Pro-life blog buzz 6-6-14
by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli
We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.
- Pro-Life Action League does not apologize for picketing hospitals that invite the “P.R. disaster” that will come as a result of granting abortionists admitting privileges:
Admitting privileges legislation has made hospitals the gatekeeper for abortion clinics’ ability to remain open. That’s allowed protests to move away from the clinics themselves and back to the hospitals, a far more vulnerable target. - At National Review, Michael J. New points out the media bias in the Detroit News’ latest reporting on abortion numbers in Michigan.
- At Reproductive Research Audit, Dr. Rebecca G. Oas discusses Ann Starrs (pictured left), the new director of the Guttmacher Institute, and her strong advocacy for abortion rights – which appears to have affected her ability to be objective:
In 2010, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), led by former World Health Organization (WHO) employee Dr. Christopher Murray, published a study in the journal Lancet refuting the UN’s numbers, showing maternal mortality levels were far lower than the WHO had long claimed. Lancet editor Dr. Richard Horton faced pressure from advocacy groups to delay publication. Among them was Ann Starrs, who urged the scientists to “at least hide that there is disagreement” lest the conflicting numbers compromise advocacy efforts.Abortion advocates hiding the truth to continue pushing the lie that abortion is necessary? Now, there’s a real shocker.
- ProLife NZ and Secular Pro-Life effectively point how correlation does not necessarily imply causation in the case of maternal mortality and abortion:
One of the pillars of the abortion movement is the idea that legalized abortion prevents maternal deaths. They can point to improved maternal mortality rates after the legalisation of abortion in New Zealand and elsewhere….But there are two major problems with that theory. The first is that the numbers themselves are often either wrong or manipulated….
The second problem is the spurious correlation problem. The movement for the legalization of abortion happened to coincide with medical breakthroughs that dramatically improved Americans’ health in general, and in particular, allowed doctors to manage infection, hemorrhage, and other issues that may appear as complications of abortion. It also coincided, in the developing world, with independent foreign aid focused on maternal health issues, such as the provision of midwives.
- ProWomanProLife gives an example of how we can know that late-term abortions are done in Canada – when abortion facilities advertise it. But one clinic in Toronto also actually links to a website which claims even the Pope says abortion is acceptable. Oh, really?
- At The Vine, Breeanne Howe gives her take on how our society is beginning to react to extreme, pro-abortion views.
- At Priests for Life, Kevin Burke reviews the pro-abortion movie, Obvious Child.
- At thirtyone8, Andy Moore has a great post about how to frame the abortion language. Let’s learn to use it on behalf of life.
- Suzy B reports on the consequences of Terry McAuliffe’s election as the governor of Virginia, following the term of pro-life Gov. Bob McDonnell. As promised, McAuliffe (pictured right) is trying to remove all limits on abortion in the state (home of the infamously lawbreaking abortionist Steven Brigham, lest we forget):
Abortion facility safety regulations signed into law by former Gov. McDonnell were designed to protect Virginia women from Gosnell-like abortionists such as Steven Brigham. Brigham continues his dangerous practice of beginning late-term abortions in Virginia then transporting women across state lines to his facility in Maryland. Now Terry McAuliffe has replaced 5 members of the Virginia Board of Health with his chosen appointees, and asked them to reconsider Virginia’s life-saving regulations requiring abortion facilities to meet basic medical safety standards. - At Real Choice, Christina Dunigan writes about the likely upcoming strategy of the abortion movement to counter the impact of pro-life state legislation. She says we need to be ready for the inevitable:
Having established the “legal = safe” and that the alternative to “safe, legal abortion” is only “unsafe abortion” and not help addressing the woman’s actual problems, the preparations are already in the works for any contingency that they can play to the abortion lobby’s benefit. You can be certain they’re ready for those states that will soon be without a dedicated abortion facility. We’ve seen this sort of thing play out before, so we know what’s going to happen….It’s important to note up front that it is not the average pro-choice citizen who is gearing up to create and exploit a tragedy. It’s Big Abortion — an unholy alliance of population control zealots, abortion practitioners, eugenicists, and Sandra Fluke-style feminists. They are putting the pieces in place, and average prochoice citizens are being primed to play their part in protecting Big Abortion’s interests under the guise of protecting women.
Big Abortion is losing traction. The main thing they need to regain momentum is a corpse. If you think they’re not gearing up to produce one, think again.
[Photos via guttmacher.org, politico.com]
Pro-Life Action League does not apologize for picketing hospitals that invite the “P.R. disaster” that will come as a result of granting abortionists admitting privileges:
Simultaneously, pro-lifers claim that women will die if abortion practitioners do not have admitting privileges. I appreciate this blog’s willingness to acknowledge the truth: pro-lifers have no interest in saving women’s lives.
