Planned Parenthood Releases Annual Report…Finally
Pro-abortion empire nears $1 billion in annual income.  This is an 8.9% increase over the previous reporting period.  Nearly one third of its income ($272.7 million) came from the pockets of American taxpayers.  This not-for-profit entity ends every fiscal year with tens of millions of dollars in “excess revenue over expenses,” which is known to most people as “profit.”  The excess for 2004-2005 alone was a staggering $63 million.  Planned Parenthood killed 225,015 preborn human beings in 2004 (up four percent from 2003), generating an estimated $95 million.  Only 1,414 customers were referred to adoption agencies, down more than 20% from 2003.  They have sold 983,537 “emergency” birth control kits in 2004.  (Source: Life Decisions International)  There is good news…Ohio is ranked low on Planned Parenthood’s scale—due to our HB 530 that instilled language that de-funded Planned Parenthood grants for abortion, abortion counseling or abortion referrals and gives a preference for grants to local departments of health.

Ms. Magazine Has Women Sign ‘We Had Abortions’ Petition
Ms. magazine is releasing its fall issue next week with a cover story titled "We Had Abortions," accompanied by the names of five thousand women nationwide who signed a petition making that declaration. The publication coincides with the abortion-rights movement.  They plan to send the petition to Washington to support legislation in favor of abortions. Here are some of the comments made by those who signed the petition:

Jones said she got an abortion 10 years ago enduring harassment from protesters when she entered the clinic in order to finish high school. She went on to become the first member of her family to graduate from college, and hopes at some point to attend law school. "I wanted to do something bigger with myself I didn't want to be stopped by anything," she said in a telephone interview.

Another signatory, Debbie Findling of San Francisco, described her difficult decision last year to have an abortion after tests showed that she would bear a son with Down syndrome. "I felt it was my right to make the decision, but having that right doesn't make the decision any easier," she said. "It was the hardest decision I've ever made."

Findling, 42, is married, with a 5-year-old daughter, and has been trying to get pregnant again while pursuing her career as a philanthropic foundation executive. She says too many of her allies in the abortion-rights movement tend to minimize, at least publicly, the psychological impact of abortion. "It's emotionally devastating," she said in a phone interview. "I don't regret my decision but I regret having been put in the position to have to make that choice. It's something I'll live with for the rest of my life."

Warren Buffett: Killing with Kindness
Warren Buffett will give a giant share of their immense wealth to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Buffet gave $2-3 million dollars to fund research and clinical trials needed to bring RU-486, the abortion pill, to the market.  Thanks to the Buffetts, and other promoters of abortion for population control, the drug was fast tracked and approved under an order from President Clinton.  Since then approximately 500,000 American babies have been killed with RU-486.

New Embryo Hype:  Safe, but Dead?
August, 2006—the media was excited about a new embryonic stem cell study, not because it yields new medical treatments, but because it claimed the technique does not harm embryonic human beings.  Unfortunately, this is merely a hypothesis.  The truth, is that in conducting these “tests,” they failed to explain that every embryo used in studying this “embryo safe“ technique was destroyed.   When this and other facts came to life, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops requested a correction from those who had published misleading stories about this technique.  Adult stem cells (the good kind!) have reported recent successes on the treatment of spinal cord injured patients with their own adult stem cells!  

Matthew Kelly Speaks for Respect Life Month
Matthew Kelly, sponsored by the Life Resource Centre, gave 4 talks on Monday, October 2. He stated, “The best way to respect life is to become the best version of yourself.”  He also asked the students at Carroll High School in the morning, “What will you contribute?”  Following the morning talk, Matthew came and spoke with the Life Resource Centre staff.  He gave us great tips for staying focused on our mission, balancing the work we do and our family commitments.  He asked us to choose three things each day for ourselves that make us a better co-worker, parent, spouse, friend.  His three pillars were prayer, 8 hours of sleep, and exercise, every day.  He then spoke to a packed hall of UD Students!  He spoke on healthy relationships and the seven levels of intimacy.  Finally, he went back to Carroll High School to speak again to over 300 people, building on the morning talk for parents and kids.  It was an amazing day!  --Are you helping your loved ones and those around you be the best version of themselves?

Coerced Abortion is Illegal
Did you know that coerced abortion is illegal?  Regardless of age?  Even a parent cannot force their child to have an abortion.  It is illegal.  In addition, a guilt-prompted abortion will produce even more traumatizing guilt in her, when she later fully realizes she has killed her own child.  The good news is, she has several Ohio laws on her side.  The bad news is, she is often times on her own to fight the coerced abortion.  Her support system is often times the individuals who are forcing the abortion.   Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 2919.12(A) states “No person shall perform or induce an abortion without the informed consent of the pregnant woman.”  There are others as well, such as ORC Section 2317.56(B)(4), “…She consents to the particular abortion voluntarily, knowingly, intelligently, and without coercion by any person, and she is not under the influence of any drug of abuse or alcohol.”  All in the pro-life movement need to be very conscious of this law, and be able to support pregnant women who are feeling coerced into abortion.  We have access to pro-life attorneys, homes, and services that can help.

