PERSONHOOD!!!

Shaun Kenney at Red State has a brilliant analysis of why Personhood needs to be pursued...and NOW!  Please take a moment to read the article and consider getting involved in Delaware.  We currently have a petition being signed.  Let me know if you're interested.  Email me if you'd like more information!

Deadly drug - Ella

From Americans United for Life on the abortion drug ella.

More on Susan G. Komen Foundation

For those of you who are dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, but don't want to support an organization that awards grants to the nation's largest abortion provider, please click here for a list of ethical breast cancer organizations. The Bioethics Defense Fund is a great resource.

And for further indisputable proof and facts of the Komen/PP connection, click here. Note this very interesting exchange between Komen and Curves:

• KOMEN'S EXPRESS POLICY ALLOWING PLANNED PARENTHOOD GRANTS:Because Komen refused their request to stop providing grants to Planned Parenthood, Curves, a privately held fitness franchise firm owned by women’s health advocate Gary Heavin, ceased supporting Komen events. Here is Komen’s response by its Public Relations Manager Kristin Kelly:
  

"The Komen Foundation is confident that none of its community Affiliates have stopped funding Planned Parenthood as a result of the pressure from Curves, Operation Save America or any other organization. In fact, when faced with opposition from Curves or the threat that Curves franchises would no longer support the Foundation unless Planned Parenthood funding was eliminated, the Komen Foundation told Mr. Heavin (founder and CEO of Curves) that we would not, in any way, undermine the integrity of our grant-making process. In addition the Foundation told Mr. Heavin that it would continue to allow Komen Affiliates to provide breast health education and screening grants to Planned Parenthood if the grant application was approved through the process outlined above. As a result, Curves chose to suspend its support of Komen Affiliate events, including sponsorship of the Komen Race for the Cure (r). In 2003, Komen Affiliates awarded $38.4 million in grants to support community outreach programs, including 21 grants to their local Planned Parenthood chapters totaling more than $475,000."

Source: Komen website as copied into Powerpoint Presentation by Eve Sanchez, former Komen board member,http://stopabortionbreastcancer.org/talks/denver_silver060930.pdf

Don't let all the tap-dancing fool you. Just because Komen claims the money it gives PP is used solely for breast services (as opposed to abortion services), it doesn't take a genius to figure out that that only frees up other monies for them to use for abortion services. For instance, you have two $10 bills in your pocket. Your mom gave you one, and your friend gave you the other. Your mom tells you not to buy cigarettes with the $10 she gives you. That clearly doesn't mean she thinks it's o.k. to buy cigarettes with the other $10 bill. It doesn't matter where the bills come from...you're not supposed to buy cigarettes!

Please, please, please spread the word about this. Support Curves. Pressure Komen. Post it to Facebook, Twitter, blog it, whatever you need to do. I know there are SO many people out there who would not support Komen or would demand they stop supporting PP if they knew this was going on. I'll be the first to admit, that it's a shame that this is going on. Besides supporting PP, this is a wonderful organization dedicated to fighting a horrible disease. But we can't claim to be for saving women's lives if we're funding the killing of girls in the womb.

The Komen-Abortion Link

I really hate to have to bring this to you, and though it's not recent news, it still isn't common knowledge. While we all want to eradicate breast cancer, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation seems like a champion of women's lives, please be aware that there is an unfortunate link between this foundation and the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. How can a foundation as important as Komen in fighting a disease as destructive as breast cancer, also funnel money through an organization that has killed thousands of unborn women each year? Not to mention the obvious abortion-breast cancer link, which is described in detail below. It's a shame. The following editorial was posted on LifeNews.com.*

*LifeNews.com Note: Hannah Carter is the director of education for Georgia Right to Life, a statewide pro-life group. This opinion column originally appeared on the GRTL blog web site.

Like many families, my grandmother and great-grandmother both had breast cancer. The issue of wanting to fight what harms your family or friends is noble. So when I tell people that I do not support Susan G. Komen an organization that exists to “fight breast cancer”, I normally get the look of one: why would you abandon your family or two: oh there goes one of those extremist.

However, my reasons are not that extreme, but rather principled.

I'm sure many of you reading this article have also been confronted with the issue of if I ‘m pro-life then how can I support an organization that supports the nation’s leading abortion provider. Hopefully, the following principles can shed some light on how to respond sympathetically, yet firm with why you cannot wear pink, or join the race, or all the various ways that Susan G. Komen is supported.

Principle # 1 Don't give to organizations that promote the shedding of innocent blood.

If this were a list of commandments, we could start with Thou Shall Not Kill. However, Proverbs 6:17 states that one of the seven things God hates are hands that shed innocent blood.

Unfortunately, Susan G. Komen has given over $3 million dollars between 2003 and 2008 to Planned Parenthood which is the nation’s leading abortion provider.

While Susan G. Komen makes claims that these grants go for breast exams, once the funds go to Planned Parenthood they are fungible. For example, you can throw two twenty dollar bills into a purse one from a friend and one from your own account, but when you go to pay the light bill you use both.

