REVIEW
Post Office Box 1079, Montpelier, Vermont 05601
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage PAID Montpelier, VT 05602 PERMIT NO. 16
Volume 37, Number 2
Fall 2008
$3.00
“Abortion Hurts Women”
A new video produced by Vermont Right to Life Airing on Public Access Channels. Four Vermont women, Debbie, Dawn, Annisa and Lisa, agreed to allow the Vermont Right to Life Committee to tape each of them as they shared their painful stories of the emotional and physical damage abortion has caused them. Four uniquely different women tell the pressures they were under, the lack of options and alternatives offered to them and a glimpse into the difficulties and regrets they experienced on the road to recovery. We asked Dawn and Annisa why they wanted to share their experience with others and here is what they told us:
Sarah Palin Speaks for Life on Campaign Trail
Please see below excerpted remarks from Governor Palin at an October rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania where she talked about compassion and promoting a culture of life in contrast to Barack Obama’s extreme and troubling record on abortion “In this same spirit, as defenders of the culture of life, John McCain and I believe in the goodness and potential of every innocent life. I believe the truest measure of any society is how it treats those who are least able to defend and speak for themselves. And who is more vulnerable, or more innocent, than a child? When I learned that my son Trig would have special needs, I had to prepare my heart for the challenges to come. At first I was scared, and Todd and I had to ask for strength and understanding. But I can tell you a few things I’ve learned already. Yes, every innocent life matters. Everyone belongs in the circle of protection. Every child has something to contribute to the world, if we give them that chance. There are the world’s standards of perfection … and then there are God’s, and these are the final measure. Every child is beautiful before God, and dear to Him for their own sake. As for our beautiful baby boy, for Todd and me, he is only more precious because he is vulnerable. In some ways, I think we stand to learn more from him than he does from us. When we hold Trig and care for him, we don’t feel scared anymore. We feel blessed. It’s hard to think of many issues that could possibly be more important than who is protected in law and who isn’t – who is granted life and who is denied it. So when our opponent, Senator Obama, speaks about questions of life, I listen very carefully. I listened when he defended his unconditional support for unlimited abortions. He said that a woman shouldn’t have to be – quote – “punished with a baby.” He said that right here in Johnstown –“punished with a baby” – and it’s about time we called him on it. The more I hear from Senator Obama, the more I understand why he is so vague and evasive on the subject. Americans need to see his record for what it is. It’s not negative or mean-spirited to talk to about his record. Whatever party you belong to, there are facts you need to know. Senator Obama has voted against bills to end partial-birth abortion. In the Illinois Senate, a bipartisan continued on page 4
Annisa “I could stay home and never share this with anyone and continue to let the past keep me silent and silence my voice, but God’s way is so much more beautiful than what I experienced in the past that I cannot be quiet about it. I’m a willing agent of the Lord. I want to be His hands here on earth and to help guide women into such things as the Forgiven and Set Free bible study to show them, as I say in the film, that there is joy on the other side of abortion.” “When I think of the women who accepted a lie, I want to bring them the truth that only comes from God and I want to help free them from the denial and the anger that it takes to sustain that state of denial,” stated Annisa. “I think of Romans 1:25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Any woman who has an abortion is serving ‘created things’ instead of serving Him and understanding that all children are created in His image.” Dawn “I started coming forward talking out about my abortion because I started meeting other women who’ve been hurt by abortion who were asking for help. The fact is we’ve been told we’re ‘making it up’, or there was ‘something the matter with us’ before the abortion, and so ‘it isn’t really the abortion’ that has hurt us. I want women to know that Post Abortion Stress Syndrome is real, and that abortion can and does hurt women. I think the fact that we’ve been ignored and trivialized by the pro-choice people has hurt their cause, and pushed us (those hurt by abortion) to the point that we need to demand that they stop ignoring this problem, to let them know that we are not going away, and that we will not be silent anymore.” The 54 minute video is currently airing on public access channels in Newport, Middlebury, Burlington, Milton, Rutland and Montpelier. If you would like to obtain a copy of the DVD Abortion Hurts Women in order to have it air on the public access channel in your area, call VRLC at 229-4885. To locate the public access channel in your area go to www.vermontaccess.net
Washington Assisted Suicide Referendum Actor Martin Sheen Featured in Ads Opposed to Suicide