Yale Medical Students Train at Planned Parenthood By Liz Townsend
Residents at the Yale School of Medicine, required to have abortion training unless they have religious or moral objections, now take a six-week course in abortion techniques at a Planned Parenthood of Connecticut (PPC) facility, according to Yale Daily News.

The collaboration between Yale and PPC began in 2005, when professors realized that the residents were performing "too few" abortions at Yale-New Haven Hospital, the Daily News reported. At PPC's Whitney Street abortion clinic, "they are trained in both vacuum aspiration and medication abortion procedures," according to Planned Parenthood's Choice! magazine, along with other clinic "services."

PPC officials enthusiastically praised the program. "Yale is very satisfied with the experience and training the residents are receiving at PPC and are especially happy with the number of patients the residents see," Mary Bawza, chief operating officer of PPC, told Choice!. "After our first year we have learned a great deal about running a residency program and look forward to the next round of residents."

Yale professors criticized the school's abortion training before the PPC collaboration, bemoaning the limited opportunities to do abortions. "We did some abortions," Prof. Susan Richman told the Daily News. "But those of us who wanted more training always had to go to Planned Parenthood."

Not everyone at Yale supports the Planned Parenthood training. "If physicians take the Hippocratic Oath--which in its classical version explicitly prohibits abortions--or believe that life begins at conception," Yale pre-med student Stephen Kappa told the Daily News, "then requiring them to learn and practice abortions amounts to nothing less than a coerced violation of that oath and their beliefs."

Despite the professed opportunity for residents to opt out of abortion training, all six residents in the program last year participated in the abortion program, the Daily News reported.

Other Planned Parenthood affiliates are following Connecticut's lead and partnering with local universities to train students in abortion. Over 150 physicians and residents are currently training at 37 Planned Parenthood affiliates, according to the Daily News.

Women's Med Center Operates Without License
DAYTON-The clinic in Kettering, Ohio where partial birth abortions occur at the hands of Dr. Martin Haskell lost a round in its on going battle with the Ohio Department of Health over the issuance of a license to operate as an ambulatory surgical facility (ASF). On February 17 the Sixth Circuit Court ruled that a previous permanent injunction against an order from the ODH to cease and desist was vacated, with a caveat favoring Dr. Haskell and the Women’s Medial Professional Corporation, which operates the Women’s Medical Center of Kettering.

Judge Julie Smith Gibbons’ ruling read, in part “we affirm the district court with respect to its conclusion that WMPC’s procedural due process rights were violated, but vacate the grant of a permanent injunction and remand the case for a hearing on the proposed denial of the license application.”

Under Ohio law an ASF must meet the licensing requirements or apply for a waiver or variance of the requirement. The (ODH) director can grant a waiver only if “the director determines that the strict application of the license requirement would cause an undue hardship to the [health care facility] and that granting the waiver would not jeopardize the health and safety of any patient.”

In 2000 the Woman’s Medical Center applied for a license, but could not meet the requirements when both Grandview and Miami Valley hospitals refused to sign a patient transfer agreement with Dr. Haskell’s abortion clinic. The Women’s clinic then applied for a wavier from the licensing requirement, stating that Miami Valley Hospital Emergency and Trauma Center would receive patients from the Women’s Center with an “emergency medical condition.”  In addition, Haskell said he had verbal agreements with a “five member obstetrics and gynecology group to provide back-up care.” According to court documents, Haskell would not name the group, at their request.

With the injunction overturned, Haskell is again operating his abortion on Stroop Road illegally. Attorney General Jim Petro’s office said “this is a good ruling” and will “keep fighting” but Christi Dodson, Director of Dayton Right to Life, is concerned the one caveat Judge Gibbons offered might give Haskell the window he’s been looking for. Initially, when he was refused a license, Haskell was not afforded the right to a hearing.  Dodson is concerned the threat of a prolonged hearing might dissuade Dr. Baird from pursuing anything other then issuing a waiver.

“Pray and pray hard,” said Dodson when asked about a February 20 alert she sent out to pro-lifers. In the alert, called “Project Abortion Free Zone” Dodson applauded the ruling, reminding supporters “…Dr. Haskell…testified in this case that he ends 3000 innocent lives every year at his facility; and he believes his center does not need to meet the requirements of licensing for surgical facilities….”

To help shore up the efforts of the Ohio Department of Health, Dodson is directing Dayton Right to Life to focus its attention and volunteer and financial recourses “on this one issue right now. We are looking for volunteer researchers and financial assistance,” said Dodson.

According to Dodson, and confirmed by the court documents, close to 1000 letters were sent to the ODH in 2000, to close the clinic and enforce the law against operating without a license. Dodson added, “Looking back, Dayton Right to Life and Ohio Right to Life greatly influenced Dr. Baird (in the decision to order the clinic closed). We may soon encourage pro-lifers to begin the writing campaign again, but sees this “small window of opportunity “to do more than write letters at this time.

Dodson concluded, “I have to know in my mind that we have done everything we possibly can do and do it right. I don’t want to give him any option.”  (Printed in the Christian Citizen, May edition)