WASHINGTON, October 31 /Christian Newswire/ -- Randall Terry and William Greene are available to comment on this project and the recent drop in Catholic support for Obama.
Randall Terry says: "Bishop Gracida's radio ad is causing a massive uproar and major defection from Obama in the Catholic Community. This may be the first time in American history that an election is determined by Hispanics and a Catholic Bishop."
The letter was sent in Spanish. The following text and audio clip From Catholic Bishop Rene H. Gracida was sent this morning (Friday, October 31) to 2.9 Million Hispanic Voters via email.
Bishop Gracida's ad is running on radio and TV in swing states. Here is the English Translation of the Spanish text that was sent to 2.9 million Hispanic voters.
Dear Friends:
We only have days left before a critical election to elect a new president. In this moment, like no other moment in history, Hispanic votes will decide the future of the United States. That means that we have a great weight of responsibility.
During this election, there are many Catholics who have told the Catholic people that it is ok to vote for Obama for president.
That is simply not true. Unfortunately, it is a lie.
Please, read the words of a beloved Hispanic bishop, Bishop Rene H. Gracida, who has faithfully served the Hispanic Catholics of Florida and Texas.
"I am Bishop Rene A. Gracida, reminding all Catholics that they need to vote in these elections with an informed conscience.
A Catholic cannot say that he/she voted in this election in good conscience if he/she votes for a candidate in favor of abortion.
Barak Hussein Obama is a candidate in favor of abortion."
This magnificent message of our dear Bishop is available as a radio ad that can be aired on Hispanic radio stations. Click here to listen to this ad. (Haga clic aquí para escuchar este anuncio.) If you are interested in spreading this message to other Hispanic voters and if you want to give us a donation so that other Catholics can listen to Bishop Gracida, please give what you can as soon as possible. Click here to contribute to our cause. (Haga clic aquí para contribuir a nuestra causa.)
When we enter the voting booth, we must not forget that Obama supports the killing of unborn babies even until the day they are to be born. This, in the eyes of God, is murder.
We must not help someone who has the intention of killing babies - especially Hispanic babies. It is a fact that Obama has used our tax dollars to place abortion clinics in Hispanic neighborhoods.
Remember that our loyalty to our Lord Jesus Christ is much more important than any political party.
It is your decision for whom you want to vote. There are many candidates that are against the culture of death, who support life and who love the United States and our people, but as Bishop Gracida said - We cannot vote for Obama with a clear conscience.
Again we ask you to give a gift if you can so that more people can listen to Bishop Gracida’s ad, and we also ask for your prayers for this cause in defense of life.
And we ask you to send this message to your friends and your family.
As Catholics, we understand that we owe everything to our God and our Mother, the Virgin of Guadalupe.
May God bless you and whatever happens, remember the words of Bishop Gracida when you enter the voting booth this Tuesday.
Sincerely,
Norma Nelly Vielma
Paid for by the RightMarch.com PAC. Not endorsed by any candidate or campaign committee. Contributions are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
Christian Newswire
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
'Jane Roe' Releases Video for JustONEJudge.com, Encouraging Millions of Americans to Vote to Support a Culture of Life
Join Norma McCorvey and Bella Star Eduardo Verastegui in web campaign to collect 2 million e-signatures on the JustONEJudge.com petition.
CLEVELAND, October 29 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Jane Roe", Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the Roe v. Wade case 35 years ago that legalized abortion released a video today at www.JustONEJudge.com urging people to vote November 4th because of the far-reaching effects of the Supreme Court nominations by the next president and confirmation by United States Senators . See the compelling appeal of Norma McCorvey at http://www.JustONEJudge.com.
"This is the first time I've felt I really had a voice in what was going on in terms of really reversing the decision of the Supreme Court," said Norma McCorvey. "I'm proud to be pro-life now rather than pro-abortion."
"Ten years ago, McCorvey began speaking publicly on the abortion issue from a Christian and pro-life perspective. Her knowledge of the pro-life movement and the abortion industry from the
time when she was the anonymous plaintiff in the Supreme Court provides her with a unique perspective."
"I'm working as a catalyst to assist other pro- life individuals and organizations in their particular areas of expertise. Just ONE Judge is so important because it emphasizes how one person can make a difference. I know how important one person is and I want to do what I can to get 2 million individuals to sign the pledge," said McCorvey.
The goals of the JustONEJudge.com campaign are twofold: 1) to emphasize the importance of one individual's vote and how each person can educate himself or herself on find out where the candidates stand on the issue of life, and 2) to sign the online petition to be presented to the next president and Senate, demonstrating the large numbers of citizens who are passionate about the issue of life.
"This issue needs to return to the states, so citizens can lobby their state legislatures for laws that protect the dignity of all human life from the moment of conception through natural death..." said Jason Jones, founder of Just ONE Judge.
The JustONEJudge.com campaign asks Americans to study all the candidates and to pledge their votes to candidates who will support the nomination and confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice who values life.
Joe Condit, National Grassroots Director of Just ONE Judge said, "This election is not about party or politics, but something far more important. It's about preserving Life, from natural conception to natural death. And it is about redeeming America as a nation committed to life and liberty and justice for all."
Just ONE Judge is a nondenominational, nonpartisan, not for profit, grassroots citizens organization focused on educating people to learn about the candidates and to understand how their one vote can impact the all-important vote on the Supreme Court of the United States. To learn more visit www.JustONEJudge.com. Contact us at 920-544-1378 or info@JustONEJudge.com.
Christian Newswire
CLEVELAND, October 29 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Jane Roe", Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the Roe v. Wade case 35 years ago that legalized abortion released a video today at www.JustONEJudge.com urging people to vote November 4th because of the far-reaching effects of the Supreme Court nominations by the next president and confirmation by United States Senators . See the compelling appeal of Norma McCorvey at http://www.JustONEJudge.com.
"This is the first time I've felt I really had a voice in what was going on in terms of really reversing the decision of the Supreme Court," said Norma McCorvey. "I'm proud to be pro-life now rather than pro-abortion."
"Ten years ago, McCorvey began speaking publicly on the abortion issue from a Christian and pro-life perspective. Her knowledge of the pro-life movement and the abortion industry from the
time when she was the anonymous plaintiff in the Supreme Court provides her with a unique perspective."
"I'm working as a catalyst to assist other pro- life individuals and organizations in their particular areas of expertise. Just ONE Judge is so important because it emphasizes how one person can make a difference. I know how important one person is and I want to do what I can to get 2 million individuals to sign the pledge," said McCorvey.
The goals of the JustONEJudge.com campaign are twofold: 1) to emphasize the importance of one individual's vote and how each person can educate himself or herself on find out where the candidates stand on the issue of life, and 2) to sign the online petition to be presented to the next president and Senate, demonstrating the large numbers of citizens who are passionate about the issue of life.
"This issue needs to return to the states, so citizens can lobby their state legislatures for laws that protect the dignity of all human life from the moment of conception through natural death..." said Jason Jones, founder of Just ONE Judge.
The JustONEJudge.com campaign asks Americans to study all the candidates and to pledge their votes to candidates who will support the nomination and confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice who values life.
Joe Condit, National Grassroots Director of Just ONE Judge said, "This election is not about party or politics, but something far more important. It's about preserving Life, from natural conception to natural death. And it is about redeeming America as a nation committed to life and liberty and justice for all."
Just ONE Judge is a nondenominational, nonpartisan, not for profit, grassroots citizens organization focused on educating people to learn about the candidates and to understand how their one vote can impact the all-important vote on the Supreme Court of the United States. To learn more visit www.JustONEJudge.com. Contact us at 920-544-1378 or info@JustONEJudge.com.
Christian Newswire
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
What Happened to Freedom of Speech?
After an Amazing Box-Office Success in Theatres Across the Nation, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is Coming to DVD on October 21, 2008
LOS ANGELES, October 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- After an amazing box office success, landing the title as the Top Grossing Documentary of 2008, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed will be making its debut in the DVD market on October 21, 2008. Distributed by Vivendi Entertainment, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed will continue to open up the debate of freedom of speech and freedom of education in the United States.
