Dear, dear President Joe Biden - please, please support the Life At Conception Act before Congress.

Dear President Joe Biden, Greetings! I hope and pray that you and the loved ones are well. I am writing to you to ask for your help. Please help protect and support life. Please support the Life At Conception Act before Congress. This will protect lives. Life is a gift from the our Creator LORD. Humans are made in HIS image, for HIS glory. GOD's Holy Word tells us to protect and support life. GOD's Holy Word tells us about our Creator, and about HIS Beloved Son JESUS and how we should love one another and how we should believe in JESUS, and that HE died for our sins, so that we might have eternal life. GOD's Holy Word is pure, perfect, powerful, profitable for doctrine and teaching and cannot be broken. Please do what you can to help pass the Life At Conception Act before Congress. Thank you for all your help. Hope that you and the loved ones have a joyous and peaceful day. May the good LORD, our Crator LORD, bless you and the loved ones immensely! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller P.S. We love, because HE first loved us.

An outstanding article by Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director at Life Legal Defense Foundation - please, please see www.lifelegaldefensefoundation.org.

OUTRAGEOUS INTIMIDATION against Mark Houck AND OTHERS won’t stop pro-lifers from SPEAKING TRUTH…! Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net OUTRAGEOUS INTIMIDATION against Mark Houck AND OTHERS won’t stop pro-lifers from SPEAKING TRUTH…! Mark Houck and his family. Source: GiveSendGo As you may be aware, last week more than 25 FBI agents raided the home of Mark Houck, a pro-life Catholic and father of seven children. The agents confronted Houck at gunpoint and arrested him in front of his family. Houck regularly prays with and for women outside the Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Blackwell abortion mill in Philadelphia. He was indicted on federal FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act* charges for an incident in October 2021, involving a Planned Parenthood “deathscort” who repeatedly harassed Houck’s 12-year-old son. When the male deathscort approached Houck’s son yet again, Houck reportedly pushed him back, and the escort fell to the ground. Months later, after the local authorities declined to prosecute and the deathscort’s lawsuit against Houck was dismissed, Houck received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice letting him know a federal investigation into the incident was underway. Through his attorney, Houck offered to turn himself in if charges were brought. Instead, the DOJ decided to send a slew of federal agents to his house in an extreme and unprovoked show of force. The two FACE charges against Houck carry penalties of up to to 11 years in prison and $350,000 in fines. However, the evidence indicates that Houck did not violate FACE. A violation of FACE requires a showing that the individual’s intent was to interfere with or intimidate another person from “providing or obtaining reproductive health services.” If Houck was simply trying to protect his son, he did not violate FACE. Life Legal is currently handling similar cases where minor incidents outside abortion facilities have been elevated to state and federal FACE Act charges. Often, these charges are not filed until well after the initial incident. In light of the current administration’s overt hostility against pro-lifers, we would like to provide some guidance for pro-lifers who are praying, counseling, and advocating outside abortion facilities: Do not allow the government’s tactics to intimidate you. Public sidewalks, including those outside abortion mills, are still free speech zones. Record (audio and video) all interactions while you are outside the abortion facility. The purpose of the recording is to provide evidence in the event of a wrongful civil or criminal action against you. We do not recommend publishing or sharing recordings without first checking with an attorney to make sure that this is legal. Inform yourself regarding local ordinances that may regulate speech outside abortion clinics. These are known as “bubble zone” or “buffer zone” laws and typically prohibit approaching within 8 feet of abortion workers and/or individuals entering or exiting the abortion mill without their consent. Some ordinances also prohibit excessive noise (e.g., bullhorns or other amplification) directly outside abortion clinics. If you are unsure whether your community has enacted such an ordinance, please email us (click here) or call Life Legal at 707.224.6675. Continue to engage in pro-life activities such as prayer, peaceful protests, education, and holding signs. Even if your community has enacted a bubble/buffer zone law, you may offer literature and counsel to women seeking abortion – you just need to ask if you can approach within the 8-foot zone. Avoid physical contact with abortion clinic employees, escorts, and clients. Be aware that even if you are only trying to protect your property or that of another sidewalk counselor, you should try not to touch a hostile clinic worker, patient, or patient companion. It’s better to hold onto your property firmly than to push someone away from it. If an abortion worker, volunteer, or abortion client assaults or threatens you, immediately call the police and report the assault, battery, or threats. You have a right to exercise your First Amendment liberties without aggression or undue interference. Be aware that obstructing access to the entrance of the abortion mill could trigger a state or federal criminal charge or even a civil lawsuit depending on a state’s FACE Act provisions. If you are charged with a FACE Act violation, please contact Life Legal immediately. Please consider making a gift to Life Legal today to equip pro-life champions to stand against new threats to their right to speak on behalf of precious children in the womb. We are so grateful for your prayers and support! Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 *The Federal FACE Act prohibits the use or threat of force or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person who is obtaining or providing “reproductive health services.” The FACE Act also applies to those who obstruct access to pro-life pregnancy centers or churches. PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Excellent article by Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director at Life Legal Defense fFoundation - please, please see www.lifelegaldefensefoundation.org.

OUTRAGEOUS INTIMIDATION against Mark Houck AND OTHERS won’t stop pro-lifers from SPEAKING TRUTH…! Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net OUTRAGEOUS INTIMIDATION against Mark Houck AND OTHERS won’t stop pro-lifers from SPEAKING TRUTH…! Mark Houck and his family. Source: GiveSendGo As you may be aware, last week more than 25 FBI agents raided the home of Mark Houck, a pro-life Catholic and father of seven children. The agents confronted Houck at gunpoint and arrested him in front of his family. Houck regularly prays with and for women outside the Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Blackwell abortion mill in Philadelphia. He was indicted on federal FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act* charges for an incident in October 2021, involving a Planned Parenthood “deathscort” who repeatedly harassed Houck’s 12-year-old son. When the male deathscort approached Houck’s son yet again, Houck reportedly pushed him back, and the escort fell to the ground. Months later, after the local authorities declined to prosecute and the deathscort’s lawsuit against Houck was dismissed, Houck received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice letting him know a federal investigation into the incident was underway. Through his attorney, Houck offered to turn himself in if charges were brought. Instead, the DOJ decided to send a slew of federal agents to his house in an extreme and unprovoked show of force. The two FACE charges against Houck carry penalties of up to to 11 years in prison and $350,000 in fines. However, the evidence indicates that Houck did not violate FACE. A violation of FACE requires a showing that the individual’s intent was to interfere with or intimidate another person from “providing or obtaining reproductive health services.” If Houck was simply trying to protect his son, he did not violate FACE. Life Legal is currently handling similar cases where minor incidents outside abortion facilities have been elevated to state and federal FACE Act charges. Often, these charges are not filed until well after the initial incident. In light of the current administration’s overt hostility against pro-lifers, we would like to provide some guidance for pro-lifers who are praying, counseling, and advocating outside abortion facilities: Do not allow the government’s tactics to intimidate you. Public sidewalks, including those outside abortion mills, are still free speech zones. Record (audio and video) all interactions while you are outside the abortion facility. The purpose of the recording is to provide evidence in the event of a wrongful civil or criminal action against you. We do not recommend publishing or sharing recordings without first checking with an attorney to make sure that this is legal. Inform yourself regarding local ordinances that may regulate speech outside abortion clinics. These are known as “bubble zone” or “buffer zone” laws and typically prohibit approaching within 8 feet of abortion workers and/or individuals entering or exiting the abortion mill without their consent. Some ordinances also prohibit excessive noise (e.g., bullhorns or other amplification) directly outside abortion clinics. If you are unsure whether your community has enacted such an ordinance, please email us (click here) or call Life Legal at 707.224.6675. Continue to engage in pro-life activities such as prayer, peaceful protests, education, and holding signs. Even if your community has enacted a bubble/buffer zone law, you may offer literature and counsel to women seeking abortion – you just need to ask if you can approach within the 8-foot zone. Avoid physical contact with abortion clinic employees, escorts, and clients. Be aware that even if you are only trying to protect your property or that of another sidewalk counselor, you should try not to touch a hostile clinic worker, patient, or patient companion. It’s better to hold onto your property firmly than to push someone away from it. If an abortion worker, volunteer, or abortion client assaults or threatens you, immediately call the police and report the assault, battery, or threats. You have a right to exercise your First Amendment liberties without aggression or undue interference. Be aware that obstructing access to the entrance of the abortion mill could trigger a state or federal criminal charge or even a civil lawsuit depending on a state’s FACE Act provisions. If you are charged with a FACE Act violation, please contact Life Legal immediately. Please consider making a gift to Life Legal today to equip pro-life champions to stand against new threats to their right to speak on behalf of precious children in the womb. We are so grateful for your prayers and support! Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 *The Federal FACE Act prohibits the use or threat of force or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person who is obtaining or providing “reproductive health services.” The FACE Act also applies to those who obstruct access to pro-life pregnancy centers or churches. PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Wonderful article by Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director at Life Legal Defense Foundation - please, please see www.lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

