The photo, right, is of Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life and Gianna Jessen at the West Coast Walk for Life in CA on January 19.

Ever heard of Gianna? She was aborted alive. Her story in brief:

Gianna's biological mother was 17 when she had a saline abortion in her third trimester....After being burned alive for ~18 hours in the womb from the saline solution, Gianna was delivered alive in a Los Angeles County abortion clinic. Her medical records state, "born during saline abortion"... caus[ing] her Cerebral Palsy.... She weighed a mere 2 lbs. at birth.

Gianna was transferred by ambulance to a hospital, grew into a beautiful young woman with an excellent singing voice who now travels the world singing and telling her story.

I met Gianna in 2000. She testified with me at the Born Alive Infant Protection Act hearings. We both were invited to witness President Bush sign BAIPA into law in August 2001. Here's a photo, with Gianna standing next to me....

Left to right: Wanda Franz, president, National Right to Life; Archbishop Donald Wuerl; Hadley Arkes, crafter of BAIPA; Steve Chabot, House sponsor of BAIPA; President Bush; Rick Santorum, Senate sponsor of BAIPA; me; Gianna; Dr. Watson Bowes, ob/gyn who testified with us.

UPDATE, 4:45p: I forgot this great story about Gianna. This happened in 2006, as relayed by Jon Sanders of Townhall.com:

Last year Jessen made a memorable appearance before the Colorado House of Representatives. She was invited to sing the national anthem there by Rep. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch. Her affliction caused her to lose her balance, and her nerves caused her to falter, and everyone present joined with her to encourage her.

When she was done, Harvey introduced her to the chamber. He spoke of her cerebral palsy from a traumatic birth, her life in foster homes before being adopted, how she struggled even to lift her head, then crawl and walk, and how she now runs in marathons to raise awareness of cerebral palsy. Harvey called her a modern day hero, and Jessen received a standing ovation.

Harvey wasn't done....

On the docket that day was a resolution to honor the 90th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood clinic. Harvey then revealed the cause of Jessen's cerebral palsy: the failed abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic. He was gaveled down, of course, but he told the Speaker, "I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today."

House Democrats fumed. Majority Leader Alice Madden told the Denver Post that Harvey had been "amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics."

Jessen, who presumably would have known she had been used, told the Post, "We need to discuss the humanity of it [abortion]. I'm glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb. If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"

Another great picture of you, Jill.

With respect to born babies, I don't think there is really much debate.

Doug

I watched her speak in Rapid City, South Dakota in the fall of 2006. Not only did she wow the hundreds of pro-lifers who showed up, but even several of the people who were outside protesting her (and then came inside to listen) were visibly moved by her presence.

Ah, Gianna, great name...

Anon, your comment reminded me of a great story about Gianna. Just updated the post.

With respect to born babies, I don't think there is really much debate.

But Doug, they baby wasn't WANTED.
That wasn't what the women paid for.
That wasn't what the WOMAN WANTED.
The woman didn't WANT a live baby, she WANTED a dead one.
That wasn't her CHOICE, Doug. She CHOSE death.

But suddenly a "whoops!", and the pro-choice stance changes?

Amazing.

Doug,
I agree with Anon. I read your post and have a hard time understanding what your point is.

That's Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington D.C. in the photo. Back in 2001 he was bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EtZ2Vhq-Mxk

Cranky, thanks, will post his name. Makes sense. The billing signing was in Pittsburgh.

Wow, nice catch, Cranky! Archbishop Wuerl is the MAN!

Not this one again. Not a spread of evidence can be produced to support this person's claims.

"Not this one again. Not a spread of evidence can be produced to support this person's claims."

What do you mean Sally?

"With respect to born babies, I don't think there is really much debate."

Doug, I think Obama's testimony that Jill posted shows that he thinks there's something to debate."

Anonymous: But suddenly a "whoops!", and the pro-choice stance changes?

Again, I don't know all the ramifications, but I doubt that Obama was really lobbying for born babies, specifically, to be allowed to die "without comfort, on a cold shelf," etc.

Doug,
Don't twist it...come on now. YOU said it. I was referring to YOUR statement, not Obama's stance.

Play fair, Doug.

And Doug, this post didn't mention Obama AT ALL.

A Nun & Moose: And Doug, this post didn't mention Obama AT ALL

You just might have implied some relationship, albeit nebulously and transiently evanescent, via your I think Obama's testimony that Jill posted shows that he thinks there's something to debate comment.

Anyway, as I said in the first post: "With respect to born babies, I don't think there is really much debate." This applies to Obama and everybody else, IMO. If you really think differently, let's hear your reasoning why.

Doug

But suddenly a "whoops!", and the pro-choice stance changes?

Anonymous, it's still the same deal. If the baby is not inside the body of a person, then do you not see that's it a much different thing? It's not like we are then forcing the woman any which way. At this point, as with Jill's experience with born babies in the hospital, it is a question of the baby's suffering.

Doug

Gianna Jessen, the abortion lobby's worst nightmare. Nothing so troublesome as a fetus with attitude.

Doug,
Based on all of your previous comments regarding abortion, though...it seemed to be about "want" and "choice". The babies that are born alive still weren't wanted, and the choice was to cease their existence. I feel that every baby should be wanted and born alive. You don't. You say it's what's good for the woman. You tell me, Doug, why, if the baby is born alive, why it should be "saved" when it is still unwanted by the mother? The baby is a little person to me, whether inside or outside of the womb. Are you then saying that if a baby survives abortion it suddenly should be given rights and become wanted?

"Gianna Jessen, the abortion lobby's worst nightmare "

----------------------------

Right On!!!

Go anonymous....great questions.

Anonymous: Doug, Based on all of your previous comments regarding abortion, though...it seemed to be about "want" and "choice". The babies that are born alive still weren't wanted, and the choice was to cease their existence.

I would rather that women kept the freedom they now have, versus making abortion illegal. When we are talking about born babies, the women's freedom is not longer a factor.

As I said, with Jill's experience with born babies in the hospital, why should they suffer, even if they are going to die? That's where I don't see much if any disagreement; I don't think it's much of an issue.
......

I feel that every baby should be wanted and born alive. You don't.

I would rather that they all were wanted, but I realize that not all are. It's not that I "want women to have abortions." If nobody wanted abortions, it wouldn't bother me. It'd be better for pregnancies to be prevented if they weren't going to be wanted.
......

You say it's what's good for the woman. You tell me, Doug, why, if the baby is born alive, why it should be "saved" when it is still unwanted by the mother?

It's not always going to be saved, no matter what. If death is coming, then I still don't think the baby should be "put on a cold shelf to die." Again - don't think there is disagreement here. There are others to care for the baby - it does not have to be up to the mother. If the baby is going to live, then society (and again, other people, as above) do the caring and the wanting.
......

The baby is a little person to me, whether inside or outside of the womb. Are you then saying that if a baby survives abortion it suddenly should be given rights and become wanted?

It is given rights upon being born. There's no "should" there, that's the way it works. It's no longer inside the body of a person. I realize that many people, you included, want the baby from conception. That is fine with me, but I don't see it as trumping what the pregnant woman herself wants. After birth, she may be out of the picture, and if so, if it's you, others, or society in general that cares for the baby, again - fine by me. I don't want that baby to suffer, either.

My own "shoulds" are that at viability the equation is changing from the woman's rights and elective abortion, if desired, to therapeutic abortion if required - admittedly a fairly rare deal - and to the limited form of rights that we have now for the unborn past viability.

Doug