THIS WEEKLY BLOG POSTED EVERY MONDAY PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE
Don’t miss our heartwarming closing story every week!
From Pro-Life Wisconsin:
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT ELECTION ONE MONTH AWAY
February’s primary election for Wisconsin Supreme Court resulted in former state supreme court justice Daniel Kelly and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz advancing to the general election scheduled for Tuesday, April 4.
It is imperative that Wisconsinites elect a justice who will serve fairly and impartially, respecting and upholding the rule of law. That justice is Daniel Kelly. The same cannot be said for Janet Protasiewicz who has consistently and brazenly pronounced her public policy preferences on matters likely to come before the high court, including abortion and redistricting. Her public support for ‘abortion rights’ is a clear indication that her thumb will be on the scales of justice when it comes to adjudicating our current abortion ban. Janet Protasiewicz will legislate from the bench!
Wisconsin’s current law abortion ban, s.940.04, is being challenged in our state court system by pro-abortion Democrat Attorney General Josh Kaul. If we lose our tenuous 4-3 conservative majority on the state supreme court, a new liberal, activist court will likely rule s.940.04 unenforceable, restoring abortion on demand in Wisconsin. Even worse, a liberal supreme court could find a right to abortion in our state constitution, thus overturning all our pro-life laws. We cannot let this happen! We cannot let Janet Protasiewicz return abortion on demand to Wisconsin.
Justice Kelly is the only candidate in this race with a proven record of judicial conservatism, and therefore the only candidate we trust to uphold the rule of law. His belief in the dignity of the human person makes him the only choice for pro-life voters. We are extremely proud to endorse him.
The Victory Fund PAC is urging pro-life/ pro-family / pro-rule of law citizens across Wisconsin to vote In-Person Absentee, Absentee by Mail, or on Election Day Tuesday, April 4, for Daniel Kelly for Wisconsin Supreme Court. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for this nonpartisan race. Learn more about where you should vote, who else is on your local ballot, and for information on voting absentee (by mail or in-person) if you cannot vote on Election Day here.
When voters head to the polls in April, they will not only be choosing a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice. They could also effectively decide the outcome in a highly consequential case currently moving through the courts: the challenge to the state’s near-total ban on abortion.
That’s because, unlike possibly ever before, one of the candidates has all but pledged to restore the rights the law currently blocks, while the other — though far less vocal on the issue — has asserted that abortion “involves taking the life of a human being,” the main argument advanced by backers of the 1849 law.
While both conservative candidate Dan Kelly and liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz have declined to say how they would rule on the abortion case that might come before them, Protasiewicz has been unusually specific in endorsing the outcome that is at the heart of that case — summed up in the sometimes politically fraught phrase of “reproductive rights.”
With the court’s 4-3 conservative majority on the line, the winner of the April 4 election will likely be the deciding vote in any challenge to the law.
“We are in fairly new territory here,” said Ryan Owens, a UW-Madison political science professor who briefly ran for state attorney general as a Republican. “We have seen candidates in the past lay out their judicial philosophies pretty clearly. Judge Protasiewicz, however, takes this beyond what we have seen before.”
Hotly contested judicial elections put candidates in an “impossible position,” said Charles Geyh, a law professor at Indiana University who specializes in judicial conduct and ethics.
While judges take an oath to uphold the law impartially, they must also win voter support, “which puts pressure on them to curry favor with voters whose views the candidates — as judges — are sworn to disregard,” Geyh said. “The noisier, nastier, and costlier judicial campaigns become, the greater the pressure on judicial candidates to behave less like judges than politicians to win their races.”
‘Rights at stake’
Protasiewicz (pronounced “pro-tuh-SAY-witz”) has repeatedly touted her abortion rights views in television ads and on the campaign trail. It led to conservative allegations that she was violating the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct, which prohibits candidates from pledging how they would rule on specific cases. In the past, she’s qualified those statements by saying she was only stating her personal values.
But after winning a four-way primary on Tuesday along with Kelly, the second-place finisher, Protasiewicz’ campaign said on Twitter that “reproductive rights are at stake” in the election, a statement that goes beyond the candidate’s personal values and suggests what voters can expect from her on the bench.
