Are We the Ones to Decide When to Die?

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Read the Winning Essays from our Teen Essay Contest

“It's Our Life, It's Our Death, It's Our State:” Maine Death with Dignity Launches Campaign for Assisted Dying

Dr. Jack Kevorkian , the medical pathologist who willfully helped dozens of terminally ill people end their lives, becoming the central figure in a national drama surrounding assisted suicide, died on Friday

At our prayer dinner on April 12th, we honored two high school students and two middle school students for their exceptional submissions to our annual Teen Essay Contest.

Please join in congratulating these incredible witnesses to the pro-life cause by reading their winning essays! Click on their names to view their submissions.

Girls’ Middle School Division: Felicity Nolan, Corpus Christi School – Boys’ Middle School Division: Zach Kennedy, Corpus Christi School
Girls’ High School Division: Mary Sgroi, Trinity School at Greenlawn – Boys’ High School Division: Tommy Garcia, Home School

St. Joseph County Right to Life – life@prolifemichiana.org – Facebook

Baby Alfie Sentenced to Death and LIVES! Now What?

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It was in Alfie’s “best interest” to die. With “dignity,” of course.

On April 23, 2018, Alder Hey (Hospital) removed Alfie’s ventilator, per its “end of life plan.”

Judge sentences baby Alfie to death . . . but he LIVES . . . now what?

This is not dignity. This is not health care. This has nothing to do with Alfie’s “best interests.” This is MURDER.

But Alfie didn’t follow the plan. He started breathing on his own. The next day, when Alfie got tired and his lips turned blue, the hospital refused to intervene. So Alfie’s mom and dad gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to keep their baby alive.

Alder Hey then removed Alfie’s food and water. After all, the hospital had an “end of life plan” for Alfie that only included one outcome: Alfie’s death. Eventually, the hospital relented and provided an oxygen tube and hydration for comfort. But they remain committed to the plan, which now includes starving Alfie to death.

And now he is breathing on his own. But that’s not enough for Alder Hey. One way or another, Alfie must be made to comply with the hospital’s plan.

Alfie has needed a minor procedure (tracheostomy) for well over a year to provide an adequate flow of oxygen, but Alder Hey never did the procedure. Why not? Because Alder Hey decided from the beginning that Alfie’s life was not worth saving because it was not worth living.

The Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome offered to treat Alfie. Alder Hey refused to release the baby and obtained an order from Justice Hayden prohibiting him from being transferred to another hospital.

Life Legal Defense Foundation is committed to doing everything in our power to help Alfie and his parents. At this time, Justice Hayden appears to be resolute in denying Alfie any chance to be transferred out of Alder Hey.

They Rescue Human Trafficking Teen Victims

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Human sex trafficking—in which adults and children are coerced into engaging in sexual acts for money—continues to be a problem globally, including right here in the United States.

In 2017 alone, the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which allows people to anonymously report suspected instances of this crime, saw 4,460 cases of human trafficking. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children estimated that one in six endangered runaways reported to them were likely sex trafficking victims. One report from the Urban Institute even estimated that the underground sex economy generates more than $50 billion a year, worldwide, including more than $290 million just in a major American city like Atlanta.

National Human Trafficking Hotline

U.S. Navy Seals and Retired Police Join Forces to Rescue Human Trafficking Teen Victims Courtesy of Saved In America (SIAM)

Luckily, there are people working to put a stop to human trafficking, including the non-profit group Saved in America, which is based in San Diego, California. The team is made up of former law enforcement officers, Navy SEALs and other former military members.

Joseph Travers, a chaplain and private investigator, is one of the cofounders of Saved in America. He said he was inspired to start the group when he heard the story of Brittanee Drexel, who disappeared in 2009. She is believed to have been kidnapped, raped, and murdered by traffickers.

“I knew that street gangs, prison gangs and cartels took over drug trafficking in the 1980s and then they took over sex trafficking at the turn of the century,” said Travers.

Travers is quick to point out that funding from supporters makes such rescues possible. Travers secured funding for the venture from several sources including the William D. Lynch Foundation — and recruited, trained and licensed his all-volunteer team.

The Medical Ethics of the Holocaust

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How did Hitler get millions of people to follow along blindly and not fight back? Now our fellow Americans are taking the same path.

From 1933 to 1945, German physicians, bio scientists, and nurses – the best in the world at the time – willingly committed the most egregious violations of medical and professional ethics in the name of Holocaust medicine. Guided by eugenic theories of race, they sterilized 400,000 citizens against their will, “euthanized” 200,000 disabled German children and adults, and created the gas chambers and crematoria that were used for the mass murder of 6 million Jews, Poles, and Gypsies in the “final solution.” Without the enthusiastic support of physicians, nurses, bio scientists, and healthcare policy makers, the Holocaust might not have happened. For Holocaust survivors, their families, and the medical community, it is important to remember this time period and learn from it, so we can be better equipped to do no harm.

