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April 2010 Cherish Life Newsletter |
Contents Include;
How Many Legs...
Rally for Life
2010
Pro-life News & Updates
Upcoming Events
Surrogacy Now
Legal in Qld
Gold Coast Branch
Download here. 
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Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg”.
In regards to the issue of abortion — calling abortion ‘termination of pregnancy, removal of pregnancy tissue’ or any other name does not make abortion anything other than the killing in the womb of an unborn child. Sugarcoating the words does not make it any more palatable.
The recent “Rally For Life” was a great opportunity to show that we will never bow to the idea that destroying an unborn baby is ever acceptable.
A big thank you to all of you who attended the Rally. Don’t let the enthusiasm of the event die, but act upon the ‘get active’ suggestions made by the speakers on the day.
At the first Rally held in 2008 I mentioned that I had seen no public advertising of the Commonwealth Government’s National Pregnancy Support Helpline. I found this rather unusual considering all the noise and commotion that was created in setting it up and how “look at me” the Government is whenever they do anything in the public domain. A clearer picture of why it seems to have been suppressed, at least until now, now appears to be emerging. As of July 1st this year, this national helpline is changing its structure and will refer for abortions. What are the odds that this phone number will now be seen everywhere from the back of buses, billboards on major highways, and on TV, radio and in the printed media? Very difficult to not feel this notion of referring for abortion was the agenda from the beginning.
We suggest you all steer clear of using this service — the number is 1800 422 213 and we provide this for your information to ensure you are aware that as of 1 July they will refer for abortion.
Enclosed with this newsletter you will find a flyer for the upcoming movie night on 19 May showing “Silent Scream”. Some of you may have seen this film before but we encourage you to come along again and bring friends who perhaps don’t hold to your pro-life position — there is a high chance that this film will change their mind. On the night, Sue Hartley from Daughters of Promise will also speak about the role this organisation is playing in the lives of young women.
On Saturday 26 June the Cherish Life Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting will be held in Parliament House — see enclosed flyer. As it is our 40th year in operation we are hoping you will come along and celebrate with us. As always, the lineup of speakers is excellent and not to be missed.
On Sunday 27 June, we will hold our second annual luncheon at the Virginia Golf Club at Banyo. Tempe Harvey of Kids First (www.kidsfirst.org) is our guest speaker and with her ‘tell it like it is’ presentation, will ‘tell it like it is’ in relation to parental leave and how it will cause a negative impact on the family, and also on a couple’s decisions to actually have another child.
We strongly encourage you to come along to these events — get informed and get involved.
Teresa Martin
State President
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Saturday 13 March saw large numbers of families and individuals gather in Queen’s Park, Brisbane city for the 2010 Rally For Life. Whilst not quite as numerous as last year, the joy and enthusiasm of those present more than made up for it. As like last year, we were treated to the funky sounds of the Roby Curtis band (www.robycurtis.com). Not only did they sound great, but it drowned out the “unhappy ones” with their megaphone on the footpath. We thank the police for keeping them out of the park.
It was great to have a number of stands of information of the numerous other groups supporting the Rally For Life and those present availed themselves of the opportunity to learn more about these organisations.
Dr David van Gend, a GP from Toowoomba, State Secretary for the World Federation of Doctors Who Respect Human Life and named one of Australia’s 50 most intriguing GPs, was our first speaker. He spoke with eloquence and passion. Tongue in cheek, Dr van Gend referred to “our fellow citizens in the cheap seats” (aka the protestors) and that while their chants are wrong and mind-numbingly repetitive, this is a democracy and they are free to chant them and we are free to say our thing too. We have never seen a happy pro-abortion rally. (Comment: The protestors’ Facebook page had 90+ saying they were attending to protest — fewer than 40 turned up with less than 20 there by the end of the Rally. One protestor disobeying a police direction resulted in an arrest.)
Reclaiming lost ground was the theme of Dr van Gend’s talk. He spoke about the sacred bond between mother and child — a bond which is under a three-way assault from cloning, surrogacy and abortion. “Cloning says a baby can be created with no genetic trace of a mother — created for experimentation and destruction,” he said. “Surrogacy assaults this bond by availing men to use a woman as a surrogate. Premier Bligh has allowed into law that the Birth Certificate is then altered to have only the man on that legal document with no mother. The leaders of the LNP, who voted against the Surrogacy Bill have given an assurance that they will repeal this law when they get into parliament. He continued, “In abortion there is a two way assault — a double death — the death of the baby and the death of the inner life of the mother.” He stated strongly, “We will not concede any ground to these assaults and we will reclaim lost ground.”
