The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation today called for a thorough investigation into the tragic death of a woman who underwent an abortion at the office of a West Philadelphia abortionist. The probe of Dr. Kermit B. Gosnell should also focus on whether illegal late-term abortions were performed at his facility.
“This horrendous tragedy raises numerous questions about the safety of the Women’s Medical Society in Powelton Village,” said Michael Ciccocioppo, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the state affiliate of National Right to Life.
“How many women’s lives have been put in jeopardy at this center and at other abortion centers across our state?”
According to a report from the Associated Press, state authorities suspended Gosnell’s license as a result of “deplorable and unsanitary” conditions at his facility. The bodies of dozens of aborted preborn children were discovered in jars and blood was found on the floor. Under Pennsylvania’s landmark Abortion Control Act, abortions after 24 weeks are illegal in Pennsylvania unless the pregnancy poses a grave threat to the mother.
“State authorities have determined that the continued medical practice of Dr. Gosnell would pose an immediate and clear danger to public health and safety. But how long have these threatening conditions existed inside the walls of his abortion center? And how many other Pennsylvania abortionists are violating the law? The women of the Commonwealth deserve answers,” Ciccocioppo said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Matthew Baker (R—Bradford, Tioga), minority chair of the Pennsylvania House Health & Human Services Committee, questioned whether abortion facilities in the Commonwealth are being properly scrutinized.
“We’ve inspected the Capitol Cafeteria for its health violations, but are we properly inspecting abortion centers? This is a public health issue, and it deserves immediate attention. We can’t run the risk that another woman will die following an abortion at a Pennsylvania facility that is violating the most basic safety standards,” Rep. Baker said.
President Barack Obama’s newly-unveiled health care plan would lead to a massive expansion of abortion. According to Douglas Johnson, Legislative Director of National Right to Life:
If all of the President’s changes were made, the resulting legislation would allow direct federal funding of abortion on demand through Community Health Centers, would institute federal subsidies for private health plans that cover abortion on demand (including some federally administered plans), and would authorize federal mandates that would require even non-subsidized private plans to cover elective abortion.
We know from experience that federal funding of abortion results in an increase in the number of abortions. We can’t let that happen! Please call your Congressional Representative and urge him or her to vote against the President’s health care plan because of its federal funding of abortion and other abortion mandates. You can reach your Representative through the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121. Meanwhile, for breaking developments on the health care front, please go to http://www.nrlactioncenter.com/ .
President Barack Obama and pro-abortion Congressional leaders are continuing their campaign to pass a health care reform bill that includes public funding of abortion and other abortion mandates.
According to National Right to Life:
The latest installment of the national pro-life campaign known as 40 Days for Life begins Wednesday, February 17th. Participants in some 165 cities are expected to take part. The campaign involves peaceful, prayerful witness outside abortion facilities. Lives have been saved and hearts have been changed as a result of previous 40 Days for Life campaigns. To find more about the campaign, please visit http://www.40daysforlife.com/ .
The latest edition of the PA Pro-Life Online News is up and ready for viewing at http://www.paprolife.org/resources/e_news.html . There, you’ll find instructions for fighting abortion in health care reform…information on the impact of a pro-life Super Bowl ad…and the latest abortion statistics for Pennsylvania. To subscribe to the Online News, please send an e-mail with the word “subscribe” in the subject line to lifelines@paprolife.org .
The latest installments of our radio commentaries, Pro-Life Notes, are now posted at http://www.paprolife.org/news/commentaries.html . There, you’ll learn the latest news on abortion in health care reform…find out about our pro-life oratory contest…and discover why Super Bowl Sunday was so spectacular. Happy listening!
A report in USA Today demonstrates the tremendous impact Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow’s pro-life ad has had since it aired on SuperBowl Sunday:
One day after the evangelical group Focus on the Family aired its Super Bowl commercial — following a storm of controversy — it was clear on Monday that the group achieved its goal: a torrent of new attention for its website and its brand in social media land.
“Our website is crashing,” jokes Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family. In fact, it would have crashed had the group not beefed up its servers in anticipation. After the ad aired, the site’s traffic ballooned to 40 times its normal volume — with 50,000 unique visitors and 500,000 hits.