Olympia, WA Leading pro-life advocates are worried that the campaign to make Washington the second state to legalize assisted suicide is gaining momentum. They say the organization behind the ballot proposal has raised almost $1 million, including hundreds of thousands from its Oregon colleagues. Oregon is currently the only state in the nation that permits assisted suicide and most other states make the practice illegal. California, Hawaii, Michigan, Maine and Vermont have all turned back either ballot initiatives or legislation to allow assisted suicide over the last several years. Internationally, only Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands allow assisted suicide. Backers of the ballot measure (I-1000) have submitted over 300,000 valid signatures to the secretary of state and the measure will qualify for placement on the Washington ballot. While pro-life groups, disability rights activists, and medical professionals are already educating state residents about the dangers of the idea, one euthanasia opponent says he’s concerned pro-life people are not more alarmed and getting active in opposing it. continued on page 4
A Planned Parenthood Birth Announcement
MOTHER: BIRTHDATE: WEIGHT: Miss Informed Cancelled To Be Carried By the Mother For Life
BABY’S NAME: Unwanted
Life: Priority One
The fight to restore the right to life of all human persons, born and unborn, will reach fever pitch in the days and months to come. Because pro-life people have continued to speak up, abortion will be a much-discussed issue leading up to the 2008 elections and will impact the outcome of elections all across the country. A great deal hangs in the balance…. and not just the makeup of the US Supreme Court and the US Congress, but the next President, and the Vermont Legislature. Once again, pro-life voters can expect to be labeled ‘single-issue’ voters--a term intended to marginalize and stigmatize, and when used to describe those who passionately believe in the sanctity of human life, one that misses the point entirely. First, pro-life concerns span issues ranging from abortion and infanticide, physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia to embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, and much more. Pro-lifers cannot plausibly be called ‘single issue’ voters due, quite simply, to the scope of their concerns. Second, it is not a matter of ‘single issue’ voting, but a matter of prioritizing the most fundamental of our rights and the very reason our form of government was established in the first place. “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” --Declaration of Independence, 1776. “The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the first and only legitimate object of good government.” --Thomas Jefferson to Maryland Republicans, 1809. Our founding fathers laid out our rights and then placed them in the right order. Our Right to Life is the First Right. Politicians and candidates for office can and will believe in different approaches to resolving pressing issues ranging from war to taxes to education and more – and do so with all sincerity. But when elected officials or candidates align themselves with the pro-abortion agenda, that becomes another matter entirely. There are issues that transcend the politics of the day – issues that touch on our very humanity – slavery, racism, human rights, sterilization and eugenics, anti-Semitism, and, today, abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. This is why pro-life voters do not vote straight party line. Rather, they seek out those men and women, of any party, who know the real cost of abortion, both to unborn babies and to the mothers whose lives are forever changed by it. Pro-life voters want to be represented by those who will cast their legislative votes to protect human life. A candidate or elected official who can disregard his or her unborn constituents does not understand the most fundamental principal of all – that Life is the First Right. Pro-lifers are not ‘single-issue’ voters. We are priority voters. Life is priority one. Meg Barnes Chair, Vermont Right to Life Political Committees
Knights of Columbus Vermont State Council
The Vermont Right to Life Committee extends sincere gratitude to the Vermont State Council of the Knights of Columbus for adopting the following pro-life resolutions at their 2008 Convention and for their consistent support for the cause of life itself here in our state. Resolutions adopted at the Vermont State Council Knights of Columbus Convention 2008 WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of the United States did, on January 22, 1973, sanction abortion on demand throughout this Nation; and WHEREAS, our Holy Mother Church throughout the world has unequivocally condemned this practice as sinful, and a most grievous affront to the Almighty God, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Vermont State Council Knights of Columbus, urge all Councils and members within the jurisdiction of Vermont to support financially and physically the Pro-Life Movement; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President, our Governor, our two U.S. Senators, our Congressman, and the Vermont Right to Life Committee.