“It’s the same problem as with every other issue that she brings up,” Kelly said of the tweet. “She is proposing that she’d go to the court as a politician in a black robe, and that’s all she would be.”
While Kelly has been far less vocal about abortion than Protasiewicz, he has been endorsed by anti-abortion groups including Pro-Life Wisconsin, which only endorses candidates “who recognize the personhood of the preborn baby and hold the principled and compassionate no-exceptions pro-life position.” He also wrote in a since-deleted 2012 blog post calling abortion “a policy deadly to children,” and provided legal counsel to anti-abortion group Wisconsin Right to Life.
Another anti-abortion group, Women Speak Out PAC, pledged to put six figures behind Kelly after he became the conservative nominee on Tuesday. National and regional Planned Parenthood groups, meanwhile, have pledged to put seven figures into the race backing Protasiewicz.
“Reproductive rights are absolutely at stake in this race because Dan Kelly’s extreme views against abortion are clear,” Protasiewicz spokesperson Sam Roecker said.
Not just here
Nationwide, candidates in judicial elections have become far more vocal about their stances on issues since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2002 clarified that prohibiting candidates from stating their values violated their First Amendment rights, said University of Pittsburgh political science professor Chris Bonneau, who studies the politics of state judicial selection.
“I think the difference (between Protasiewicz and Kelly) is one is being upfront and one is trying to hide behind the charade,” Bonneau said. “I mean, look, does anyone really think Dan Kelly doesn’t have views on abortion? Of course he does, and that’s okay.”
“The question isn’t whether or not they have views … the issue is whether or not they can hear cases fairly,” he said.
Kelly’s restraint in talking about abortion, Bonneau said, could just as well stem from a key tactic employed by any campaign for public office: “If your views are not mainstream, you want to hide them.”
Eighty-four percent of registered voters in Wisconsin favor abortion exceptions for rape and incest, which aren’t included in the current ban, according to a Marquette Law School Poll from November. And only 37% of Wisconsinites favor the decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Where the case stands
Although not before the court yet, the challenge to Wisconsin’s abortion ban is working its way through the courts after Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul filed it last June, days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Kaul’s lawsuit alleges that the 1849 law, which bans all abortions except those required to save the mother’s life, has been superseded by a 1985 state law. That law, adopted after Roe established abortion as a constitutional right, prohibits abortions after fetal viability but includes exceptions to protect the mother’s life or health, conflicts with the earlier ban.
Kaul also argues the law banning abortions is no longer in effect because of a legal principle that laws may become unenforceable after a considerable period of disuse.
The case has faced long delays. Initially, Kaul filed the case against Republican legislative leaders. The leaders asked a judge to dismiss the case, saying they don’t enforce the law. In September, Kaul refiled the case against the district attorneys in Milwaukee, Dane and Sheboygan counties, where the state’s abortion clinics had operated until they suspended operations after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe.
The three district attorneys in December asked a Dane County judge to toss out the lawsuit, alleging that Kaul does not have standing to bring the matter against the elected prosecutors, saying he wasn’t personally harmed by the ban and didn’t have standing to take the case forward. Kaul disagreed and asked for the case to proceed.
Last week, one of the defendants again called for a Dane County Circuit judge to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the case didn’t present a controversy for the courts to settle and noting the law hasn’t been repealed by subsequent legislation.
Judges typically decide whether to proceed in a case within 90 days of a briefing or hearing to dismiss the case, whichever is later. The briefing on the district attorneys’ motion to dismiss was completed on Feb. 13. There is no scheduled hearing yet. Should the Dane County judge choose to dismiss the case, Kaul would have up to 90 more days to file an appeal.
Whichever direction the case takes, it will almost certainly end up before the Supreme Court. And by that time, Kelly or Protasiewicz will almost certainly be on the bench.
No matter what happens with the current lawsuit, though, other challenges are likely to follow, especially if Protasiewicz wins and gives the court a liberal majority.
Kaul’s case asserts the state’s abortion laws are incompatible. It does not, for example, allege that the right to abortion is guaranteed in the state Constitution, which is a legal strategy other liberal lawsuits can take.
“Planned Parenthood will continue to monitor the attorney general’s lawsuit as well as evaluate its legal options and strategy,” Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin legal director Michelle Velasquez said.
19STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL WARN MAJOR RETAILERS THAT MAILING ABORTION PILLS IS STILL A CRIME: (LifeSiteNews) – “The attorneys general of 19 states are warning Walmart, Costco, Kroger, and other major retailers with pharmacy departments that, contrary to recent guidance from the Biden administration, dispensing abortion pills by mail remains illegal and carries serious consequences.” Read the full story here.
40 DAYS FOR LIFE SPRING CAMPAIGN NOW – APRIL 2!
Since their founding in 2007, 40 Days for Life campaigns have saved 22,829 babies through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil outside of local abortion facilities. While abortion is illegal here in Wisconsin, abortion-bound women continue to visit local Planned Parenthood facilities and community “health” centers to obtain contraception and information on the procurement of abortion. Our work is not done!
We invite you to commit to prayer time on the sidewalks outside these facilities during this Spring campaign, February 22-April 2. Bring your friends and family, or call us if you’d like a member of our Pro-Life Wisconsin staff to join you. If you or your campaign is in need of signs, we can ship you one or as many as you need. Please go to a campaign near you and get involved. Current cities include Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Waukesha.
40 Clergy, 40 Days: In past years, the presence of clergy has proven a very powerful witness and has influenced many women to choose life outside of abortion facilities! Our goal is to have one priest, deacon, or religious praying every day of the campaign for one hour. Sign up online here. If you are a clergy member and would like to commit to one hour of prayer outside these facilities, email our Outreach Director at Celia.B@ProLifeWI.org or call 262.796.1111 ext. 114.
PURCHASEYOUR CHOOSE LIFE WISCONSIN PLATE!SAVE LIVES AND HELP WOMEN
Since late October 2017, Choose Life license plates have been available to Wisconsin motorists, and every penny earned through the sale of the plates directly aids Wisconsin’s incredible pregnancy resource centers and initiatives. With over 2,171 of these plates on cars in the Badger State, sales have resulted in over $210,993 granted to over twenty-five Wisconsin pregnancy resource centers in five years.
With a greater need to serve pregnant women in our state, be a part of the mission to save lives and aid women, get your Choose Life Wisconsin license plate today! For more information call Pro-Life Wisconsin at 262-796-1111 ext. 110.
6th annual Pro-Life Wisconsin Prayer Card Art Contest is underway for students in grades 1-12! Do you love painting, drawing, photography, or graphic design? Submit your artwork and have a chance to win the 2023 contest for your grade. If chosen as a winner, we will reach out to your pastor for a pro-life prayer which will be printed on the back of your artwork in prayer card form. Prayer cards will be printed and distributed through your church and PLW. All entries must be postmarked by May 1, 2023.
Grade winners will receive: – Their design featured on a prayer card – 500 prayer cards for their church – 3 tickets to the 2023 PLW Love for Life Gala
ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive all of the above plus $100 cash
For more details and to submit artwork, visit our website here.
THIS WEEKLY BLOG POSTED EVERY MONDAY PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE
Don’t miss our heartwarming closing story every week!
From Pro-Life Wisconsin:
ANNUAL PRO-LIFE WISCONSIN ART CONTEST
6th annual Pro-Life Wisconsin Prayer Card Art Contest is underway for students in grades 1-12! Do you love painting, drawing, photography, or graphic design? Submit your artwork and have a chance to win the 2023 contest for your grade. If chosen as a winner, we will reach out to your pastor for a pro-life prayer which will be printed on the back of your artwork in prayer card form. Prayer cards will be printed and distributed through your church and PLW. All entries must be postmarked by May 1, 2023.
Grade winners will receive: – Their design featured on a prayer card – 500 prayer cards for their church – 3 tickets to the 2023 PLW Love for Life Gala
ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive all of the above plus $100 cash
For more details and to submit artwork, visit our website here.
PRO-LIFE NEWS
WHITE HOUSE BRACES FOR RULING ON ABORTION PILL’S FATE: (AP News) – “The Biden administration is preparing for a worst-case scenario if a conservative federal judge rules in favor of a lawsuit seeking to restrict access to one of the two drugs typically used to induce a medicated abortion. Two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, can be taken by women at home and are used for just over half of U.S. abortions. But that could be quickly changed by a lawsuit filed by an anti-abortion group in Texas that claims the Food and Drug Administration wrongly approved mifepristone for use more than 23 years ago.” Read the full story here.