The popularity of the ad shows that countless numbers of Americans are hungry for the truth about the life issues. If you’d like to learn more about the life issues in Pennsylvania, please go to our homepage at http://www.paprolife.org/ .
The Harrisburg Patriot-News ran a story on Sunday as a follow-up to the controversy surrounding Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow’s Super Bowl ad for Focus on the Family. The ad directed viewers to the Focus on the Family website, which told the story of how his mother Pam decided to give birth to him, despite a doctor’s recommendation to abort him.
The Patriot-News article ultimately talks about the increase in opposition to abortion in this country:
A survey from the Pew Forum released in October shows that opposition to legal abortion is growing. The country is divided between those who support abortion rights (47 percent) and those who express opposition (44 percent), the survey shows.
About 1,000 people from the midstate traveled to Washington last month, many in buses chartered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, to participate in the March for Life, which coincides with the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.
Please consider reading the entire article and adding your comments to the Patriot-News website. It’s critically important that the general public hear from compassionate pro-lifers who respect the lives of both the baby in the womb and the baby’s mother.
Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas offers an insightful piece about the controversy surrounding the Super Bowl ad featuring Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow. Thomas surmises:
Somewhere in the massive TV audience on Sunday will be a man, or a pregnant woman, who will hear Pam and Tim Tebow’s message about the good that can happen if individuals don’t try to play God. If that message causes just one woman who thought she needed an abortion to change her mind, or one man who has been pressuring his girlfriend, wife or daughter to get one to change his mind, it will have been worth the $2.5 million the ad is costing Focus on the Family.
You’ll find the rest of his encouraging column at http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/thomas020410.php3 .
Abortions in Pennsylvania rose by nearly six percent in 2008, according to new figures released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The sharp increase follows a rapid rise in the number of Black and Hispanic abortions.
Some 38,807 abortions were performed in Pennsylvania in 2008, a 5.8 percent increase over the 2007 total of 36,663. From 2007 to 2008, the number of abortions performed on Black women rose by nearly 2,000, while the number of Hispanic abortions increased by more than 700. In 2008, 41.8 percent of abortions were performed on Blacks, who comprise 10 percent of the population, while 7.6 percent of abortions were performed on Hispanics. In contrast, there were 109 fewer abortions performed on white women in 2008 compared to 2007.
“Abortion represents a Black genocide which is decimating the African-American community,”
said Maria Vitale, Education Director for the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the state affiliate of National Right to Life. “Now, we’re also seeing an increasing number of Hispanics who are experiencing the tragedy of abortion. Minority populations are being particularly hard-hit by the abortion industry,” Vitale added.
The latest abortion statistics show the pressing need to provide support for women facing unexpected pregnancies.
“We know that the total abortion rate would be much higher were it not for Pennsylvania’s Alternatives to Abortion program, which is administered by Real Alternatives,” Vitale said. “Our program has become a model for the nation, providing everything from diapers to day care referrals to women and their families,” Vitale added.
About 95 percent of abortions in Pennsylvania take place in seven counties—Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lehigh, and Philadelphia.
“Pregnant women in Pennsylvania need to know that there is loving support available,” Vitale said. “At a time of crisis in their lives, they can be assured that there are many people who stand ready to help empower them to make life-affirming choices for themselves and their families.”
The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation is offering a scholarship to the National Right to Life Academy, which trains promising college students to become tomorrow’s pro-life leaders. The Academy is a six-week program in Washington, D.C., which will run from June 23 to August 6. The scholarship is available to college students from Pennsylvania and covers tuition, room, and board. Interested students should send a cover letter and resume immediately to the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, Michael Ciccocioppo, at ciccocioppo@paprolife.org . You can learn more about the Academy at http://www.nrlc.org/academy/academy.html .
The latest edition of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Online News is available and ready for viewing at http://www.paprolife.org/resources/e_news.html . There, you’ll find out why it’s critical that you contact your Congressional Representative…info on two Pennsylvania events you won’t want to miss…and instructions for our student contests. Happy reading!