Mark Your Calendars ~ Upcoming Pro-Life Events
Population Expert to Speak at Rally for Life in Montpelier ~ Saturday, January 17, 2009
Featuring Guest Speaker Steven Mosher of Population Research Council
March for Life - Thursday, January 22, 2009 in Washington D.C. Pro-Life Lobby Day - Thursday, April 9th 2009 State House - Montpelier
Rally for Life Speaker Steven W. Mosher
Steven W. Mosher is an internationally recognized authority on China and population issues, as well as an acclaimed author, speaker, and president of the Population Research Institute (PRI). He has worked tirelessly since 1979 to fight coercive population control programs and has helped hundreds of thousands of women and families worldwide over the years. He has also appeared numerous times before Congress as an expert in world population, China, and human rights abuses. Steve has made TV appearances on Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, The Today Show, 20/20, FOX and CNN news, as well as being a regular guest on talk radio shows across the nation. He is also the author of the best-selling A Mother’s Ordeal: One Woman’s Fight Against China’s One-Child Policy. Other books include Hegemon: China’s Plan to Dominate Asia and the World, China Attacks, China Misperceived: American Illusions and Chinese Reality, Journey to the Forbidden China, and Broken Earth: The Rural Chinese. Articles by Steve have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, The New Republic, The Washington Post, National Review, Reason, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Freedom Review, and numerous other publications. Steven Mosher lives in Virginia with his wife, Vera, and their nine children.
The newly formed Caledonia County Chapter is meeting on the third tuesday of each month, attracting new members and already working hard to make a difference in their local community. Chapter leaders are in front sitting from left to right: Donna Otto, treasurer, Sally Young, Secretary and co-chairs Eric Haselton and Barbara Burrrington
Population Research Institute 1190 Progress Drive Suite 2D P.O. Box 1559 Front Royal, VA 22630 www.pop.org pri@pop.org (540) 622-5240
Recent Pro-Life Activity
June ~ September - Pro-life booths displayed at 6 county fairs over the summer September 24 – November 3 40 Days for Life Prayer and Fasting. October 5th - Life Chain events held in Burlington, Manchester, Middlebury, Montpelier and Newport October 18th - Teens for Life Summit in Lyndonville
Saturday, January 17, 2009 Montpelier
Vermont Right to Life Review Vol. 37 No. 2 Fall Edition 2008. Mary Hahn Beerworth, Editor The Vermont Right to Life Review (ISSN #1086-7384) is published regularly by the Vermont Right to Life Committee, Inc., PO Box 1079, Montpelier, VT 05601. Phone (802) 229-4885. Subscription price is $15.00 per year and should be directed to VRLC, PO Box 1079, Montpelier, VT 05601
Obama Cover-up Revealed
“Newly obtained documents prove that in 2003, Barack Obama, as chairman of an Illinois state Senate committee, voted down a bill to protect live-born survivors of abortion -- even after the panel had amended the bill to contain verbatim language, copied from a federal bill passed by Congress without objection in 2002, explicitly foreclosing any impact on abortion. Obama’s legislative actions in 2003 -- denying effective protection even to babies born alive during abortions -- were contrary to the position taken on the same language by even the most liberal members of Congress. The bill Obama killed was virtually identical to the federal a bill that even NARAL ultimately did not oppose.” Summary and comment by National Right to Life Committee spokesman and lobbyist Douglas Johnson For more information: www. nrlc.org
Obama at Saddleback Showdown with Pastor Rick Warren
Pastor Rick Warren asked both presidential candidates the same questions separately on August 17, 2008. Here was his best question: “At what point does a baby get human rights in your view?” Very simple. But Obama wouldn’t answer it. His now infamous response: “Well, I think that whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.” The most adamant pro-abortion supporter will at least agree that babies acquire human rights when they have been completely delivered. But Barack Obama couldn’t bring himself to say, “At birth.” He wouldn’t confer human rights to newborns. In his interview with Pastor Warren, John McCain stated clearly that he believes that life begins at conception and that, “I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies. That’s my commitment, that’s my commitment to you.”