OUTRAGEOUS INTIMIDATION against Mark Houck AND OTHERS won’t stop pro-lifers from SPEAKING TRUTH…! Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net OUTRAGEOUS INTIMIDATION against Mark Houck AND OTHERS won’t stop pro-lifers from SPEAKING TRUTH…! Mark Houck and his family. Source: GiveSendGo As you may be aware, last week more than 25 FBI agents raided the home of Mark Houck, a pro-life Catholic and father of seven children. The agents confronted Houck at gunpoint and arrested him in front of his family. Houck regularly prays with and for women outside the Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Blackwell abortion mill in Philadelphia. He was indicted on federal FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act* charges for an incident in October 2021, involving a Planned Parenthood “deathscort” who repeatedly harassed Houck’s 12-year-old son. When the male deathscort approached Houck’s son yet again, Houck reportedly pushed him back, and the escort fell to the ground. Months later, after the local authorities declined to prosecute and the deathscort’s lawsuit against Houck was dismissed, Houck received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice letting him know a federal investigation into the incident was underway. Through his attorney, Houck offered to turn himself in if charges were brought. Instead, the DOJ decided to send a slew of federal agents to his house in an extreme and unprovoked show of force. The two FACE charges against Houck carry penalties of up to to 11 years in prison and $350,000 in fines. However, the evidence indicates that Houck did not violate FACE. A violation of FACE requires a showing that the individual’s intent was to interfere with or intimidate another person from “providing or obtaining reproductive health services.” If Houck was simply trying to protect his son, he did not violate FACE. Life Legal is currently handling similar cases where minor incidents outside abortion facilities have been elevated to state and federal FACE Act charges. Often, these charges are not filed until well after the initial incident. In light of the current administration’s overt hostility against pro-lifers, we would like to provide some guidance for pro-lifers who are praying, counseling, and advocating outside abortion facilities: Do not allow the government’s tactics to intimidate you. Public sidewalks, including those outside abortion mills, are still free speech zones. Record (audio and video) all interactions while you are outside the abortion facility. The purpose of the recording is to provide evidence in the event of a wrongful civil or criminal action against you. We do not recommend publishing or sharing recordings without first checking with an attorney to make sure that this is legal. Inform yourself regarding local ordinances that may regulate speech outside abortion clinics. These are known as “bubble zone” or “buffer zone” laws and typically prohibit approaching within 8 feet of abortion workers and/or individuals entering or exiting the abortion mill without their consent. Some ordinances also prohibit excessive noise (e.g., bullhorns or other amplification) directly outside abortion clinics. If you are unsure whether your community has enacted such an ordinance, please email us (click here) or call Life Legal at 707.224.6675. Continue to engage in pro-life activities such as prayer, peaceful protests, education, and holding signs. Even if your community has enacted a bubble/buffer zone law, you may offer literature and counsel to women seeking abortion – you just need to ask if you can approach within the 8-foot zone. Avoid physical contact with abortion clinic employees, escorts, and clients. Be aware that even if you are only trying to protect your property or that of another sidewalk counselor, you should try not to touch a hostile clinic worker, patient, or patient companion. It’s better to hold onto your property firmly than to push someone away from it. If an abortion worker, volunteer, or abortion client assaults or threatens you, immediately call the police and report the assault, battery, or threats. You have a right to exercise your First Amendment liberties without aggression or undue interference. Be aware that obstructing access to the entrance of the abortion mill could trigger a state or federal criminal charge or even a civil lawsuit depending on a state’s FACE Act provisions. If you are charged with a FACE Act violation, please contact Life Legal immediately. Please consider making a gift to Life Legal today to equip pro-life champions to stand against new threats to their right to speak on behalf of precious children in the womb. We are so grateful for your prayers and support! Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 *The Federal FACE Act prohibits the use or threat of force or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person who is obtaining or providing “reproductive health services.” The FACE Act also applies to those who obstruct access to pro-life pregnancy centers or churches. PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Dear, dear friends at Google - please, please help!

Conversation opened. 1 unread message. Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL...! Inbox Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net Sep 20, 2022, 7:39 PM (19 hours ago) Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL…! Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison with Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. Ellison is calling for a constitutional “right” to abortion. In a case with devastating consequences for the protection of life, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison chose to let his loyalty to Planned Parenthood override his obligation to vigorously defend the law. The Attorney General was tasked with defending a host of longstanding, commonsense abortion regulations that were challenged in a lawsuit filed by extremist groups backed by the ABORTION CARTEL. Ellison failed to provide any evidence for the importance of regulations designed to safeguard women and young girls from unscrupulous and incompetent abortionists. Because of Ellison’s anemic defense, the court recently struck down virtually every abortion regulation enacted by the bipartisan state legislature over the past 30 years. Ellison refuses to appeal the ruling. Life Legal is intervening in the case on behalf of MOMS, “Mothers Offering Maternal Support,” a group of mothers of minor girls whose right to be involved in their children’s medical decisions is violated by the judge’s ruling. The judge struck down numerous safeguards, including: Parental notification of a minor’s intent to obtain an abortion Informed consent law that provided women with accurate information about fetal development, abortion procedures, complications, and long-term effects of abortion Mandatory 24-hour reflection period after receiving the information before an abortion can be performed Requirement that only licensed physicians perform abortions and that late-term abortions be done in hospitals As a result, in Minnesota, it’s open season not only on children in the womb but on minor girls. Life Legal argues that the rights of minor parents were not represented in the lawsuit and that Ellison’s defense of the regulations was half-hearted at best. We are seeking to introduce evidence of the necessity of parental involvement, informed consent, and other restrictions on abortion to protect minor girls, who are not always able to appreciate the long-term effects of their decisions. Ellison is an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry and admits that he opposes the laws he was obligated to defend. While the case was pending, Ellison was vocal about his desire to see an unfettered “right” to abortion enshrined in Minnesota’s state constitution. You can view MOMS’ press conference on the case here. Thank you for standing with Life Legal and mothers of minor daughters to defend laws that protect vulnerable babies as well as young girls from the abortion holocaust. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to protect the sanctity of life across the nation. We are grateful for your prayers and your faithful support. Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Outstandimg article by Alexandra Snyder at Life Legal Defense Foundation - please, please see www.lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Conversation opened. 1 unread message. Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL...! Inbox Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net Sep 20, 2022, 7:39 PM (19 hours ago) Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL…! Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison with Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. Ellison is calling for a constitutional “right” to abortion. In a case with devastating consequences for the protection of life, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison chose to let his loyalty to Planned Parenthood override his obligation to vigorously defend the law. The Attorney General was tasked with defending a host of longstanding, commonsense abortion regulations that were challenged in a lawsuit filed by extremist groups backed by the ABORTION CARTEL. Ellison failed to provide any evidence for the importance of regulations designed to safeguard women and young girls from unscrupulous and incompetent abortionists. Because of Ellison’s anemic defense, the court recently struck down virtually every abortion regulation enacted by the bipartisan state legislature over the past 30 years. Ellison refuses to appeal the ruling. Life Legal is intervening in the case on behalf of MOMS, “Mothers Offering Maternal Support,” a group of mothers of minor girls whose right to be involved in their children’s medical decisions is violated by the judge’s ruling. The judge struck down numerous safeguards, including: Parental notification of a minor’s intent to obtain an abortion Informed consent law that provided women with accurate information about fetal development, abortion procedures, complications, and long-term effects of abortion Mandatory 24-hour reflection period after receiving the information before an abortion can be performed Requirement that only licensed physicians perform abortions and that late-term abortions be done in hospitals As a result, in Minnesota, it’s open season not only on children in the womb but on minor girls. Life Legal argues that the rights of minor parents were not represented in the lawsuit and that Ellison’s defense of the regulations was half-hearted at best. We are seeking to introduce evidence of the necessity of parental involvement, informed consent, and other restrictions on abortion to protect minor girls, who are not always able to appreciate the long-term effects of their decisions. Ellison is an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry and admits that he opposes the laws he was obligated to defend. While the case was pending, Ellison was vocal about his desire to see an unfettered “right” to abortion enshrined in Minnesota’s state constitution. You can view MOMS’ press conference on the case here. Thank you for standing with Life Legal and mothers of minor daughters to defend laws that protect vulnerable babies as well as young girls from the abortion holocaust. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to protect the sanctity of life across the nation. We are grateful for your prayers and your faithful support. Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Wonderful article by Alexandra Snyder at Life Legal Defense Foundation - please, please see www.lifelegaldefensefoundation.org.