The film's success speaks for itself. It opened in the Top 10, achieving the number 5 position on a per-screen average. It has already made its place in history as the Number 12 Top Grossing Documentary of all time, and the Number 1 Conservative Documentary. The initial buzz about the film was so intense that it became the #1 most popular blog on the Internet (3/24/08), the #6 Top search on Yahoo (4/8/08), and received over 2 million web hits, more than any other movie's website during this time. All this, while surrounded by not only controversial subject matter, but a lawsuit from Yoko Ono claiming unfair copyright use as the film uses and critiques the John Lennon song "Imagine." A federal judge noted the filmmakers would probably win on the doctrine of "Fair Use" and denied the motion for a preliminary injunction which would have removed the film from theaters.
Produced by Premise Media, the release of EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed on DVD will be accompanied by grass roots outreach by Motive Entertainment, the company that spearheaded the grass roots marketing for Hollywood blockbusters like The Passion of the Christ, Polar Express and The Chronicles of Narnia.
The film's numbers proved that freedom-loving Americans were outraged to discover that teachers and professors across the nation are teaching a theory as indisputable fact and that scientists who dissent from that theory are being silenced and ousted.
Ben Stein, the highly recognizable television personality, actor and former White House presidential speech writer, is on a journey to answer one of the biggest questions ever asked: 'Were we created, or are we the result of random chance - a mud puddle struck by lightning?' Stein, who is also a lawyer, an economist, an author and social commentator, is stunned by what he finds on his journey. He discovers an elitist scientific establishment that has traded in its skepticism for dogma. But even worse, Stein uncovers a long line of biologists, astronomers, chemists and philosophers who have had their reputations destroyed and their careers ruined by a scientific establishment that allows absolutely no dissent from Charles Darwin's theory of random mutation and natural selection.
"Big Science in this area has lost its way," says Stein. "Scientists are supposed to be allowed to follow the evidence wherever it may lead, no matter what the implications are. Freedom of inquiry has been greatly compromised, and this is not only anti-science, it's anti-American."
EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed uncovers that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired in some cases for the fact that they believe there is evidence of "design" in nature, challenging the idea that life is a result of random chance. For example, Stein meets Richard Sternberg, a double PhD biologist who allowed a peer-reviewed research paper describing the evidence for intelligence in the universe to be published in the scientific journal Proceedings. Not long after publication, officials from the National Center for Science Education and the Smithsonian Institution where Sternberg was a Research Associate began a coordinated smear and intimidation campaign to get the promising young scientist expelled from his position. This attack on scientific freedom was so egregious that it prompted a congressional investigation.
On his journey, Stein meets other scientists such as astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez, who was denied tenure at Iowa State University in spite of his extraordinary record of achievement. Gonzalez made the mistake of documenting the design he has observed in the universe. There are others, such as Caroline Crocker, a brilliant biology teacher at George Mason University who was forced out of the university for briefly discussing problems with Darwinian Theory and for telling the students that some scientists believe there is evidence of design in the universe. The list goes on and on.
Unlike some other documentary films, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed doesn't just talk to people representing one side of the story. The film confronts scientists such as Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, influential biologist and atheist blogger PZ Myers and Eugenie Scott, head of the National Center for Science Education. The creators of EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed crossed the globe over a two-year period, interviewing scores of scientists, doctors, philosophers and public leaders. The result is a startling revelation that freedom of thought and freedom of inquiry have been expelled from publicly funded high schools, universities and research institutions.
"The incredible thing about EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is that we don't resort to manipulating our interviews for the purpose of achieving the 'shock effect,' something that has become common in documentary film these days," said Walt Ruloff, co-founder of Premise Media and co-producer. "People will be stunned to actually find out what elitist scientists proclaim, which is that a large majority of Americans are simpletons who believe in a fairy tale. Premise Media took on this difficult mission because we believe the greatest asset of humanity is our freedom to explore and discover truth."
The extensive grass roots theatrical campaign for EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed, spearheaded by Motive Entertainment president Paul Lauer, included nationwide screenings and endorsements with key leaders, extensive promotional materials, a promotional resource DVD, publicity, radio promotions and Internet. In addition, a pre-launch campaign included unprecedented partnerships and a widespread campaign together with educators, youth, scientists, families and the media nationwide. These materials, resources and relationships will extend beyond the theatrical successes and be further developed through the current EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed DVD campaign.
EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is scheduled for release on DVD on October 21, 2008. For more information on Ben Stein’s journey visit www.expelledthemovie.com.
About Premise Media: Premise Media Corporation develops, finances and produces independent films, books and DVD's for the domestic and international marketplace, "Producing world class media that stirs the heart and inspires the mind to truth, purpose and hope." Company principals and producers Logan Craft, Walt Ruloff and John Sullivan can be contacted via its website ( www.premisemedia.com).
About Motive Entertainment: Los Angeles-based Motive Entertainment, which directed the grassroots marketing campaigns for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, the Tom Hanks/Robert Zemeckis film Polar Express and the record-breaking Walden Media/Disney epic series, The Chronicles of Narnia, is a leading company in film and entertainment marketing ( www.motivemarketing.biz).
About Vivendi: Vivendi Entertainment is one of the Universal Music Group (UMG) family of companies. UMG's parent Vivendi, is a $50B France based international organization, whose other media holdings include Canal+ and Vivendi Games. For more information please visit www.vivendient.com.
Christian Newswire
LOS ANGELES, October 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- After an amazing box office success, landing the title as the Top Grossing Documentary of 2008, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed will be making its debut in the DVD market on October 21, 2008. Distributed by Vivendi Entertainment, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed will continue to open up the debate of freedom of speech and freedom of education in the United States.
The film's success speaks for itself. It opened in the Top 10, achieving the number 5 position on a per-screen average. It has already made its place in history as the Number 12 Top Grossing Documentary of all time, and the Number 1 Conservative Documentary. The initial buzz about the film was so intense that it became the #1 most popular blog on the Internet (3/24/08), the #6 Top search on Yahoo (4/8/08), and received over 2 million web hits, more than any other movie's website during this time. All this, while surrounded by not only controversial subject matter, but a lawsuit from Yoko Ono claiming unfair copyright use as the film uses and critiques the John Lennon song "Imagine." A federal judge noted the filmmakers would probably win on the doctrine of "Fair Use" and denied the motion for a preliminary injunction which would have removed the film from theaters.
Produced by Premise Media, the release of EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed on DVD will be accompanied by grass roots outreach by Motive Entertainment, the company that spearheaded the grass roots marketing for Hollywood blockbusters like The Passion of the Christ, Polar Express and The Chronicles of Narnia.
The film's numbers proved that freedom-loving Americans were outraged to discover that teachers and professors across the nation are teaching a theory as indisputable fact and that scientists who dissent from that theory are being silenced and ousted.
Ben Stein, the highly recognizable television personality, actor and former White House presidential speech writer, is on a journey to answer one of the biggest questions ever asked: 'Were we created, or are we the result of random chance - a mud puddle struck by lightning?' Stein, who is also a lawyer, an economist, an author and social commentator, is stunned by what he finds on his journey. He discovers an elitist scientific establishment that has traded in its skepticism for dogma. But even worse, Stein uncovers a long line of biologists, astronomers, chemists and philosophers who have had their reputations destroyed and their careers ruined by a scientific establishment that allows absolutely no dissent from Charles Darwin's theory of random mutation and natural selection.
"Big Science in this area has lost its way," says Stein. "Scientists are supposed to be allowed to follow the evidence wherever it may lead, no matter what the implications are. Freedom of inquiry has been greatly compromised, and this is not only anti-science, it's anti-American."
EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed uncovers that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired in some cases for the fact that they believe there is evidence of "design" in nature, challenging the idea that life is a result of random chance. For example, Stein meets Richard Sternberg, a double PhD biologist who allowed a peer-reviewed research paper describing the evidence for intelligence in the universe to be published in the scientific journal Proceedings. Not long after publication, officials from the National Center for Science Education and the Smithsonian Institution where Sternberg was a Research Associate began a coordinated smear and intimidation campaign to get the promising young scientist expelled from his position. This attack on scientific freedom was so egregious that it prompted a congressional investigation.