In relation to cloning, Dr van Gend said, “This year we have a federal review of the national cloning law. The cloning bill passed in the Senate by one vote, that of Senator Andrew Bartlett who blogged the next day ‘I think I might have voted the wrong way’. Many who voted for the cloning bill thought that embryonic stem cells would pave the way to curing diseases, however in November 2007 cloning died a sudden and spectacular death. A scientist in Japan, Shinya Yamanaka found a way to create induced pluripotent stem cells using skin cells, which can become any type of cell. On the day Yamanaka’s discovery was made public, Prof Ian Willmett, creator of Dolly the sheep, announced he was walking away from his cloning licence as iPS cells are socially acceptable and do not destroy life. Yamanaka’s discovery was a scientific revolution — the one justification for cloning is gone. The uses of cloning are gone, and only the abuses remain,” Dr van Gend said.
He continued, “However this is not the way that Prof Julian Savulescu sees it according to his report in the Journal of Medical Ethics where he states, ‘We have a duty not only to clone but to grow until full fetal size for transplant and so end the transplant shortage’. Senators, we need this law repealed,” Dr van Gend asserted.
“There are many voices who want to ‘cut and paste’ the Victorian law into Queensland. This law allows the taking of the life of unborn baby for any reason or NO reason at all up to 24 weeks — older than babies in the premmies,” he said. He continued, “As a GP, we know that the infinite sadness of someone who has had their life eaten by a past abortion moves us, touches us as much as the death of the baby. Abortion means a place of death created in your body where there should be of a place of life.”
“A NZ study has shown the indisputable increase of mental and emotional illness in women who have had an abortion. Young people today have inherited the feral values of the 60’s sexual revolution that says abortion is fine for women, and that her baby doesn’t matter,” he said.
He called upon young men to go with the values of faithfulness and loyalty. “There is no other way for a good-hearted man to treat a woman to whom he is bound to, by bonds of compassion as well as passion and loyalty as well as desire,” he said. “We will not concede any ground to the culture of dehumanisation and death because the ground we defend — that space, that life between a mother and baby is something close to sacred ground.”
Bernie Finn, Victorian MP, Chairman of the “March for the Babies” and nominated as one of the top 100 influential people in Melbourne in The Age newspaper was our guest speaker. Mr Finn spoke for a record 5 hours in parliament against the abortion bill prior to it being passed in Victoria. He felt as long as he was speaking the bill couldn’t be passed. He joked he wouldn’t be speaking for that long at the Rally.
“I am here to issue a warning — we don’t want to have happen in Queensland what happened in Victoria — the dehumanising of every unborn child in Victoria,” he said, “In the final week of the debate, all amendments were defeated. It is a truly evil bill.”
“How could this happen?” he asked. “We believed our Victorian Premier when he said they had no intention of changing the abortion law in our state. When Anna Bligh says that she had no intention of changing the abortion law, DO NOT BELIEVE HER. DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THAT WE MADE IN VICTORIA WHEN WE BELIEVED OUR PREMIER. DO NOT TRUST HER. DO NOT BELIEVE HER!” he strongly stated. Mr Finn explained that the push was started by the ALP and that the ALP’s inner group called EMILY’s List was started by Joan Kirner. “It (Emily’s List) is a hardline and hard-hearted feminist group. If abortion was a religion, their number 1 sacrament would be abortion. They were responsible for the abortion law changes in Victoria,” he stated.
Mr Finn said 75% of Liberals and National party members and the one DLP member voted against the bill. Over 80% of the ALP and all the Greens voted for the abortion bill. “The Victorian government has declared war on unborn babies” he said.
He issued a warning to Anna Bligh to see what is going to happen in Victoria in November — Maxine Moran who seconded the bill will see her political career end. “We must do what the babies can’t do. We have to act for them and vote these creatures out. The abortion voters are not fit to be in any parliament anywhere.”
“There are three things you need to do to stop the tsunami of blood engulfing Queensland. Firstly, BE ALERT — DON’T TRUST THEM. Secondly, BE AWARE — gather all for the fight ahead. Thirdly, BE ACTIVE — act upon being pro-life. It is not good enough to just be pro-life you have to do something about it. Join a political party and influence their policies. I urge you to keep fighting — it is about your future,” he said.
Mr Finn said, “In the USA, 52% of people now describe themselves as pro-life and in the 18-29 year age group, only 24% support abortion on demand. The tide is turning over there and it can and will turn here.”
He said any move to decriminalise abortion in Queensland will not be about the future or the present. It will be about women, now past childbearing age, vindicating their previous abortions. When the Victorian abortion bill was passed, a Greens politician was overheard to say “I am no longer a criminal.” “We can pass bills but NOTHING will legitimise the killing of an innocent child,” Mr Finn said. “It will be a tough battle. Abortion is the greatest civil rights issue in the world today — one that we must win! Stand up for life for the babies and their mums,” he encouraged.