Conversation opened. 1 unread message. Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL...! Inbox Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net Sep 20, 2022, 7:39 PM (19 hours ago) Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL…! Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison with Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. Ellison is calling for a constitutional “right” to abortion. In a case with devastating consequences for the protection of life, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison chose to let his loyalty to Planned Parenthood override his obligation to vigorously defend the law. The Attorney General was tasked with defending a host of longstanding, commonsense abortion regulations that were challenged in a lawsuit filed by extremist groups backed by the ABORTION CARTEL. Ellison failed to provide any evidence for the importance of regulations designed to safeguard women and young girls from unscrupulous and incompetent abortionists. Because of Ellison’s anemic defense, the court recently struck down virtually every abortion regulation enacted by the bipartisan state legislature over the past 30 years. Ellison refuses to appeal the ruling. Life Legal is intervening in the case on behalf of MOMS, “Mothers Offering Maternal Support,” a group of mothers of minor girls whose right to be involved in their children’s medical decisions is violated by the judge’s ruling. The judge struck down numerous safeguards, including: Parental notification of a minor’s intent to obtain an abortion Informed consent law that provided women with accurate information about fetal development, abortion procedures, complications, and long-term effects of abortion Mandatory 24-hour reflection period after receiving the information before an abortion can be performed Requirement that only licensed physicians perform abortions and that late-term abortions be done in hospitals As a result, in Minnesota, it’s open season not only on children in the womb but on minor girls. Life Legal argues that the rights of minor parents were not represented in the lawsuit and that Ellison’s defense of the regulations was half-hearted at best. We are seeking to introduce evidence of the necessity of parental involvement, informed consent, and other restrictions on abortion to protect minor girls, who are not always able to appreciate the long-term effects of their decisions. Ellison is an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry and admits that he opposes the laws he was obligated to defend. While the case was pending, Ellison was vocal about his desire to see an unfettered “right” to abortion enshrined in Minnesota’s state constitution. You can view MOMS’ press conference on the case here. Thank you for standing with Life Legal and mothers of minor daughters to defend laws that protect vulnerable babies as well as young girls from the abortion holocaust. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to protect the sanctity of life across the nation. We are grateful for your prayers and your faithful support. Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

An excellent article by Alexandra Snyder at Life Legal Defense Foundation - please, please see www.lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Conversation opened. 1 unread message. Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL...! Inbox Life Legal Defense Foundation via mta-bbcspool.convio.net Sep 20, 2022, 7:39 PM (19 hours ago) Life Legal and MOMS strike back against DUPLICITOUS PRO-ABORT ATTORNEY GENERAL…! Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison with Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States. Ellison is calling for a constitutional “right” to abortion. In a case with devastating consequences for the protection of life, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison chose to let his loyalty to Planned Parenthood override his obligation to vigorously defend the law. The Attorney General was tasked with defending a host of longstanding, commonsense abortion regulations that were challenged in a lawsuit filed by extremist groups backed by the ABORTION CARTEL. Ellison failed to provide any evidence for the importance of regulations designed to safeguard women and young girls from unscrupulous and incompetent abortionists. Because of Ellison’s anemic defense, the court recently struck down virtually every abortion regulation enacted by the bipartisan state legislature over the past 30 years. Ellison refuses to appeal the ruling. Life Legal is intervening in the case on behalf of MOMS, “Mothers Offering Maternal Support,” a group of mothers of minor girls whose right to be involved in their children’s medical decisions is violated by the judge’s ruling. The judge struck down numerous safeguards, including: Parental notification of a minor’s intent to obtain an abortion Informed consent law that provided women with accurate information about fetal development, abortion procedures, complications, and long-term effects of abortion Mandatory 24-hour reflection period after receiving the information before an abortion can be performed Requirement that only licensed physicians perform abortions and that late-term abortions be done in hospitals As a result, in Minnesota, it’s open season not only on children in the womb but on minor girls. Life Legal argues that the rights of minor parents were not represented in the lawsuit and that Ellison’s defense of the regulations was half-hearted at best. We are seeking to introduce evidence of the necessity of parental involvement, informed consent, and other restrictions on abortion to protect minor girls, who are not always able to appreciate the long-term effects of their decisions. Ellison is an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry and admits that he opposes the laws he was obligated to defend. While the case was pending, Ellison was vocal about his desire to see an unfettered “right” to abortion enshrined in Minnesota’s state constitution. You can view MOMS’ press conference on the case here. Thank you for standing with Life Legal and mothers of minor daughters to defend laws that protect vulnerable babies as well as young girls from the abortion holocaust. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to protect the sanctity of life across the nation. We are grateful for your prayers and your faithful support. Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director "Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter." Proverbs 24:11 PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Share on FaceBook Please pray for Life Legal cases and clients. Click here or on the image above to view and print our most current prayer requests. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. (1 John 5:15) Connect with us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram PLEASE DONATE TODAY! Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Life Legal Defense Foundation https://lifelegaldefensefoundation.org

Greetings in the wonderful name of JESUS!

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from GOD; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the LORD): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS Christ. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases GOD our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one GOD and one mediator between GOD and mankind, the man Christ JESUS, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Love rejoices in the truth. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.… But he who unites himself with the LORD is one with HIM in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from GOD? You are not your own;… Those who belong to Christ JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.… If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. HE chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of HIS creation. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.… Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Out do yourselves in honoring one another.… teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age, You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “JESUS be cursed,” and no one can say, “JESUS is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.… Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.… We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for GOD; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.… Large crowds were traveling with JESUS, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. Are we trying to provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than HE? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.… For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for HE is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Give thanks to the LORD, for HE is good; For HIS lovingkindness is everlasting. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; HIS lovingkindness is everlasting And HIS faithfulness continues to all generations. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then HE told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.… you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Then GOD said, "Let US make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." GOD created man in HIS own image, in the image of GOD HE created him; male and female HE created them. GOD blessed them; and GOD said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to GOD with one accord. "Sovereign LORD," they said, "You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,… Dear sisters and brothers in Messiah Y'Shua, Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus - the name above all names! I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along! Good health is such a wonderful blessing from the good LORD, our Creator LORD! How is your spirit on this glorious day that the LORD has made? I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am living in Sussex County and am looking for a place to worship the LORD at. I have come to be known by the Lord for about 27 1/2 years now, and am about 66 1/2 years old (divorced multiple times, more than five children and more than three wives gone until eternity? - only the good LORD knows at this point! and now living alone without any of the little loved ones). I am of Jewish heritage and consider myself to be a Jewish Christian, or a Jew. I don't know of any Messianic congregations around here, and I don't think it would be wise to travel great distances for worship. I have in the recent past have had problems with one foot (the left one), and have recently had problems with the right shoulder, but have been feeling well praise the Lord. Also, I was on a very tight budget (and thanks to our Creator Lord for all HIS blessings!!!). I don't have much in way of assets compared to rich people (or middle class people also), but compared to those living on less than $2 a day I probably have a lot! I have been greatly blessed by the good Lord, our Creator Lord, over my entire life (one time I was labeled autistic and couldn't speak [the good Lord, the Great Physician, healed me], one time I was living out on the streets, and one time I was deeply in debt [not that I believe in the "prosperity Gospel"] - to mention only three times that I was blessed by the LORD. Please let me know if I could join you in the worship of our loving, gracious, merciful Father, and our Lord and Savior - for I worship the Holy One of Israel daily! I appreciate your prayers, and any and all Godly advice. Thank you and may the Holy One of Israel bless you and the loved ones with love, joy, peace, and patience! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller Main St. Rm. 103 kmillerbloggerablogbyken@gmail.com JESUS is the Holy One of Israel! Jesus is Lord! Love one another. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. We love, because He first loved us. 1John4:19 JESUS is the Bread of Life!!!! Please help end child pornography in much less than 6 years!!! We love, because HE first loved us.

