Commentary

Celebrating the Blessings of 2015

Posted on by David Ripley

The pro-Life movement saw some significant gains in 2015, victories and progress for which we ought give thanks to the Lord and his generous people.

Here are a few of the blessings:

A recent story on LifeNews.Com reports that pregnancy centers around America helped save some 300,000 babies from abortion in 2015. The number of babies saved by the pro-Life movement is likely much higher – given that many babies are saved through churches, direct personal intervention and private charities not associated with national organizations like Heartbeat International.

The latest available data from the CDC (2012) finds that there was a decline in reported abortions between 2011 and 2012 – by some 31,000. The downward trend is confirmed by an analysis of Planned Parenthood’s 2014 Annual Report, conducted by the American Life League.  Planned Parenthood reports that it killed 323,999 babies in 2014, a decline of 3,654 preborn children from its pace of 2013.  While that decline may seem modest, Jim Sedlak of ALL notes that this is the smallest number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood since 2007.

That same report also shows that Planned Parenthood’s claimed client visits declined to 2.5 million, the lowest number of victims since 1998. Overall, PP reports that it provided 11% fewer services in 2014 than it did the year before.

Perhaps most encouraging is the fact that Planned Parenthood received $38 million fewer private donors dollars in 2014 than in 2013. And it is important to note that this drop-off occurred before this year’s shocking revelations about Planned Parenthood’s organ harvesting/trafficking operations.

LifeNews.Com also reports that the number of abortion clinics in America continues its historic decline. Last year alone, another 53 abortuaries closed their doors.  In fact, the number of abortion clinics has dropped by some 81% since the high tide year of 1991.

As we’ve noted before, the pro-Life community can also celebrate the first-ever vote by the U.S. Congress to shut-off federal subsidies of Planned Parenthood, which remains the nation’s largest abortion provider. We understand that the House will complete its work on the Reconciliation measure next week and send the final legislation to President Obama.  Congressmen are already preparing for an override vote in the weeks ahead.

And here at home, we can rejoice over passage of Idaho’s first law limiting the use of RU-486 in the killing of babies.

This year also saw the marking of Idaho Chooses Life’s 20th year in the battle to end abortion.  We are most grateful for those friends and supporters who have so faithfully sustained us over these two decades.

We look forward with hope and courage to 2016 because of our faith in a merciful Lord – who will certainly end abortion and the terror it represents to women, babies and families. We look for new victories in 2016, and we ask the Lord to richly bless your family and the great state of Idaho in this important election year.

 

Top Pro-Life Story of 2015

Posted on by David Ripley

Without doubt, the most important development of 2015 was the expose of Planned Parenthood’s dark trafficking in baby organs and tissue. The revelation was so disturbing that even the Congress determined it had to take action.  While the federal government continues to fund America’s largest Death Chain, we believe the handwriting is on the wall: With the election of even the worst Republican presidential candidate next year, Planned Parenthood’s days of massive subsidy from the American taxpayer are numbered.  After all, for the first time in history, both chambers of the U.S. Congress voted to defund the organization.

Congressional committees are just beginning their investigation into the dark empire that is Planned Parenthood. And even the Inspector General at the Department of Health & Human Services recently announced he will conduct a thorough audit of Planned Parenthood’s operations and its compliance with federal law governing organ harvesting and trafficking.

As we’ve written before, it is more than understandable that the nation is shocked by the film of abortionists sitting around eating salad while discussing the crushing of innocent preborn human children. This is the darkness to which legalized abortion has delivered us.  But, of course, the real tragedy, the real cause for heartache, is the wanton destruction of those tiny babies in the first place.  The evil harvesting of their organs for profit merely draws attention to the moral corruption we are suffering.

And those videos present America with a moment of profound decision: Is this the kind of society in which we wish to live? Are we prepared to tolerate the macabre mutilation of human beings for exploitation by those more powerful and wealthy?  We pray not.

The videos have served to undermine Planned Parenthood’s claim that it is a legitimate health care provider. Many Americans – despite the mainstream media’s attempt to bury the story – are now aware that Planned Parenthood is a very dark enterprise, staffed by deeply disturbed people.

As we prepare to enter a new year, we are hopeful that the pro-Life movement can take advantage of the opportunity created by the Center for Medical Progress and their tremendous work at ripping the cover off Planned Parenthood. It is a time for earnest prayer that the Lord will move our nation to a place of repentance.

For an excellent review of the videos, click here.

