Live Action Launches “Standing with Indiana” Petition

“June 29, 2011 – Undercover phone calls released today show Planned Parenthood of Indiana clinics admitting that they are not the only source of women’s health care for women on Medicaid. Planned Parenthood and its supporters have recently argued in support of restoring their Medicaid funding in Indiana that poor women will lose access to vital health care services if they cannot go to Planned Parenthood. Live Action, the group that recorded the calls, says its footage shows the reality is quite the opposite.

“Indiana has become Ground Zero in the national battle to defund Planned Parenthood, the biggest abortion business in America,” states Live Action President Lila Rose. “As more and more states, most recently Wisconsin and Texas, continue to defund the abortion giant of millions of dollars, Planned Parenthood wants us to believe they are the only game in town when it comes to providing care for Medicaid patients. In reality, their own staff admit that they aren’t the only option for women in need.”

In an official press release, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards claimed that Indiana’s defunding of Planned Parenthood would “take away health care from thousands of women in Indiana.” Last week, Live Action’s undercover investigators called 16 of the 28 Indiana Planned Parenthood clinics posing as women on Medicaid concerned about where they could receive services if Planned Parenthood’s funding was not restored.

Planned Parenthood staffers at all 16 locations admitted that Medicaid women would still have access to medical care after the defunding. Staffers suggested local health clinics or state-assigned primary care physicians for Medicaid patients: “Your primary care doctor should be able to do [a Well Woman exam,] I mean, that’s what they’re there for,” said a Planned Parenthood in Michigan City, while the Merrillville Planned Parenthood said of a local community health center, “They have the same services we have.”

“According to Planned Parenthood’s own statistics, their 28 clinics serve less than 1% of Indiana Medicaid patients, yet they do more than 50% of Indiana abortions,” notes Rose. There are over 800 other Medicaid providers available to these women in the counties with Planned Parenthood clinics alone.”

Even Indiana doctors agree that defunding Planned Parenthood in Indiana would have little to no effect on the care and services provided to Medicaid patients.

“If Planned Parenthood only sees 1% of Medicaid patients in the state, and that’s their statistic, it doesn’t seem like they are making a big imprint in the first place,” said Dr. Geoff Cly, at the Northeast Ob/GYN Women’s Health Group in Fort Wayne, IN. “I know in our group, we currently have capacity to see more patients and I’m sure many other groups could easily take care of the 1% that’s left if Planned Parenthood no longer took care of those patients.”

However, President Obama has come to Planned Parenthood’s aid by threatening to deny billions in low-income healthcare funds unless Indiana starts contracting with them.

“The Obama administration is holding patients’ health hostage in return for funding the largest abortion provider in the country,” asserted Lila Rose. “This abuse of power is a threat to every other state – that no matter the cost or consequences, this Administration will sacrifice healthcare for the needy to continue pouring tax dollars into Planned Parenthood.”

“Today we launch a ‘Stand with Indiana’ petition exposing Planned Parenthood’s deception and demanding that President Obama revoke his intervention on their behalf,” continues Rose. “Planned Parenthood has lied in covering up sex trafficking and statutory rape, lied about abusing taxpayer dollars, lied about mammograms, and now lies about Medicaid–all in the interest of protecting the taxpayer subsidies of their abortion business. States and their citizens no longer want to fund this corrupt organization.”

• Access the “I Stand with Indiana” petition at: www.IStandWithIndiana.com
• Fact Sheet with statistics, sources and figures available at: www.liveaction.org

To speak with Lila Rose, please contact either Colleen O’Boyle or Kristina Hernandez at 703-683-5004 or email at media@liveaction.org.”

For LIFE, Deborah

If you are interested in rallying your city or region in California to Stand4LIFE at abortion clinic(s) in your area, email us at: stand4lifeca@yahoo.com

Stand4LIFE California website (still in progress):  www.Stand4LIFECalifornia.com

California is joining Stand4LIFE Florida’s 40 day fast from March 29^th – May 7^th! Join with us!

Stand4LIFE on May 7^th from 2pm – 4pm!

For LIFE,

Deborah McCoy

Bound4LIFE Oakland 

IHOP East Bay

For six and half years we have stood in prayer with red LIFE tape covering our mouths. This stand that began in front of the Supreme Court has now spread to courthouses and abortion facilities all around the nation (and other nations!). This is what we call “The Silent Siege.” For our Spanish-speaking friends it’s “El Sitio Silencioso.” It’s not a protest–It’s a prayer meeting.