Tremendous article by Father Shenan J. Boquet at Human Life Int'l - please, please seee www.hli.org.

Our Mission Resources Podcast Blog Search DONATE Free Guide: Abortion Myths and Facts Senate to Vote on Same-Sex “Marriage” By Fr. Shenan J. Boquet | September 19, 2022 | 0 According to reports, the U.S. Senate is likely to vote within weeks on the deceptively titled “Respect for Marriage Act.” This radical bill already passed the U.S. House in July, with the help of 47 Republicans. Now, however, it needs to pass the Senate, where its fate is more uncertain. However, I am concerned that certain Republican Senators are quietly planning on supporting it, which could ensure its passage. For this reason, it is crucial that Americans reading this column immediately contact their senators, letting them know that they expect them to vote against this destructive bill. Far from “respecting” marriage, this bill will repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and enshrine in law the re-definition of marriage. The law would thus mandate that the federal government and states recognize any marriage contracted by “two individuals” – including members of the same sex – so long as it was legal in the state where they got “married.” rainbow flag Same-sex “marriage” has, of course, been legal in the U.S. ever since the U.S. Supreme Court unilaterally imposed it on the nation in Obergefell v. Hodges. Now, however, LGBT activists are hoping to solidify its position in U.S. law, legalizing the redefinition of marriage outside the reach of the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision to introduce this bill was in large part motivated by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The judges who overturned Roe made the utterly reasonable argument that the Constitution has nothing at all to say about abortion, and that the issue should be decided by the people or their elected representatives. LGBT activists were quick to note – quite rightly – that the same logic would also apply to Obergefell. In that case, a handful of judges decided that they knew better than the millions of Americans who had voted in referenda to keep marriage between one man and one women and invented a new “right” that the framers of the Constitution would have thought absurd. In his concurring opinion to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Clarence Thomas specifically singled out Obergefell as one of several cases based upon due process considerations that the Court should “reconsider.” In response to which, LGBT activists immediately kicked off the campaign to pass the “Respect for Marriage Act.” Archbishop Cordileone Defends True Marriage In July, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco wrote a pair of letters to both the U.S. House and Senate, urging legislators to vote against the legislation. In his letter to the Senate, Archbishop Cordileone, who is the Chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at the United States Conference of Catholic bishops (USCCB), noted that those people who experience same-sex attraction “should be treated with the same respect and compassion as anyone.” However, he noted, it is not “discrimination” to hold fast to the principle “that an inherent aspect of the definition of marriage itself is the complementarity between the two sexes.” “Marriage as a lifelong, exclusive union of one man and one woman, and open to new life, is not just a religious ideal – it is, on the whole, what is best for society in a concrete sense, especially for children,” the archbishop noted. Archbishop Cordileone also took aim at the common talking point that recognizing same-sex “marriage” is simply a matter of choosing to “live and let live.” In reality, he notes, the legalization of same-sex “marriage” has always been closely followed by attacks on the rights of those who oppose the redefinition of marriage. As he noted: [G]overnments continue to use marriage redefinition laws to threaten the conscience and religious freedom of individuals such as wedding vendors, and entities such as foster care and other social service providers, who seek to serve their communities without being punished for their longstanding and well-founded beliefs. This bill would lend weight to those efforts and further marginalize millions of “reasonable and sincere people.” In reality, said the archbishop, the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act,” “would do the opposite of what its name implies, codifying a demand for states and the federal government to honor whatever may be deemed ‘marriage’ by any other state.” The archbishop also noted that the bill, by mandating that states recognize marriages that are legal in other states, would also open the door to the further re-definition of marriage to encompass polygamous or so-called “polyamorous” relationships. “By making federal recognition of such relationships automatic upon their recognition by any state, the bill would create a massive incentive for radical activists to concentrate their efforts in a single state – further lending plausibility to this potentially disastrous scenario,” he noted, concluding, “for all of these reasons, I must urge you to vote ‘no’ on this measure.” Legislators Under Massive Pressure Unsurprisingly, many wealthy and powerful organizations, companies, and activists are throwing their full weight behind the new bill, exerting immense pressure on Republican Senators to get in line. One huge organization, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), announced a few days ago that they have obtained the support of 226 different corporations in support of the bill. This includes giants like Amazon, Apple, Airbnb, Bank of America, Google, Nike, General Motors, PepsiCo, and countless others. All told, these companies do trillions of dollars in business every year. And the message to legislators is clear: go against our wishes, and we will do everything in our power to punish you. Such, unfortunately, is the state of business in America, where large corporations do not hesitate to use their vast economic clout to shape American law and culture to the hyper-progressive agendas endorsed by their “woke” executives and HR departments. Naturally, many of the rank-and-file employees in these companies do not support this woke agenda. But the uber-wealthy executives are uninterested in consulting the people who keep their economic engine functioning. Instead, they use their businesses as cudgels to change America in ways that the grassroots of the country does not support. Your Voice Matters Meanwhile, HRC is also using its money and organizational apparatus to mobilize the progressive grassroots to contact senators, claiming to have put in over 10,000 phone calls, and to have sent tens of thousands of e-mails. It is up to us to ensure that HRC’s efforts are drowned out by the voices of common sense Americans who understand what is at stake in the battle over marriage. Unfortunately, we already live in a nation where same-sex “marriage” is legal, thanks to the Supreme Court. However, the “Respect for Marriage Act” would further entrench this novel institution in U.S. law, making it harder for America ever to return to sanity. The passage of this bill would also send a signal that U.S. law has no tolerance for the rights of states and their people to protect the true definition of marriage. At the moment, Democrat Senators say they are not sure whether enough Republicans will cross the aisle on this issue to ensure the passage of this bill. We must make sure that our GOP Senators know that their constituents expect them to do the right thing. Marriage simply is the union of one man and one woman. Within this relationship we find the sexual complementarity that permits the begetting of children without resorting to macabre and debasing (but alas, increasingly common) technologies that commodify human life. And within this relationship, the right of children to know and be raised by both their mother and father is respected. As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote in their 2003 document on the issue of same-sex “marriage”: Homosexual unions are totally lacking in the biological and anthropological elements of marriage and family which would be the basis, on the level of reason, for granting them legal recognition. Such unions are not able to contribute in a proper way to the procreation and survival of the human race. The possibility of using recently discovered methods of artificial reproduction, beyond involving a grave lack of respect for human dignity, does nothing to alter this inadequacy. (Considerations Regarding Proposals, no. 7) Contact Your Senator As Catholics we have a moral responsibility to resist the spirit of the age, and to do whatever is in our power to protect marriage against the sexual revolutionaries. Indeed, the CDF unambiguously laid out the responsibility of Catholics faced with the issue of same-sex “marriage” the 1986 document, “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.” There they wrote: In those situations where homosexual unions have been legally recognized or have been given the legal status and rights belonging to marriage, clear and emphatic opposition is a duty. One must refrain from any kind of formal cooperation in the enactment or application of such gravely unjust laws and, as far as possible, from material cooperation on the level of their application. In this area, everyone can exercise the right to conscientious objection. So please, contact your Senator today, and tell them to vote “no” on the so-called “Respect Marriage Act.” Did you find this useful? Then you'll also appreciate having the answers to the 10 most common pro-abortion myths condensed into a free infographic for you. Sign up to get the facts! First Name Last Name Email Address Share Tweet More Posted in Spirit & Life Blog About Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. View all posts by Fr. Shenan J. Boquet → Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) Free Guide! We've compiled the responses to 10 of the most common pro-abortion myths into one free infographic. Don't miss it! First Name Last Name Email Address Latest Articles: Spirit & Life Blog Pro-Life Resources Mission Stories Mission Report Newsletter HUMAN LIFE INTERNATIONAL 4 Family Life Lane Front Royal, VA 22630 Phone: 1-800-549-5433 Email: hli@hli.org © 2022 Human Life International QUICK LINKS Contact Us Leadership Offices Store Ways to Give St. Michael Prayer Campaign Annual Reports Whistleblower Policy Privacy Policy LIVING A CULTURE OF LIFE PODCAST Share Tweet More

Excellent article by Father Shenan J. Boquet at Human Life Int'l - please, please see www.hli.org