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I actually agree with you on that one LisaC. I have no wish to see someone’s health put at risk if they are having an abortion. If the abortionists follow the guidelines properly and are granted admitting privileges, I’d rather see that than risk women dying. Even if I think abortion should be illegal, I still think women having abortions deserve continuity of care and don’t deserve to have their health put at risk. We shouldn’t be protesting hospitals for giving admitting privileges, because that not doing a thing to stop abortion, it’s just making things more dangerous for the women.
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I appreciate this blog’s willingness to acknowledge the truth: pro-lifers have no interest in saving women’s lives.
I always appreciate it when readers of this blog don’t attribute the writings of other pro-lifers to this blog when those writings have not actually been written by this blog. Linking does not necessarily imply endorsement (or in some cases, it might). If I had a dollar for every pro-lifer who had complained about this blog “endorsing” comments made by pro-choicers simply because we used their statements in a quote of the day, I’d have a decent chunk of change in my pockets.
And another thing… if an abortion is medically necessary to save the life of a pregnant mother – as in, a woman needs immediate, life-saving care, thereby for some reason necessitating an early delivery – do you know where she will go for that lifesaving care, and who will provide it?
I’ll give you a hint: not to an abortionist.
Jack – you really think abortion clinics are equipped to save the lives of women whose lives are *actually* at immediate risk? Interesting.
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No… Why would I think that? All I’m saying is that if a woman had an adverse event and needed to be hospitalized, admitting privileges could speed up the process and save her life. I’ve heard the medical people post that here before and it makes sense. So I wouldn’t protest the hospital for allowing admitting privilege, I wouldn’t want a woman to die. I don’t think it helps criminalize abortion to focus on that
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And really, I don’t understand why pro-lifers fought for admitting privileges to be required (for health reasons and safety of women) and then now it’s wrong to approve of them? I want abortion to be illegal, but while it’s happening I’d not like women who get them to die or be seriously harmed. I just don’t see how protesting the hospitals for allowing the admitting privileges is helping?
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I say let the hospitals decide and let the abortionists collapse under their own weight.
If a hospital refuses privileges, it can be honestly pointed out there was a valid reason, not that the hospital was pressured. Wouldn’t our opponents just love to argue that hospitals are succumbing to pressure? PL people could well be shooting themselves in the feet.
Also, many OB/GYNs who perform abortion have admitting privileges, but not to perform abortion.
Granting admitting privileges is a complicated process, not a simple response to a request, and protesting doesn’t really address the issue at all, nor is it likely to have much influence.
In this situation maybe PL people should keep in mind the meddlesome relative who, though having the best intentions, only creates a problem where there wasn’t one. Sometimes it is just best to leave well enough alone.
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“Abortion advocates hiding the truth to continue pushing the lie that abortion is necessary? Now, there’s a real shocker.”
In a related story, it turns out that water is wet.
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Another point that PL Action League has to keep in mind is that abortion patients will continue to be brought to these hospitals, and in effect be dumped on the ER staff and the doctors on call to manage. Is this really fair to all parties involved? Is this showing our compassion for women victimized by abortion?
Having worked ER I can imagine the ER staff and the situation they are thrown into when Carhart’s patients show up in DIC or septic shock. I can tell you the valuable time that is lost as the ER staff tries to determine what exactly is going on, while struggling to keep a dying patient alive.
As PL people we cannot promote or encourage this situation, its bad enough as it is.
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Personally, I would not picket a hospital for giving admitting privileges. For doing abortions, yes. But that’s just me. I obviously don’t speak for every pro-lifer. (And btw, this blog doesn’t speak for all pro-lifers, either, and neither does Pro-Life Action League.)
If I were on a hospital board, though, what would make me think twice about granting admitting privileges would be the idea of associating with a largely unregulated industry with no set standard if care.
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I would not want to see protests at hospitals, because that’s unfair to all the patients. Keep the protests at the abortionists’ businesses.
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The 2 hospitals I can think of that admit botched abortion patients do indeed perform abortions themselves. University Hospital and Metro Health Medical center.
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Kel,
That isn’t how admitting privileges are determined.
They’re on an individual basis.
There are a number of reasons an abortionist may, or may not, be granted privileges and it has nothing to do with any “unregulated industry”.
The Catholic hospital in our city granted privileges to a group of them, though of course it wasn’t to do abortions. They did those in their offices. They also had a large OB/GYN practice and brought these patients to the hospital.
Tiller would never have gotten surgical privileges since he was not credentialed in gynecological surgery. Other abortionists the same reason, or because of felony convictions.
Like I said PL League would be better off understanding their protests have little significance or influence and they would be better off letting abortionists collapse under their own weight.
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Thank you Mary, but I’m already aware that admitting privileges are determined individually.
The point I was trying to make us that in an industry where circuit riders are commonplace and doctors seem to be granted a pass even if they kill women, it seems to me that they are the bottom of the barrel in the medical community. And if that is the case, I don’t know why hospitals would want to be associated with that type of reputation.