On his journey, Stein meets other scientists such as astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez, who was denied tenure at Iowa State University in spite of his extraordinary record of achievement. Gonzalez made the mistake of documenting the design he has observed in the universe. There are others, such as Caroline Crocker, a brilliant biology teacher at George Mason University who was forced out of the university for briefly discussing problems with Darwinian Theory and for telling the students that some scientists believe there is evidence of design in the universe. The list goes on and on.
Unlike some other documentary films, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed doesn't just talk to people representing one side of the story. The film confronts scientists such as Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, influential biologist and atheist blogger PZ Myers and Eugenie Scott, head of the National Center for Science Education. The creators of EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed crossed the globe over a two-year period, interviewing scores of scientists, doctors, philosophers and public leaders. The result is a startling revelation that freedom of thought and freedom of inquiry have been expelled from publicly funded high schools, universities and research institutions.
"The incredible thing about EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is that we don't resort to manipulating our interviews for the purpose of achieving the 'shock effect,' something that has become common in documentary film these days," said Walt Ruloff, co-founder of Premise Media and co-producer. "People will be stunned to actually find out what elitist scientists proclaim, which is that a large majority of Americans are simpletons who believe in a fairy tale. Premise Media took on this difficult mission because we believe the greatest asset of humanity is our freedom to explore and discover truth."
The extensive grass roots theatrical campaign for EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed, spearheaded by Motive Entertainment president Paul Lauer, included nationwide screenings and endorsements with key leaders, extensive promotional materials, a promotional resource DVD, publicity, radio promotions and Internet. In addition, a pre-launch campaign included unprecedented partnerships and a widespread campaign together with educators, youth, scientists, families and the media nationwide. These materials, resources and relationships will extend beyond the theatrical successes and be further developed through the current EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed DVD campaign.
EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is scheduled for release on DVD on October 21, 2008. For more information on Ben Stein’s journey visit www.expelledthemovie.com.
About Premise Media: Premise Media Corporation develops, finances and produces independent films, books and DVD's for the domestic and international marketplace, "Producing world class media that stirs the heart and inspires the mind to truth, purpose and hope." Company principals and producers Logan Craft, Walt Ruloff and John Sullivan can be contacted via its website ( www.premisemedia.com).
About Motive Entertainment: Los Angeles-based Motive Entertainment, which directed the grassroots marketing campaigns for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, the Tom Hanks/Robert Zemeckis film Polar Express and the record-breaking Walden Media/Disney epic series, The Chronicles of Narnia, is a leading company in film and entertainment marketing ( www.motivemarketing.biz).
About Vivendi: Vivendi Entertainment is one of the Universal Music Group (UMG) family of companies. UMG's parent Vivendi, is a $50B France based international organization, whose other media holdings include Canal+ and Vivendi Games. For more information please visit www.vivendient.com.
Christian Newswire
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Obama Distorts His Abortion Record in Third Debate
WASHINGTON, October 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- "On partial-birth abortion and on the rights of infants who survive abortions, Barack Obama's answers in the third presidential debate were highly misleading," commented Douglas Johnson, longtime legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nation's largest pro-life organization.
-- The Illinois Born-Alive Infants Protection Act (BAIPA) was a simple three-sentence bill to establish that every baby who achieved "complete expulsion or extraction" from the mother, and who showed defined signs of life, was to enjoy the legal protections of a "person." As a state senator, Obama led the opposition to this bill in 2001, 2002, and 2003. On March 13, 2003, Obama killed the bill at a committee meeting over which he presided as chairman. In the October 15 debate, Obama said, "The fact is that there was already a law on the books in Illinois that required providing lifesaving treatment." This claim is highly misleading. The law "on the books," 720 ILCS 510.6, on its face, applies only where an abortionist declares before the abortion that there was "a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb." But humans are often born alive a month or more before they reach the point where such "sustained survival" - that is, long-term survival - is likely or possible (which is often called the point of "viability"). When Obama spoke against the BAIPA on the Illinois Senate floor in 2001 -- the only senator to do so -- he didn't even claim that the BAIPA was duplicative of existing law. Rather, he objected to defining what he called a "previable fetus" as a legal "person" -- even though the bill clearly applied only to fully born infants. These events are detailed in an August 28, 2008 NRLC White Paper titled "Barack Obama's Actions and Shifting Claims on the Protection of Born-Alive Aborted Infants -- and What They Tell Us About His Thinking on Abortion," which contains numerous hyperlinks to primary sources.
-- Because 720 ILCS 510.6 gives complete discretion to the abortionist himself, and because a 1993 consent decree issued by a federal court nullified key provisions (such as the definition of "born alive"), the law was so riddled with loopholes as to be virtually unenforceable even with respect to babies who had clearly achieved the capacity for long- term survival. During Obama's time in the state Senate there were bills (other than the BAIPA) to close some of these loopholes in order to provide more effective protections for post-viable abortion survivors. Obama opposed those bills, too. On April 4, 2002, Obama opposed a bill (SB 1663) that would have more strictly defined the circumstances under which the presence of a second physician (to care for a live-born baby) would be required during a post-viability abortion; Obama argued that this would "burden the original decision of the woman and the physician to induce labor and perform an abortion . . . [I]t's important to understand that this issue ultimately is about abortion and not live births."
-- In the debate, Obama said that the state BAIPA "would have helped to undermine Roe v. Wade." To evaluate this claim, one must examine the actual language of the BAIPAs. The original 2001 bill was only three sentences long; the third sentence was as follows: "(c) A live child born as a result of an abortion shall be fully recognized as a human person and accorded immediate protection under the law." As recently as August 19, 2008, the Obama campaign issued a memo in which it singled out that sentence as "Language Clearly Threatening Roe." This claim is consistent with Obama's 2001 argument that a "previable fetus" should not be regarded as a person, even when born alive.
-- At the March 13, 2003 committee meeting over which Obama presided, the "immediate protection" clause was removed and replaced with the "neutrality clause" copied from the federal BAIPA, which said explicitly that the bill had no bearing on the legal status of any human "prior to being being born alive." Obama then led the committee Democrats in voting down the bill, anyway. For years afterwards, Obama claimed that the state BAIPA had lacked the "neutrality clause," and on August 16, 2008, Obama said that NRLC was "lying" when we said otherwise. This dispute was reviewed by both FactCheck.org and Politifact.org, both of which came down on NRLC's side. To read the original 2001 Illinois BAIPA side-by-side with the amended 2003 version -- both of which Obama voted against -- click here.
-- In the presidential debate, Senator John McCain accurately noted that Obama had opposed Illinois legislation to ban partial-birth abortions. This is true -- indeed, during his primary contest with Hillary Clinton, Obama's supporters presented detailed accounts lauding his leadership in opposing legislation to ban partial-birth abortion, afford legal protection to born-alive babies, and require parental notification for abortion. (Under Article IV, Section 8 of the Illinois Constitution, the effect of voting "present" on the Illinois Senate floor is exactly the same as voting "no.") In his response to McCain in the debate, Obama said, "I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life, and this did not contain that exception." Here, Obama packed two distortions into a single sentence. First, Obama is using the phrase "late term" to refer to the third trimester of pregnancy. It has long been established that the great majority of partial- birth abortions are performed in the fifth and sixth months; these are babies developed enough to be born alive (hence the term "partial birth"), but are not "late term" in the sense that the phrase is used by pro-abortion advocates. Secondly, the Supreme Court has defined the term "health" to include, in the abortion context, "all factors -- physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the woman's age -- relevant to the well-being of the patient."
-- Obama is a cosponsor of the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA) (S. 1173), which would nullify all state and federal laws that "interfere with" access to abortion before "viability" (as defined by the abortionist). The bill would also nullify all state and federal laws that "interfere with" access to abortion after viability if deemed to enhance "health." Because the term "health" is not qualified in the bill, no state would be allowed to exclude any "health" justification whatever for post-viability abortions, because to do so would impermissibly narrow a federally guaranteed right. In short, the FOCA would establish a federal "abortion right" broader than Roe v. Wade and, in the words of the National Organization for Women, "sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws [and] policies." The chief sponsors and advocacy groups backing the legislation have acknowledged that it would make partial-birth abortion legal again, nullify state parental notification laws, and require the state and federal governments to fund abortions.
-- Speaking to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 17, 2007, Obama said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."
