Hundreds Gather for Concert for Life Commemorating 40 Years Since Tragic Roe v. Wade Decision
On Friday evening January 11th, hundreds attended Wisconsin Right to Life's commemoration of 40
years since the tragic Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Although the commemoration was a somber remembrance of the 55+ million lives lost under Roe
v. Wade and those left deeply injured, it was also a joyful time of great musical performances and encouragement.
Country music superstar and out-spoken right-to-life advocate Collin Raye received an enthusiastic
standing ovation after a delivering a tremendous assortment of his hit songs and a number of recently recorded sacred numbers. "You know friends," Raye told the
audience, "this fight we are in to save lives often seems like an impossible uphill battle. We have a lot of forces organized against us. And yet, we have something
working for us the other team doesn't, God's promises." He encouraged those gathered to "hang in there" because "we'll win this thing yet."
Moving comments and prayers were offered by Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee,
Donald J. Hying and Brodie Swanson, Associate Pastor for Children's and Family Ministry at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield Wisconsin (where
the event was held). In addition, Barbara Lyons, Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life recounted the horrible assault on human life that is the Roe.
Wade decision.
"Tonight we remember and honor those precious lives." Lyons said, "We remember also those scarred
by abortion. Too many women wounded emotionally and physically, anguishing over decisions made to kill their children. Women forced to
have abortions. Inconsolable fathers who could do nothing to stop the abortion of their children. Stunned parents deprived of cherished grandchildren. Children
lamenting the loss of siblings who will not grow up with them. Doctors who performed thousands of abortions, and then live with shameful
remorse for what they have done.
Countless stories, each with their own painful, heart-wrenching circumstances. We remember them all
tonight in our hearts and prayers -- and by our presence."
Capping off the evening was a rousing and yet touching performance by the Grammy-nominated,
chart-topping, Dove Award-winning Christian rock band Sanctus Real. Lead singer and song writer for the group, Matt Hammitt, recounted
the birth of his son, Bowen who was born with a serious and rare congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), in
which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped.
"When my wife Sarah had ultrasounds before Bowen was born," Hammitt explained, "the doctors came
to us with this news. They told us we should think about how to make a good decision about [terminating] Bowen." Hammitt
explained that there was never any question. "We told the doctors we love Bowen just the way he is and whatever God brings our way with
him, we'll love him just the same."
"All life is precious," Hammitt told the audience, "it's an honor for us to be able to be here to perform
for all of you who are working so hard in this effort."
A number of organizations participated as partners with Wisconsin Right to Life
in presenting the Concert for Life, including Relevant Radio, Green Bay; The Nazareth Project, Respect Life Ministry, Archdiocese of
Milwaukee; Office of Ministries and Social Concerns, Diocese of La Crosse; Project Rachael; National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing; Rosary
Evangelization Apostolate; Women's Care Center of Madison; Women's Care Center of Milwaukee; Eyewitness for Life, Ltd.; Care Net
Pregnancy Center of Milwaukee; Hartford Pregnancy Help Center; Evangelical Child and Family Agency; A Place of Refuge Ministries; Care
Net Family Resource Center of Racine/Kenosha; Tomorrow's Choice Family Resource Center; and Milwaukee Birthright.
"Wisconsin Right to Life says a hearty thank you to all these organizations," Lyons said, "not only for
sharing in a great night of reflection, prayer and music, but also for their continuing dedication to saving babies and their mothers from the
tragedy of abortion.
"Reflection on what Roe has wrought is important, but despair and apathy are not
options. With unfailing trust in God, now is the time to commit, or re-commit, to the right-to-life cause."
A Great Legislative Conference is Planned
Our bi-annual Legislative
Conference will be held on Tuesday, February 12 at the Inn on the Park in Madison (directly across from our beautiful State Capitol). You'll receive all the
tools and information you need to help in the enactment of new Wisconsin laws that will save lives!
Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the Conference itself will begin at 9:00 a.m. We will begin the
day with a BIG delicious breakfast. Short workshops will follow, presented by key state legislators and right-to-life leaders to fill you in on the legislation we will
be promoting and to give you helpful tips on how to lobby your legislators. We'll head to the Capitol around 11:00 a.m. to meet with your legislators.
Your appointment with your legislators will be prearranged for you and our staff will help direct you to their offices.
The elections resulted in a state legislature that is even more pro-life than before! That means much can
be accomplished to pass life-saving state legislation that will protect babies and their moms.