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The mission of the Center for Medicine after the Holocaust (CMATH) is to challenge doctors, nurses, and bio scientists to personally confront the medical ethics of the Holocaust and apply that knowledge to contemporary practice and research, being mindful of the Hippocratic Oath with every step. CMATH is concerned that healthcare personnel, like all human beings, have the capacity to believe they are doing good when they are actually doing harm.

By studying the past, we hope to provide knowledge for today that will prevent the repetition of previous errors and lead to wisdom in future doctors, nurses, bio scientists, and healthcare policy makers so that they will provide better care for their patients and fellow citizens. If the best physicians, nurses, and scientists of the early 20th century could sacrifice their patients for utopian goals, can we be certain that we will not do the same.

Our Champions are either faculty members in schools of medicine, nursing, public health, and other health sciences, or other scholarly individuals who study, teach, and research medicine and the Holocaust. Using videos, content modules, and other resources provided by the Center for Medicine after the Holocaust (CMATH), they challenge their students and colleagues to personally confront the medical behavior and doctoral ethics of professionals in Germany, the United States, and elsewhere during and after the Third Reich, and apply their new knowledge to contemporary medical ethics, research, and healthcare policy. Complete Article and Web Site

New Online Sex-Trafficking Law

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Craigslist takes down Personal Internet Ads Over New Online Sex-Trafficking Law. After years of vigorous use, wisecracks, and legal controversy around one of the web’s oldest romance hubs, Craigslist has shut down its personals in response to new legal liability.

Communications Decency Act from 1996, a law that many internet companies see as vital to protecting their platforms.

“We now have the ability to go after these websites who are exploiting women and children online,”

President Donald J. Trump applauds the Senate for passing H.R. 1865, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act.  This bipartisan piece of legislation takes an important step forward in fighting the despicable act of human trafficking.

“While the Internet has given us so much good, Congress could not have foreseen the depravity and exploitation that it has caused, and if they could have, they certainly would have never condoned this behavior. The laws put in place to foster innovation were never meant to enable sex trafficking. This concept is so obvious; it is absurd that we even had to clarify it.

The passage of the bill is widely seen as a major legislative loss for Silicon Valley, and perhaps the first in an era where the industry is being viewed much more critically by lawmakers.The passage of the bill is widely seen as a major legislative loss for Silicon Valley, and perhaps the first in an era where the industry is being viewed much more critically by lawmakers. “I think that in the future tech companies have to understand that it’s not the Wild West and they have to exercise responsibility,”

National School Pro-Life Walkout April 11

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Pro-life groups are supporting a school walkout to protest abortion after last week’s anti-gun school walkout. The school walkout will be for 17 minutes on April 11 at 10 a.m. in all time zones.

The event organizers are using the hashtag #LIFE. In a tweet, one student encouraged others to talk to their school about a walkout. “Working with @bgillie13 to get my school and more schools involved in this #LIFE National School Walkout,” Students for Life said other “leading pro-family and pro-life organizations” will also be supporting the walkout.

High School student Brandon Gillespie organized the walkout.

The school walkout will be for 17 minutes on April 11 at 10 a.m. in all time zones.

Rocklin High School student Brandon Gillespie organized the walkout. Gillespie was inspired by his teacher, Julianne Benzel. She’d asked her students to think about whether there was a double standard in protests on school property having to do with abortion and gun control. Her discussion upset two students and she was placed on administrative leave for it.

“If schools, not only just our school and our administration, but across the country are going to allow one group of students to get up during class and walk out to protest one issue, would they still give the same courtesy to another group of students who wanted to protest…abortion?”

Students for Life has resources for students who would like to host similar walkouts at their schools. The Thomas More Law Center also is offering legal guidance to students who want to participate.

Make Good Friday the Pro-Life Way of the Cross

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The Pro Life Action League says Make Good Friday March 30, a Pro-Life Way of the Cross, with a gathering at your local abortion facility. Nationwide in communities across America we’ve found this activity to be such a blessing, one of our favorite pro-life activities of the year, and last year, the event went nationwide with services taking place in 29 cities across the country.

Pro-Life Way of the Cross

Though innocent, Jesus is condemned by the power of the State. In like manner, our innocent brothers and sisters in the womb have been condemned. Their rights and dignity are not recognized.

On Good Friday, March 30, the Pro-Life Action League is holding “A Way of the Cross for Victims of Abortion” at abortion facilities nationwide. At this moving event, we contemplate the suffering of Christ at our own modern day Golgotha, the abortion clinic.

Join in one of the services listed below, or, if there’s no service in your area, follow our detailed guide on how to host a Way of the Cross and hold a service in your own community.