-- In the presidential debate, Obama said, "But there surely is some common ground when both those who believe in choice and those who are opposed to abortion can come together" -- for example, by "helping single mothers if they want to choose to keep the baby." Yet, Obama advocates cutting off all federal aid to crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). Across the nation, CPCs provide all manner of assistance to women who are experiencing crisis pregnancies, and they save the lives of many children. There is a very modest amount of federal funding going to such centers in some states. Pro-life lawmakers have pushed legislation to greatly expand such funding, but it has been blocked by lawmakers allied with the abortion lobby. Late in 2007, RHrealitycheck.org, a prominent pro-abortion advocacy website (representing the side hostile to such funding), submitted in writing the following question to the Obama campaign: "Does Sen. Obama support continuing federal funding for crisis pregnancy centers?" The Obama campaign's written response was short, but it spoke volumes: "No."
***
For further information or documentation, contact NRLC at 202-626-8820, send e-mail to Legfederal@aol.co m, or visit the NRLC website at www.nrlc.org; For additional information on Obama's sweeping pro-abortion agenda, read "Efforts to Sell Obama to Pro-Life Americans_Collide With His Support for Sweeping Pro-abortion Policy Changes," by NRLC's Douglas Johnson (from National Review Online) and "Obama's Abortion Extremism" by Robert P. George, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University (from Public Discourse).
Christian Newswire
-- The Illinois Born-Alive Infants Protection Act (BAIPA) was a simple three-sentence bill to establish that every baby who achieved "complete expulsion or extraction" from the mother, and who showed defined signs of life, was to enjoy the legal protections of a "person." As a state senator, Obama led the opposition to this bill in 2001, 2002, and 2003. On March 13, 2003, Obama killed the bill at a committee meeting over which he presided as chairman. In the October 15 debate, Obama said, "The fact is that there was already a law on the books in Illinois that required providing lifesaving treatment." This claim is highly misleading. The law "on the books," 720 ILCS 510.6, on its face, applies only where an abortionist declares before the abortion that there was "a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb." But humans are often born alive a month or more before they reach the point where such "sustained survival" - that is, long-term survival - is likely or possible (which is often called the point of "viability"). When Obama spoke against the BAIPA on the Illinois Senate floor in 2001 -- the only senator to do so -- he didn't even claim that the BAIPA was duplicative of existing law. Rather, he objected to defining what he called a "previable fetus" as a legal "person" -- even though the bill clearly applied only to fully born infants. These events are detailed in an August 28, 2008 NRLC White Paper titled "Barack Obama's Actions and Shifting Claims on the Protection of Born-Alive Aborted Infants -- and What They Tell Us About His Thinking on Abortion," which contains numerous hyperlinks to primary sources.
-- Because 720 ILCS 510.6 gives complete discretion to the abortionist himself, and because a 1993 consent decree issued by a federal court nullified key provisions (such as the definition of "born alive"), the law was so riddled with loopholes as to be virtually unenforceable even with respect to babies who had clearly achieved the capacity for long- term survival. During Obama's time in the state Senate there were bills (other than the BAIPA) to close some of these loopholes in order to provide more effective protections for post-viable abortion survivors. Obama opposed those bills, too. On April 4, 2002, Obama opposed a bill (SB 1663) that would have more strictly defined the circumstances under which the presence of a second physician (to care for a live-born baby) would be required during a post-viability abortion; Obama argued that this would "burden the original decision of the woman and the physician to induce labor and perform an abortion . . . [I]t's important to understand that this issue ultimately is about abortion and not live births."
-- In the debate, Obama said that the state BAIPA "would have helped to undermine Roe v. Wade." To evaluate this claim, one must examine the actual language of the BAIPAs. The original 2001 bill was only three sentences long; the third sentence was as follows: "(c) A live child born as a result of an abortion shall be fully recognized as a human person and accorded immediate protection under the law." As recently as August 19, 2008, the Obama campaign issued a memo in which it singled out that sentence as "Language Clearly Threatening Roe." This claim is consistent with Obama's 2001 argument that a "previable fetus" should not be regarded as a person, even when born alive.
-- At the March 13, 2003 committee meeting over which Obama presided, the "immediate protection" clause was removed and replaced with the "neutrality clause" copied from the federal BAIPA, which said explicitly that the bill had no bearing on the legal status of any human "prior to being being born alive." Obama then led the committee Democrats in voting down the bill, anyway. For years afterwards, Obama claimed that the state BAIPA had lacked the "neutrality clause," and on August 16, 2008, Obama said that NRLC was "lying" when we said otherwise. This dispute was reviewed by both FactCheck.org and Politifact.org, both of which came down on NRLC's side. To read the original 2001 Illinois BAIPA side-by-side with the amended 2003 version -- both of which Obama voted against -- click here.
-- In the presidential debate, Senator John McCain accurately noted that Obama had opposed Illinois legislation to ban partial-birth abortions. This is true -- indeed, during his primary contest with Hillary Clinton, Obama's supporters presented detailed accounts lauding his leadership in opposing legislation to ban partial-birth abortion, afford legal protection to born-alive babies, and require parental notification for abortion. (Under Article IV, Section 8 of the Illinois Constitution, the effect of voting "present" on the Illinois Senate floor is exactly the same as voting "no.") In his response to McCain in the debate, Obama said, "I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life, and this did not contain that exception." Here, Obama packed two distortions into a single sentence. First, Obama is using the phrase "late term" to refer to the third trimester of pregnancy. It has long been established that the great majority of partial- birth abortions are performed in the fifth and sixth months; these are babies developed enough to be born alive (hence the term "partial birth"), but are not "late term" in the sense that the phrase is used by pro-abortion advocates. Secondly, the Supreme Court has defined the term "health" to include, in the abortion context, "all factors -- physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the woman's age -- relevant to the well-being of the patient."
-- Obama is a cosponsor of the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA) (S. 1173), which would nullify all state and federal laws that "interfere with" access to abortion before "viability" (as defined by the abortionist). The bill would also nullify all state and federal laws that "interfere with" access to abortion after viability if deemed to enhance "health." Because the term "health" is not qualified in the bill, no state would be allowed to exclude any "health" justification whatever for post-viability abortions, because to do so would impermissibly narrow a federally guaranteed right. In short, the FOCA would establish a federal "abortion right" broader than Roe v. Wade and, in the words of the National Organization for Women, "sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws [and] policies." The chief sponsors and advocacy groups backing the legislation have acknowledged that it would make partial-birth abortion legal again, nullify state parental notification laws, and require the state and federal governments to fund abortions.
-- Speaking to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 17, 2007, Obama said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."
-- In the presidential debate, Obama said, "But there surely is some common ground when both those who believe in choice and those who are opposed to abortion can come together" -- for example, by "helping single mothers if they want to choose to keep the baby." Yet, Obama advocates cutting off all federal aid to crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). Across the nation, CPCs provide all manner of assistance to women who are experiencing crisis pregnancies, and they save the lives of many children. There is a very modest amount of federal funding going to such centers in some states. Pro-life lawmakers have pushed legislation to greatly expand such funding, but it has been blocked by lawmakers allied with the abortion lobby. Late in 2007, RHrealitycheck.org, a prominent pro-abortion advocacy website (representing the side hostile to such funding), submitted in writing the following question to the Obama campaign: "Does Sen. Obama support continuing federal funding for crisis pregnancy centers?" The Obama campaign's written response was short, but it spoke volumes: "No."
***
For further information or documentation, contact NRLC at 202-626-8820, send e-mail to Legfederal@aol.co m, or visit the NRLC website at www.nrlc.org; For additional information on Obama's sweeping pro-abortion agenda, read "Efforts to Sell Obama to Pro-Life Americans_Collide With His Support for Sweeping Pro-abortion Policy Changes," by NRLC's Douglas Johnson (from National Review Online) and "Obama's Abortion Extremism" by Robert P. George, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University (from Public Discourse).
Christian Newswire
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Pro-life Catholic Bishop Confirms that a Catholic Cannot Vote for Obama in Good Conscience
An Open Letter to American Bishops regarding 'Catholic moral teaching' and the 2008 election presents "the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church..." concerning "the candidacy of Barack Hussein Obama."
ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- The "Open Letter", by Randall Terry, has been sent by certified mail to all U.S. Bishops. (See complete Open Letter at www.humbleplea.com.)