Our Mission Resources Podcast Blog Search DONATE Free Guide: Abortion Myths and Facts Senate to Vote on Same-Sex “Marriage” By Fr. Shenan J. Boquet | September 19, 2022 | 0 According to reports, the U.S. Senate is likely to vote within weeks on the deceptively titled “Respect for Marriage Act.” This radical bill already passed the U.S. House in July, with the help of 47 Republicans. Now, however, it needs to pass the Senate, where its fate is more uncertain. However, I am concerned that certain Republican Senators are quietly planning on supporting it, which could ensure its passage. For this reason, it is crucial that Americans reading this column immediately contact their senators, letting them know that they expect them to vote against this destructive bill. Far from “respecting” marriage, this bill will repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and enshrine in law the re-definition of marriage. The law would thus mandate that the federal government and states recognize any marriage contracted by “two individuals” – including members of the same sex – so long as it was legal in the state where they got “married.” rainbow flag Same-sex “marriage” has, of course, been legal in the U.S. ever since the U.S. Supreme Court unilaterally imposed it on the nation in Obergefell v. Hodges. Now, however, LGBT activists are hoping to solidify its position in U.S. law, legalizing the redefinition of marriage outside the reach of the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision to introduce this bill was in large part motivated by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The judges who overturned Roe made the utterly reasonable argument that the Constitution has nothing at all to say about abortion, and that the issue should be decided by the people or their elected representatives. LGBT activists were quick to note – quite rightly – that the same logic would also apply to Obergefell. In that case, a handful of judges decided that they knew better than the millions of Americans who had voted in referenda to keep marriage between one man and one women and invented a new “right” that the framers of the Constitution would have thought absurd. In his concurring opinion to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Clarence Thomas specifically singled out Obergefell as one of several cases based upon due process considerations that the Court should “reconsider.” In response to which, LGBT activists immediately kicked off the campaign to pass the “Respect for Marriage Act.” Archbishop Cordileone Defends True Marriage In July, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco wrote a pair of letters to both the U.S. House and Senate, urging legislators to vote against the legislation. In his letter to the Senate, Archbishop Cordileone, who is the Chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at the United States Conference of Catholic bishops (USCCB), noted that those people who experience same-sex attraction “should be treated with the same respect and compassion as anyone.” However, he noted, it is not “discrimination” to hold fast to the principle “that an inherent aspect of the definition of marriage itself is the complementarity between the two sexes.” “Marriage as a lifelong, exclusive union of one man and one woman, and open to new life, is not just a religious ideal – it is, on the whole, what is best for society in a concrete sense, especially for children,” the archbishop noted. Archbishop Cordileone also took aim at the common talking point that recognizing same-sex “marriage” is simply a matter of choosing to “live and let live.” In reality, he notes, the legalization of same-sex “marriage” has always been closely followed by attacks on the rights of those who oppose the redefinition of marriage. As he noted: [G]overnments continue to use marriage redefinition laws to threaten the conscience and religious freedom of individuals such as wedding vendors, and entities such as foster care and other social service providers, who seek to serve their communities without being punished for their longstanding and well-founded beliefs. This bill would lend weight to those efforts and further marginalize millions of “reasonable and sincere people.” In reality, said the archbishop, the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act,” “would do the opposite of what its name implies, codifying a demand for states and the federal government to honor whatever may be deemed ‘marriage’ by any other state.” The archbishop also noted that the bill, by mandating that states recognize marriages that are legal in other states, would also open the door to the further re-definition of marriage to encompass polygamous or so-called “polyamorous” relationships. “By making federal recognition of such relationships automatic upon their recognition by any state, the bill would create a massive incentive for radical activists to concentrate their efforts in a single state – further lending plausibility to this potentially disastrous scenario,” he noted, concluding, “for all of these reasons, I must urge you to vote ‘no’ on this measure.” Legislators Under Massive Pressure Unsurprisingly, many wealthy and powerful organizations, companies, and activists are throwing their full weight behind the new bill, exerting immense pressure on Republican Senators to get in line. One huge organization, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), announced a few days ago that they have obtained the support of 226 different corporations in support of the bill. This includes giants like Amazon, Apple, Airbnb, Bank of America, Google, Nike, General Motors, PepsiCo, and countless others. All told, these companies do trillions of dollars in business every year. And the message to legislators is clear: go against our wishes, and we will do everything in our power to punish you. Such, unfortunately, is the state of business in America, where large corporations do not hesitate to use their vast economic clout to shape American law and culture to the hyper-progressive agendas endorsed by their “woke” executives and HR departments. Naturally, many of the rank-and-file employees in these companies do not support this woke agenda. But the uber-wealthy executives are uninterested in consulting the people who keep their economic engine functioning. Instead, they use their businesses as cudgels to change America in ways that the grassroots of the country does not support. Your Voice Matters Meanwhile, HRC is also using its money and organizational apparatus to mobilize the progressive grassroots to contact senators, claiming to have put in over 10,000 phone calls, and to have sent tens of thousands of e-mails. It is up to us to ensure that HRC’s efforts are drowned out by the voices of common sense Americans who understand what is at stake in the battle over marriage. Unfortunately, we already live in a nation where same-sex “marriage” is legal, thanks to the Supreme Court. However, the “Respect for Marriage Act” would further entrench this novel institution in U.S. law, making it harder for America ever to return to sanity. The passage of this bill would also send a signal that U.S. law has no tolerance for the rights of states and their people to protect the true definition of marriage. At the moment, Democrat Senators say they are not sure whether enough Republicans will cross the aisle on this issue to ensure the passage of this bill. We must make sure that our GOP Senators know that their constituents expect them to do the right thing. Marriage simply is the union of one man and one woman. Within this relationship we find the sexual complementarity that permits the begetting of children without resorting to macabre and debasing (but alas, increasingly common) technologies that commodify human life. And within this relationship, the right of children to know and be raised by both their mother and father is respected. As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote in their 2003 document on the issue of same-sex “marriage”: Homosexual unions are totally lacking in the biological and anthropological elements of marriage and family which would be the basis, on the level of reason, for granting them legal recognition. Such unions are not able to contribute in a proper way to the procreation and survival of the human race. The possibility of using recently discovered methods of artificial reproduction, beyond involving a grave lack of respect for human dignity, does nothing to alter this inadequacy. (Considerations Regarding Proposals, no. 7) Contact Your Senator As Catholics we have a moral responsibility to resist the spirit of the age, and to do whatever is in our power to protect marriage against the sexual revolutionaries. Indeed, the CDF unambiguously laid out the responsibility of Catholics faced with the issue of same-sex “marriage” the 1986 document, “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.” There they wrote: In those situations where homosexual unions have been legally recognized or have been given the legal status and rights belonging to marriage, clear and emphatic opposition is a duty. One must refrain from any kind of formal cooperation in the enactment or application of such gravely unjust laws and, as far as possible, from material cooperation on the level of their application. In this area, everyone can exercise the right to conscientious objection. So please, contact your Senator today, and tell them to vote “no” on the so-called “Respect Marriage Act.” Did you find this useful? Then you'll also appreciate having the answers to the 10 most common pro-abortion myths condensed into a free infographic for you. Sign up to get the facts! First Name Last Name Email Address Share Tweet More Posted in Spirit & Life Blog About Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. View all posts by Fr. Shenan J. Boquet → Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) Free Guide! We've compiled the responses to 10 of the most common pro-abortion myths into one free infographic. Don't miss it! First Name Last Name Email Address Latest Articles: Spirit & Life Blog Pro-Life Resources Mission Stories Mission Report Newsletter HUMAN LIFE INTERNATIONAL 4 Family Life Lane Front Royal, VA 22630 Phone: 1-800-549-5433 Email: hli@hli.org © 2022 Human Life International QUICK LINKS Contact Us Leadership Offices Store Ways to Give St. Michael Prayer Campaign Annual Reports Whistleblower Policy Privacy Policy LIVING A CULTURE OF LIFE PODCAST Share Tweet More

A wonderful article by Father Shenan J. Boquet at Human Life Int'l - please, please see www.hli.org