OB/GYN SAYS DOCTORS HAVE SEEN ‘SEVERE COMPLICATIONS’ FROM ABORTION PILL REGIMEN: (Live Action) – “Four national medical associations and four doctors filed a lawsuit in November against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), claiming that the FDA illegally approved the abortion pill in 2000, putting the well-being of women and girls at risk. One board-certified OB/GYN is now sharing that she sees complications from the abortion pill on a daily basis. […] AAPLOG board member and CEO-elect Dr. Christina Francis told Newsmax that she has seen firsthand the harm that is being done to women and girls by the abortion pill.” Read the full story here.
—Pro-Life WI
ALSO:
Both sides of the abortion debate gear up for a pitched battle in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race
Corrine Hess, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel February 27, 2023
With the Supreme Court race sprinting to the general election, abortion rights and anti-abortion organizations are marshaling their forces for their chosen candidates as the issue takes center stage in the race.
The battle, which has become one of the most watched political races in the country, revolves around state election maps, private school vouchers and voting rights. But the issue of abortion is sure to dominate the next five weeks.
Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz, who campaigned on restoring abortion access in Wisconsin, emerged as the top vote-getter Tuesday with 46%. Her campaign is already out with new television advertising targeting her opponent, former Justice Daniel Kelly, on abortion.
Kelly, who called Protasiewicz’s messaging a “danger to our liberties,” emerged in second place in Tuesday’s primary.
The ideological balance of the court is at stake in the April 4 election in which a Protasiewicz win would give liberals a 4-3 majority after more than a decade in the minority.
Supreme Court likely to decide Wisconsin’s abortion law
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, Wisconsin reverted to a law from the 19th Century banning abortion in nearly all cases — a policy at odds with the majority of Wisconsin voters, according to state polling.
Following the ruling, Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin’s 1849 criminal abortion ban — a case that is widely expected to end up before the state Supreme Court.
Republican leaders late last year said they hoped the GOP-controlled Legislature could introduce amendments to the state’s abortion ban or write a new law that would be signed by Evers so the state Supreme Court wouldn’t have to weigh in, but the newly re-elected governor has repeatedly said he would veto any bill unless it codifies abortion rules in place under the five decades of Roe v. Wade.
“We don’t want to have a Supreme Court race that is supposed to be about dozens of issues being about one topic that shouldn’t be determined by the court,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in December.
Vos and Assembly Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu did not respond to requests for comment following the primary election.
Former GOP Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen said at this point, abortion legislation won’t happen.
“I don’t think it is possible to get any agreement on legislation now that the Democrats think their candidate is going to win and overturn the existing laws,” Jensen said.
Brandon Scholz, a longtime Republican strategist, said there is no point discussing what the Legislature should do because the case will end up at the Supreme Court.
“Had Judge Protasiewicz not said any of this, you could expect the court would take a liberal turn, or if the conservatives keep the seat, you would expect to know how the court would vote,” Scholz said. “But under a Protasiewicz majority, you’re going to lose on redistricting, you’re going to lose on Act 10, you’re going to lose on governing process, you’re going to lose on abortion. You’re going to lose on everything.”
Protasiewicz gives a nod to her abortion stance as a factor in her primary win
Protasiewicz said she thinks being clear about her “personal values” regarding the abortion issue contributed to her success with voters in Tuesday’s primary.
“I think the utter extremism, which I think has been one of our most permeating messages, clearly resounded with the voters. Every place I went when I talked to voters, they said they don’t feel like our Supreme Court is fair,” Protasiewicz said. “We don’t feel like we get a fair shake. We feel like there’s a group of partisans there who make decisions and that they’re not in touch with how we feel.”
Kelly said he’s going to spend the next six weeks telling voters that it’s the court’s role to address legal questions, not political ones.
“I understand that Judge Janet has certain policies that she wants to pursue, but she can only do that by tearing down our Constitution, setting aside our law to make sure she can get to her favorite positions,” Kelly said. “My position is quite simple. We follow the law to the extent that is consistent with the Constitution. Anything else is left to the Legislature.”