The same is true with Planned Parenthood’s money it receives from Komen. Whenever someone applies for a grant they can say that while this $5,000 is going to breast cancer research, 20 percent of that money is going to pay for administrative costs like keeping the lights on and paying rent. So in essence, the money that people are raising to fight breast cancer is also going to keep the lights on at Planned Parenthood.

According to the 2008 Annual Report from Planned Parenthood, breast cancer services decreased by 4% and abortion procedures increased by 6%. In 2008, Susan G. Komen gave $731,000 to Planned Parenthood.

Principle # 2 Know and Recognize the Risk Factors for the Disease You are Trying to Prevent.

There are certain risks that can increase an individual’s chance of getting breast cancer. While Susan G. Komen says that they believe in knowing your risk factors, they have repeatedly denied the link between breast cancer and one of the greatest avoidable risk factors, abortion.

According to Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, “29 out of 38 worldwide epidemiological studies show an increased risk of breast cancer of approximately 30% among women who have had an abortion.”

When a woman has an abortion she interrupts the natural process of estrogen production and breast development. When a woman first becomes pregnant her body produces a Type 1 carcinogen, cancer causing agent, estrogen in order to nourish and provide for the baby. If the mother has her child, her body stops producing as much estrogen and her breasts mature. However, if that process is interrupted, the estrogen production continues and her breasts stay in an immature state, making them more susceptible to breast cancer.

Groups like Susan G. Komen acknowledge that the level of exposure to estrogen throughout a woman’s lifetime is one of the greatest predictors for breast cancer. Sadly, they do not acknowledge that the increased exposure to estrogen after an abortion could increase risks of breast cancer as well. For an organization whose primary goal is “to have a world without breast cancer”, you would think they would try to let women know of all the risk factors for breast cancer, especially those that are preventable like abortion.

Recently, in an article by Jill Stanek, pro-life author and blogger, asked a very thought-provoking question, “Is it really “morally permissible” to cause breast cancer in one room if screening for it in the next?”

Stanek also noted in her article that recently that the ties between Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen are running deeper and deeper. See an excerpt below from Stanek’s article:

Three days ago a diligent pro-lifer in Washington state discovered on Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest’s IRS 990 forms that it has held a 12.5 percent share in Metro Centre, a mall in Peoria, Ill., since 2006. PPGNW is Washington’s largest abortion provider. (It is also currently under investigation for Medicaid fraud.) Metro Centre is owned by Eric Brinker. Eric Brinker is the son of Nancy Goodman Brinker, the founder of SGK.

Eric also sits on SGK’s board. Eric was a stand-up guy and responded to most of my initial questions. He explained in an e-mail, “This share represents a minority, non-operating interest in the business which they inherited from one of the original shareholders, a resident of Peoria. I, Eric Brinker, have controlling interest in Metro Centre.” But when I pursued follow-up questions, Eric wrote he was no longer available. So there is much still unanswered. Why didn't PPGNW cash in its inheritance? Why didn't Eric buy? If the share was willed, it was worth something. The real-estate market was thriving in 2006. It appears both partners are OK with this now four-year-old business partnership.

In essence, Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen’s nephew own a mall together.

The bottom line is that Susan G. Komen is not accomplishing its mission every time it gives to Planned Parenthood.

Every time a woman has an abortion and part of the money to fund that center staying open came from Komen, they are putting women at a greater risk for breast cancer.

Every organization no matter how noble the cause they claim to represent seems to be needs to be held accountable.

The question is will you?

Upcoming Pro-Life Events...

Holy Family Pro-Life Youth Rally

On Friday, September 17th, Holy Family Parish will be holding a pro-life youth rally. The event starts with dinner at 6:00 and will feature speakers from Generation Life and the musical talents of Caitlin Jane and Marie Miller. The event is FREE! Ages 13& up.

Please go here to print out the flyer and help get the word out!

DRTL Banquet

This year's Delaware Right to Life Banquet will be held at the Sheraton Dover Hotel on Thursday September 30th. Cocktail hour begins at 5:00 with dinner and presentation to follow. Tickets are only $20.00. The keynote speaker at this year's event will be David Kyle, Director of the abortion business documentary Blood Money.

Help spread the news about the event by printing out the flyer here.

Holy Family Pro-Life Youth Rally!

Better late than never!

Here are a few pics of me from American Life League's Personhood Convention, way back in January. It was held the day before the 2010 March for Life in DC. What an AWESOME day! I met some really inspiring people and gained a lot of insight on the Personhood Movement.

Nicole with Keith Mason, Co-Founder of Personhood USA

Nicole with Jill Stanek, pro-life blogger, nurse, and all-around amazing woman!

Nicole with Deal Hudson, pro-life Catholic author, blogger, writer

Walking for Life at the Beach

I spoke at a rally for the Walk for Life in Lewes, DE a couple of weeks ago. What a great event! I'm so thrilled that the passionate folks in Southern DE have been inspired to put an event like this together. I see it only getting bigger and bigger every year.

Just starting out

Save the humans!

And not a bad location either!

Dine Out to Benefit DRTL!