Our Mission Resources Podcast Blog Search DONATE Free Guide: Abortion Myths and Facts Senate to Vote on Same-Sex “Marriage” By Fr. Shenan J. Boquet | September 19, 2022 | 0 According to reports, the U.S. Senate is likely to vote within weeks on the deceptively titled “Respect for Marriage Act.” This radical bill already passed the U.S. House in July, with the help of 47 Republicans. Now, however, it needs to pass the Senate, where its fate is more uncertain. However, I am concerned that certain Republican Senators are quietly planning on supporting it, which could ensure its passage. For this reason, it is crucial that Americans reading this column immediately contact their senators, letting them know that they expect them to vote against this destructive bill. Far from “respecting” marriage, this bill will repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and enshrine in law the re-definition of marriage. The law would thus mandate that the federal government and states recognize any marriage contracted by “two individuals” – including members of the same sex – so long as it was legal in the state where they got “married.” rainbow flag Same-sex “marriage” has, of course, been legal in the U.S. ever since the U.S. Supreme Court unilaterally imposed it on the nation in Obergefell v. Hodges. Now, however, LGBT activists are hoping to solidify its position in U.S. law, legalizing the redefinition of marriage outside the reach of the U.S. Supreme Court. The decision to introduce this bill was in large part motivated by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The judges who overturned Roe made the utterly reasonable argument that the Constitution has nothing at all to say about abortion, and that the issue should be decided by the people or their elected representatives. LGBT activists were quick to note – quite rightly – that the same logic would also apply to Obergefell. In that case, a handful of judges decided that they knew better than the millions of Americans who had voted in referenda to keep marriage between one man and one women and invented a new “right” that the framers of the Constitution would have thought absurd. In his concurring opinion to Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Clarence Thomas specifically singled out Obergefell as one of several cases based upon due process considerations that the Court should “reconsider.” In response to which, LGBT activists immediately kicked off the campaign to pass the “Respect for Marriage Act.” Archbishop Cordileone Defends True Marriage In July, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco wrote a pair of letters to both the U.S. House and Senate, urging legislators to vote against the legislation. In his letter to the Senate, Archbishop Cordileone, who is the Chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at the United States Conference of Catholic bishops (USCCB), noted that those people who experience same-sex attraction “should be treated with the same respect and compassion as anyone.” However, he noted, it is not “discrimination” to hold fast to the principle “that an inherent aspect of the definition of marriage itself is the complementarity between the two sexes.” “Marriage as a lifelong, exclusive union of one man and one woman, and open to new life, is not just a religious ideal – it is, on the whole, what is best for society in a concrete sense, especially for children,” the archbishop noted. Archbishop Cordileone also took aim at the common talking point that recognizing same-sex “marriage” is simply a matter of choosing to “live and let live.” In reality, he notes, the legalization of same-sex “marriage” has always been closely followed by attacks on the rights of those who oppose the redefinition of marriage. As he noted: [G]overnments continue to use marriage redefinition laws to threaten the conscience and religious freedom of individuals such as wedding vendors, and entities such as foster care and other social service providers, who seek to serve their communities without being punished for their longstanding and well-founded beliefs. This bill would lend weight to those efforts and further marginalize millions of “reasonable and sincere people.” In reality, said the archbishop, the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act,” “would do the opposite of what its name implies, codifying a demand for states and the federal government to honor whatever may be deemed ‘marriage’ by any other state.” The archbishop also noted that the bill, by mandating that states recognize marriages that are legal in other states, would also open the door to the further re-definition of marriage to encompass polygamous or so-called “polyamorous” relationships. “By making federal recognition of such relationships automatic upon their recognition by any state, the bill would create a massive incentive for radical activists to concentrate their efforts in a single state – further lending plausibility to this potentially disastrous scenario,” he noted, concluding, “for all of these reasons, I must urge you to vote ‘no’ on this measure.” Legislators Under Massive Pressure Unsurprisingly, many wealthy and powerful organizations, companies, and activists are throwing their full weight behind the new bill, exerting immense pressure on Republican Senators to get in line. One huge organization, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), announced a few days ago that they have obtained the support of 226 different corporations in support of the bill. This includes giants like Amazon, Apple, Airbnb, Bank of America, Google, Nike, General Motors, PepsiCo, and countless others. All told, these companies do trillions of dollars in business every year. And the message to legislators is clear: go against our wishes, and we will do everything in our power to punish you. Such, unfortunately, is the state of business in America, where large corporations do not hesitate to use their vast economic clout to shape American law and culture to the hyper-progressive agendas endorsed by their “woke” executives and HR departments. Naturally, many of the rank-and-file employees in these companies do not support this woke agenda. But the uber-wealthy executives are uninterested in consulting the people who keep their economic engine functioning. Instead, they use their businesses as cudgels to change America in ways that the grassroots of the country does not support. Your Voice Matters Meanwhile, HRC is also using its money and organizational apparatus to mobilize the progressive grassroots to contact senators, claiming to have put in over 10,000 phone calls, and to have sent tens of thousands of e-mails. It is up to us to ensure that HRC’s efforts are drowned out by the voices of common sense Americans who understand what is at stake in the battle over marriage. Unfortunately, we already live in a nation where same-sex “marriage” is legal, thanks to the Supreme Court. However, the “Respect for Marriage Act” would further entrench this novel institution in U.S. law, making it harder for America ever to return to sanity. The passage of this bill would also send a signal that U.S. law has no tolerance for the rights of states and their people to protect the true definition of marriage. At the moment, Democrat Senators say they are not sure whether enough Republicans will cross the aisle on this issue to ensure the passage of this bill. We must make sure that our GOP Senators know that their constituents expect them to do the right thing. Marriage simply is the union of one man and one woman. Within this relationship we find the sexual complementarity that permits the begetting of children without resorting to macabre and debasing (but alas, increasingly common) technologies that commodify human life. And within this relationship, the right of children to know and be raised by both their mother and father is respected. As the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote in their 2003 document on the issue of same-sex “marriage”: Homosexual unions are totally lacking in the biological and anthropological elements of marriage and family which would be the basis, on the level of reason, for granting them legal recognition. Such unions are not able to contribute in a proper way to the procreation and survival of the human race. The possibility of using recently discovered methods of artificial reproduction, beyond involving a grave lack of respect for human dignity, does nothing to alter this inadequacy. (Considerations Regarding Proposals, no. 7) Contact Your Senator As Catholics we have a moral responsibility to resist the spirit of the age, and to do whatever is in our power to protect marriage against the sexual revolutionaries. Indeed, the CDF unambiguously laid out the responsibility of Catholics faced with the issue of same-sex “marriage” the 1986 document, “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.” There they wrote: In those situations where homosexual unions have been legally recognized or have been given the legal status and rights belonging to marriage, clear and emphatic opposition is a duty. One must refrain from any kind of formal cooperation in the enactment or application of such gravely unjust laws and, as far as possible, from material cooperation on the level of their application. In this area, everyone can exercise the right to conscientious objection. So please, contact your Senator today, and tell them to vote “no” on the so-called “Respect Marriage Act.” Did you find this useful? Then you'll also appreciate having the answers to the 10 most common pro-abortion myths condensed into a free infographic for you. Sign up to get the facts! First Name Last Name Email Address Share Tweet More Posted in Spirit & Life Blog About Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. View all posts by Fr. Shenan J. Boquet → Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) Free Guide! We've compiled the responses to 10 of the most common pro-abortion myths into one free infographic. Don't miss it! 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Please help! An outstanding article by Mr. Bobby Schindler at Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network - please, please see www.lifeandhope.com.