Abortion issue has already brought money into the Supreme Court race
Matthew Rothschild, head of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said he expects heavy spending by groups on both sides of the abortion issue over the next five weeks of the Supreme Court race.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin spent $693,000 supporting Evers in his re-election campaign last year, and Women Speak Out PAC, a partner of Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, a super PAC, spent $323,000 supporting his GOP challenger Tim Michels, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
“These groups were very concerned with who was running for governor, so I’m sure they will be donating, given the pivotal role the new justice will play in Wisconsin’s abortion law,” Rothschild said.
SBA Pro-Life America has committed six figures to the election and urged people to vote for Kelly before the election.
“The Wisconsin Supreme Court is in danger of becoming a tool of the radical abortion lobby, regardless of what the people, the Constitution and the law say,” said Kelsey Pritchard, SBA Pro-Life America director of state public affairs. “The pro-abortion candidate, backed by a national pro-abortion lobby group while airing ads attacking life-saving protections for the unborn and vowing to rule in favor of abortion on demand, is abandoning the law and the will of the people.”
According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, SBA’s group spent $66,000 backing Kelly in the primary and the group Women’s March spent $10,000 on Protasiewicz.
“Most of the money hasn’t come in yet, but we think we’ll see it start to flow in the next five to six weeks of heavy campaigning,” Rothschild said.
But all told, spending exceeded $9 million in the primary alone — a record level — with billionaire Richard Uihlein dropping $2.4 million in support of Kelly and the liberal group A Better Wisconsin paying out $2.2 to support Protasiewicz and to undermine Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow’s primary campaign. Heading into this year’s race the record for spending by candidates and outside groups in a Supreme Court race was $10 million in the 2020 campaign in which Jill Karofsky ousted Kelly.
Advocacy groups line up behind candidates
Abortion rights doctors who are part of the Committee to Protect Health Care’s Reproductive Freedom Taskforce publicly signaled their support for Protasiewicz.
“Doctors shouldn’t have lawmakers telling us how to do our jobs, and women shouldn’t have their personal health care choices made for them by Supreme Court justices,” said Dr. Shefaali Sharma, a Madison OB/GYN. “Simply put, there’s no room in the exam room for politicians or politics. Like doctors and most residents in this state, Protasiewicz trusts women to decide what is best for themselves and their families.”
Wisconsin Right to Life spokeswoman Gracie Skogman said the state’s current abortion ban is already protecting lives, but the organization understands the state Supreme Court will likely have the final say.
“We appreciate Justice Kelly’s dedication to upholding our state Constitution and practicing judicial restraint,” Skogman said. “We would encourage the Legislature to focus on legislation that provides support to women in Wisconsin, such as funding for pregnancy resource centers and Medicaid expansion for postpartum women.”
Wisconsin Right to Life, Wisconsin Family Action and Pro-Life Wisconsin have endorsed Kelly. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is backing Protasiewicz.
THIS WEEKLY BLOG POSTED EVERY MONDAY PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE
Don’t miss our heartwarming closing story every week!
From Pro-Life Wisconsin:
Exercise your right to vote and encourage your family and friends to do the same. Vote for life TOMORROW. May God bless Wisconsin!
What’s at stake in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race? Wisconsin’s current law abortion ban, s.940.04, is being challenged in our state court system by pro-abortion Democrat Attorney General Josh Kaul. If we lose our tenuous 4-3 conservative majority on the state supreme court, a new liberal, activist court will likely rule s.940.04 unenforceable, restoring abortion on demand in Wisconsin. Even worse, a liberal supreme court could find a right to abortion in our state constitution, thus overturning all our pro-life laws. We cannot let this happen! Justice Daniel Kelly is the only candidate in this primary race with a proven record of judicial conservatism, and therefore the only candidate we trust.His belief in the dignity of the human person makes him the ONLY choice for pro-life voters. We are extremely proud to endorse him!
What’s at stake in the Wisconsin State Senate race? There is currently an effort by some legislative leaders to weaken Wisconsin’s current law abortion ban, s.940.04, by adding exceptions for rape and incest and possibly allowing abortions in the first trimester. Although such legislation has not yet publicly surfaced, it is a real possibility. We vehemently oppose such a move. The Wisconsin Legislature should be strengthening our abortion ban, not watering it down! State Representative Janel Brandtjen will help hold the line in the Wisconsin Senate, always working for the total protection of every preborn baby.She is the ONLY candidate in this primary race we trust to uphold and strengthen our current law abortion ban. We are extremely proud to endorse her!