What might seem like a pointless exercise to the uninitiated is in reality a powerful stand in both the spiritual realm and the natural. This stand is first and foremost a way to engage God’s people in the spiritual battle that is raging over a generation. In the process, countless believers have now received the Lord’s heart for the ending of abortion, and this is now what fuels their ongoing prayers and works of compassion. Secondly, the LIFE tape is a prophetic sign to the nation that sees it. It has been said that “LIFE tape subpoenas the conscience of the nation,” and we believe this is true. The media has taken the message of the LIFE tape and inadvertently spread it further than we ever could have with a megaphone.

Over the last few years some have asked, “Why a ‘siege?’” We know, it’s a strange word. A little antiquated, but this is the language that God gave us. The point of a siege is to pull down an opposing stronghold or outlast their resources that have been stored up. A siege cuts off the supply lines. Suddenly this word begins to make perfect sense when you consider that supply lines need to be cut off from the abortion industry–supply lines of taxpayer funding, young women seeking abortions, doctors willing to perform abortions, etc. We take our stand and cry out in prayer, “Lord manifest the siege of the abortion industry and this death decree.”

Ezekiel called for the siege of Jerusalem in a strange prophetic act, but then something amazing happened. In chapter 24, the Lord told him to mark the day on his calendar because a real siege had begun on the city. What started in prayer, then actually happened in reality.

On February 4 the New York Times ran a startling headline–”The Siege of Planned Parenthood.” Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, used this headline and declared to her entire email base that they were in fact under siege. I was so impacted by this headline. Who uses this kind of language? It was as though God was confirming to us that what we’ve been praying for all these years has now been made manifest. I marked that day on my calendar even as Ezekiel was told to do.

This siege has come in many forms, but all of them have erupted rather suddenly. The New York Times mentioned the Live Action undercover videos revealing Planned Parenthood aiding and abetting in sex trafficking. Fueled by the illegal activity revealed in the videos, many leaders in Congress are currently pushing to defund Planned Parenthood at the federal level. Associated Press quoted Guttmacher Institute yesterday saying, “It’s just this total onslaught…” in the article “Wave of anti-abortion bills advance in the states. ” The pro-abortion group NARAL tweeted that they are tracking 351 bills in the states related to abortion. In some states like South Dakota and Florida, unprecedented things are happening. By Planned Parenthood’s own admission the siege is real.

If you’re not already, I strongly encourage you to begin to pray for the ending of abortion. This is more than just a good idea; this is the heart of God. I believe that in the place of prayer God will reveal to you His heart for this and any hidden strategies He may have for you. Leave nothing to chance. Don’t wait to see what happens next. Join with God’s heart now and give yourself to fighting for the next generation and the destiny of this nation. Refuse to make peace with abortion. Lay siege to it, and it will be besieged! “A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.” (Pr 21:22 NIV)

For LIFE,
Matt Lockett
Bound4LIFE Director

Immediate Needs       For the last two months we have told you about the amazing opportunities that Bound4LIFE has in California. God is raising up the Hispanic voice for VIDA (LIFE), and we believe the entire state will soon see a powerful shift take place. We see much fruit developing from the mobilization and training that we’ve started, but we continue to have big financial needs to move forward with these new efforts. Read what Lou Engle, founder of TheCall, has to say about this:“In my seven years of praying with Bound4LIFE for the ending of abortion, I have never stepped into a harvest moment like we have in California now with the Hispanics. From one month of sowing the message, 31 Latino Bound4LIFE chapters have begun. With finances we could mobilize materials and manpower to sweep California with the Pro-Life message and a firestorm of prayer. I am appealing fervently that those with resources would immediately fund Bound4LIFE in this most pregnant moment of our history.” -Lou Engle