The Day of Miracles is Here

Posted on by David Ripley

Christmas Day Is Here! The time of miracles.

It is a time for celebrating God’s merciful intervention on behalf of men. No mortal could envision the powerful impact this tiny baby would have upon the future of mankind when a sojourning couple sought shelter in a Bethlehem barn.  Yet this vulnerable new life would grow to become the Captain of the Heavenly Host, the mightiest Hope of mankind.

Among the many mysteries of Christmas is the fact that Jesus was unplanned – at least by Mary and Joseph. Yet they accepted the invitation to participate in God’s plan for their lives, for mankind.  Even with the help of angels, these humble parents could never have imagined how much love their sacrifice would unleash upon all the peoples of the earth.

How magically appropriate that the true reason for the pro-Life movement should come in the form of a humble newborn wrapped in pieces of available cloth. In the Christmas Miracle, Jesus is not only the Son of God made flesh – he is a stand-in for every baby conceived.  He shows us that every baby is a miracle, rich with possibilities.

May the Lord richly bless your family with His presence as you celebrate the Miracle of Christ’s birth.

Vicious Spirit of Death Roams the Earth

Posted on by David Ripley

This week brought news that ISIS – the barbarian tribe spreading death and mayhem across the Middle East, Europe and the United States – has launched a new kind of “cleansing”.

Breitbart reports that ISIS has now launched something of a jihad against disabled children within the boundaries of their nascent state. A “fatwa” has been issued which authorizes the killing of children and babies with Downs Syndrome and other congenital disabilities – all in the name of “Allah”.

For some months now, we have been treated to nearly daily news of atrocities and barbarities against Christians, women, homosexuals and others deemed to have offended some mad sensibility or another. Beheadings for internet ratings.

But now, a Facebook posting by the barbarians claims that some children have already been killed in towns controlled by ISIS in Syria and Iraq. An underground organization, Mosul Eye, claims to have confirmed 38 slayings of newborns have already been accomplished either by suffocation or lethal injection.

Nothing compared to the barbarity of Planned Parenthood – but still noteworthy because these evil actors at ISIS are just getting warmed up, while Western leaders fete each other over glasses of champagne for fixing the global climate.

What is to be said about this escalation of evil? Quite a bit, actually.

In the face of such mad barbarity, we note the continued apologetics of the American Left – beginning with our own president, Barack Hussein Obama. He continues to play at stopping ISIS while passionately seeking an accord to fix the climate and destroy the liberties of American citizens.

Liberals like Hillary Clinton continue to defend open borders and the importation of persons about whom we intentionally know very little.

The truth is, we have not seen such naked evil since the days of Nazi Germany. (Recall Hitler’s program against their own disabled citizens – which amounted to a practice run at the Holocaust).  It is truly challenging to comprehend the scale and darkness of such evil.  Most of us will want to recoil from the horror, hoping in the quiet of our hearts that it won’t find us or our families.  We pray the San Bernardino slaughter is some odd aberration.  We hope that somehow our national leaders – despite their obvious disabilities –  will find a way to protect us.

The temptation is strong to slide into denial, some more Christmas shopping. Minimization of the threat is a natural response.  Looking for historical perspective, we can now see that the failure to recognize the depth of the Nazi threat resulted in millions being destroyed who might otherwise have been saved.

As we watch the inept and limp response of our national leaders to this growing horror, it is hard not to feel a kind of supernatural judgment descending upon our nation. We are presently plagued by “leaders” who wander about in a stupor so irrational that it defies easy explanation.

It seems clear that we must be in earnest prayer for our nation and civilization itself. America must seriously consider a path of repentance if we can reasonably hope that God will raise up a new generation of leaders capable of meeting the ominous darkness emerging.  That repentance must begin by confronting the unabated slaughter of innocents which has daily continued since the tyrannical arrogance of our Supreme Court imposed its own “fatwa” upon the nation in 1973.

 

An Historic Moment

Posted on by David Ripley

The vote yesterday in the United States Senate to end our public partnership with Planned Parenthood was truly historic.  We believe it is the first time since President Nixon championed the notion of taxpayer funding for birth control that the U.S. Congress has voted to sever that multi-million subsidy of the Abortion Industry.

Obviously the president will veto the measure.  But that, too, is historic.  The American people will be the judge between the evil espoused by Obama and the new social justice demanded by most Republicans.  Let Obama defend the idea that American taxpayers should be forced to transfer their wealth to an organization that not only kills innocent babies – but harvests their organs for resale in the back room.  Let Obama defend a value system which says it is okay to trade baby parts for Lamborghinis.

