation of His character.”
Gray continued: “Exodus 20:7 in the Bible teaches that the Lord will not hold guiltless the one who uses His name in vain. These billboards being planned by The Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice imply that God condones abortion. To imply that the God of the Bible is in agreement with the taking of innocent human life through the human rights atrocity of legalized abortion is clearly a misuse of God’s name and a misrepresentation of His character.”
Don’t be fooled by Planned Parenthood’s clergy committees or by RCRC; they are not instruments of God . . . they are instruments of the devil.
Planned Parenthood loses in Idaho!
Last week, Gov. Brad Little of Idaho signed into law House Bill 220, “No Public Funds For Abortion Act.”
The Christian Post reported “The measure defunds outfits such as Planned Parenthood but excepts publicly-funded hospitals and abortions funded with Medicaid. The measure also bars school districts and public colleges from entering into contracts for abortion organizations to teach sex education and also stops public colleges and universities from providing abortifacient drugs to end a pregnancy after conception.”
Planned Parenthood runs three facilities in Idaho. They are in Boise, Meridian, and Twin Falls. All three do Pill abortions and the one in Meridian also does surgical abortions.
Since Planned Parenthood has offices in Boise, we happily report that The Christian Post noted “The new law also prohibits the city of Boise from contracting with organizations that provide abortion-related services after a transitional report issued to Mayor Lauren McLean last year recommended that the city offer free contraception, abortion and reproductive healthcare for all of its residents.”
Planned Parenthood’s business model relies heavily in having the ability to get to students with its sex indoctrination programs. Those programs are designed to teach children “how to obtain sexual satisfaction before marriage” and create a demand for Planned Parenthood’s lucrative birth control business. It is the failure of birth control that creates a demand for abortions. Of course, Planned Parenthood also makes a large profit from its abortions.
Thus, the No Public Funds For Abortion Act not only cuts off most of the state money going to Planned Parenthood, but it also greatly reduces its ability to recruit new customers.
Family Policy Alliance of Idaho executive director Blaine Conzatti noted: “Defunding Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers was one of our top priorities when the legislative session began earlier this year. Idahoans don’t want their state or local governments sending their hard-earned money to abortion—and they certainly don’t want abortionists providing services and promoting abortion in our public schools and universities.”
He added: “The No Public Funds For Abortion Act protects students, vulnerable women, and had-working taxpayers from the ‘Big Abortion’ lobby. We are excited that Gov. Brad Little signed this important pro-life reform that protects taxpayer assets from abortion providers who have benefitted from government largesse for too long.”
Congratulations to all the people in Idaho who fought so hard for the passage of this bill.
Planned Parenthood exploiting religion to appear mainstream
Planned Parenthood has always had an image problem. From its beginnings, it has championed causes and lifestyles that are opposed by almost all major religions in the world.
Birth control (including abortion) and approval of sexual activities among unmarried teens, and even pre-teens, are just some examples. In the last few decades, it has added the encouragement of homosexuality, comprehensive sexual indoctrination programs, transgender programs, and gender identity to its list.
In order to allay the rebuke it would get from traditional religions, Planned Parenthood established support for itself from the fringe elements of religious life.
One long-term subterfuge it has employed is maintaining the Planned Parenthood Clergy Committees. Last month, the Religious News Service reported that Planned Parenthood added nine new members to its Clergy Advocacy Board. In making the announcement, Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America said: “Planned Parenthood is proud to have religious leaders of all faiths standing with us in this fight.”
However, statements from a couple of the new members revealed how small PP support by clergy really is:
Rev. Katey Zeh of North Carolina said: “There are so few of us who are people of faith who are willing to be bold and audacious about supporting reproductive freedom because of our faith.”
Rev. Elise Saulsberry of Tennessee said: “You ‘can’t put a price’ on the role of faith-based abortion rights activism because ‘much of the pushback’ to abortion ‘comes from the church.’”
As much as Planned Parenthood wants to make believe that its positions are in lockstep with churches in America, even the members of its Clergy Advocacy Board recognize the truth that most religious clergy don’t want to be anywhere near Planned Parenthood.
Another thrust by Planned Parenthood is to present the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC [pronounced rik-rik]) as a mainstream organization. An APNEWS story documented that the Kentucky RCRC organization “. . . paid for the digital billboards that are on display at the Expo Center in Louisville and in Nicholasville and Paducah. The rotating messages on the billboards say:
“Walk in my shoes before you judge my abortion.”
“Good people have abortions. God knows and loves you.”
“Abortion: A personal decision between you and God.”
In case there was any confusion about the difference between the Planned Parenthood and RCRC propaganda and the real Gospel message, Dr. Todd Gray, executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention stated that the scrolling messages the billboards are delivering in the Kentucky cities is a “misuse of God’s name and misrepresentation of His character.”
Gray continued: “Exodus 20:7 in the Bible teaches that the Lord will not hold guiltless the one who uses His name in vain. These billboards being planned by The Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice imply that God condones abortion. To imply that the God of the Bible is in agreement with the taking of innocent human life through the human rights atrocity of legalized abortion is clearly a misuse of God’s name and a misrepresentation of His character.”
Don’t be fooled by Planned Parenthood’s clergy committees or by RCRC; they are not instruments of God . . . they are instruments of the devil.
Happy Birthday, Dad
Please bear with me as I pause for a moment to remember my father. Jacob Frank Sedlak was born 102 years ago today on May 19, 1919. He died on August 2, 1971, from combat injuries he suffered fighting in the Pacific Theater, with the Dixie Division, in World War II.
Dad was a strong defender of life. He was married to my mom in February 1943, and they were stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi. A few months after their marriage, my mother was sick and went to a doctor in town. He told her she wasn’t sick—she was pregnant (with me). My mother related to me that the next words out of the doctor’s mouth were: “We can take care of that, if you want.” My mother relates she ran from the doctor’s office to my father and said: “Frank, they want to kill our baby!” He held her in his arms, and they never saw that doctor again.
When my father was deployed, my mother went back north to stay with her parents. I was born in New York. My father returned from the war in 1946. Because of injuries he suffered, the Army wanted to put him on total disability; he refused. He told my mother he did not want to be reminded every month that he was disabled. On his first visit to a family doctor after his return, the doctor noted that my dad had serious heart issues and confidentially told my mother that she should get his life in order because he only had six months to live.
Mom was very devoted to the Sacred Heart and when she told her father what was happening, he said he would look after me and she should go to church and pray. As she prayed, she remembered the Nuptial Blessing from her Catholic wedding which said, in part, may they be blessed with children, and prove themselves virtuous parents, who live to see their children’s children.” She asked God to keep that promise.
My father did not die in six months. He and my mother settled into a normal life; they gave me a brother (and suffered through five miscarriages). Dad started an electrical contracting business and operated that for 15+ years. He became my role model and the family had fun. In 1967, I became the first person in our extended family to graduate from college—all paid for by my dad and mom.
I was married four days after college graduation and nine months later we gave my mom and dad a grandson. The next year, we added a granddaughter. My father died at home of a massive heart attack on August 2, 1971—just moments after he called my mother and told her he loved her.
Happy Birthday, Dad, and thanks for everything.