Testimonies       I’m pleased to announce the debut of the Bound4LIFE website in Spanish. Just go to http://Bound4LIFE.com and click Español at the top. We will be adding even more pages and information very soon. Also, we’re excited to announce that Vida Bands (Life Bands en Español) will be available in the online store in just a couple of weeks. We’ll let you know as soon as you can order them.This month we want to focus on some amazing things happening in Florida. Did you know that state legislators are presenting in this legislative session an unprecedented number of pro-life bills? We can’t mention any names, but more legislators and officials in Florida are wearing life bands than anywhere else in the United States (About 21 of them). Below is an incredible testimony that comes to us from one of our Bound4LIFE Chapters in Orlando.Last year, 1,800 people stood shoulder to shoulder in front of every abortion center in Florida for the first ever Stand4LIFE event; 1,600 were first-time life activists. Many Christian denominations came together to pray for the ending of abortion in our day.For the last four years, we have faithfully stood as a Bound4LIFE chapter in Orlando. We stand a few times a week at EPOC (the abortion clinic that the film 22 Weeks is based on) and Planned Parenthood. And after many silent prayer sieges, God began to breath a new measure of faith in our hearts. Larry and I were away for our 10-year wedding anniversary, and we happened across a movie called Amazing Grace, about the slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce. While watching the movie, God stirred us to rally Florida to take a stand. And it made sense… it’s in the place of prayer that we are changed. We believed if we could rally the church to stand, God would convict their hearts in those moments of silent prayer.We asked people to come pray and “just see what God would show them.” It was amazing! Pastors brought their churches, and God spoke. Out of that one-day stand, eight babies were saved across Florida, and the church of Florida began to find her voice. New Bound4LIFE chapters were launched, and the pro-life movement in all her many parts was strengthened.For months, when I would run into pastors in Orlando, they would ask me when I was going to plan the next big stand. Our second Stand4LIFE will launch May 7, 2011. Not only do we expect 10,000 to stand across Florida this year, but we just got news the Rio Grande Valley will join us at every abortion mill in South Texas! Maybe you want to stand with us, and even better, maybe you feel the Lord leading you to rally your city or state. God’s heart burns with justice, and so our’s does too. We pray God would raise you up in this hour to influence your entire region. Why not? If not now, when? If not you, who? Want more info? Go to http://Stand4LIFE.info. Leah and Larry Ramirez are the Directors of Resound Missions Base in Orlando, Florida. For more information on Resound, go to www.Resound247.com

As a special addition this year, Walter B. Hoye II, founder of the Issues4life Foundation and author of the book Leadership from the INSIDE Out, is scheduled to speak before the Walk/ Run from 9:00 am to 9:30 am. Walter B. Hoye’s Issues4life Foundation targets and works directly with African-American leaders nationwide.

Our annual “Walk for Life” fundraising event is Saturday, April 9th and will be held at Almaden Lake Park, Coleman / Winfield entrance San Jose, CA 95120. Parking is located at the Winfield entrance. We will meet at The Arroyo Picnic Area (same as last year).

To sponsor us and support RealOptions online – click here…. http://www.gifttool.com/athon/OurTeamPage?ID=1124&AID=1446&TID=8732

To all who have stood on the frontlines of God’s battlefield for the unborn……

Red Warriors

“To those who are not afraid of pain

…those who will not back down, turn around or slow down

To those who stand when everything around them is shaking…

To the warriors on the frontlines

…and the ones who risk their lives to go back for the wounded

To those who do not love their lives even unto death…

This is your time to dance…

 

To the ones who have let go of everything

…and the ones who have had everything taken away

To those possessed by holy love…

To the broken and weary who have given it all

…who know that giants were meant to fall

To those who hear the holy call…

You soon will have your chance…

For every tear and every groan

…for those who know this is not home

Know that you do not fight alone…

And do not war in vain…

You fight for more than what you see

…your silence changes history

Take heart, red warriors, soon there’ll be…

Justice for the slain…”

 

 Written by Abby from Bound4LIFE International

Winner of Defund Planned Parenthood Video Contest Announced..

“Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life has an inspiring op ed up at LifeSiteNews.com. The whole thing is good.  Hard to excerpt, but I’ll try…

[W]hat the pro-life movement needs most [are] people who say, “I’m willing to suffer the consequences.”

 The children living and growing in the womb right now endure a great risk without having chosen it. They live in a place that has become more dangerous than any battlefield or terrorist target, and their lives hang in the balance at every moment….

We who defend these children have to choose to accept a share in that risk. That is solidarity. We bear willingly the risk they bear unwillingly. Many ask what they need to do to stop abortion. But most know the answer already. They see the next step to take, but are just trying to muster up the courage to do it. Risk is involved, and there’s no way around it. We’re afraid to speak and to act….

We are always told of reasons why we can’t speak up against abortion. If we speak in Church, we’re told it’s too political; if we speak in the political arena, we’re told it’s too religious. If we speak in the media we’re told it’s too disturbing; in the educational realm, it’s too disruptive. On the public streets, it’s too distressing for children; in the business world it’s too controversial, in the family it’s too divisive, and in social settings it’s just impolite. So if abortion is wrong, where do we go to say so?

