Pennsylvanians Mark Anniversary of Deadly Roe Decision

By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation

HARRISBURG, Pa. - It is difficult for Pennsylvanians to mark the anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade ruling without reflecting on notorious abortionist and convicted murderer Kermit Gosnell. After all, it was Roe that led to Gosnell's abominable practice, in which hundreds of full-term babies were delivered, then killed, according to the mind-boggling grand jury report released in connection with the case. And it is that report that forms the basis of the documentary 3801 Lancaster: American Tragedy, which was screened in Lebanon and Lancaster Counties, Pennsylvania the week of the Roe anniversary. (More about this below.)

Pennsylvania communities marked the 43rd commemoration of Roe in additional ways. In Lebanon County, a demonstration on January 22nd attracted nearly 100 people. The crowd actually swelled because some individuals who were hoping to attend the March for Life in Washington, D.C. had to cancel their travel plans because of the Blizzard of 2016. Visit the Lebanon Daily News' website and you can view the inspiring pictures-ordinary Americans taking a courageous street corner stand for life. Signs such as "Abort is a Typo: Adopt" and "Honk for Life" attracted much interest from the motorists passing by.

In the legendary city of Gettysburg, site of the historic Civil War battle, an estimated crowd of more than 100 gathered for a January 22nd rally for life. The courthouse rally, sponsored by the Adams County Pennsylvanians for Human Life, featured a talk by Brandy Crago who is with the therapeutic riding ministry at Freedom Valley Church. Brandy spoke movingly of a girl with a disability and her engaging participation in the equestrian program, proving the value of every single human life. She also talked about her daughter having the opportunity to adopt, after a 16-year-old girl selected her to be the adoptive mother of a beautiful baby boy.

I saw the completed 3801 Lancaster: American Tragedy, documentary for the first time at Lebanon's historic Allen Theatre and it left me speechless. To hear Gosnell himself, on a tape recording, defend his actions was beyond disturbing. And to listen to him justify himself with references to the Bible's Book of Genesis [!] was cringe-inducing.

I would highly recommend that in addition to pro-life groups, other churches and community groups sponsor showings of this film-it is one of the best arguments out there as to why Roe is so pernicious and should be abolished. Use this link to see a listing of showtimes across the nation, 

The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, Inc., is committed to promoting the dignity and value of human life from conception to natural death and to restoring legal protection for preborn children. Through legislation, political action, education and other legal means, we proclaim the truth about abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. For more information or to make a contribution, use this link. 

Voices for the Unborn is dedicated to informing and educating the public on pro-life and pro-family issues. To read our Mission Statement, use this link. You can also follow us on Facebook, Google, and Pinterest. Help spread the word by sharing our articles on your favorite social networks.

Pro-Life Movement Gains Ground 43 Years after Roe v. Wade

By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation

As Roe v. Wade turns 43, signs abound that the pro-life movement has made tremendous gains since seven out of the nine men on the U.S. Supreme Court decided to make abortion legal nationwide.

The Centers for Disease Control recently reported that abortion is now at an all-time low in the U.S. Specifically, the CDC report states that abortions declined by more than one-third from 1990 to 2010.

Any abortion stops a beating heart and a single abortion is a tragedy. Still, the decrease in abortions nationwide is an encouraging sign that our nation has turned a corner in reevaluating the rights of the unborn child and recognizing the unspeakable devastation that women can suffer as a result of abortion.

As of July, the Guttmacher Institute, the former research arm of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion operation, reported that states enacted more than 50 pro-life laws in 2015. According to Guttmacher, nearly 300 abortion-related laws have been passed nationwide since 2010. These protective laws include increasing waiting periods for abortion, banning dismemberment abortions, in which a baby is torn limb by limb from a mother's womb, and toughening health and safety standards for abortion facilities.

The move to crack down on unsafe abortion operations followed the grisly revelations in Pennsylvania's own Kermit Gosnell case, in which abortionist Gosnell was suspected of killing hundreds of full-term babies in his filthy facility. The explosive grand jury report cited numerous failures at the city and state level to shut down Gosnell's House of Horrors.

The grand jury report stated, "The medical practice by which he carried out this business was a filthy fraud in which he overdosed his patients with dangerous drugs, spread venereal disease among them with infected instruments, perforated their wombs and bowels-and, on at least two occasions, caused their deaths. Over the years many people came to know that something was going on here. But no one put a stop to it."

Prosecutors could not bring charges in many cases because they said Gosnell had destroyed records-but in the end he was convicted of killing three babies and causing the death of a female immigrant patient, Karnamaya Mongar. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania legislature enacted abortion center regulations which required regular inspections of abortion facilities-something that had not occurred for at least 15 years. At least five Pennsylvania abortion facilities shut their doors because they either could not or would not meet basic levels of care.

Both pro-life advocates and those who support legal abortion report pro-life pregnancy help centers outnumber abortion facilities by a two-to-one margin. Women can receive comprehensive support for their pregnancies, reducing the possibility that they will turn to abortion in the midst of the challenges they face.

The chorus of voices of women who regret their abortions has grown stronger. Through the Silent No More Awareness campaign, post-abortive women are courageously talking about the trauma and emotional pain they have endured as a result of their abortions. They are dedicated to sharing their very personal testimonies in an effort to spare other women the suffering they have undergone.

I look forward to the day when every unborn baby and every expectant mother will be nurtured and loved, as Roe v. Wade is erased from the law books and compassion and common sense are restored to our legal system.

The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, Inc., is committed to promoting the dignity and value of human life from conception to natural death and to restoring legal protection for preborn children. Through legislation, political action, education and other legal means, we proclaim the truth about abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. Use this link for more information.