national RIGHT TO LIFE
(continued from page 1)
Washington Assisted Suicide Referendum
“The initiative to legalize assisted suicide in Washington State appears to be gaining ground,” says Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. “The Death With Dignity I-1000 campaign to legalize assisted suicide in Washington State has effectively raised one million dollars,” he explained. “They have organizations such as the leading assisted suicide lobby group - Compassion & Choices, working to raise more money on a national basis and they have the former governor of Washington State, Booth Gardner, as a lead campaigner.” “Every American who opposes assisted suicide, whether they be disability rights activists, palliative care professionals, pro-life supporters or any person in general, needs to join the campaign to oppose I-1000,” he urged. “The campaign against assisted suicide in Washington must become the priority for all Americans who oppose assisted suicide,” he concluded. However, the leading group in Washington battling against the November ballot measure to legalize assisted suicide has launched its first set of radio ads. The spots feature actor Martin Sheen, a pro-life Democrat known for his role as the president in the popular television drama West Wing. “Hello, this is Martin Sheen with an urgent message about Initiative 1000,” he says in the ad. “It’s a dangerous idea that could hurt low-income people who need medical care,” Sheen explains. “It’s a step backwards and I urge you to vote no.” “Initiative 1000 would open up a loophole that health care insurers could exploit to cut payments for the disabled and the working poor -- encouraging them to use assisted suicide,” Sheen says. “This is exactly the wrong direction for real health care in America. We have a long way to go to fix our system and guarantee coverage for everyone. We fought hard for the protections and care we do have and Initiative 1000 is not the answer. It’s opposed by nurses, disability groups and the 9,000 doctors in the Washington State Medical Association,” Sheen concludes. “People who are ill need real medical care and compassion and not lethal drugs.” The Coalition Against Assisted Suicide is behind the ads, which highlight the coalition of groups -pro-life, medical and disability related -- that oppose I-1000. Related web sites: Washington Coalition Against Assisted Suicide http://www.noassistedsuicide.com Human Life of Washington -- http:// www.humanlife.net Editor’s Note: Legislation to legalize physician assisted suicide was defeated here in Vermont in 2007 by a vote of 83 to 62. However, if the pro-suicide forces are successful in Washington State, it is likely that they will focus once again on our state. We need to remain alert and prepared.
40 Days for Life Campaign
Photo courtesy of Agnes Clift
Adult Stem Cells Restore Child’s Sight
Two-year-old Elio Burgos, who was born blind, is now able to see, thanks to a series of adult stemcell treatments. Elio was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia, an underdeveloped optic nerve. His mother found a hospital in China that offered umbilical cord stem-cell treatments that could improve her son’s sight. The Florida family flew to China so Elio could undergo the treatments. Now, fewer than three months after his treatments — a series of cell injections consisting of 10 to 15 million healthy umbilical cord stem cells — Elio’s eyesight has gone from 20/1200 to 20/200 and will hopefully continue to improve during the next seven months. “While there have been unethical and dangerous experiments done in China with destructive embryonic stemcell research,” said Dawn Vargo, bioethics analyst for Focus on the Family Action, “it’s nice to see that ethical treatments that can cure patients are finally getting some attention.”