Teresa Martin, State President of Cherish Life Queensland, spoke next and reiterated what Bernie Finn has said in relation to being cautious in believing the government when it says there are no plans to introduce an abortion bill. It is not just a matter of everyone doing something, you now need to do something more,” she said. “Join a political party — you can influence policies. We want good strong leadership from the top down — let’s get active in the upcoming federal election. Help their campaigns by letterboxing for your pro-life candidate or sitting member, contact their office and do all you can to help. “Don’t leave it up to someone else — you are that someone else!” she said.
In relation to those who have had abortions or do not hold to our life position, she advised using words that will encourage dialogue with those people. She said, “Making the statement, ‘That must have been a very difficult time for you’ does not validate what they have done. It empathises with them — coming to an abortion decision is a difficult place. You lose no ground by empathising but you open them up to further discussion.
“Pro-life people are often accused of forcing their beliefs on others. As Pope John Paul II said when challenged about forcing his beliefs onto people, he calmly stated, ‘Rather than force my belief, I propose my belief for consideration and reflection’. We cannot make anyone believe what we believe. We can however, calmly and genuinely put our beliefs forward, and we have every right to do so,” Teresa encouraged.
In contrast to the abortion-minded Emily’s List, Teresa mentioned Emily’s Voice (www.emilysvoice.com) — a wonderful advertising campaign started in Toowoomba that uses a soft and gentle approach to spread the pro-life message and urged people in that region to support their pro-life campaign.
Teresa closed with the words of Fr Pavone of Priests For Life, “If the pro-life movement is not a movement of love, it is nothing at all; but if it is a movement of love, then nothing will stop it. Love is stronger than death. Nobody can stop us from loving our preborn brothers and sisters. Those who are stronger than we are, may strip us of popularity, possessions or power, but they cannot strip us of love.” “The pro-life movement should be one of love,” Teresa said.
Petition presentation
Due to the work done by the NCC (www.ncc.org.au) and Voters For Life, a petition against abortion law changes signed by 5343 people was presented by Luke McCormack to Aidan McLindon and his wife Christy. Mr McLindon is the LNP Member for Beaudesert. As Luke handed over the petition, he stated that Voters for Life was a special task force responsible for twice the average state swing against Bonnie Barry and encouraged those present to join this new group.
Mr McLindon accepted the petition and said it would be presented to the Queensland Parliament on Tuesday 23 March. He said, “Humanity has struggled for natural justice — abortion is the greatest social justice issue. There is no opportunity to leave your moral suitcase at the door when politicians vote on these life issues and they need to held accountable.”
Balloon release
The day ended on a happy note as Helen Glen from the Priceless Life Centre (www.pricelesslifecentre.org.au) counted down the balloon release to the soothing and uplifting Louis Armstrong song, “What a Wonderful World”.
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SAFE ABORTIONS? YOU CAN BET YOUR HEP C THEY’RE NOT! |
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Authorities in Victoria have revealed a doctor has been suspended from practice because 12 of his female patients have contracted Hepatitis C. Dr James Latham Peters, an anesthetist working in a Melbourne East abortion mill between June 2008 and December 2009 is being investigated by both the police the Medical Practitioners Board as to how Hep C, the same strain Peters is infected with, has been transmitted to the women who have undergone “procedures” there. DNA tests have linked the strain of the virus found in the women to the strain the doctor has with the testing laboratory results showing there was a clear link (from a structural point of view) between the viruses of the patients and that of the doctor.
Hepatitis C takes a long time to surface, is very hard to treat and can cause fatal liver problems. It can be easily passed on via blood or sharing a syringe. Medical authorities cannot explain how 12 people could be infected by accident.
The Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria had previously placed restrictions on Dr. Peters’ license, limiting his access to various drugs as he was found to have a substance-abuse problem. The Board had Peters participate in a program for substance-abusing doctors and he was required to submit to drug tests for a year. It later removed these restrictions however, and also concealed any publicly accessible record to protect his privacy.
The Melbourne abortuary, using the innocuous term “Day Surgery” in its title is part of Planned Parenthood of Australia Group.
(Comment: In Seattle USA in 1993 at a conference for abortionists, David Grundmann stated that it was “hard to attract good doctors (to the practice of abortion) as most have a death or malpractice suit behind them”. Seems nothing has changed.)
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Bioethics Expert Suggests Women Reconsider Plan to Donate Eggs to Clinics |
(Excerpt from LifeNews.com — 3 March 2010)
Washington, DC — A bioethics expert is suggesting that women rethink possible plans to donate their eggs to fertility clinics for research or use in pregnancy. Jennifer Lahl of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network says egg donation is a “risky business” and unlike a high-risk job where employees receive appropriate compensation for the dangers the egg donation process is inherently risky, from beginning to end.