A Toast to Moms!

Delaware Right to Life Fundraiser Party

Join DRTL at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Wilmington for our "A Toast to Moms" Fundraiser on May 10, 2010!

We invite you, your family and friends to join us for good food and festivity, while 20% of your expenditure on food (excludes alcohol, tax and gratuity) will be donated by Iron Hill in support of DRTL's pro-life work. Come in and dine anytime between 5-10pm.

Invite as many guests as you can get in the door. Come in singles, couples, or large groups.

Make sure to bring your Fundraiser Coupon! Click here to print, and pass them out to friends! Present this coupon with your check.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is located at 2502 West 6th Street,Wilmington, DE 19805. (302) 888-BREW.

For questions and more information, contact Kathy at volunteers@derighttolife.org.

On Genocide

The Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) is coming to the University of Delaware this week (April 21/22 on the UD Green. If you're around, stop by!). GAP is a traveling display of large photos of aborted children, that travels to college campuses around the country. The goal is to get the public - namely students - to think differently about abortion and all circumstances surrounding it. You can see photos from different campuses here. WARNING: they are graphic.

An example of the display.

DRTL is a co-sponsor. I attended an amazing pro-life apologetics seminar yesterday, held for all those who plan to volunteer at the display. Some of it was a refresher for me. But a lot of it was completely new. The facts weren't new - they never change. But the way of thinking and arguing the abortion issue was new. And amazing.

I'm going to post more on the content of the apologetics in a series of future posts. But for now, I want to address abortion as genocide. GAP, obviously, defines abortion as a genocide, comparing it to other genocides like the ones in Rwanda and Darfur, the Holocaust, slavery, and Cambodia. Many people are uncomfortable with this analogy.

"Genocide" is defined as: "The deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, racial, religious, political, cultural, ethnic, or other group defined by exterminators as undesirable."

Abortion is certainly deliberate. Not many women "accidentally" kill their wanted unborn child. If they do that, ironically, it's a homicide. But that's another post.

Abortion is systematic. We have killing centers that we call abortion clinics. It is funded and approved by the government. We have lobbying groups that exist solely to keep the practice legal.

Abortion is the destruction of a group - the unborn - deemed undesirable by the exterminators. An "unwanted pregnancy" is undesirable by the pregnant mother.

Take, for example, the slavery and the civil rights movement. During slavery, blacks were considered less than human. 2/3 of a person, in fact. Whites deemed black undesirable and were therefore allowed to own, trade, beat, and kill them when they didn't perform.

Take, for instance, the Holocaust. Jews were deemed undesirable by the Nazis and were therefore starved, gassed and forced into concentration camps.

Today, it is obvious that most of us in America believe that both of these circumstances were heinous and morally wrong. Why, then, do we allow, justify, and fight for the right to do the same thing to the unborn?

My husband sent me a comment to an article that he read today. It said:

"I prefer that someone aborts a baby that they don’t want than have it and treat the baby/child as though they are sorry they had it. While it’s obviously sad to kill any baby for any reason, someone having a baby they don’t want will ultimately only hurt the child more in the end."

Unfortunately I've heard that before. In fact, in a conversation with a friend, she basically made that argument about some of the poor kids at the school where she teaches. She was making that same case for abortion, that it's better that people who can't afford or take care of kids have an abortion. I replied, "those are definitely sad situations but do you really think to yourself 'they'd be better off if they were dead?'" I anticipated a reaction to the effect of, "Of course not! I never thought of it that way!" But instead she just shrugged. That was enlightening.

The best prolife argument to that is to ask the person if they think born children who are abused and don't have the "perfect" life everyone else has should be killed too? If they say no, ask, "Then what's the difference?" I should have asked my friend if she believed that we should have the right to kill those kids now that they're already here.

In this back & forth with my husband on this topic, he responded, "The real question is: what if it was you?"

Exactly. Jen at Conversion Diary has a post about becoming pro-life. One of the turning points for her was when her husband realized that everyone is pro-their OWN life! So who are we to decide who gets to live? Unfortunately, again, some will argue that they'd rather be dead than live in certain situations. Whether that's true or not who knows, but its an argument some ppl make.

And that argument quickly falls apart, because at the beginning of life they wouldn't "rather anything." Someone else is lucky enough to decide for them, whether they like it or not. They only have the power to even believe they'd rather be dead because at someone else's hand, they were allowed to live in the first place. It always boils down to the same thing. We first have to get them to admit that we're dealing with humans...not blobs of flesh. Now that that has been scientifically proven (even though some won't admit it, it's an easy argument to win), we're dealing with the more philosophical argument of who should be the deciding party of who lives and who dies. When people begin arguing that some people should be able to kill born people for one reason or another, then we're dealing with genocide accomplices. And the arguer always somehow vainly assumes they'll be in the deciding party, not thevictim party. Ironic.

Such is the way with genocide. What happens when you are deemed one of the undesirables?