We are grateful for the leadership of Idaho’s congressional delegation in this matter, particularly from our two U.S. Senators.  They have been engaged and inspired in helping to bring this vote to fruition, and we are proud that Idaho is served by such men in Washington, D.C.

PP’s Cynical Media Manipulation

Posted on by David Ripley

Hours after the dastardly shoot-out in Colorado Springs ended, Planned Parenthood pounced to proclaim itself the victim of wanton violence.  Marching on the Left’s maxim that no crisis should be wasted, the public relations teams at Planned Parenthood saw an opportunity to cynically turn the page on their public relations disaster by proclaiming that the violence at their abortuary was “inspired” by “hateful” rhetoric.  Therefore, all pro-Lifers were to blame for the shootings.

On cue, their most powerful ally, Barack Obama, moved in to reinforce the message point.  Then came insightful leaders like Sen. Harry Reid blabbing into DC microphones.

Pseudo reporters on networks like CNN and MSNBC have dutifully delivered the message that the crimes of Colorado Springs were the handiwork of those evil undercover agents at the Center for Medical Progress who shamefully recorded abortionists trading baby parts for Lamborghinis.  How mean!

A few obvious things need to be stated.

First, the whole episode exposes the pathetic state of our national media.  Not simply its blatant bias, but its complete lack of professionalism.  There is virtually no evidence that the shooter in this incident had any ties whatsoever to any pro-Life cause or organization.  The only thing we know for sure is that this man is deeply disturbed.  But don’t complicate a good liberal storyline with facts.

Second, the basic message from Planned Parenthood is simple insanity.  To blame its public relations problems on the Center for Medical Progress is like the crooked politicians recorded in the 1980’s  ABSCAM scandal blaming the FBI for undermining the public’s trust in government.

The shootings in Colorado Springs do nothing to vindicate Planned Parenthood as an organization worthy of continued public funding; the incident does nothing to change the fact that Planned Parenthood is an evil enterprise which slaughters helpless babies for profit.  And no matter how loudly the Abortion Empire proclaims its victimhood, they cannot erase the tapes of their employees trafficking in baby parts while slurping a fine red wine.

Thanksgiving Message From Judie Brown

Posted on by David Ripley

A Thanksgiving Reflection

It is sometimes difficult to extricate one’s self from the daily struggle of defending babies long enough to see the glory and wonder of the many gifts God has given us. But at this time of year we naturally do—and should—focus on those blessings, especially when we consider what it means to be pro-life in America today.

The single defining characteristic we all hold in common is our love of family and our love of God, who is the Author of Life and who created each and every one of us. Without Him there would be no family; without Him there would be no opportunity to love others for His sake.

We recall how each individual human life was defined so clearly by St. John Paul II with these words: “The life which God gives man is quite different from the life of all other living creatures, inasmuch as man, although formed from the dust of the earth is a manifestation of God in the world, a sign of his presence, a trace of his glory.”

We thank You, Lord, for the gift of life—for our lives and the lives of those we love.

We recognize that, in this battle to defend the most defenseless among our brothers and sisters in Christ, the babies we represent and defend do not know us. Yet we are given this awesome responsibility of being their voice when we witness to the expectant mother considering abortion, at the local clinic where these babies are killed, and amidst the lawmakers and others in the public arena who need to hear the truth.

We thank You, Lord, for the gifts of fortitude and counsel which motivate us to discern what is right and to take the actions necessary to remind others of this even when it is extremely difficult or uncomfortable to do so.

We understand the many challenges that confront our fellow human beings on a daily basis and the temptations that abound to stray from what is right and at times to do so without realizing the consequences of their actions.

Thank You Lord for the gift of compassion that helps us reach out to others in times of great pain or suffering. We know that in You, Lord, all that we do bears fruit as long as we entrust our actions to You with a sincere and humble heart.

We thank You, Lord, for this special time of togetherness with our loved ones and the opportunities we have to be with family members, to embrace those we love, cherishing moments of peace and joy that accompany the celebration of Thanksgiving.

And so we pray:

Thank You, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank You for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for Your comfort in our sadness, Your companionship in our loneliness. Thank You for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank You for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us. Amen.

 

We wish you, your families, and loved ones a very happy and joyous Thanksgiving.