40 DAYS FOR LIFE SPRING CAMPAIGN BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY!
Since their founding in 2007, 40 Days for Life campaigns have saved 22,829 babies through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil outside of local abortion facilities. While abortion is illegal here in Wisconsin, abortion-bound women continue to visit local Planned Parenthood facilities and community “health” centers to obtain contraception and information on the procurement of abortion. Our work is not done!
We invite you to commit to prayer time on the sidewalks outside these facilities during this Spring campaign, February 22-April 2. Bring your friends and family, or call us if you’d like a member of our Pro-Life Wisconsin staff to join you. If you or your campaign is in need of signs, we can ship you one or as many as you need. Please go to a campaign near you and get involved. Current cities include Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Waukesha.
Some Christian Colleges Have Ties to Planned Parenthood: Study
Students For Life of America, which represent prolife college students, is conducting an on-going study of Christian colleges with ties to Planned Parenthood (Courtesy of Students For Life of America SFLA)
The Epoch Times, February 7, 2023
Nearly 10 percent of Christian colleges in the United States maintain ties with Planned Parenthood including several Catholic universities, according to an ongoing investigation by a national student organization.
According to Students for Life of America (SFLA), 68 of the 784 colleges affiliated with a Christian church, including Catholic and conservative Baptist denominations, in the United States continue to maintain some type of relationship with Planned Parenthood, even after the group released its initial report back in 2021.
SFLA President Kristan Hawkins told The Epoch Times in a statement: “We’re holding our schools accountable to cut ties with America’s greediest and most dangerous abortion vendor and will especially do so in a Post-Roe America where we know college students remain susceptible to the lies of Planned Parenthood.”
The Epoch Times reached out to several of the colleges identified in the SFLA report. The only one to provide a response was Baylor University.
“As a Christian university, Baylor respects the sanctity of life. We do not allow for the institutional promotion of abortion or abortion-related services on our campus,” Lori Fogleman, vice president of media and public relations at Baylor, told The Epoch Times. “Additionally, Baylor representatives frequently tour and support Care Net Pregnancy Center both financially and through volunteer work as part of the University’s community outreach efforts.”
Following the release of the SFLA report, the Texas college—which identifies itself as a Baptist university—Bears for Life, a pro-life group made up of Baylor students, launched an aggressive campaign against the administration including campus protests to end ties with Planned Parenthood.
The university’s ties to Planned Parenthood date back to at least 2006 when it began distributing a handbook it provided to students listing the abortion group’s Teen Education Program as an intern opportunity.
Bears For Life and SFLA also censured the college for listing a job opening for a community health educator with Planned Parenthood on the school’s social work website and offering a class that used a textbook that referred to abortion as “safer than childbirth.”
As part of its ongoing investigation, SLFA recently released a separate list titled “11 Worst Performing Christian Schools that Failed to Promote Life.”
SLFA graded the colleges and universities based on the level of their connections to the abortion groups, with an “F” indicating deep ties to the abortion group.
Those given an “F” included Duke University, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church; Virginia’s Rhodes College, linked to the Presbyterian Church; and Augsburg University, a Lutheran college in Minnesota.
Duke was cited for continuing to provide internships and fellowships with Planned Parenthood and for promoting chemical abortion pills through its Obstetrics and Gynecology School of Medicine.
Rhodes earned its low grade for continuing to refer students to Planned Parenthood and also for encouraging engagement with the organization.
Augsburg University was cited by the group for “explicitly” promoting Planned Parenthood, in the report. The university’s website includes a direct link to Planned Parenthood clinics.
Notre Dame, probably one of the most notable Catholic universities in the country, was among the colleges given an “A+” by SFLA.
However, in a recent update to its report, the SFLA called out the “Fighting Irish” university for allowing two professors to continue to carry out their very pro-abortion views on campus. One of them, Tamara Kay, has identified herself as an abortion activist and is said to promote abortion rights in her courses.
According to the student group Notre Dame Right To Life, Kay, a global affairs and sociology professor, has also openly promoted abortion bills on campus.