Following is the complete response from Bishop Gracida concerning the Open Letter and Faithful Catholic Citizenship. Faithful Catholic Citizenship proves - using the words of John Paul II - that a Catholic cannot in good conscience vote for Back Obama.
"Dear Randall,
I have visited the humbleplea.com website and have read the Open Letter [to the U.S. Bishops] and brochure 'Faithful Catholic Citizenship.'
You have done an excellent job of presenting the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church and applying it to the candidacy of Barack Hussein Obama.
I encourage you to disseminate the two documents as widely as possible. More and more bishops are speaking up in the way you desire.
I hope and pray that their numbers will increase before November 4.
Blessings!
Rene Henry Gracida
Bishop Emeritus of Corpus Christi"
An Open Letter to American Bishops regarding 'Catholic moral teaching' and the 2008 election and Faithful Catholic Citizenship can be read online at www.humbleplea.com.
"We are begging U.S. Catholic Bishops to correct the error put forth by Catholic Attorney Doug Kmiec (and others) that says:
It is time to set the record straight that it violates no aspect of Catholic teaching for a Catholic Voter to endorse, support, or vote for Barack Obama... (Doug Kmiec, Catholic Attorney and Author, Can a Catholic Support Him?; pg 36.)
...U.S. Catholic bishops have confirmed that it is the intent of the voter, and not the candidate's support for abortion, that determines the candidate's acceptability for the Catholic vote. (Pg. 82, Doug Kmiec, Can a Catholic Support Him? )
"This assertion by Doug Kmiec is false. We pray other bishops will correct the error being taught in their name. We are urging the faithful to read the letter themselves, then call their bishop to urge them to publicly correct the erroneous teaching being put out in their names.
"We also encourage Catholics and Evangelicals to download and distribute this material at their neighborhood churches." -- Randall Terry, Founder, Operation Rescue
Call 904 687 9804 to schedule an interview.
Christian Newswire
ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- The "Open Letter", by Randall Terry, has been sent by certified mail to all U.S. Bishops. (See complete Open Letter at www.humbleplea.com.)
Following is the complete response from Bishop Gracida concerning the Open Letter and Faithful Catholic Citizenship. Faithful Catholic Citizenship proves - using the words of John Paul II - that a Catholic cannot in good conscience vote for Back Obama.
"Dear Randall,
I have visited the humbleplea.com website and have read the Open Letter [to the U.S. Bishops] and brochure 'Faithful Catholic Citizenship.'
You have done an excellent job of presenting the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church and applying it to the candidacy of Barack Hussein Obama.
I encourage you to disseminate the two documents as widely as possible. More and more bishops are speaking up in the way you desire.
I hope and pray that their numbers will increase before November 4.
Blessings!
Rene Henry Gracida
Bishop Emeritus of Corpus Christi"
An Open Letter to American Bishops regarding 'Catholic moral teaching' and the 2008 election and Faithful Catholic Citizenship can be read online at www.humbleplea.com.
"We are begging U.S. Catholic Bishops to correct the error put forth by Catholic Attorney Doug Kmiec (and others) that says:
It is time to set the record straight that it violates no aspect of Catholic teaching for a Catholic Voter to endorse, support, or vote for Barack Obama... (Doug Kmiec, Catholic Attorney and Author, Can a Catholic Support Him?; pg 36.)
...U.S. Catholic bishops have confirmed that it is the intent of the voter, and not the candidate's support for abortion, that determines the candidate's acceptability for the Catholic vote. (Pg. 82, Doug Kmiec, Can a Catholic Support Him? )
"This assertion by Doug Kmiec is false. We pray other bishops will correct the error being taught in their name. We are urging the faithful to read the letter themselves, then call their bishop to urge them to publicly correct the erroneous teaching being put out in their names.
"We also encourage Catholics and Evangelicals to download and distribute this material at their neighborhood churches." -- Randall Terry, Founder, Operation Rescue
Call 904 687 9804 to schedule an interview.
Christian Newswire
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Project to Alert The Voting Public Obama's Not Pro-life Reaches Phase Two
MEDIA ADVISORY, October 14 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Wisconsin Right to Life Political Action Committee is continuing its national E- card campaign to expose Senator Barack Obama's extreme positions on abortion and infanticide.
The theme of the project is to tell voters that too many Americans still believe Obama is pro-life. He's not.
The second in a series of four E-Cards, to be released each week beginning with October 7, 2008, was sent today, October 14. Click here to view both E-Cards.
Full documentation of Obama's record can be found on a link to each E-Card. Recipients are encouraged to forward each E-Card to family and friends around the nation. This project is expected to reach hundreds of thousands of Americans each week.
Authorized and paid for by the Wisconsin Right to Life PAC, Rick Fox Treasurer. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Christian Newswire
The theme of the project is to tell voters that too many Americans still believe Obama is pro-life. He's not.
The second in a series of four E-Cards, to be released each week beginning with October 7, 2008, was sent today, October 14. Click here to view both E-Cards.
Full documentation of Obama's record can be found on a link to each E-Card. Recipients are encouraged to forward each E-Card to family and friends around the nation. This project is expected to reach hundreds of thousands of Americans each week.
Authorized and paid for by the Wisconsin Right to Life PAC, Rick Fox Treasurer. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Christian Newswire
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Sacrifice and Prayer for Election of Pro-Life Candidates
Young Adult Catholics Invite Americans to Pray and Offer Up Sacrifices in Support of Pro Life and Family Values This Election
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- Sacrifices for Life, a young adult Catholic organization in support of the sanctity of life, invites others for a call to action to uphold family values through sacrifice and prayer from now until Election Day. This initiative is a pro-life effort to rally Christians to make daily sacrifices for the cause of restoring a culture of life in America -- to help turn the tide against abortion and other anti-life practices that are threatening to destroy the family, and ultimately, society itself.
"The upcoming election is crucial for the pro-life movement in this country, said Diana Roccograndi, Sacrifices for Life founder. "Many of us are praying and working to elect pro- life candidates who will fight to uphold our family values - our prayers and works will be more powerful when united with sacrifice."
There are numerous examples in the Old and New Testaments and the lives of the saints, which prove that prayer and action combined with sacrifice can bring God's mercy and healing to our land. Suggestions for sacrifices include abstaining from sweets, television, complaining, or anything one can do without or increasing prayer, fasting, volunteering, or charitable works. When making a sacrifice, participants are encouraged to say a prayer especially one that implores Our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, so that she may end child-killing in America today as she ended it in the Americas many years ago. The organizers of this effort urge that now is the time to implore God to save his children and our nation!
The effort is growing exponentially as Election Day approaches with members joining from across the country. For more information and to participate in this effort go to www.sacrificesforlife.org. Flyers and sample cover letters are available for download and may be distributed to all concerned Christians, parishes, schools, communities and Christian organizations. The organizers ask that everyone to generously offer sacrifices from now until the elections on November 4th and to join them in this effort by distributing the flyer widely to others.
Christian Newswire
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- Sacrifices for Life, a young adult Catholic organization in support of the sanctity of life, invites others for a call to action to uphold family values through sacrifice and prayer from now until Election Day. This initiative is a pro-life effort to rally Christians to make daily sacrifices for the cause of restoring a culture of life in America -- to help turn the tide against abortion and other anti-life practices that are threatening to destroy the family, and ultimately, society itself.
"The upcoming election is crucial for the pro-life movement in this country, said Diana Roccograndi, Sacrifices for Life founder. "Many of us are praying and working to elect pro- life candidates who will fight to uphold our family values - our prayers and works will be more powerful when united with sacrifice."
There are numerous examples in the Old and New Testaments and the lives of the saints, which prove that prayer and action combined with sacrifice can bring God's mercy and healing to our land. Suggestions for sacrifices include abstaining from sweets, television, complaining, or anything one can do without or increasing prayer, fasting, volunteering, or charitable works. When making a sacrifice, participants are encouraged to say a prayer especially one that implores Our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, so that she may end child-killing in America today as she ended it in the Americas many years ago. The organizers of this effort urge that now is the time to implore God to save his children and our nation!
