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July 26, 2010
The summer newsletter is now available online with many interesting and informative articles. Pam Stenzel has contributed an excellent article entitled, "Parents Matter: Raising Kids With Integrity," that is filled with wisdom and insight for today's parents.
Read about the mission and work of City Life Center, a Minnesota pregnancy care center and HLA partner.
Also featured in this edition are the winners of HLA's Campus Campaign Contest and an informative article about our Executive Director, Jo Tolck's recent speaking engagement in London, England.
Click here to read the latest!
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July 13, 2010
Where will you find long hot days, humid nights, baseball and lots of young fans? The NCAA College World Series (CWS) and HLA was back again this year!
For 16 days each June, HLA reaches out to vacationing college students and their families at the CWS in Omaha, Nebraska. This year HLA reached approximately 50,000 people with the pro-life message in icare...
Visitor to the CWS can actually see the impact HLA materials have on young people. "Oh yeah, we see young people stop in a souvenir store, take an HLA publication, begin reading it, and walk right into a telephone pole! They are so fascinated by the graphics and content, they can't take their eyes off of it." said HLA Deputy Director Joe Langfeld.
This year HLA received email responses to the distribution just days into the event from individuals who returned home early:
I was so excited today when I started reading your insert from a bag received yesterday, when I bought a shirt from a vendor, at the College World Series in Omaha. Your publication icare is wonderful, and I will pray that many people take the time to read it. Thanks for sharing the truth with so many of our population in America who have never heard the truth.
I am a Sexual Abstinence Educator for a Pro-Life organization, Real Options for Women, located in Plano, TX. We are trying to do more pro-life and sexual abstinence outreach to our local college and university campuses. A friend, who had family attend the college world series, came back with the icare... magazine and we are amazed. What a great way to reach college students! I am wondering if there are any tips you can give us on how to reach college students better and how to get on college campuses?
"HLA's outreach at the CWS and other collegiate events is about reaching kids with a pro-life message, but we're also reaching coaches, student athletes, parents and community organizers--it helps us expand HLA's outreach." said Langfeld.
If you would like to use HLA material in your community, please click here or email feedback@humanlife.org.
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July 8, 2010
A battle is raging in Kenya over the inclusion of abortion in the new draft of the constitution, which will be voted on August 4, 2010. If the draft is ratified, abortion will be allowed by a loophole in the new constitution's wording.
In March, the Anglican Church of Kenya Archbishop Eliud Wabukala said "We all have said that God values life and life begins at conception. That is a principle and we all seem to have agreed on that aspect." Canon Peter Karanja of the National Council of Churches told Inter Press Service, "Life is sacrosanct. The definition of life must be stipulated in the supreme law of the land, the Constitution."
The Christian Churches of Kenya are standing firm and they are under attack because of their position against making abortion a constitutional right. On June 3, two bombs exploded at a "vote no" rally, killing five and injuring at least seventy-five. Just last Saturday, July 3, Bishop Joseph Segal of The Redeemed Gospel Church, a strong advocate for life and leader in the "vote no" campaign was brutally assassinated in his church.
Kenya has a large Christian majority that is 69% pro-life according to a recent poll. Kenya also has a fertility rate of 4.56 children per woman. The high fertility rate has made Kenya a primary target nation for international population control groups and abortion lobbyists. On March 3, the Center for Reproductive Rights, based in New York, issued a video claiming that keeping abortion illegal threatens the lives of Kenyan women. "Every year, tens of thousands of women in Kenya die or suffer from complications from an unsafe abortion,"(a statistic that is unsupported) and recently Dr. Nehemiah Kimathi of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) urged Members of Kenya's Parliament to drop what little pro-life language remains in the draft.
Earlier this year, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, urged Kenyan lawmakers to retain the protections for the unborn in the constitution. He said, "It is appalling that leaders in Africa are being systematically pressured to slacken their abortion laws in the belief that such a policy prescription leads to 'economic progress.' It is also scandalous that abortion is misleadingly being attributed as 'reproductive health care.'"
Contrast that to a June 9th speech at the Kenyatta International Conference Center in Nairobi, Kenya at which Vice-President Biden reaffirmed President Barack Obama's support for Kenya's process and said "We are hopeful, Barack Obama is hopeful, I am hopeful that you will carry out these reforms to allow money to flow," Biden further said, "As you prepare to write a new history for your nation, resist those who try and divide you based on ethnicity, or religion, or region and above all, fear." Biden was fully aware that the Catholic Church and Protestant churches are opposing the constitution because of the pro-abortion provision.
