Colorado's Personhood Effort Garners Endorsements of Over 70 Physicians

South Dakota Abortion Clinic Appears Closed, Despite Planned Parenthood Denial

Pro-Life Philippines

Homosexual High School Clubs Increase Risk of Suicide says Parents and Friends of Ex-Homosexuals & Homosexuals...

COLORADO FOR EQUAL RIGHTS PERSONHOOD EFFORT has announced the support of over 70 physicians and pharmacists, including neonatologists, family physicians, ob/gyns, pediatricians, and other physicians nationwide.

These physicians have stated that they concur with the statement, "A 'person' includes any human from the time of fertilization."

"We are honored to have received these endorsements from such respected physicians," stated Kristi Burton, amendment sponsor.

"Science clearly proves that life begins at the time of fertilization. We are secure in the fact that we have science and reason on our side, and we are pleased to have the medical community supporting our efforts."

"As support for Amendment 48 accumulates, we are very encouraged as we get closer to November's election," continued Burton.

"Every human life should be protected, and the endorsements we continue to receive prove that our easy to understand amendment is one that all Coloradans can support." [www.personhood2008.com, Denver, CO – July 28, 2008]

SD ABORTION BUSINESS APPEARS CLOSED, DESPITE PP DENIAL. During what one pro-life advocate called “a great week in South Dakota for unborn children,” a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota has apparently closed. The abortion provider on the other hand, disputes the alleged closure.
 
Local pro-lifers believe that the clinic has closed its doors because it refuses to comply with a state informed consent law upheld by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals last month.
 
The South Dakota law requires any physician who performs an abortion to obtain “voluntary and informed written consent” from a woman seeking an abortion, except in cases of medical emergency. The woman must also be provided with information about the health risks and legal consequences of the procedure.
 
The information the woman must be provided includes the knowledge “that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being." She must also be told that she "has an existing relationship with that unborn human being and that the relationship enjoys protection under the United States Constitution and under the laws of South Dakota.” Further, she must be informed “that by having an abortion, her existing relationship and her existing constitutional rights with regards to that relationship will be terminated.”
 
The state law went into effect on Saturday after an attempted injunction filed by Planned Parenthood was rejected on July 17. A spokesman for pro-life protest groups outside the Sioux Falls Planned Parenthood location said that even though women who had apparently scheduled appointments appeared at the clinic, no abortionists arrived.
 
“I think Planned Parenthood cannot figure out a way not to comply with the law," said Dr. Allan Unruh, a leader in the state’s Vote Yes for Life campaign, WorldNetDaily reports.
 
We don't know if they will open again," he said. "Personally, I don't think they are going to find any abortionists who want to take the risk of losing their license."
 
Leslee Unruh, the Founder of the Alpha Center Pregnancy Center in Sioux Falls, on Thursday told CNA that the abortion clinic continues to be closed. She noted that pro-life counselors have talked with several of the clinic clients scheduled to have abortions this week.
 
“One for sure has changed her mind and is going to have the child,” said Unruh, who has advocated on behalf of the informed consent legislation.
 
“It’s historical, it’s wonderful what is happening. We’re hoping the other states will follow our lead and put the same laws in through their legislatures that can also shut down abortion clinics this way,” she continued. “It’s a great week in South Dakota for unborn children.”
 
However, Kathi Di Nicola, a Planned Parenthood spokesperson based out of Minnesota, flatly denied that the clinic was closed.
 
“That is absolutely false. We are open and committed to providing for women’s health services in South Dakota,” she said.
 
When asked whether abortion services were still be provided at the Souix Falls clinic, Di Nicola responded affirmatively. [25-Jul-2008, http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=90127;
Sioux Falls, Jul 24, 2008, CNA; PharmFacts E-News Update, 29July08]

 
PRO-LIFE PHILIPPINES. On 24May 2008, 78 key pro-life leaders coming from the 56 different archdioceses and diocese in the Philippines gathered with one objective: unite, plan and act against the looming proposed laws that will pave the way to abortion (reproductive health), homosexual rights-marriage and divorce. On 25 July 08, a huge national rally took place across the nation to protest the pressure to establish abortion-contraception culture in that nation.

HOMOSEXUAL HIGH SCHOOL CLUBS INCREASE RISK OF SUICIDE, SAY PARENTS AND FRIENDS. Quoting a recent study, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) is warning of the increased risk of suicide that is linked with young people who identify themselves as homosexuals before achieving full maturity - a process encouraged by many homosexual high school clubs.
 
The Washington Post recently ran a sympathetic article about a 15-year-old boy named Saro who described his homosexual feelings and how Gay Straight Alliance student clubs help such gay teens to deal with discrimination and bullying in high school and middle school.
 
"What the article failed to describe," said PFOX Executive Director Regina Griggs, "is the danger of young sexually confused teens self-identifying as gays at an early age. Research has shown that the risk of suicide decreases by 20% each year that a person delays homosexual or bisexual self-labeling. Early self-identification is dangerous to kids.
 
"Schools should not be encouraging teens to self-identify as gays, bisexuals or transgendered persons before they have matured. Sexual attractions are fluid and do not take on permanence until early adulthood.

Rather than affirming teenagers as 'gay' through self-labeling, educators should affirm them as people worthy of respect and encourage teens to wait until adulthood before making choices about their sexuality.

If teens are encouraged to believe that they are permanently 'gay' before they have had a chance to reach adulthood, their life choices are severely restricted and can result in depression."
 
Griggs also notes that schools with Gay Straight Alliance clubs are notorious for suppressing ex-gay organizations or individuals supporting tolerance for the ex-gay community.

"GSA clubs and their teacher sponsors make schools unsafe for anyone who has rejected the 'gay' label in their lives or who believes in ex-gay equal rights. Our efforts to reach all students are typically met with hostility and violence. Time after time, we have faced hostile gay students and teachers ripping up our ex-gay materials or demanding that we be banned from distributing our materials on campuses."
 
The National Education Association's Ex-Gay Educators Caucus recommends diversity and inclusion of the ex-gay viewpoint in public schools, but this is seldom the case, according to Griggs.

"What we find is that Gay Straight Alliance leaders and their school officials routinely suppress the ex-gay viewpoint and bully into silence anyone who dares to speak up for ex-gay equality and tolerance. If schools truly cared about diversity, they would include the diversity of the ex-gay community.  Former homosexuals and their supporters should have the same kind of access to public schools that GSA clubs currently enjoy."
 
Griggs concludes: "Articles such as the one in the Post fail to tell both sides of the bullying debate and endanger the lives of sexually confused and troubled youth who should be discouraged from self-labeling as gay, bisexual or transgendered."
[18 July 08, www.LifeSiteNews.com, D.C. http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08071811.html]