left to right: Agnes Clift, Father Rick Danielson, Michele Morin, Jackie Luce and Bridget Mount
After weeks of preparation, the 40 Days for Life Campaign kicked off in Burlington, Vermont on September 23 with an evening vigil attended by 20 people. We are still working on improving the organization of this effort and thank all those who have been providing support and encouragement. We have been coming remarkably close to our goal of covering 12 hours each day and are excited about the incredible experience this has been thus far. On the first day we had at least eight hours covered, and by Thursday and Friday of that week ten hours were filled. Lots of people participated over the weekend though some hours were left open. Many people are committing to long hours, others are promising to be there but can’t commit to specific hours. About half the hours have been covered by people who have not made a commitment but
who come by when they can. Monday we had visitors from Florida, Texas and Mississippi who were delighted to see a forty days vigil in Vermont and took time from their travels to stop and pray with us. It is very important to be there as much as we can. We have had much encouragement from people passing by. We have had a few people who have confronted us but they were disarmed by a lack of response to their rude behavior. We will keep them in our prayers along with the many babies we wish to save and the vulnerable women who become victims of the same illusions. We invite you to come join us anytime from 7 am to 7pm through Nov 2 on Mansfield Avenue across from Planned Parenthood. Visit our website at www.40daysforlife.com/burlington or call 650-0690 to sign up for vigil hours.
International Pro-Life News
Psychiatrists Warn That Abortions Cause Problems England’s Royal College of Psychiatrists has stated that abortion businesses should tell women that abortion presents numerous mental health risks, and stated that abortion shouldn’t be done unless women are counseled on these possible risks. The abortionist “should assess for mental disorder and for risk factors that may be associated with subsequent development of problems.” British Women Regret Abortions A British pro-life group placed ads in women’s magazines asking their reaction today to past abortions. Over 82% of the women who responded, “deeply regretted their abortion decisions” while 26% had “few or no” regrets. Even among those who said that it was “the right thing” at that time; many said they would not want to do it again.
Sarah Palin continued
majority passed legislation against that practice. Senator Obama opposed that bill. He voted against it in committee, and voted “present” on the Senate floor. In that legislature, “present” is how you vote when you’re against something, but don’t want to be held to account. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a Democrat, described partial-birth abortion as “too close to infanticide.” Barack Obama thinks it’s a constitutional right, but he is wrong. Most troubling, as a state senator, Barack Obama wouldn’t even stand up for the rights of infants born alive during an abortion. These infants – often babies with special needs – are simply left to die. In 2002, Congress unanimously passed a federal law to require medical care for those babies who survive an abortion. They’re living, breathing babies, but Senator Obama describes them as “pre-viable.” This merciful law was called the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Illinois had a version of the same law. Obama voted against it. Asked about this vote, Senator Obama assured a reporter that he’d have voted “yes” on that bill if it had contained language similar to the federal version of the Born Alive Act. There’s just one little problem with that story: the language of both the state and federal bills was identical. “In short, Senator Obama is a politician who has long since left behind even the middle ground on the issue of life. He has sided with those who won’t even protect a child born alive. And this exposes the emptiness of his promises to move beyond the “old politics.” In both parties, Americans have many concerns to be weighed in the votes they cast on November fourth. In times like these, with wars and a financial crisis, it’s easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life. And it seems our opponent hopes that you will forget. Like so much else in his agenda, he hopes you won’t notice how radical his ideas and record are until it’s too late. But let there be no misunderstanding about the stakes. A vote for Barack Obama is a vote for activist courts that will continue to smother the open and democratic debate we need on this issue, at both the state and federal level. A vote for Barack Obama would give the ultimate power over the issue of life to a politician who has never once done anything to protect the unborn. As Senator Obama told Pastor Rick Warren, it’s above his pay grade. For a candidate who talks so often about “hope,” he offers no hope at all in meeting this great challenge to the conscience of America. There is a growing consensus in our country that we can overcome narrow partisanship on this issue, and bring all the resources of a generous country to the aid of both women in need and the child waiting to be born. We need more of the compassion and idealism that our opponent’s own party, at its best, once stood for. We need the clarity and conviction of leaders like the late Governor Bob Casey. He represented a humanity that speaks to all of us – no matter what our party, our background, our faith, or our gender. And no matter your position on this sensitive subject, I hope that spirit will guide you on Election Day. I ask you to vote for McCain-Palin on the November fourth, and help us to bring this country together in the rational discussion of compassion and life.”
Volunteer Judy Sekerak of Milton donating one day bi-monthly to help VRLC with mailings, the Baby Bootie Campaign to raise funds with a host of other projects.
Be sure to get your Pro-life Voter Guide before you vote Nov 4th .