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New Anti-Abortion Law in Nebraska based on Fetal Pain research |
(Excerpt from LifeNews.com — 13 April 2010)
Lincoln, NE (LifeNews.com) — The Nebraska legislature has signed off on a bill that Governor Dave Heineman will sign today that could head to the courts and ultimately weaken further the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that has resulted in 52 million abortions. The bill bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy based on the well-established concept of fetal pain.
By a vote of 44-5, the Nebraska unicameral legislature this morning gave final passage to the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act introduced by Speaker Mike Flood.
The legislation has been hailed by pro-life advocates across the country for its innovative approach and focusing the public’s attention on unborn babies who have been medically documented as pain capable at 20 weeks gestation.
National Right to Life attorney Mary Spaulding Balch told LifeNews.com that the bill could make its way to the Supreme Court to alter national abortion law further and set a wide-ranging precedent.
“Although it will be a case of first impression, there are strong grounds to believe that five members of the current U.S. Supreme Court would give serious consideration to Nebraska’s assertion of a compelling state interest in preserving the life of an unborn child whom substantial medical evidence indicates is capable of feeling pain during an abortion,” she said.
The ban on partial-birth abortions that made its way to the Supreme Court twice brought home the pro-life message that abortion kills an unborn child and was responsible for shifting public opinion on abortion squarely into the pro-life category.
It also paved the way for states to, for the first time since Roe, ban at least some abortions.
The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act could see the same group of five members of the Supreme Court uphold it as constitutional and allow more abortions to be prohibited.
Balch says the genius of the measure is the scientific fact that unborn children can feel pain.
“By 20 weeks after fertilization, unborn children have pain receptors throughout their body, and nerves link these to the brain,” she told LifeNews.com. “These unborn children recoil from painful stimulation, which also dramatically increases their release of stress hormones. Doctors performing fetal surgery at and after 20 weeks now routinely use fetal anesthesia.”
The pro-life attorney rebutted the response from pro-abortion groups that unborn children cannot feel pain until later in pregnancy when nerves reach the cerebral cortex.
“Since 2007, medical research, triggered by the identification of consciousness in children lacking a cortex from birth, has indicated that nerve connection to the cortex is not essential to experience pain. In fact, informed specialists have concluded that the subcortical plate, to which nerves from the pain receptors are linking at 20 weeks, fulfills that function,” she explained.
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Maternal Mortality Declines Worldwide Despite More Nations Not Legalizing Abortions |
(Excerpt from LifeNews.com — 3 March 2010)
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Maternal mortality numbers are declining worldwide according to a Lancet report even though more nations around the world are not legalizing abortions. The report makes it clear abortion advocacy groups are presenting false arguments when saying more pro-abortion laws are needed to cut maternal deaths around the globe.
A new study, published by the British medical journal The Lancet shows a dramatic decline in maternal deaths worldwide.
The Lancet reports 526,300 maternal deaths worldwide in 1980 and 342,900 deaths in 2008, a reduction of 35 percent. A total of 60,000 of the 2008 deaths were pregnant women in eastern Africa who died from AIDS.
“This new study is further proof that it is clean water, clean blood and adequate access to health care — not abortion on demand — that will help pregnant women and their babies globally,” Scott Fischbach, director of the MCCL Global Outreach program, told LifeNews.com.
The New York Times article quotes Dr. Richard Horton, who states he received pressure from maternal mortality advocacy groups not to release the new findings.
“For years the advocates of abortion have used the maternal mortality issue to overthrow pro-life laws in country after country,” Fischbach continued. “Without the maternal mortality argument, another gaping hole exists in their push for abortion on demand.”
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PROPOSED GOLD COAST BRANCH OF CHERISH LIFE QUEENSLAND INC |
One of the fruits of the recent Rally For Life was the expressions of interest to start the proposed Gold Coast branch of Cherish Life Queensland Inc. If you are keen to be involved to do more for the unborn, please contact Teresa on 07 3871 2445 or email
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The new billboard is up in place (see illustration below). We would especialy like to thank the member whose very generous donation covered the cost of the billboard.
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Fr Paul Marx OSB passed into eternal life on the morning of 20 March 2010 just 6 weeks short of his 90th birthday. Born on 8 May 1920 the 15th of 17 children, he was ordained to the Catholic priesthood on 15 June 1947. Fr Marx was an untiring voice for the unborn visiting 90 countries and writing 13 books defending and promoting the intrinsic value of human life, particularly unborn human life.
Father Marx founded Human Life International in 1971, two years before the infamous Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion throughout America. HLI’s first office was a garage near the U.S. Supreme Court building. Whilst the bitter cronies of Planned Parenthood once described him as ‘Public Enemy #1’, the great Pope John Paul II called him “The Apostle of Life.”
As Fr Marx arrives at the Pearly Gates, no doubt there will be millions of little ones that he defended here on earth, there to greet him. Rest in peace.
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