Reps. Chris Smith of New Jersey, Darrell Issa of California and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida. have written letters to Inspectors General of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Government Accountability Office which outline their concerns that, "The Obama Administration's advocacy in support of Kenya's proposed constitution may constitute a serious violation of the Siljander Amendment and, as such, may be subject to civil and criminal penalties under the Antideficiency Act."
HLA is currently working with Rev. Mbijiwe Mwenda of the Kenyan Churches "Say NO" organization to help them with brochures to be distributed at pro-life rallies.
Please keep Kenya in your thoughts and prayers.
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July 1, 2010
This week we would like to introduce you to Elizabeth Daugherty and Katelyn Latawiec, HLA interns. Liz is a senior at Saint Mary's in Winona, with a major in Graphic design and a minor in business. She is a graduate of Totino Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota.
Liz can't remember a time when she hasn't been active in the pro-life movement. She comes from a strong pro-life family which has been very active in various pro-life ministries at their church. As an adult, she has made an educated, conscious choice to serve in the pro-life effort.
While at Saint Mary's, Liz is active in the LaSallian ministry. The focus of that ministry is faith formation, liturgy, prayer, justice and education. She has attended mission trips where these elements were the focus.
Liz has learned some very practical skills that will help her as a graphic designer but, more importantly, she has expanded her knowledge about the life issues. She has come to realize just how much most people don't know about abortion and euthanasia. "I've really enjoyed my time with HLA, specifying the small, friendly office atmosphere" said Liz.
When asked if she would recommend HLA to others who are looking for internships, she said, "Absolutely! They'll have a chance to work in a different atmosphere and they will definitely broaden their horizons."
Katelyn is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a degree in journalism. HLA has been blessed by her help since December. Katelyn came to HLA because she felt that she shared the same beliefs and values as HLA and wanted to use the gifts that God gave her to return something to Him. HLA has benefited from her writing and editing skills as she helps with updating and editing publications and the HLA newsletter.
When asked what motivates her to intern at HLA, Katelyn said, "I am motivated first by my faith and then by the empirical evidence that the baby in the womb is a unique human being that should be protected." She wants to use her talents to loudly proclaim this truth and expose the reality of abortion. "Like the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, that were mostly hidden from view, the destruction of the baby is hidden from view and I want to help show the truth."
Katelyn was also raised in a strong pro-life family. She, along with her family, participated in protests in front of abortion mills and pro-life marches.
Katelyn has enjoyed her time with HLA. She likes the small, intimate atmosphere which allows her to really get to know the others working and volunteering here. She has also learned a tremendous amount about life issues, in particular, she cited eugenics and stem cell research. She has been able to expand her writing and editing skills and also has been able to share what she has learned with many family and friends.
If you are interesting in interning for HLA, send your resume to feedback@humanlife.org
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June 25, 2010
Human Life Alliance is blessed to have four interns sharing their talents with us for the summer and we would like you to meet them. This week I would like to introduce you to Maureen Lodoen and Holly Klejeski.
Maureen is starting her senior year at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, majoring in Journalism/Advertising with an English minor. Maureen hails from Burnsville, MN and graduated from Trinity School.
Maureen has always been involved in the pro-life cause. Her family regularly witnessed outside Planned Parenthood and went to pro-life events and marches. Maureen remembers being deeply affected by a family member with Spina Bifida and a friend with Down's syndrome. Very early, she recognized the intrinsic, infinite worth of every human and their great capacity to love and be loved.
Maureen came to HLA because she wanted to use her skills to do meaningful work. Since she has been here she has worked on researching information and statistics for our new college publication and the revised Did You Know, and writing and editing articles. She finds that she has grown tremendously in knowledge about the spectrum of pro-life issues and sharpened her research and writing skills.
She also finds that interning at HLA has opened up a lot of opportunity to share the pro-life message with friends, family and acquaintances. When they ask where she is interning for the summer, she shares what she has been doing and learning.
When Maureen returns to Creighton in the fall, she will continue her work with the college pro-life club, as she has since she began at Creighton.