Exposing the LIES

When will our mainstream culture figure this out? This is the mode of operation at almost every Planned Parenthood across the country. But somehow, they still have credibility in the mainstream media and receive billions of tax dollars from the government...even more now, thanks to the stealthscare law. Why is it that small, caring pregnancy centers are victim to these kinds of ordinances such as the fraudulent Baltimore City Council ordinance requiring such centers to post signs stating they do not provide contraception or abortions. Ironically, a PP of Maryland spokesperson said such law is "just responsible policy." Is the video below responsible, PP spokesperson??? Thank God for Lila Rose and her undercover operations at PP "clinics" across the country. She's an amazing young woman. If you don't know her, please check out her organization, LiveAction. And please pass this video around - people need to know the TRUTH!!

The Callousness

I almost threw up when I saw this photo. It was taken at the March for Life in DC, of course by some anti-life protesters.

I'm shocked and appalled at the callousness shown towards this precious boy's life (talk about exploitation...see post below). This sign insinuates that this child's life was not a blessing from God, but was instead at the mercy of his mother and father. It implies that he (and all unborn children) is not a unique and special being, with his own soul, created in the image and likeness of God, but instead a simple decision to be made, depending on how his existence would affect the convenience of his parents. Ugh. I found this image months ago on a blog and it haunts me still. However, I do think it exposes the real mindset of the pro-aborts. Children AREN'T blessings and special individuals with their own souls and purpose. They're simply a by-product of sex whose entire existences are able to be determined by our conveniences. Please pray for this child's parents.

They've hit a new low

Planned Parenthood has hit a new low (Is that a surprise? They kill children.). A fellow pro-lifer brought this to my attention today. Here was her email:

I just visited Planned Parenthood of Delaware's web site and guess what? They are hosting a Pledge-A-Picket fundraising drive! People sign up to pledge $X for each day pro-life folks picket PP organizations between April 5 - June 5 of this year. Whee! Isn't that special??

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/delaware/index.htm

This is ultra sickening. Exploiting (well, let's be honest, it's not new that PP exploits something) our right to free speech to raise money to kill children. We have a group of brave pro-lifers who vigil outside of PP on Friday mornings in Wilmington, and Thursdays in Dover. This email was circulating among us and it was tossed around that we should stop vigiling while this heinous fundraising drive was going on. That could be the worst course of action. This "cutsie" little pledge drive isn't going to make much of a difference for them monetarily. They get loads and loads of money from the government. Money isn't what we, the pro-life movement, are concerned with. We know that one save infuriates them more than any amount of money makes them happy. We can't play into their vile little games. That's exactly what they want - for us to recede so women don't actually have a choice. We have to stay the course...it's obviously working!!

What happens when parents' rights are usurped for the "right to choose"

If you're a parent, especially of a teenage daughter, this article should absolutely infuriate you. A high school in the Seattle area arranged for and transported a teenage girl to have an abortion WITHOUT HER PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE!! Perhaps it's not all that surprising to you in 2010, but it should still infuriate you! This is exactly the goal of the pro-abort movement. They want to usurp parental rights for an absolute "right to choose." They believe a teen, even pre-teen, young girl's right to choose to kill her unborn child is paramount to her parents' knowledge, support, and direction. Because if the parents aren't in control - guess who is? The school and the school's environment. And guess who is penetrating school environment more and more every day? PLANNED PARENTHOOD.

This is no joke, folks. A DRTL member attended a focus group in January held by Planned Parenthood AND the State of Delaware (which, in itself is scary, that they're working together). But scarier still is what came out of the meeting. Here are his notes:

We were all given "resource packets" from PP. I will provide more details later but for now here are some of the things we have to look forward to in a parent mini-course.

According to PP:

By age five your child should:

Know that touching yourself for pleasure is normal,

That a woman does not have to have a baby unless she wants to,

Ages 5 - 7:

Should know that people experience sexual pleasure in a number of ways,

Should know that sexual identity includes sexual orientation - lesbian, gay, strait, or bisexual.

Ages 8 - 12:

Should know that sex is pleasurable, not only a way to have a baby,

Should know how to protect against sexualy transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy

Should know what abortion is,

Should know about contraceptive methods,

Should know that a woman does not need to have sex to get pregnant,

Should know that no one has to become a parent,

Should know that contraceptive options are available including emergency contraception,

Should know how to get contraceptives,

Should be able to talk about how pregnancy can be avoided

Should be able to name a variety of contraceptives

Again - this is not a joke! This is the content that PP is pushing onto public schools. And with all the funding they receive from this federal government - especially now via the "healthcare" bill - they should have no problem passing through the doors. And we wonder why teenage pregnancy rates are so high???

Please, please, please know what your children are learning in "health" classes at school. KNOW what they're being told and given in the nurse's office. KNOW what's happening in the health clinic. Because clearly, when it comes to learning about sex in school, its not just the other students we have to worry about.

This comes as no surprise

It seems Bart Stupak's "pro-life" compromise on healthcare was brokered with a former abortion lobbyist! White House counsel Robert Bauer worked with Stupak to draft this agreement. Bauer, it seems, is a former Planned Parenthood lobbyist and EMILY's List counsel. Wonderful!! If you were on the fence about whether or not this executive order meant anything in the pro-life arena, I think you have your answer.