The effort is growing exponentially as Election Day approaches with members joining from across the country. For more information and to participate in this effort go to www.sacrificesforlife.org. Flyers and sample cover letters are available for download and may be distributed to all concerned Christians, parishes, schools, communities and Christian organizations. The organizers ask that everyone to generously offer sacrifices from now until the elections on November 4th and to join them in this effort by distributing the flyer widely to others.
Christian Newswire
DFW Catholic and RealCatholicTV.com Bring Catholic News and Programming to the Masses Through Unique Partnership
DALLAS, Oct. 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- Internet users worldwide can now access solid Catholic news and programming thanks to the partnership of DFW Catholic and RealCatholicTV.com. By subscribing to receive DFW Catholic's daily news updates via email, users will receive one free month of Premium Access service from RealCatholicTV.com. The relationship, while still in its infancy, is certain to draw more users to both sites and inform viewers about Catholic news and promote orthodox Church teaching.
DFW Catholic, a MetroCatholic publication, is a one-of-a-kind website which provides daily Catholic news occurring around the world from the Vatican to the local parish. The site, which supplements the periodic print publications offered by the diocesan newspapers, will soon be followed by other regional sites in Texas and subsequent sites in major markets across the U.S.
RealCatholicTV.com is an internet-based Catholic television station that offers episodes on morality, movie reviews, news and political commentary, entertainment, apologetics, and much more. The group aims to provide viewers with a means to increase their personal holiness through catechesis and evangelization about the truth of the Christian faith.
"As I see it, the promotion is entirely open- ended," said Simon Rafe, Senior Platform Administrator for RealCatholicTV.com. "We want as many people as possible to benefit from this." Both groups share the objective of informing the public about current events, while at the same time spreading the truth about the teachings of the Catholic Church.
"We are both young lay organizations and feel this partnership will help us achieve our common goal of utilizing top-notch Catholic media to evangelize to as many people as possible," said Chad Simpson, CEO of MetroCatholic, Inc. "We are excited to be working with RealCatholicTV.com and are eager to see the fruit of both ministries."
For news and more information, visit www.DFWCatholic.org.
Christian Newswire
DFW Catholic, a MetroCatholic publication, is a one-of-a-kind website which provides daily Catholic news occurring around the world from the Vatican to the local parish. The site, which supplements the periodic print publications offered by the diocesan newspapers, will soon be followed by other regional sites in Texas and subsequent sites in major markets across the U.S.
RealCatholicTV.com is an internet-based Catholic television station that offers episodes on morality, movie reviews, news and political commentary, entertainment, apologetics, and much more. The group aims to provide viewers with a means to increase their personal holiness through catechesis and evangelization about the truth of the Christian faith.
"As I see it, the promotion is entirely open- ended," said Simon Rafe, Senior Platform Administrator for RealCatholicTV.com. "We want as many people as possible to benefit from this." Both groups share the objective of informing the public about current events, while at the same time spreading the truth about the teachings of the Catholic Church.
"We are both young lay organizations and feel this partnership will help us achieve our common goal of utilizing top-notch Catholic media to evangelize to as many people as possible," said Chad Simpson, CEO of MetroCatholic, Inc. "We are excited to be working with RealCatholicTV.com and are eager to see the fruit of both ministries."
For news and more information, visit www.DFWCatholic.org.
Christian Newswire
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Barack Obama's Sweeping Agenda for Pro-Abortion Policy Changes Examined by NRLC's Douglas Johnson in 'National Review Online'
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson and other NRLC staff persons are available for interviews on the subject of Mr. Johnson's new article on National Review Online, "Unholy Messaging," including radio debates with advocates for Barack Obama
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Obama campaign and its allies have adopted an extensive "messaging strategy" that seeks to persuade religiously committed Americans that Obama has a middle-of- the-road position on abortion policy and will promote "abortion reduction."
Douglas Johnson, longtime legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) and author of an article published today on National Review Online, titled "Unholy Messaging," calls the Obama effort "a brazen scam."
"The scam depends on the Obama campaign, with cooperation from the mainstream news media, deflecting attention away from Obama's actual record, and from his extensive commitments to pro-abortion interest groups," Johnson said. "Barack Obama is firmly committed to an agenda of sweeping pro-abortion policy changes that, if implemented, will surely greatly increase the number of abortions performed."
Johnson noted that a few short months ago, during his primary contest, Obama and his advocates were boasting about his record of leadership in opposition to legislation to ban partial-birth abortions, to protect infants born alive during abortions, and to require parental notification for minors seeking abortions, among other pro-life bills. "Those boasts were well-founded, and the current effort to re-package Obama as a moderate is a brazen scam," Johnson said.
The Obama "messaging" campaign includes a recently launched "Faith, Family & Values Tour" that will visit Colorado, Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Florida, New Mexico, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In addition, various independent groups are disseminating advertising and literature that advances the same strategy.
Among the specific Obama positions documented in Johnson's article (which contains extensive hyperlinks to documentation):
-- Obama is a cosponsor of the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA, S. 1173),, which Johnson calls "the most sweeping piece of pro-abortion legislation ever proposed in Congress." The FOCA is a bill that would make partial-birth abortion legal again, strike down restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortion, and nullify virtually every state and federal law or policy that would in any way "interfere with" access to abortion, including parental notification laws. In a letter sent to every member of Congress by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on September 19, Cardinal Justin Rigali wrote, "No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good-faith discussion on how to reduce abortions. In a speech to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 17, 2007, Obama said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."
-- Obama advocates the nullification of state laws requiring parental notification or consent for a minor daughter's abortion, which would be one of the effects of the FOCA. Moreover, since entering the U.S. Senate, Obama has had two opportunities to vote directly on the question of parental notification for interstate abortions on minors, and he voted "no" on both occasions.
-- Obama advocates repeal of the Hyde Amendment, the law that since 1976 has blocked almost all federal funding of abortion, even though both pro-life and pro-abortion analysts agree that this law has prevented many abortions. By even the most conservative estimate, there are more than one million Americans alive today because of the Hyde Amendment. "Because the Hyde Amendment must be renewed annually, a new president hostile to the Hyde Amendment could quickly place it in jeopardy," Johnson observed. The FOCA would also nullify all state laws restricting state funding of elective abortion.
-- In a written response to a pro-abortion advocacy group, the Obama campaign said that Obama is opposed to continuing current federal funding for "crisis pregnancy centers," which provide needed assistance to many thousands of pregnant women.
-- NRLC has thoroughly documented that in the Illinois state Senate, Obama led the opposition to legislation to protect babies who are born alive during abortions, and persisted in his opposition even after Congress had enacted a virtually identical federal bill without a single dissenting vote. Obama has in numerous ways actively misrepresented the content of this legislation, and his actions on it, but even when such misrepresentations were proved by NRLC and others, the major media simply let Obama abandon them and fall back to a different set of equally misleading claims.
In his article, Johnson criticizes recent coverage in the "mainstream news media," which, he writes, "have, with few exceptions, been very compliant with Obama's recent efforts to downplay his hard-line pro-abortion history and policy commitments, for the purpose of winning the general election." Typically, journalists simply describe Obama's position as "supports abortion rights," without giving details regarding his advocacy of federal funding of abortion, invalidation of parental notification laws, and the rest.
****
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson and other NRLC staff persons are available for interviews on the subject of the Obama agenda on abortion, including radio debates with advocates for Barack Obama. Call 202-626-8820.
Mr. Johnson's article has been cross-posted on the NRLC website under the title "Efforts to Sell Obama to Pro-Life Americans Collide With His Support for Sweeping Pro-abortion Policy Changes."
Christian Newswire
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Obama campaign and its allies have adopted an extensive "messaging strategy" that seeks to persuade religiously committed Americans that Obama has a middle-of- the-road position on abortion policy and will promote "abortion reduction."
Douglas Johnson, longtime legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) and author of an article published today on National Review Online, titled "Unholy Messaging," calls the Obama effort "a brazen scam."
"The scam depends on the Obama campaign, with cooperation from the mainstream news media, deflecting attention away from Obama's actual record, and from his extensive commitments to pro-abortion interest groups," Johnson said. "Barack Obama is firmly committed to an agenda of sweeping pro-abortion policy changes that, if implemented, will surely greatly increase the number of abortions performed."