In Christ, the Author of Life,

Judie Brown and the American Life League family

We Lost a Friend This Weekend

Posted on by David Ripley

Conservative Commentator/Author Austin Hill Passes Away.

It is with great shock and sorrow that we announce Austin Hill unexpectedly died on Friday

night, November 13th. At this time, doctors suspect the cause of death was cardiac related.

As a follower of Jesus, Austin’s faith permeated and influenced all aspects of his life. He was

committed to speaking the truth and engaging people in thoughtful conversation. In addition to

writing and public speaking, Austin had a national radio presence with dedicated listeners

across the country. Most importantly, he was a loving husband, and as his son describes him,

an avid father.

Austin Hill photo

Details concerning a memorial service will be posted on Austin’s Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, it is requested that gifts be sent to a college fund for his son, Graham, a high

school senior: https://www.youcaring.com/graham-hill-469855

 

– The Family of Austin Hill

Effort to Defund PP Hangs by Thread in Senate

Posted on by David Ripley

We had a great deal of hope going into this latest Congressional effort to defund the abortion mafia known as Planned Parenthood.  It seemed that the reconciliation process offered a perfect opportunity to obtain a clean Senate vote and avoid the filibuster by Planned Parenthood’s Democrat patrons in that body.  The reconciliation process requires only a simple majority to pass.

The measure to defund Planned Parenthood has already passed the House by a large margin, and awaits Senate action.

Yesterday, the Senate Parliamentarian gave her approval to the measure, certifying that the bill could be enacted through the “Byrd Rule” – allowing a simple majority.  Everything seemed on course for an historic vote to end the unholy partnership between the American taxpayer and Planned Parenthood – forced upon us for over forty years by a badly misguided Congress.

And now we learn that our hope hangs by a thread.  It is no surprise that the liberal Republicans in the caucus are balking.  But there are still enough votes if conservatives stand tall.  But that weird purity virus has surfaced – threatening to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Sens. Mike Lee, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are threatening to vote against the reconciliation bill because it doesn’t go far enough in repealing provisions of ObamaCare – another feature of the bill.

What makes this so darn frustrating and even silly is the simple fact that Obama will veto the measure in any event.  Purity makes little sense in this context.

What does make sense is for the entire Republican Congress to make a final and clear statement about ending our partnership with Planned Parenthood.  While the effort to improve health care for women will require a new president to take effect – Republicans are foolish not to force an Obama veto heading into a critical election year.  Instead of losing this fight over defunding in the byzantine halls of the Senate – let us expose Obama as the champion of abortion, the defender of human baby organ trafficking.

Please take a moment to call the offices of the normally pro-Life Senators having trouble figuring this situation out:

Sen. Marco Rubio:           202-224-3041

Sen. Ted Cruz:                   202-224-5922

Sen. Mike Lee:                  202-224-5444

 

For more background on the issue click here.

Pelosi Appoints Democrats to Panel

Posted on by David Ripley

The new Speaker of the House is proceeding with plans to thoroughly investigate Planned Parenthood’s role in the national baby organ trafficking ring revealed over the summer. At first, Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi indicated that she would refuse to appoint Democrats to the panel.  But she has changed her mind.

Pelosi announced last week that six Democrats would represent her party on the select investigation committee. Not too surprisingly, all six members are candidates with ties to Planned Parenthood.  In fact, between them, the Democrat members have collected over $81,000 in campaign checks from Planned Parenthood’s PAC over the years.

It would seem unlikely, therefore, that these particular congressional members will be too energetic in looking at Planned Parenthood. Rather, we can expect that they are on the panel to undermine the investigation by any means necessary.

The Democrats appointed to panel are: Jan Schawkowsky of Illinois; Jerrold Nadler of New York; Diana DeGette of Colorado; Jackie Speier of California; Susan DelBene of Washington and Bonnie Coleman of New Jersey.

In a further demonstration of the present perversion of the Democratic Party, Pelosi has denounced the panel as the “Republican’s Select Committee to Attack Women’s Health”.

Honestly, in what perverse universe does the chopping up and trafficking in babies have anything to do women? Or even abortion?  The Select Committee is not charged with investigating abortion or abortion rights.  It is tasked with looking at Planned Parenthood’s horrific side business, whereby it obtains additional profits by treating human babies as mere commodities.

One would think that there are enough Democrats left with a moral code strong enough to find such practices abhorrent and unacceptable in a nation like the United States. Perhaps we will yet see such persons stand up in coming months.  But it is already clear that Leader Pelosi will once again use her power to protect the terribly guilty.