Holly Klejeski is a senior at University of Notre Dame in Indiana, majoring in Photography Studio Art. While Holly is home this summer, in Bethel, MN, she is sharing her time and talent with HLA. Holly has been working on the graphics and layouts for our publications.
Holly also comes from a strong pro-life family and has always been involved in pro-life activities. It was only natural for her to become involved with Notre Dame Right to Life, the largest club at Notre Dame, once she became a student there.
While at Notre Dame she has coordinated pro-life collegiate conferences, organized fundraising for crisis pregnancy centers, arranged for nationally known pro-life speakers to appear at Notre Dame and attended the March For Life in Washington, DC.
Holly says that interning at HLA has given her a broader view of the pro-life movement. She has seen the expansiveness of pro-life efforts on a national level and cooperative efforts between various pro-life organizations. Holly also says she is grateful for the opportunity to improve her technical skills and learn different approaches to reaching a diverse audience.
HLA always benefits from our interns who share their skills with us. It helps us have a better understanding of popular campus culture while also stretching our donation dollars further.
Thank you Maureen and Holly for helping change hearts and save lives.
If you are interesting in interning for HLA, send your resume to feedback@humanlife.org
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June 11, 2010
There have been a number of stories in the news lately, both nationally and internationally about end-of-life issues. We would like to share some of them with you.
Recently a 90 year old man, Don Holley, suffered a stroke and was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco. A neighbor of his who was acting as his durable power of attorney, when told his prognosis wasn't good, agreed to "comfort care" only for Mr. Holley. Comfort care consisted of a morphine drip and the removal of all food and water. The doctor informed the neighbor that Mr. Holley would be dead in 2 days without water and this would be kindest for the aged patient.
Mr. Holley's family, who lived in Boston, MA, immediately flew to San Francisco to be with him. They were pleased to find him improving from his stroke. He was alert and greeted them enthusiastically.
The family requested that food and hydration be restored and were told that they would have to go before the hospital ethics committee to have that done. It was only Friday and they were concerned that their uncle wouldn't make it until Monday. The family was left to watch helplessly as the uncle was dehydrated to death. To read the full story click here.
If you or a loved one are checking into a hospital, hospice or nursing home be sure that you understand the terminology used and have a Protective Medical Decision Document and an agent you trust who will look out for your interests. Comfort care, Palliative care and futile care all too often mean the withholding of food and fluids and cause the patient's death.
Meanwhile in another story, two bio-ethicists, Professor Julian Savulescu and his associate Dominic Wilkinson, in an on-line article, "Should we allow organ donation euthanasia? Alternatives for maximizing the number and quality of organs for transplantation", proposed that legalizing the euthanization of "brain dead' or "unconscious" patients could supply as many as 2,200 more organs each year in the UK.
Assisted suicide was legalized in Belgium 6 years ago. Euthanasia now accounts for 2 per cent of deaths in Belgium; around 2,200 a year. One fifth of nurses admitted being involved in the assisted suicide of a patient, but nearly half of these, 120 of 248, were done without the patient's consent.
Dr. Peter Saunders, director of the Care Not Killing campaign in Britain, reminds us: "We should take a warning from this that wherever you draw the line, people will go up to it and beyond it.Once you have legalized voluntary euthanasia, involuntary euthanasia will inevitably follow." Read more here.
Recently Dignitas, a euthanasia clinic in Switzerland, was criticized after hundreds of urns filled with ashes were discovered by divers at the bottom of a Swiss lake. Not much dignity in that! They also made the news when they gave a suicide kit to a 39 year old Spanish man with paranoid schizophrenia. Swiss law is very clear that the person is to be of sound mind and able to understand the consequences of their actions.
HLA offers a great educational resource on end-of-life issues that will open eyes to the real perils of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Help those around you to understand the issue. You can view Imposed Death online or order copies for yourself, family and friends.
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June 8, 2010
It's that time of the year when all sorts of outdoor events take place. City festivals, county and state fairs, open air concerts, art fairs, and parades are just a few the events we enjoy during the summer months.
Each of these events provides an opportunity to share the pro-life message with members of our communities as well as visitors, exhibitors and participants. Human Life Alliance would like to help you reach them with engaging, high quality pro-life educational materials that will challenge their views about abortion, chastity and euthanasia. Please check out the resources that are available for your use at www.humanlife.org
Contact us at www.humanlife.org to request copies online or call our office at 651-484-1040. Before you know it, your event will be here, so hurry and order now!