You're KIDDING.

It's shocking, utterly SHOCKING that Obama has already gone back on a promise! What?? WHAT?!? (Sarcasm alert.) So apparently Obama joyfully signed the healthcare bill into law today (no surprise there), but COMPLETELY IGNORED the executive order that was supposed to magically take abortion funding out of healthcare. "No really, Bart, I promise." I can't believe that Stupak would agree to something like this without the executive order being signed BEFORE his traitorous vote on healthcare. I guess he figured that since Obama hasn't ever gone back on ANY promises, he could trust him on this too! Oh...wait... The most transparent, ethical, honest Congress ever...right?!?

"Freedom dies a little bit today."

It's fitting that after a warm, sunny, beautiful weekend, today is rainy and gloomy. I think someone is sending us a message regarding last night's vote. As Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn said,"Freedom dies a little bit today. Unfortunately some are celebrating." So true.

Most disappointing was Bart Stupak's caving to a phony executive order "compromise." A News Journal reporter called me last night and wanted my opinion on the executive order, and if I truly thought it would stop abortion funding in healthcare. My short answer - no chance. For many reasons:

1. Any executive order can be rescinded as fast as it's signed.

2. I've read the EO. It says nothing. All it does is essentially say "here's what's in the healthcare bill and I, as president, am going to make certain people aware that it says that." Pointless.

3. The EO does not prevent insurance companies that cover abortions from participating in the exchange.

4. Any budgetary issues with legislation have to be amended through legislation. An executive order can't do anything to funding issues. Which brings me to my next point...

5. If Obama & Co. were serious about not using federal dollars to pay for abortion, they would have explicitly and clearly put that kind of language in the bill ages ago.

6. Obama & Co. are SO beholden to Planned Parenthood and the abortion lobby, there's no way he's going to disappoint them.

Then the reporter asked me why I thought Stupak finally gave in. Quite simply: The "D" behind his name. I now don't believe he ever had any intention of voting no on the bill. He just had to hold out for the purpose of coming across as pro-life for his supporters. All he needed was that tiny sliver of light and he always intended to give in. Plus, I told the reporter that I'm certain there were just more backroom payoffs involved. Then I came across this. Coincidence? Wow, less than a million dollars for millions of unborn lives. He's a cheap vote!

So what now? I'm not sure. There's talk of repeal, lawsuits from individual states, etc. I haven't had a chance to let it all sink in yet, but I hope there's hope to turn this around. Otherwise, we can go ahead and change our name to Amerika.

UPDATE: Just came across this video from last year, when Stupak didn't know he was being recorded! Looks like he had no principles all along!

Focus on the Family Update on Tim Tebow

Focus on the Family sheds light on the Tim Tebow ad controversy by sharing how the tv spot came to be...

A Message to Sidewalk Counselors

I was sent the following blog post by a pro-life friend. The blog is written by a priest, who was sent the letter by a friend. As 40 Days for Life approaches, please read this and consider joining the vigil. The importance of sidewalk counselors and vigilers is immeasurable:

A friend from out of state sent along the following message which appeared in the local parish bulletin. It provides a poignant reminder of why it is important to have folks out front of abortion mills. Have a box of tissues ready, just in case.


Dear Father:

I have struggle with writing this letter. I truly feel called to do it, but at the same time, my heart still breaks every time I think of that day. March 6, 1998 - the fact that I was heading towards an abortion clinic hadn't set in yet. I was too busy begging the boy next to me to turn the car around. This boy was supposed to love me.

We'd been dating for over two years when we found out I was pregnant. The plan had been for us to get engaged in two years when he graduated college and marry the year after when I did. I figured this just moved the plan forward a bit. Neither of us had planned on a child yet, but he knew how I felt. We discussed what we would do if this situation popped up. He knew what I believed. He said he believed in a woman's choice and he would support me no matter what.

How naive I was Father. How I wished I had followed the Church's teaching and not had sex until I was married. You see, planning on marrying someone is not the same as actually marrying them. The support is not the same. I also learned the hard way that when the boy said he supported my right to choose, he really meant he supported my right to have an abortion.

This boy I loved had been slowly becoming a dominant force in my life. He had been sweet in high school, but in college jealousy and stress began to take over. I became something he could control and relieve his stress with. Never did I expect him to cross this line though.

I spent a week crying and begging. He spent a week shutting me out. He shoved, grabbed, yelled, and threatened. Then came March 6th: the day of my appointment at the abortion clinic. I was still trying to change his mind.

I told him I thought it was a boy. His name would be Michael. I told him regardless of what he believed, we could at least agree that the potential for life was inside me. If we did nothing, a beautiful child would grow and be born. For a moment I thought he would turn the car around. He just looked at me and said, "You're not going to let this be easy." Of course I wasn't; I didn't want to do it.

My mother had already told me I couldn't come home. I wasn't even allowed to come home just to give the baby up for adoption. She didn't want my siblings to think she approved. So, all my hopes rested on the boy who said he loved me; the boy who said it was my choice. Abortion was not my choice. I wanted my child, but he didn't care.