Johnson noted that a few short months ago, during his primary contest, Obama and his advocates were boasting about his record of leadership in opposition to legislation to ban partial-birth abortions, to protect infants born alive during abortions, and to require parental notification for minors seeking abortions, among other pro-life bills. "Those boasts were well-founded, and the current effort to re-package Obama as a moderate is a brazen scam," Johnson said.
The Obama "messaging" campaign includes a recently launched "Faith, Family & Values Tour" that will visit Colorado, Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Florida, New Mexico, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In addition, various independent groups are disseminating advertising and literature that advances the same strategy.
Among the specific Obama positions documented in Johnson's article (which contains extensive hyperlinks to documentation):
-- Obama is a cosponsor of the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA, S. 1173),, which Johnson calls "the most sweeping piece of pro-abortion legislation ever proposed in Congress." The FOCA is a bill that would make partial-birth abortion legal again, strike down restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortion, and nullify virtually every state and federal law or policy that would in any way "interfere with" access to abortion, including parental notification laws. In a letter sent to every member of Congress by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on September 19, Cardinal Justin Rigali wrote, "No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good-faith discussion on how to reduce abortions. In a speech to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 17, 2007, Obama said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."
-- Obama advocates the nullification of state laws requiring parental notification or consent for a minor daughter's abortion, which would be one of the effects of the FOCA. Moreover, since entering the U.S. Senate, Obama has had two opportunities to vote directly on the question of parental notification for interstate abortions on minors, and he voted "no" on both occasions.
-- Obama advocates repeal of the Hyde Amendment, the law that since 1976 has blocked almost all federal funding of abortion, even though both pro-life and pro-abortion analysts agree that this law has prevented many abortions. By even the most conservative estimate, there are more than one million Americans alive today because of the Hyde Amendment. "Because the Hyde Amendment must be renewed annually, a new president hostile to the Hyde Amendment could quickly place it in jeopardy," Johnson observed. The FOCA would also nullify all state laws restricting state funding of elective abortion.
-- In a written response to a pro-abortion advocacy group, the Obama campaign said that Obama is opposed to continuing current federal funding for "crisis pregnancy centers," which provide needed assistance to many thousands of pregnant women.
-- NRLC has thoroughly documented that in the Illinois state Senate, Obama led the opposition to legislation to protect babies who are born alive during abortions, and persisted in his opposition even after Congress had enacted a virtually identical federal bill without a single dissenting vote. Obama has in numerous ways actively misrepresented the content of this legislation, and his actions on it, but even when such misrepresentations were proved by NRLC and others, the major media simply let Obama abandon them and fall back to a different set of equally misleading claims.
In his article, Johnson criticizes recent coverage in the "mainstream news media," which, he writes, "have, with few exceptions, been very compliant with Obama's recent efforts to downplay his hard-line pro-abortion history and policy commitments, for the purpose of winning the general election." Typically, journalists simply describe Obama's position as "supports abortion rights," without giving details regarding his advocacy of federal funding of abortion, invalidation of parental notification laws, and the rest.
****
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson and other NRLC staff persons are available for interviews on the subject of the Obama agenda on abortion, including radio debates with advocates for Barack Obama. Call 202-626-8820.
Mr. Johnson's article has been cross-posted on the NRLC website under the title "Efforts to Sell Obama to Pro-Life Americans Collide With His Support for Sweeping Pro-abortion Policy Changes."
Christian Newswire
New Prayer Program from Loyola Press Helps People Become Passionate About Praying
CHICAGO, Oct. 7 /Christian Newswire/ -- It's one thing to produce products about prayer, but quite another to teach people how to pray. Partners in Prayer, a new service of Loyola Press, was created to teach adults and children how to experience a close relationship with God through prayer.
This hands-on, practical workshop for catechetical leaders offers highly creative and proven ways of engaging children in reflective prayer and provides ready-to-use approaches to bringing deeper meaning to praying traditional Catholic prayers.
The workshop, conducted by Loyola Press's trained facilitators, gives leaders the practical skills, resources, and confidence they need to help children find God, know God, and love God through the power of prayer.
From its inception in 1912, Loyola Press has remained faithful to its Ignatian heritage of helping people experience God in all things. Partners in Prayer is an expression of this ongoing and always growing commitment to the spiritual life of individuals and parishes.
Paul Campbell, SJ, Vice President for Mission and Identity, believes that the program uniquely expresses Loyola Press's dedication to nurturing the spiritual life. "The strength of Partners in Prayer is that it truly helps adults and children build a deep relationship with God, because when people know how to talk with God, it's easy for them to walk with God."
For more information on Partners in Prayer, please contact Kathy Suzuki at 773-529-5690 or Suzuki@loyolapress.com
Loyola Press, founded in 1912, is a nonprofit publishing company committed to meeting the spiritual and educational needs of individuals, parishes and families by providing resources that support children's faith formation, language arts education and whole community catechesis. As a ministry of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), Loyola Press is dedicated to providing a wide variety of literature on topics including Ignatian prayer & spirituality, saints, ongoing spiritual growth, Catholic life and history. www.loyolapress.com
Christian Newswire
This hands-on, practical workshop for catechetical leaders offers highly creative and proven ways of engaging children in reflective prayer and provides ready-to-use approaches to bringing deeper meaning to praying traditional Catholic prayers.
The workshop, conducted by Loyola Press's trained facilitators, gives leaders the practical skills, resources, and confidence they need to help children find God, know God, and love God through the power of prayer.
From its inception in 1912, Loyola Press has remained faithful to its Ignatian heritage of helping people experience God in all things. Partners in Prayer is an expression of this ongoing and always growing commitment to the spiritual life of individuals and parishes.
Paul Campbell, SJ, Vice President for Mission and Identity, believes that the program uniquely expresses Loyola Press's dedication to nurturing the spiritual life. "The strength of Partners in Prayer is that it truly helps adults and children build a deep relationship with God, because when people know how to talk with God, it's easy for them to walk with God."
For more information on Partners in Prayer, please contact Kathy Suzuki at 773-529-5690 or Suzuki@loyolapress.com
Loyola Press, founded in 1912, is a nonprofit publishing company committed to meeting the spiritual and educational needs of individuals, parishes and families by providing resources that support children's faith formation, language arts education and whole community catechesis. As a ministry of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), Loyola Press is dedicated to providing a wide variety of literature on topics including Ignatian prayer & spirituality, saints, ongoing spiritual growth, Catholic life and history. www.loyolapress.com
Christian Newswire
Friday, October 03, 2008
Not Catholic, But a Very Christian Man
Billy Graham to Turn 90: Public Invited to Send Personal Stories, Birthday Wishes
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- For more than 60 years, evangelist Billy Graham has preached the good news of God's love in-person to nearly 215 million people at hundreds of events and countless millions more via television and radio. Now, all of the individuals, churches and ministries he has impacted have a unique opportunity to say something in return.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) announced today it is collecting stories and birthday wishes for the evangelist, who turns 90 on November 7, 2008. All who have been personally touched by an aspect of Billy Graham's ministry are welcome and encouraged to visit www.billygraham90.com to share a greeting or a personal story about his ministry they feel would encourage Mr. Graham at this milestone. Submissions will be accepted until November 1.
"My father is a humble man who would never expect to be honored and recognized like this on his birthday," said Franklin Graham, BGEA president and CEO and Graham's eldest son. "We urge all who made a commitment to Jesus Christ through my father's ministry to share your story or simple greeting, as nothing could uplift him more on this special day."
Along with providing a place where visitors can submit stories and greetings, www.billygraham90.com also contains resources that churches and other ministries can download to inform others about this birthday celebration. In addition, messages can be mailed to: Billy Graham's 90th Birthday, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201.
Following Mr. Graham's birthday in November, all of the greetings and wishes in honor of his faithful decades-long ministry will be combined into books and presented to him during a special tribute dinner with family and ministry friends later in the month.
As Mr. Graham turns 90, the impact of his ministry continues to be felt worldwide. In addition to holding international evangelistic Festivals, Franklin Graham has overseen the development of several exciting new projects at the BGEA that are reaching millions of people across the United States and around the globe.