Top Banner DONATE LifeNews.com SEARCH MENU They Reported Anne Heche Was “Brain Dead” and Harvested Her Organs Opinion | Bobby Schindler | Sep 15, 2022 | 4:50PM | Washington, DC On August 5, 2022, 53-year-old Hollywood actress Anne Heche was involved in an auto accident in a Los Angeles neighborhood and sustained a serious brain injury. Initial reports were that she was on a ventilator and in a coma. On August 11, it was reported that Ms. Heche was diagnosed as “brain dead.” Under California law a person diagnosed in this manner is considered legally dead. However, Ms. Heche was left on a ventilator until her organs could be harvested. Subsequently, on August 14, after her organs were removed, the media again reported that Ms. Heche had died. You can understand why this was confusing to the public when in the matter of a few days there were two different reports of Ms. Heche’s death. To help with this confusion, Dr. Michael P.H. Stanley, a senior resident of the Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham Program, published an article in the Wall Street Journal writing that although Ms. Heche remained on life support until her organs were removed, she was both “medically and legally” dead on August 11. From its beginning, the term “brain death” has been contentious. It was defined in 1968 by a Harvard Medical School ad hoc committee that was formed to determine a new criterion for brain death, especially as it pertained to legally procuring organs for transplantation. Neurologist and professor of neuroscience, Dr. Cicero G Coimbra, agrees. In a 2019 interview, Dr. Coimbra said that before the term brain death was used there was “no preliminary scientific research” to quantitatively define this form of death. This, he noted, opens the possibility of misdiagnosis and by labeling these patients “dead”, it has enabled the medical community to avoid the “legal hurdles” needed to remove “vital organs” from brain injured people. According to Dr. Coimbra, in 2016 alone, the brain death/U.S. organ procurement business profited close to 25 billion dollars. Regardless, Dr. Stanley supports the brain death diagnosis, as he stated in his WSJ article, “when the brain ‘stops functioning’ the person dies.” However, there are numerous scenarios that could have been cited where a patient was wrongly declared brain dead casting doubt on the finality and accuracy of the diagnosis. LifeNews is on GETTR. Please follow us for the latest pro-life news For instance, this past August 27, doctors told a woman named Megan Marlow that her husband was “clinically deceased” after he suffered “neurological death.” Doctors informed Mrs. Marlow that her husband, an organ donor, would be kept on life support until they could locate organ recipients. On August 29, Marlow received a call from the doctor — her husband was alive. In March 2021, 18-year-old Lewis Roberts was declared brain stem dead after a road accident. Just before he was scheduled for organ harvesting, he began breathing independently. His sister said the medical staff “rushed through” her brother’s tests. Today, Roberts is well enough to play sports. In 2011, 14-year-old Taylor Hale was in an auto accident that left her in a coma. Six days later, Taylor had a brain hemorrhage, with part of her brain sliding into her spinal canal. Doctors informed her parents that Taylor was brain dead and to consider donating her organs. The following day, a family friend prayed with Taylor asking God to spare her life. Later that day, Taylor was removed from her life support. Unexpectedly, however, she began to breath and a week later she started to speak. Incredibly, Taylor was able attend her high school graduation. In 2008, 21-year-old Zack Dunlap experienced a catastrophic brain injury and was declared brain dead. Two months after this determination however, Mr. Dunlap walked out of the hospital. Certainly, these types of neurological diagnosis are difficult and complex, especially when you consider the soaring cost of life-sustaining medical technology. But perhaps the simple truth is that when patients sustain severe brain injuries, precious time is needed so that treatment can be administered giving the brain the opportunity to heal instead of quickly determining that it is a hopeless and permanent condition, and that the person is ripe for the business of organ procurement. Consider a July 2021 study published in JAMA Neurology, a monthly medical journal published by the American Medical Association, where UC San Francisco, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital monitored close to 500 patients with “moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).” Researchers concluded that decisions regarding the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for these types of patients should not be made in the early days following brain injury. Senior author of the study, Geoffrey Manley, MD, PhD, chief of neurosurgery at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital said that: “TBI is a life-changing event that can produce significant, lasting disability, and there are cases when it is very clear early on that a patient will not recover. But results from this study show a significant proportion of our participants experienced major improvements in life functioning, with many regaining independence between two weeks and 12 months after injury.” The JAMA Neurology study follows a 2018 review by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), updating their guidelines for disorders of consciousness. It was determined that current ICU practices are based on “flawed and outdated information.” The AAN recommended that for the first 28 days after a patient’s brain injury, physicians “must avoid statements” that suggest the patient has a poor or hopeless prognosis. Complicating matters even more, Nancy Valko, a registered nurse for over 50 years, writes that Dr. David Greer, the lead author of a 2016 study from JAMA Neurology found that not all of the 508 U.S. hospitals surveyed were “100% compliant” with the American Academy of Neurology 2010 guidelines when determining brain death. The study also found that there were “major variations in their policies” when diagnosing brain death. These inconsistencies can be, according to Mrs. Valko, “disastrous” as one patient can be treated as “living” at one hospital but “declared brain dead” at another. In response to my sister Terri Schiavo’s death, our family established the non-profit Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, to serve as advocates for patients, supporting families when they contact us in a crisis. Since 2005, we have helped and supported close to 4,000 individuals and families. Many of these calls come from families immediately after having a loved one diagnosed as brain dead. It is not uncommon that the brain death diagnosis is made within hours of being admitted to the hospital and an organ donor organization is contacted. To what degree hospitals might be influenced by profit, no one can say with certainty. But what can be said is that with research and guidelines that are stressing the importance of time for our brain injured loved ones the least we can do for them, and their families, is to give them the benefit of the doubt. Because once a decision is made, like that of Ms. Heche, it can never be changed. ADVERTISEMENT Position 9 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 2 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 3 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 4 ADVERTISEMENT Home Sidebar 1 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 1 Bottom Banner LifeNews.com COPYRIGHT © 2003-2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. National State International Bioethics Opinion About Advertising Reprint RSS Feed DONATE

Wonderful article by Mr. Bobby Schindler at Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network - please, pleaee see www.lifeandhope.com.

Top Banner DONATE LifeNews.com SEARCH MENU They Reported Anne Heche Was “Brain Dead” and Harvested Her Organs Opinion | Bobby Schindler | Sep 15, 2022 | 4:50PM | Washington, DC On August 5, 2022, 53-year-old Hollywood actress Anne Heche was involved in an auto accident in a Los Angeles neighborhood and sustained a serious brain injury. Initial reports were that she was on a ventilator and in a coma. On August 11, it was reported that Ms. Heche was diagnosed as “brain dead.” Under California law a person diagnosed in this manner is considered legally dead. However, Ms. Heche was left on a ventilator until her organs could be harvested. Subsequently, on August 14, after her organs were removed, the media again reported that Ms. Heche had died. You can understand why this was confusing to the public when in the matter of a few days there were two different reports of Ms. Heche’s death. To help with this confusion, Dr. Michael P.H. Stanley, a senior resident of the Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham Program, published an article in the Wall Street Journal writing that although Ms. Heche remained on life support until her organs were removed, she was both “medically and legally” dead on August 11. From its beginning, the term “brain death” has been contentious. It was defined in 1968 by a Harvard Medical School ad hoc committee that was formed to determine a new criterion for brain death, especially as it pertained to legally procuring organs for transplantation. Neurologist and professor of neuroscience, Dr. Cicero G Coimbra, agrees. In a 2019 interview, Dr. Coimbra said that before the term brain death was used there was “no preliminary scientific research” to quantitatively define this form of death. This, he noted, opens the possibility of misdiagnosis and by labeling these patients “dead”, it has enabled the medical community to avoid the “legal hurdles” needed to remove “vital organs” from brain injured people. According to Dr. Coimbra, in 2016 alone, the brain death/U.S. organ procurement business profited close to 25 billion dollars. Regardless, Dr. Stanley supports the brain death diagnosis, as he stated in his WSJ article, “when the brain ‘stops functioning’ the person dies.” However, there are numerous scenarios that could have been cited where a patient was wrongly declared brain dead casting doubt on the finality and accuracy of the diagnosis. LifeNews is on GETTR. Please follow us for the latest pro-life news For instance, this past August 27, doctors told a woman named Megan Marlow that her husband was “clinically deceased” after he suffered “neurological death.” Doctors informed Mrs. Marlow that her husband, an organ donor, would be kept on life support until they could locate organ recipients. On August 29, Marlow received a call from the doctor — her husband was alive. In March 2021, 18-year-old Lewis Roberts was declared brain stem dead after a road accident. Just before he was scheduled for organ harvesting, he began breathing independently. His sister said the medical staff “rushed through” her brother’s tests. Today, Roberts is well enough to play sports. In 2011, 14-year-old Taylor Hale was in an auto accident that left her in a coma. Six days later, Taylor had a brain hemorrhage, with part of her brain sliding into her spinal canal. Doctors informed her parents that Taylor was brain dead and to consider donating her organs. The following day, a family friend prayed with Taylor asking God to spare her life. Later that day, Taylor was removed from her life support. Unexpectedly, however, she began to breath and a week later she started to speak. Incredibly, Taylor was able attend her high school graduation. In 2008, 21-year-old Zack Dunlap experienced a catastrophic brain injury and was declared brain dead. Two months after this determination however, Mr. Dunlap walked out of the hospital. Certainly, these types of neurological diagnosis are difficult and complex, especially when you consider the soaring cost of life-sustaining medical technology. But perhaps the simple truth is that when patients sustain severe brain injuries, precious time is needed so that treatment can be administered giving the brain the opportunity to heal instead of quickly determining that it is a hopeless and permanent condition, and that the person is ripe for the business of organ procurement. Consider a July 2021 study published in JAMA Neurology, a monthly medical journal published by the American Medical Association, where UC San Francisco, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital monitored close to 500 patients with “moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).” Researchers concluded that decisions regarding the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for these types of patients should not be made in the early days following brain injury. Senior author of the study, Geoffrey Manley, MD, PhD, chief of neurosurgery at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital said that: “TBI is a life-changing event that can produce significant, lasting disability, and there are cases when it is very clear early on that a patient will not recover. But results from this study show a significant proportion of our participants experienced major improvements in life functioning, with many regaining independence between two weeks and 12 months after injury.” The JAMA Neurology study follows a 2018 review by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), updating their guidelines for disorders of consciousness. It was determined that current ICU practices are based on “flawed and outdated information.” The AAN recommended that for the first 28 days after a patient’s brain injury, physicians “must avoid statements” that suggest the patient has a poor or hopeless prognosis. Complicating matters even more, Nancy Valko, a registered nurse for over 50 years, writes that Dr. David Greer, the lead author of a 2016 study from JAMA Neurology found that not all of the 508 U.S. hospitals surveyed were “100% compliant” with the American Academy of Neurology 2010 guidelines when determining brain death. The study also found that there were “major variations in their policies” when diagnosing brain death. These inconsistencies can be, according to Mrs. Valko, “disastrous” as one patient can be treated as “living” at one hospital but “declared brain dead” at another. In response to my sister Terri Schiavo’s death, our family established the non-profit Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, to serve as advocates for patients, supporting families when they contact us in a crisis. Since 2005, we have helped and supported close to 4,000 individuals and families. Many of these calls come from families immediately after having a loved one diagnosed as brain dead. It is not uncommon that the brain death diagnosis is made within hours of being admitted to the hospital and an organ donor organization is contacted. To what degree hospitals might be influenced by profit, no one can say with certainty. But what can be said is that with research and guidelines that are stressing the importance of time for our brain injured loved ones the least we can do for them, and their families, is to give them the benefit of the doubt. Because once a decision is made, like that of Ms. Heche, it can never be changed. ADVERTISEMENT Position 9 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 2 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 3 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 4 ADVERTISEMENT Home Sidebar 1 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 1 Bottom Banner LifeNews.com COPYRIGHT © 2003-2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. National State International Bioethics Opinion About Advertising Reprint RSS Feed DONATE