The closer we got to the clinic the harder I prayed. I prayed for protesters to be outside the clinic doors. I knew I could run to them. I knew they'd keep my child safe. But no one was there in the parking lot. There were no people holding signs. There was no one praying a rosary across the street, waiting to tell me everything would be alright. I was utterly alone.

When we entered the clinic my whole body was shaking with sobs. The lady at the check-in asked if we wanted to t talk to a counselor. The boy shook his head; I told her if we talked to a counselor I'd probably change my mind. She laughed. I had been trying to reach out, to tell her I needed help and she laughed like I made a joke.

The boy and I made our way to the waiting room and sat down. So many faces in there I'll never forget. I watched them go in one by one. My crying was almost uncontrollable now. My helplessness was engulfing me. I wondered why no one in that office came to check o me. Why didn't they say "You don't look ready to make this decision" or "We can't let you do this today" or "We insist you spend time with the counselor first."

No one did. They did come to tell me it was my turn to come down. I followed the lady down the stairs, changed into a gown and sat down with three other girls waiting my turn. I looked around and realized I couldn't do this. I didn't care if I couldn't go home. I would go somewhere, but not here.

I changed back into my clothes and walked up the stairs. I was about 100 feet from the door when he stopped me. I looked up into his face and told him I couldn't do this, we would figure something out. At that moment he grabbed my arm and asked the nurse if there was a room we could talk in. She sent us in a back room alone. She let him lead me away from that front door. She sent on one in to mediate, no one in to check on us.

I had to endure a half hour of hearing how he regretted ever knowing me. He told me that he would take out his hatred for me on this child. He grabbed my face, shoved me into a wall, looked down at me, and told me I could not leave. When I was allowed to leave that conference room, it was because he was sure I had no more fight left. He was sure I knew no one was going to help me.

I flipped him off as I headed back down the stairs. No one stopped me, but by this point I didn't expect it. I knew they weren't really there to help me. They wanted the same thing he did, to rip my child from my womb, to pretend my Michael never was.

The thing no one tells you about abortion is that you hear it. They give you meds to numb your body, but you are awake. I heard them scrape my baby from my body. I had nightmares about that sound for years.

Then I was moved to a recovery room. It was filled with recliners. I sat in one still crying. There was another girl across from me. I asked her how long she thought it would hurt. She gave me the clinical answer of about 4 weeks. No, I told her. How long do you think our hearts will hurt? The girl began to tell me her story, she began to cry as well. This was where the nurse finally intervened. She came and moved the girl away from me. Apparently it was not okay to show emotion for the loss of the children that never were.

Eventually I left that clinic and left that boy. I have never left that experience though. I have never been able to answer all my questions.

I know that it took about 6 years for me to stop having nightmares. I know that I stayed away from Church for about 4 years because I felt unworthy to be there. I know that I spent many nights after the birth of my children wondering what Michael would have been like. I know that I ask God to take care of my little boy in heaven. I know that God forgives. I know that I have been healed in this Church. I know that the pain in my heart will never go away. The past eleven years have dulled the pain, but it will never disappear.

What I don't know...is why I got so close to that door, but never made it out. Why was no one there to help me? Why did they let him take me alone into that conference room? Why did they let me go back down? Why wasn't I strong enough to keep fighting?

I'm not 18 anymore, Father. I am much stronger. While I cannot fight for Michael, I can fight for other women/girls like me. I can fight for children like Michael that deserve the life he never had. Please use this letter however you see fit. Let this experience become something for God's glory.

Love in Christ,
A member of the parish.

Thank the Tebow Family

The Tebow Family Needs Your Support!

Those of you who attended DRTL's 2009 Annual Banquet had the privilege to hear a wonderful and inspiring speaker, Pam Tebow. She spoke of her life-affirming story despite undergoing a pregnancy under adverse conditions. While in the Philippines she contracted dysentery and was urged by a doctor to have an abortion. She refused, and that child (who was predicted to die or be severly handicapped) is now Heisman Trophy winner and NCAA football national champion, Tim Tebow!

Now Pam and Tim Tebow are undergoing much criticism for their pro-life Super Bowl ad, set to air on CBS before and during the Super Bowl. The ad is sponsored and paid for by Focus on the Family. "Women's" and pro-abortion groups are disparaging the Tebow family for telling their story and CBS for airing a "controversial" ad during a national sporting event. These same groups who claim to be pro-"choice" apparently think the only acceptable choice is abortion. Why are they so afraid that a high-profile woman chose life? What do they think is going to happen - more women will choose life for their children by hearing the Tebows' story?

Let's show the Tebow family that we support them and their courageous stand for LIFE! Click here to send them a message. You may also contact CBS and thank them for airing the ad and urge them not to cave under pressure from the pro-abortion lobby. Click above, email or call Sean J. McManus, President of CBS News and Sports at sjmcmanus@cbs.com or 212-975-4321.

Finally, please pray for the Tebow family and also for those who criticize them. Pray that they will come to understand that the only acceptable choice is LIFE!