The answer is we have to stop looking for a risk-free place to fight abortion, and speak up in all those arenas! There is a calculus in the heavens that says, “Greater love than this nobody has, than to lay down his life for his friends.” If we want to protect the unborn, let’s be willing to give our lives for them. Let’s stop counting the cost for ourselves if we speak up and start counting the cost for them if we are silent. The pro-life movement does not need a lot of people; it needs people who are willing to take a lot of risk.

I agree Christians and pro-lifers sometimes count our personal cost to the extreme, to the point of incapacitation. But Jesus counted the cost and then walked forward to die.

Along the same line, Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America wrote in an email alert today…

Last week, my husband, Jonathan, and I took our boys out to dinner to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. On our way, he and I were discussing how different our lives are now than when we were first married, and how much our plans have changed.

Then Jonathan said something I’ve been reflecting in on since. He said, “Sometimes, I wish we had normal lives. It feels like we are right in the middle of the greatest civil rights battle our country has ever seen.”

I thought to myself: “how true.” The fact is, as pro-lifers, we don’t live normal lives, and we can’t because we ARE in the middle of the greatest civil right battle in our nation’s history.

How can we sit back and settle for a “normal” life when our actions (or inaction) now will be viewed by future generations as either enabling or ending preborn genocide?”

Jill Stanek bio 

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 2/21/11 12:18 PM

“With the House of Representatives having approved a budget amendment to revoke all taxpayer funding from the Planned Parenthood abortion business, the pro-life push now turns to the Senate — where the battle will be more difficult.

The Pence amendmentto de-fund Planned Parenthood was part of a House Republican designed continuing resolution that funds the federal government but it’s a funding bill the Senate will not likely approve, at least in its current form.

The current continuing resolution expires on March 4 and lawmakers in both parties are eager to avoid a government shutdown — and lawmakers may have to resort to a temporary continuing resolution to keep the federal government running until the House and Senate can negotiate a long-term funding bill.

House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan said over the weekend that Republicans would be negotiating a short and long-term spending bill.

“I don’t think the Senate will pass this cut,” Ryan said. “We will have to negotiate. Look, we’re not looking for a government shutdown. But at the same time we’re also not looking at rubber stamping these really high, elevated spending levels that Congress blew through the joint two years ago.”

Though he didn’t talk about Planned Parenthood funding, any change in its funding would probably not come in the short-term bill but would be something more likely seen in the long-term continuing resolution.

Meanwhile, several of the most vocal pro-abortion activists in the Senate have promised to block the Pence Amendment there, including  Sens. Barbara Boxer of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Al Franken of Minnesota, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. Asked if they had the votes to block the de-funding measure in the Senate, Franken told The HIll, “Yes.”

Tom McClusky, the vice president for governmental relations at the Family Research Council, talked more about expectations for the next battle in the Senate, saying “the easy part is over.”

“The continuing resolution  needs to now be negotiated with the Senate and sent to the White House,” McClusky explains.  It is likely the form it takes will be different than what passed [in the House] so we need to continue to remind people, including our friends, that protecting life is not negotiable and if the Democrats want to shut down the government just to fund a criminal enterprise and a horrific act then so be it.”

“The continuing resolution is very likely the best if not only opportunity we will have this Congress to defund Planned Parenthood as stand alone efforts are not likely to happen in the current Senate,” he added. “And even if whatever ultimately passes includes the pro-life provisions we will need to work hard to pass legislation (such as H.R. 3 and Rep. Pence’s bill) that makes these changes permanent.”

Leading pro-life groups will continue to put pressure on senators and House leaders to approve a continuing resolution with the Planned Parenthood funding ban intact, and they will be mobilizing pro-life voters to contact senators urging them to do just that.

“Now that the House of Representatives has voted to defund Planned Parenthood, it is the Senate’s turn to do the same,” said Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life. “It is time for the people to make history and defy the notion that they cannot get the Senate to defund Planned Parenthood. It is time for our citizens to speak with an unprecedented, unified, and loud voice: No more money to the most corrupt organization in America.”

When the Senate does vote, it will have a huge impact on the 2012 elections — as the National Right to Life Committee notes “33 seats, 23 of them currently held by Democrats or independents who caucus with the Democrats, will be on next year’s general election ballot.”

“Now senators, too, will go on record on whether to push the snout of this bloated abortion mega-marketer, Planned Parenthood, out of the U.S. Treasury feeding trough,” said NRLC’s legislative director Doug Johnson. “Any differences that emerge between the House and Senate versions of the funding bill will become subjects for negotiations between the two houses, and with the White House.”

ACTION: Contact your senators at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and urge strong support for the House-approved continuing resolution, de-funding abortion, and de-funding Planned Parenthood.”