file: /pub/resources/text/ProLife.News/1992: pln-0201.txt --------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Life Communications - Volume 2, No. 1 January, 1992 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter is intended to provide articles and news information to those interested in Pro-Life Issues. Questions to readers and articles for submissions are strongly encouraged. All submissions should be sent to the editor, Steve Frezza (frezza@ee.pitt.edu). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) MARCH FOR LIFE, 1992 As has been the custom since the infamous display of "raw judicial power" in 1973, citizens interested in defending the rights of the unborn to live will be gathering from across the nation to protest. These protests will take place in various cities, and especially in the nation's capitol, commemorating an infamous day when the Roe vs. Wade decision was handed down. This was a case decided on 'facts' that were later proven to be lies. Please write your representatives. Please speak with your feet as well. Remember that the law teaches, and our nation's highest law enshrines the value that an unborn child has no right to live throughout all nine months of pregnancy. Where will you be on January 22? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) REMEMBER INITIATIVE 120 IN WASHINGTON STATE? This is an analysis of initiative 120, based on a copy of the initiative courtesy of the pro-120 folks in Washington State. The summarizations provided in The ProLife News (v1n16). Note that the wording does not seem to be from an official copy, as it does not contain old laws lined out, etc. (It just lists, by number, a bunch of laws that are repealed by the initiative.) In any event, this is a listing of the most liberal abortion law in the nation, and a model that the pro-abortion minority believes can and will be passed throughout the nation in the upcomming years. ******************************************************** > 1. Abortion of pregnancy until "fetal viability" for any reason. Section 2. of the Initiative: (first paragraph) The state may not deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose to have an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or to protect her life or health. ******************************************************** > 2. No spousal or parental notification. Section 5. of the Initiative: (entire) Any regulation promulgated by the state relating to abortion shall be valid only if: (1) The regulation is medically necessary to protect the life or health of the woman terminating her pregnancy (2) The regulation is consistent with established medical practice, and (3) Of the available alternatives, the regulation imposes the least restrictions on the woman's right to have an abortion as defined by this act. [This list does not mention spousal or parental notification.] ******************************************************** > 3. The state must spend for abortion services and education, an > amount equal to that spent and maternity and infant services and > education. [This is the statement which my Right-to-Kill colleague said was a lie.] Section 7. of the Initiative: (entire) If the state provides, directly or by contract, maternity care benefits, services, or information to women through any program administered or funded in whole or in part by the state, the state shall also provide women otherwise eligible for any such program with substantially equivalent benefits, services, or information to permit them to voluntarily terminate their pregnancies. ******************************************************** > 4. Health care workers may assist in abortions. Section 2. of the Initiative: (second and last paragraph) A physician may terminate and a health care provider may assist a physician in terminating a pregnancy as permitted by this section. ******************************************************** > 5. Doctors who perform abortions will decide fetal viability and their opinion and decision will be a defense in any litigation. Section 4. of the Initiative: (entire) The good faith judgment of a physician as to viability of the fetus or as to the risk of life or health of a woman and the good faith judgment of a health care provider as to the duration of a pregnancy shall be a defense in any proceeding in which a violation of this chapter is an issue. ******************************************************** Section 8. of the Initiative: (definitions of terms) (5) "Health care provider" means a physician or a person acting under the general direction of a physician. [No mention of this provider having any sort of license or skill.] ******************************************************** Section 10. of the Initiative: (entire) This act shall not be construed to define the state's interest in the fetus for any purpose other than the specific provisions of this act. [This is a statement to insure that the act does not imply other state interests in the child, which might provide a court with the ability to construe other rights for the child. A lawyer might be able to clarify this better. - Ed.] ******************************************************** For more information, contact the campaign offices: Initiative 119-120 NO (206)882-4397 (Mary) Initiative 119 YES (206)624-2776 Initiative 120 YES (206)284-0255 -Larry Larmore - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So far, there has been little word as to the recount in Washington State. At last word, the initiative had passed, but by less than the .5% needed to avoid a recount. ProLifers have claimed this to be a moral victory, in that Washington is considered by many to be the state where such an initiative would be most likely to pass. Unfortunately, it seems to have passed. Has anyone heard otherwise? -Ed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) "BETWEEN A WOMAN AND HER (?)." Under Title X regulations, Physicians are free to discuss abortion with their patients. It is the non-physician staff that may not. To quote McQuay's column in today's OC Register, Bush sent a memo to the secretary of H&HS which says, "Nothing in these regulations is to prevent a woman from receiving complete medical information about her condition from a physician." Hm ... what percentage of Planned Parenthood "patients" ever even see a physician? If they all do, why should PP be concerned? (They are so upset by this rule that they plan to forgo Title X funding.) The answer could be as simple as: most PP "patients" have no direct contact with a physician. I have no figures but I believe that the majority of abortion clinic patients never get past the staff. The phrase "between the woman and her doctor" is thus just another distortion. -Larry Larmore ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) WHAT WORKS - PERSONAL ATTENTION A couple newsletters ago, an open question was asked [and continues to be asked] about what was effective in getting people to a pro-life point of view. I can speak from very personal experience, about what got me more on the pro-life side of the fence. For years, I was sitting on the fence, not wanting to offend anyone with my own views, especially since I wasn't always sure how those views played out in real life. What stayed constant was my belief that life began at conception. It was (IS!) really hard to espouse a pro-life position in the academic environments that I've been in most of my adult life. There was a deafening lack of vocal pro-life support. I was shocked, and then pleasantly surprised, to finally start finding out that intelligent, non-radical, respectable, and humble individuals that I knew were involved in pro-life activities (Operation Rescue, Birthright, etc.). Even then, it took a while for this to sink in. I needed to hear how these people responded to the questions that bothered me most about the pro-life position. Finally, I began needing frequent gentle invitations to join them in their activities, which I finally began to accept. There was no single argument or turning point -- for me, at least, but personal witness from other pro-lifers spoke to me more than volumes of letters to editors. I wasn't in the right mindset to read letters; I wasn't particularly open to change. Now, I'm not on the fence anymore. -Susan Hojnacki [ Presently, Susan finds time among her PhD research and marital commitments to be an active volunteer at the local Birthright crisis pregnancy office. Thank you, Susan. -Ed. ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (5) OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK Title X was enacted by Congress in 1970 to, among other things, "assist in the establishment and operation of voluntary family planning projects which shall offer a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services." Title X is a $150 million-per-year family planning program. Has Title X increased women's health? 1970 - 5 identifiable strains of V.D. 1991 - 50 strains, including AIDS Has Title X reduced teen out-of-wedlock births? 1970 - 199,900 births to teens 1991 - 299,414 births to teens Has Title X decreased abortion on demand? 1970 - 42,800 abortions to teens (reported) 1991 - 406,790 abortions to teens Did Title X prevent adolescent promiscuity? 1970 - 28.6% of teens sexually active 1988 - 51.5% of teens sexually active Has Title X increased family stability? 1970 - 87.1% of families with children had 2 parents 1988 - 71.9% of families with children had 2 parents -Tom McGinnis (I admit I find some of the figures/conclusions a bit dubious, for instance the first stat may indicate that testing methods have become better. Also the 1991 numbers are not specifically labeled "projected" -- They may actually be 1988 numbers. TFMcG) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Quote Of the Month: "Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little." - Edmund Burke Anyone desiring information on specific prolife groups, literature, tapes, or help with problems is encouraged to contact the editor. end v2n1 ------------------------------------------------------------