For LIFE,

Nicole

Wilmington "Bubble Zone" Ordinance Vetoed

On Thursday night, Mayor Baker of Wilmington vetoed the "Bubble Zone" ordinace that had been passed by the Wilmington City Council, by a vote of 8-3. This ordinance is the same language as Senate Bill 169 that we have been fighting at the state level. However, prior to the vote, the city council amended the langauge, exempting unions from having to follow the 8-foot rule. The mayor realized this was a discriminatory bill and vetoed it. He did, however, urge the city council to pass the bill in its original form. You can see the press release with Mayor Baker's comments here.

Though the veto is good news, clearly the mayor approves of the original ordinance, therefore we need to keep an eye on its progression. We hope that the city council will realize this is an assault on our freedom of speech and that women (and men) who walk into abortion clinics desperately need the information that our sidewalk counselors offer them.

If you live in the City of Wilmington, please call your city council member and remind them that we are still paying attention and will continue to fight ordinance #3298. Also, please keep calling your state representative and let them know that we still want them to vote NO on SB 169, should it reach the House floor! We'll keep you informed of future updates! You can also check our website for more information.


For LIFE,
Nicole

SB 169 now a City of Wilmington Bill!

If you do not live within the city council districts of Wilmington, please ignore this message. If you do, THIS IS AN URGENT ALERT! Please see below for an important message from Ellen Barrose, from A Rose & A Prayer:

Temporarily thwarted in the state legislature, Planned Parenthood is now trying to get an anti-sidewalk counseling bill passed in the City of Wilmington. The bill, #3298, passed out of committee yesterday. The vote is expected to be held in City Council Chambers next Thursday night, January 21st, on the eve of the March for Life in Washington, DC. All our arguments against SB 169, the state bill, hold for the city bill. You can read the city bill below, or by clicking to the city's website here. Unions are joining us in opposition to this bill. They agree that this is an enforcement issue, that any problems arising from this exercise of free speech rights can be appropriately handled by law enforcement. {UPDATE: The latest news is that the city has added an exemption for unions in this bill - further proving that this bill is aimed at pro-life sidewalk counselers at abortion clinics ONLY!} Post-abortive women have told me that they wished that there had been a caring person outside the abortion clinic when they had their abortions to provide them with the information about alternatives to abortion that the clinic failed to provide. We need to ensure that women who will seek an abortion in the future will have that help and support. If you are a city resident, please call your City Council member and all the at-large council members today and ask them to vote NO on 3289. Contact information for City Council members is listed below. As usual, calls to their homes are most effective and are expected. Please call this weekend or early next week! Please attend the City Council meeting at 6:00PM on Thursday, January 21st, to express your concern about this bill. If you intend to attend the meeting, please reply to this email so we can get a count. We ask that only city residents attend the meeting. The city council meeting will be held in City Council Chambers at the Louis L. Redding Building, City/County Building, 800 French St., Wilmington. Please click here to forward this message to everyone you know in the city who cares about women in crisis pregnancies. If you would like flyers to hand out to your neighbors, reply to this email, and we will let you know where you can pick them up. Finally, if you have not yet called your state legislator, please do so today. They need to hear from you, as the bill is still alive in the House, and could be scheduled for hearings at any time. Thank you for working so hard to protect the innocent and to support women in crisis. Yours in Christ, Ellen Barrosse ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How to Identify and Contact Your City Council Member ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To find out who your City Council member is, click here to find your home on the councilmanic maps. Then go to the list below to find his or her home phone number. Our elected representatives tell us that calls to them at home are most effective and are expected. Use the home phone number so you can speak directly to your council member this weekend or an evening next week. When you call your council member at home, be courteous. Do not call too early in the morning or after 9:00 PM. If you can't reach your council member at home or if you can't find out who your city council member is, call the city council main number, which is 576-2140. An email is less effective, but is important if you can't get through to any of the numbers by phone. Here is the list of council members with their contact information. Office (Party) Name Home Phone Email Address Mayor (D) James M. Baker 654-3608 mayorbaker@ci.wilmington.de.us City Council President (D) Norman D. Griffiths 655-8084 ndg52@aol.com City Council at Large (R) Michael A. Brown, Sr. 655-5309 mabrown@wilmingtonde.gov City Council at Large (D) Charles M. Freel 984-2423 budfreel@aol.com City Council at Large (D) Loretta Walsh 656-9441 lf-walsh@nccde.org City Council at Large (D) Justen A. Wright 275-7994 justen@justenwright.org City Council Dist. 1 (D) Charles Potter, Jr. 762-8322 cpjr00@aol.com City Council Dist. 2 (D) Ernest "Trippi" Congo,II 384-7162 sammycongo@aol.com City Council Dist. 3 (D) Stephanie T. Bolden 428-1269 boldenst@wilmingtonde.gov City Council Dist. 4 (D) Hanifa G. N. Shabazz 472-7481 hshabazz@ci.wilmingtonde.gov City Council Dist. 5 (D) Samuel Prado 427-2103 sammy_wilm@yahoo.com City Council Dist. 6 (D) Kevin F. Kelley, Sr. 655-8321 6thdistrict@comcast.net City Council Dist. 7 (D) Paul F. Ignudo, Jr. 777-5327 ignudo7th@comcast.net City Council Dist. 8 (D) Stephen L. Martelli 420-0172 smartelli2008@yahoo.com What to Say When You Call--Some Suggestions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ask your City Council member and all the at-large members to vote NO on 3289. Let him or her know that you support the right of people of faith to speak to women in crisis pregnancies, to share information about alternatives to abortion, and to pray for them. If the council member tells you that Planned Parenthood is saying that some sidewalk counselors scare their staff, tell him or her that Planned Parenthood has the right and responsibility to protect its workers by getting injunctions against individuals to keep them away from the clinic. If they haven't done this, it indicates one of two things: that they are more interested in stopping peaceful witness and sidewalk counseling than protecting their employees OR that they are exaggerating their concern. Tell your the council member that this bill would also prevent unions from handing out materials in front of a hospital or even a drug store. Tell the council member that you would like to receive a letter explaining how he or she voted. Thank them for their time. City Council Ordinance #3298 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sponsors: Public Safety Committee Council Members Walsh, Congo, Prado, Martelli, Bolden, Brown AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 36 OF THE WILMINGTON CITY CODE RELATING TO OBSTRUCTION OF INGRESS AND EGRESS TO HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that access to health care facilities for the purpose of obtaining medical counseling and treatment is imperative for the citizens of this city; and WHEREAS, that the exercise of a person=s right to protest or counsel against certain medical procedures must be balanced against another person=s right to obtain medical counseling and treatment in an unobstructed manner; and WHEREAS, that preventing the willful obstruction of a person=s access to medical counseling and treatment at a health care facility is a matter of citywide concern; and WHEREAS, the City Council deems it necessary and proper for the purpose of public safety to enact legislation that prohibits a person from knowingly obstructing another person=s entry to or exit from a health care facility, while ensuring that the First Amendment rights of individuals to communicate their message to their intended audience is not impaired. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILMINGTON HEREBY ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Chapter 36 of the City Code is hereby amended by adding section 36-70 and adding the underlined language:. Sec. 36-70 Obstructing Ingress to or Egress from a Health Care Facility. a) A person is guilty of obstructing ingress to or egress from a health care facility when the person: 1) knowingly obstructs, detains, hinders, impedes or blocks another person=s entry to or exit from a health care facility; or 2) knowingly approaches another person, within eight feet of the person, unless such person consents, for the purpose of protest, education or counseling of such other person in the public right of way or area within a radius of one hundred feet from any entrance and exit door(s) of the health care facility. b) For purposes of this section, a Ahealth care facility@ means any entity that is licensed, certified or otherwise authorized or permitted by law to administer medical treatment in the State of Delaware. c) Obstructing ingress to or egress from a health care facility is a misdemeanor. SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall become effective as of its date of passage by City Council and the Mayor. SYNOPSIS: This ordinance amends Chapter 36 of the City Code by adding section 36-70, entitled Obstructing Ingress to or Egress from a Health Care Facility. This ordinance will make obstructing ingress to or egress from a health care facility, as defined by the ordinance, a misdemeanor. Can't attend the City Council meeting? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you cannot attend the council meeting, you can watch the proceedings live on WITN, Ch 22 at 6PM. The meeting will be replayed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM and 6PM. Make sure to let your council members know that you will be watching.