From its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association runs a wide range of domestic and international ministries, including: large- scale festivals led by evangelists Franklin Graham and his son Will Graham; Dare to Be a Daniel, a youth evangelism training project; My Hope World Evangelism Through Television; the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team of crisis-trained chaplains; and many others through print, television, telephone, radio and the Internet. For more information, please visit www.billygraham.org.
Christian Newswire
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- For more than 60 years, evangelist Billy Graham has preached the good news of God's love in-person to nearly 215 million people at hundreds of events and countless millions more via television and radio. Now, all of the individuals, churches and ministries he has impacted have a unique opportunity to say something in return.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) announced today it is collecting stories and birthday wishes for the evangelist, who turns 90 on November 7, 2008. All who have been personally touched by an aspect of Billy Graham's ministry are welcome and encouraged to visit www.billygraham90.com to share a greeting or a personal story about his ministry they feel would encourage Mr. Graham at this milestone. Submissions will be accepted until November 1.
"My father is a humble man who would never expect to be honored and recognized like this on his birthday," said Franklin Graham, BGEA president and CEO and Graham's eldest son. "We urge all who made a commitment to Jesus Christ through my father's ministry to share your story or simple greeting, as nothing could uplift him more on this special day."
Along with providing a place where visitors can submit stories and greetings, www.billygraham90.com also contains resources that churches and other ministries can download to inform others about this birthday celebration. In addition, messages can be mailed to: Billy Graham's 90th Birthday, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201.
Following Mr. Graham's birthday in November, all of the greetings and wishes in honor of his faithful decades-long ministry will be combined into books and presented to him during a special tribute dinner with family and ministry friends later in the month.
As Mr. Graham turns 90, the impact of his ministry continues to be felt worldwide. In addition to holding international evangelistic Festivals, Franklin Graham has overseen the development of several exciting new projects at the BGEA that are reaching millions of people across the United States and around the globe.
From its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association runs a wide range of domestic and international ministries, including: large- scale festivals led by evangelists Franklin Graham and his son Will Graham; Dare to Be a Daniel, a youth evangelism training project; My Hope World Evangelism Through Television; the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team of crisis-trained chaplains; and many others through print, television, telephone, radio and the Internet. For more information, please visit www.billygraham.org.
Christian Newswire
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Host Desecration Videos Back on YouTube
America Needs Fatima outraged
SPRING GROVE, Penn., Oct. 2 /Christian Newswire/ -- Host desecration videos originally pulled from YouTube have been reposted. The America Needs Fatima campaign is sickened by this blasphemy and has collected 18,201 signatures on a protest petition in just 7 days.
The 40 separate desecration videos -- originally posted in mid-August -- showed the Host being flushed down a toilet, stomped on and fed to ducks, among other sickening spectacles.
In response to the America Needs Fatima petition, the desecration videos were pulled from YouTube on October 1, but were reposted the same day.
Robert Ritchie, director of America Needs Fatima, explained: "As Catholics, we believe the Host is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Witnessing the desecration of the Host causes anguish to Catholics all over the world."
Ritchie added: "In the past, YouTube has removed videos offensive to Jews and members of other religions, including one showing a teenager urinating on a Holocaust memorial. Why can't Catholics be afforded the same respect for our deeply held beliefs? "
"The desecration of the Host is not an acceptable form of free speech. The only message it conveys is one of unremitting hatred," Ritchie said.
Go to www.AmericaNeedsFatima.org/yt/ to sign and send a petition protest to YouTube.
Or convey your own protest message in a polite yet firm manner to YouTube by calling (650) 253-0000 or FAXing (650) 253-0001.
America Needs Fatima aims to capture the heart and soul of America with the message of Our Lady of Fatima.
ANF is a project of The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP), which was founded in 1973 by a group of concerned Catholics to lead an intellectual resistance to liberalism, socialism and communism, as well as to affirm the positive values of tradition, family and property.
For more information on the projects and activities of America Needs Fatima, go to www.ANF.org. To schedule an interview with Robert Ritchie, call Gary Isbell at 717-309-1990.
Christian Newswire
SPRING GROVE, Penn., Oct. 2 /Christian Newswire/ -- Host desecration videos originally pulled from YouTube have been reposted. The America Needs Fatima campaign is sickened by this blasphemy and has collected 18,201 signatures on a protest petition in just 7 days.
The 40 separate desecration videos -- originally posted in mid-August -- showed the Host being flushed down a toilet, stomped on and fed to ducks, among other sickening spectacles.
In response to the America Needs Fatima petition, the desecration videos were pulled from YouTube on October 1, but were reposted the same day.
Robert Ritchie, director of America Needs Fatima, explained: "As Catholics, we believe the Host is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Witnessing the desecration of the Host causes anguish to Catholics all over the world."
Ritchie added: "In the past, YouTube has removed videos offensive to Jews and members of other religions, including one showing a teenager urinating on a Holocaust memorial. Why can't Catholics be afforded the same respect for our deeply held beliefs? "
"The desecration of the Host is not an acceptable form of free speech. The only message it conveys is one of unremitting hatred," Ritchie said.
Go to www.AmericaNeedsFatima.org/yt/ to sign and send a petition protest to YouTube.
Or convey your own protest message in a polite yet firm manner to YouTube by calling (650) 253-0000 or FAXing (650) 253-0001.
America Needs Fatima aims to capture the heart and soul of America with the message of Our Lady of Fatima.
ANF is a project of The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP), which was founded in 1973 by a group of concerned Catholics to lead an intellectual resistance to liberalism, socialism and communism, as well as to affirm the positive values of tradition, family and property.
For more information on the projects and activities of America Needs Fatima, go to www.ANF.org. To schedule an interview with Robert Ritchie, call Gary Isbell at 717-309-1990.
Christian Newswire
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
YouTube Gets 18,201 Petitions, Host Desecration Videos Pulled
SPRING GROVE, Penn., Oct. 1 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today, responding to a worldwide protest from Catholics, the internet video sharing site YouTube has removed 40 videos showing horrible desecrations of the Holy Eucharist from its site. The account of the author was also suspended.
Catholics are thrilled and prayers of thanksgiving are being offered.
The video removal petition was circulated by the Catholic group America Needs Fatima and 18,201 people signed it in only seven days.
For over a month, an individual from Canada had posted 40 videos showing the Holy Eucharist being stepped on, burned, stapled, smoked and nailed to a stick -- even flushed down the toilet.
The videos shocked Catholics and caused America Needs Fatima to launch a petition on September 23 asking YouTube to remove the videos.
"I was never so offended in my life," said Michael Jordan, who joined the petition from Marysville, California. "The videos were pure hate."
The petition spread like wildfire. America Needs Fatima webmaster Joseph Ritchie said: "I never saw so many people sign a petition so fast. They came in from all over the world, even Russia."
"We're now sending YouTube a 'thank you' note." Mr. Ritchie said. "The 'thank you' message lets Catholics tell YouTube how happy they are with the videos being removed."
"It's important the staff at YouTube see that Catholics not only have courage to defend the faith, but courtesy to say 'thank you' as well," he said.
For more information on the 'thank you' message to YouTube, or for interviews, call Robert Ritchie at 717- 309-1990, or go to www.ANF.org.
Christian Newswire
Catholics are thrilled and prayers of thanksgiving are being offered.
The video removal petition was circulated by the Catholic group America Needs Fatima and 18,201 people signed it in only seven days.
For over a month, an individual from Canada had posted 40 videos showing the Holy Eucharist being stepped on, burned, stapled, smoked and nailed to a stick -- even flushed down the toilet.
The videos shocked Catholics and caused America Needs Fatima to launch a petition on September 23 asking YouTube to remove the videos.
"I was never so offended in my life," said Michael Jordan, who joined the petition from Marysville, California. "The videos were pure hate."
The petition spread like wildfire. America Needs Fatima webmaster Joseph Ritchie said: "I never saw so many people sign a petition so fast. They came in from all over the world, even Russia."
"We're now sending YouTube a 'thank you' note." Mr. Ritchie said. "The 'thank you' message lets Catholics tell YouTube how happy they are with the videos being removed."
"It's important the staff at YouTube see that Catholics not only have courage to defend the faith, but courtesy to say 'thank you' as well," he said.
For more information on the 'thank you' message to YouTube, or for interviews, call Robert Ritchie at 717- 309-1990, or go to www.ANF.org.
Christian Newswire
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