An excellent article by Mr. Bobby Schindler at Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network - please, please see www.lifeandhope.com.

Top Banner DONATE LifeNews.com SEARCH MENU They Reported Anne Heche Was “Brain Dead” and Harvested Her Organs Opinion | Bobby Schindler | Sep 15, 2022 | 4:50PM | Washington, DC On August 5, 2022, 53-year-old Hollywood actress Anne Heche was involved in an auto accident in a Los Angeles neighborhood and sustained a serious brain injury. Initial reports were that she was on a ventilator and in a coma. On August 11, it was reported that Ms. Heche was diagnosed as “brain dead.” Under California law a person diagnosed in this manner is considered legally dead. However, Ms. Heche was left on a ventilator until her organs could be harvested. Subsequently, on August 14, after her organs were removed, the media again reported that Ms. Heche had died. You can understand why this was confusing to the public when in the matter of a few days there were two different reports of Ms. Heche’s death. To help with this confusion, Dr. Michael P.H. Stanley, a senior resident of the Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham Program, published an article in the Wall Street Journal writing that although Ms. Heche remained on life support until her organs were removed, she was both “medically and legally” dead on August 11. From its beginning, the term “brain death” has been contentious. It was defined in 1968 by a Harvard Medical School ad hoc committee that was formed to determine a new criterion for brain death, especially as it pertained to legally procuring organs for transplantation. Neurologist and professor of neuroscience, Dr. Cicero G Coimbra, agrees. In a 2019 interview, Dr. Coimbra said that before the term brain death was used there was “no preliminary scientific research” to quantitatively define this form of death. This, he noted, opens the possibility of misdiagnosis and by labeling these patients “dead”, it has enabled the medical community to avoid the “legal hurdles” needed to remove “vital organs” from brain injured people. According to Dr. Coimbra, in 2016 alone, the brain death/U.S. organ procurement business profited close to 25 billion dollars. Regardless, Dr. Stanley supports the brain death diagnosis, as he stated in his WSJ article, “when the brain ‘stops functioning’ the person dies.” However, there are numerous scenarios that could have been cited where a patient was wrongly declared brain dead casting doubt on the finality and accuracy of the diagnosis. LifeNews is on GETTR. Please follow us for the latest pro-life news For instance, this past August 27, doctors told a woman named Megan Marlow that her husband was “clinically deceased” after he suffered “neurological death.” Doctors informed Mrs. Marlow that her husband, an organ donor, would be kept on life support until they could locate organ recipients. On August 29, Marlow received a call from the doctor — her husband was alive. In March 2021, 18-year-old Lewis Roberts was declared brain stem dead after a road accident. Just before he was scheduled for organ harvesting, he began breathing independently. His sister said the medical staff “rushed through” her brother’s tests. Today, Roberts is well enough to play sports. In 2011, 14-year-old Taylor Hale was in an auto accident that left her in a coma. Six days later, Taylor had a brain hemorrhage, with part of her brain sliding into her spinal canal. Doctors informed her parents that Taylor was brain dead and to consider donating her organs. The following day, a family friend prayed with Taylor asking God to spare her life. Later that day, Taylor was removed from her life support. Unexpectedly, however, she began to breath and a week later she started to speak. Incredibly, Taylor was able attend her high school graduation. In 2008, 21-year-old Zack Dunlap experienced a catastrophic brain injury and was declared brain dead. Two months after this determination however, Mr. Dunlap walked out of the hospital. Certainly, these types of neurological diagnosis are difficult and complex, especially when you consider the soaring cost of life-sustaining medical technology. But perhaps the simple truth is that when patients sustain severe brain injuries, precious time is needed so that treatment can be administered giving the brain the opportunity to heal instead of quickly determining that it is a hopeless and permanent condition, and that the person is ripe for the business of organ procurement. Consider a July 2021 study published in JAMA Neurology, a monthly medical journal published by the American Medical Association, where UC San Francisco, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital monitored close to 500 patients with “moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).” Researchers concluded that decisions regarding the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for these types of patients should not be made in the early days following brain injury. Senior author of the study, Geoffrey Manley, MD, PhD, chief of neurosurgery at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital said that: “TBI is a life-changing event that can produce significant, lasting disability, and there are cases when it is very clear early on that a patient will not recover. But results from this study show a significant proportion of our participants experienced major improvements in life functioning, with many regaining independence between two weeks and 12 months after injury.” The JAMA Neurology study follows a 2018 review by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), updating their guidelines for disorders of consciousness. It was determined that current ICU practices are based on “flawed and outdated information.” The AAN recommended that for the first 28 days after a patient’s brain injury, physicians “must avoid statements” that suggest the patient has a poor or hopeless prognosis. Complicating matters even more, Nancy Valko, a registered nurse for over 50 years, writes that Dr. David Greer, the lead author of a 2016 study from JAMA Neurology found that not all of the 508 U.S. hospitals surveyed were “100% compliant” with the American Academy of Neurology 2010 guidelines when determining brain death. The study also found that there were “major variations in their policies” when diagnosing brain death. These inconsistencies can be, according to Mrs. Valko, “disastrous” as one patient can be treated as “living” at one hospital but “declared brain dead” at another. In response to my sister Terri Schiavo’s death, our family established the non-profit Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, to serve as advocates for patients, supporting families when they contact us in a crisis. Since 2005, we have helped and supported close to 4,000 individuals and families. Many of these calls come from families immediately after having a loved one diagnosed as brain dead. It is not uncommon that the brain death diagnosis is made within hours of being admitted to the hospital and an organ donor organization is contacted. To what degree hospitals might be influenced by profit, no one can say with certainty. But what can be said is that with research and guidelines that are stressing the importance of time for our brain injured loved ones the least we can do for them, and their families, is to give them the benefit of the doubt. Because once a decision is made, like that of Ms. Heche, it can never be changed. ADVERTISEMENT Position 9 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 2 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 3 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 4 ADVERTISEMENT Home Sidebar 1 ADVERTISEMENT Ad Row 1 Bottom Banner LifeNews.com COPYRIGHT © 2003-2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. National State International Bioethics Opinion About Advertising Reprint RSS Feed DONATE