SB 169 in General Assembly ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Additional information on SB 169, which is very similar to the city bill. The hearing mentioned below was postponed. This Wednesday, January 13th, at 1:00 PM, in Delaware's General Assembly, the House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on Senate Bill 169, which makes sidewalk counseling in front of abortion clinics illegal in Delaware. SB 169 is aimed specifically at people of faith who prayerfully witness in front of abortion clinics and offer help to women in crisis pregnancies. It was written by the Delaware Attorney General's office at the request of Planned Parenthood of Delaware. The bill makes it illegal to come within 8 feet of a woman in a crisis pregnancy for the purpose of "education or counseling" as she enters the clinic. Under SB 169, even a minister handing out a brochure about alternatives to abortion would be breaking the law. Many women and children are helped by sidewalk counselors every year. We must demand that our legislators preserve our right to help women in desperate need. When the Senate passed the bill last June, sponsors bypassed the requirement for public comment and held no committee hearing on the bill. Sponsors tried to do the same thing in the House, but your phone calls stopped it last summer. Your phone calls can work again. Please call the House office as soon as possible and ask your legislator to vote NO on SB 169. Many women are helped at the abortion clinic door by the people who pray and counsel there. Please call the House as soon as possible in the next two days to keep that resource available for women in crisis pregnancies. Even if you have never prayed or counseled at an abortion clinic, and most of us have not, we must act now to protect the rights of people of faith who do. Click here to forward this email to your friends. Their names will not be added to our mailing list unless they sign up themselves. Finally, please pray for our representatives, our state, and the women and children in Delaware who are at risk in crisis pregnancies.