The conference will end with a wrap-up session in the Capitol and you will be on your way home about 1:00
pm. For those who might want to stay on, we will arrange for you a tour of our historic state Capitol building.
The cost for the Conference is: Adults $25 / Students $15.
To attend the conference, you must register and pay in advance. Call toll free 877-855-5007 or,
locally, 414-778-5780 for more information.
The Registration Form for the Legislative Conference can be found on
our website here: http://www.wrtl.org/events/legislativeconference.aspx
Complete the Petition to Protect Unborn Children Who Are Capable of Feeling Pain From Abortion
Complete the online petition and tell Wisconsin's Legislators you want the State of
Wisconsin to protect from abortion unborn children who are capable of feeling pain beginning at 20 weeks after fertilization. Abortion methods cause great pain to
unborn children at this stage of development and beyond.
Go to the Petition page: http://wrtl.org/petition/index.aspx
Planned Parenthood Annual Report No Surprise:
Abortions and Taxpayer Funding
 The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) just
released its 2011-2012 annual report revealing that PPFA and its affiliates received a record $542 million
in taxpayer funding from government grants, contracts and Medicaid reimbursements.
Taxpayer funding is 45% of PPFA’s annual revenue. PPFA reported $87.4 million in excess revenue and over $1.2 billion in net
assets. Not too shabby for the nation’s abortion giant, operating at taxpayer expense.
PPFA abortions increased in 2011 to a record high 333,964, up from 329,445 performed in
2010. Abortions made up 92% of PPFA’s pregnancy “services.” As in previous years, prenatal care in 2011 was 7% of
services and adoption referrals only 0.6%. All of this is against the backdrop of the PPFA mandate that all of its affiliates
perform abortions starting in 2013.
Remember all of the election rhetoric about the incredible services for women performed by Planned
Parenthood? The war on women for tampering with PP funding? The annual report reveals that while the number of abortions performed increased,
contraceptive services have dropped by 12% since 2009, and cancer screening and prevention by 29%.
The Planned Parenthood annual report can be found here:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/annual-report-4661.htm
Time Magazine Laments Decline of
Pro-Abortion Movement
WASHINGTON – Writing in the January 14, 2013, issue of TIME Magazine, journalist Kate
Pickert documents the hard-fought victories the pro-life movement has experienced in state legislatures over the past two
decades.
In “What Choice? Why Abortion-Rights Activists Have Been Losing Ever Since Roe v.
Wade,” Pickert observes, “[A]t the state level, abortion-rights activists are unequivocally losing.” As a result, “These laws make it
harder every year to exercise a right heralded as a crowning achievement of the 20th century women’s movement.” Pickert also
highlights a “rebellion within the abortion-rights cause” that pits younger pro-abortionists against he older established leadership, and hints
at the truth that they are struggling to recruit newer and younger activists.
National Right to Life President Carol Tobias responded:
For the average American, the idea of a society where you can kill an unborn child right up until the
moment of birth is unacceptable. Polling has confirmed for years that most Americans are uncomfortable with the idea of abortion on
demand for any reason and that most Americans support legislation that protects mothers and their unborn children from the abortion
industry. That the collective sentiment of the nation has resulted in the passage of pro-life laws is not surprising.
For example, a vast majority of Americans (63%) support legislation banning abortion after the point
at which the unborn child is capable of feeling pain (by 20 weeks). And most Americans don’t want their tax dollars being used to pay for
abortion. It is also not surprising that, in greater and greater numbers, the post-Roe generations are rejecting the idea
of abortion on demand. They have lost more than 55 million peers – brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. They have seen
and experienced the impact of abortion on their peers and they are joining the fight to protect the next generation from the same fate. The right-to-life movement
offers these young generations hope, while the pro-abortion movement only offers further destruction of their generation and future
generations.
Pro-abortion organizations like to say they’re protecting women, but in reality, they’re looking to profit
off of women. Planned Parenthood just released its 2011-2012 annual report showing it performed 333,964 abortions in 2011 – more than 25% of the estimated
annual total of abortions in the United States. For Planned Parenthood, abortion is a profit-making mechanism. When they join with NARAL,
NOW and the Feminist Majority Foundation in opposing pro-life legislation, they’re not looking out for women, they’re looking out for their
financial bottom line.
-- National Right to Life News Release
.
|