But you’ve made a great point regarding the quality of abortionists in general – many aren’t even gynecologists whatsoever. This should set off red flags.
I wouldn’t go to my podiatrist and ask him for a yearly female checkup, let alone a non-foot-related surgery. Most women don’t know that these “doctors” aren’t GYNs, I’d bet.
Of course if the abortion politicians in liberal areas have their way, you won’t even have to be an actual doctor to do abortions. Sounds like more of a political agenda than a concern for women’s health, if you ask me.
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Hi Kel,
I agree with you. My point is hospitals will not view it from that perspective.
Yes they may be viewed as bottom of the barrel, but the hospital will make decisions based on credentials, or lack thereof. As I pointed out, the lack of credentials and felony convictions have, and will, keep these dregs from being granted privileges. If the hospital thinks otherwise, like the examples I gave in my city, they may be granted privileges.
Rather than giving our opponents badly needed ammunition, and the ability to decry our “preventing” abortionists from being granted privileges, I think PL League should leave well enough alone and let the abortionists collapse under their own weight. As you point out, they have plenty. Also, it should be made known why they were denied privileges. Women might be appalled to find out the local abortionist was arrested for sexual abuse, had his license suspended, or had no credentialing in GYN surgery.
And I must agree with LisaC and DLPL that PL people cannot cry concern for women, yet promote the very dangerous conditions we have sought to eliminate.
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I love PL Action League & the Scheidler family for their commitment to ending abortion. But I don’t love everything they do. Picketing hospitals, if those hospitals don’t allow abortions on site, is not something I agree with.
LisaC, your comments usually strike me as intelligent, even if I don’t agree with them. Your first comment on this article…not so much. You might have written a true statement if you had qualified “pro-lifers” with “some”. But without that qualifier it just looks like disingenuous baloney.
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I agree Lrning I think Joe Scheidler goes off the deep end sometimes, even though he has done a great deal for the movement.
I read reviews of “Obvious Child” from the MSM and of course they are glowing annd thrilled that it normalizes abortion. Slate even says abortion is on the same level as going to the DMV. I’m sorry but I think these people are utterly depraved.
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Even if I were pro abortion I wouldnt trust my life in the hands of these “doctors” and I guess some women just want to have an abortion so badly they throw caution to the wind. Ive exposed the death of Lakisha Wilson March of this year. On her facebook she looks almost 9 months pregnant although I now know she was 5 months. Smiling and looking radiant. 2 clinics turned her away but Preterm in Cleveland took her. She died of cardiac arrest in that clinic and we now have a dead 22 year old.
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The sad thing about Preterm is how fast they move things along. Martin Ruddocks clinic was much smaller and down the street. His clinic is now closed. Ruddock had one surgical floor. I believe Preterm has 3 and the 4th is their NARAL and NOW offices and where appointments are made. It looks like a fast food drive through. Get them in suck them out get them out. And unlike Ruddock the Preterm abortionists never come outside so I dont know who they are.
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LOL Phillymiss they said that about going to the DMV?
Obviously, abortion is horrific. But if they are going to choose some “easy” thing to relate it to, they ought to keep in mind that the DMV is not in any way shape or form easy or pleasant.
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Also, I agree that protesting hospitals for doing what we’ve been pushing for is stupid and counter-productive.
The truth is, most pro-lifers do care about women and we can’t afford to forget that. There are always two patients. The woman and her baby. I know a lot of PLs have a kind of negative attitude towards aborting moms, but they deserve as much love and grace as anyone, and if a hospital can admit an abortionist (even though abortion is evil), at least only one life will be lost (the babies).
It’s still horrible, I’m just saying that these women deserve to at least be in a hospital should something go horribly wrong.
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Any hospital that commits abortions deserves to be picketed. Especially one with Christian affiliations like ‘Christ’ hospital. It makes me sick. They should either stop abortions or take down the cross from the top of their building.
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“Any hospital that commits abortions deserves to be picketed.”
Most people here seem to agree on this point. The question at hand is whether or not hospitals should be picketed for giving admitting privileges to or having other kinds of affiliations with abortionists.
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I have picketed Metro hospital because they do late term abortions. You never know a woman could change her mind there too and indeed LB women deserve care even if they become ill during an abortion. It happens often. I met a 26 year old girl who almost bled to death after her abortion at Preterm. That same clinic killed a 22 year old in March. This girl told me after her abortion she collapsed after becoming dizzy. Her boyfriend got her to Metro where a hysterectomy was performed.
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I’m a little late to the party here, but the Pro-Life NZ link is actually a Secular Pro-Life article.
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Thanks, Kelsey. Looks like at the very bottom it says “cross posted” at SPL. I have added in a note and link to SPL.
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