As we head into Palm Sunday and Holy Week, I wanted to remind you about the “Way of the Cross for Victims of Abortion” taking place on Good Friday, March 30. It’s very fitting for us to solemnize in this way Jesus’s suffering and death in connection with the pro-life ministry He has entrusted to us.  I’ll be at the service at Planned Parenthood in Aurora, Illinois, but there are services taking place all across the country! View the Event Flyer.  Contact: Eric Phone: 773-777-2900 Email: ejs@prolifeaction.org

I want to emphasize that this is an ecumenical prayer vigil, and I look forward to praying for an end to abortion with all my Christian brothers and sisters next Friday. What’s more, pro-lifers in nearly 100 cities across the country are taking part in their own “Way of the Cross” vigils, so you’ll be part of a nationwide pro-life prayer campaign!

 

Climate Chaos Awakens Zero Population Fears

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In our current state of climate chaos, she often asks herself if it’s selfish for her to bring a child into the world.

ZPG is a catchy acronym that stands for “Zero Population Growth.” The movement was ignited in the late 1960s by Paul Ehrlich’s book, “The Population Bomb.” It advocated — you guessed it — that the population stop growing before it’s too late. The bestselling book is filled with prophesied visions of horrific devastation and perilous warnings.

ZPG the idea that there's a number of children that the average parent should have in order to keep the population size from increasing.

The movement “Zero Population Growth” was ignited in the late 1960s by Paul Ehrlich’s book, “The Population Bomb.”

But ZPG didn’t completely disappear along with the hippie sub-culture of the 1970s. The movement actually never ceased operations. They simply rebranded as Population Connection in 2002 and today employ a slightly less antagonistic approach to spreading the lie of an overpopulated planet.

The packaging and the audience for these organizations may seem trendy and fresh, but the message remains the same: Humans, especially new ones, are bad.

In 1968, the ZPG movement was born out of the disgusting lie of overpopulation and impending doom. It would be criminal to allow the next generation to forgo bringing precious babies into the world all because a 50-year-old myth got a makeover.

Radical Feminist Frustrated Again at UN

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The bad news is that “sexual orientation”, “gender identity”, “reproductive health”, and “comprehensive sexuality education” are all in the CSW documents we have been negotiating at the UN since last Monday.

The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) turns the focus of the United Nations to Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work. At the same time, civil society is

Radical feminist frustration with pro-family efforts at UN

Comprehensive sexuality education is a blue-print for kids to lose their lives and their souls.

given the opportunity to participate in the NGO CSW Forum, organized by NGO CSW/NY. Parallel to the UN activities, the NGO CSW Forum gives activists from around the world the opportunity to discuss the theme, network, share strategies/good practices, and lobby governments to implement resolutions and treaties. The NGO CSW Forum includes a Consultation Day, Reception (including the announcement of the annual Woman of Distinction Award), Parallel Events, Rally, and 45th Anniversary Celebration.

“Sex work: A form of employment or income-generating activity for women, men and transgendered persons who negotiate and perform sexual services for remuneration. . . . Sex work is recognizes as real work, which therefore should be linked to worker’s protections and benefits.”  (p. 20)  “Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR): . . . recognizes the autonomy and bodily integrity of all persons to control all aspects of one’s sexuality. . . which can include access to safe and legal abortion.”  (p. 21)

The good news is that each of these dastardly phrases have been bracketed and are on the verge of being deleted altogether.

The vast majority of UN member states share our values, including a belief in the sanctity of life and in the natural family founded upon marriage between a man and a woman.  That is why we come to the UN — to give them the tools and resources they need to help them continue to uphold pro-family language and policies.

Oregon Says Mentally Ill Elderly Don’t Need Food.

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Oregon opens the way for healthcare givers to remove access to food and water for vulnerable Oregonians with illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Oregon Right to Life (ORTL) Executive Director Lois Anderson says the effect of the bill is that “vulnerable Oregonians are left without protections and their right to basic care like food and water.”

Oregon's advance directive for end-of-life situations.

Oregon paves the way for healthcare representatives to remove access to food and water for vulnerable Oregonians with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Under the old advanced directive, caretakers may not decide to starve a mentally impaired patient to death unless that caretaker has been given decision-making authority by the patient before becoming mentally impaired (with four rare exceptions).

HB-4135 reverses that provision, allowing a mentally impaired patient to be starved to death — even against his or her will — unless the patient has made a contrary advanced directive.

Bill Harris testified in favor of the legislation. His wife had dementia, and he went to court to legally starve her to death.  He said he supports HB-4135 because his court case was unsuccessful. Oregon was one of the first states to legalize abortion in 1969 and the first state in the union to legalize doctor-assisted suicide in 1997.