Neither the college nor Kay responded to inquiries about the controversy, which has been covered by the National Catholic Register. According to Notre Dame’s newspaper Irish Rover, in defending herself against the backlash, Kay posted on social media that she was promoting her abortion views on Notre Dame campus as a “private citizen.”
Initially, SLFA reported 22 of the 237 Catholic universities in the United States were connected to Planned Parenthood. They included Holy Cross, Regis College, and Marquette University.
However, that number has since dropped to eight.
In total, 40 colleges dropped their ties with Planned Parenthood following the release of the SFLA report, which had originally identified 108 Christian colleges with Planned Parenthood connections.
Wisconsin’s spring primary election is fast approaching. It will be held next Tuesday, February 21, 2023. You may vote NOW (absentee in person or absentee by mail) or on ELECTION DAY. Learn about where you should vote and who is on your local ballot here.
The Pro-Life Wisconsin (PLW) Victory Fund PAC proudly endorses the following two candidates who recognize the inherent and inviolable dignity of every human being from conception to natural death.
Exercise your right to vote and encourage your family and friends to do the same. Vote for life, NOW or on ELECTION DAY. May God bless Wisconsin!
What’s at stake in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race? Wisconsin’s current law abortion ban, s.940.04, is being challenged in our state court system by pro-abortion Democrat Attorney General Josh Kaul. If we lose our tenuous 4-3 conservative majority on the state supreme court, a new liberal, activist court will likely rule s.940.04 unenforceable, restoring abortion on demand in Wisconsin. Even worse, a liberal supreme court could find a right to abortion in our state constitution, thus overturning all our pro-life laws. We cannot let this happen! Justice Kelly is the only candidate in this race with a proven record of judicial conservatism, and therefore the only candidate we trust.His belief in the dignity of the human person makes him the only choice for pro-life voters. We are extremely proud to endorse him.
What’s at stake in the Wisconsin State Senate race? There is currently an effort by some legislative leaders to weaken Wisconsin’s current law abortion ban, s.940.04, by adding exceptions for rape and incest and possibly allowing abortions in the first trimester. Although such legislation has not yet publicly surfaced, it is a real possibility. We vehemently oppose such a move. The Wisconsin Legislature should be strengthening our abortion ban, not watering it down! State Representative Janel Brandtjen will help hold the line in the Wisconsin Senate, always working for the total protection of every preborn baby. We are extremely proud to endorse her.
40 DAYS FOR LIFE SPRING CAMPAIGN BEGINS NEXT WEDNESDAY!
Since their founding in 2007, 40 Days for Life campaigns have saved 22,829 babies through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil outside of local abortion facilities. While abortion is illegal here in Wisconsin, abortion-bound women continue to visit local Planned Parenthood facilities and community “health” centers to obtain contraception and information on the procurement of abortion. Our work is not done!
We invite you to commit to prayer time on the sidewalks outside these facilities during this Spring campaign, February 22-April 2. Bring your friends and family, or call us if you’d like a member of our Pro-Life Wisconsin staff to join you. If you or your campaign is in need of signs, we can ship you one or as many as you need. Please go to a campaign near you and get involved. Current cities include Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Waukesha.
THIS WEEKLY BLOG POSTED EVERY MONDAY PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE
Don’t miss our heartwarming closing story every week!
From Pro-Life Wisconsin:
ANNUAL PRO-LIFE WISCONSIN ART CONTEST
The 6th annual Pro-Life Wisconsin Prayer Card Art Contest is underway for students in grades 1-12! Do you love painting, drawing, photography, or graphic design? Submit your artwork and have a chance to win the 2023 contest for your grade. If chosen as a winner, we will reach out to your pastor for a pro-life prayer which will be printed on the back of your artwork in prayer card form. Prayer cards will be printed and distributed through your church and PLW. All entries must be postmarked by May 1, 2023. Grade winners will receive:
– Their design featured on a prayer card – 500 prayer cards for their church – 3 tickets to the 2023 PLW Love for Life Gala
ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive all of the above plus $100 cash
For more details and to submit artwork, visit our website here.
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR THE PLW SPRING SOCIAL
Join us for an evening with fellow pro-life Wisconsinites on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the Great Dane Pub–Hilldale (357 Price Pl, Madison, WI 53705). Enjoy drinks, appetizers, and fantastic company from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Your first drink is on us!
We will also hear briefly from our Pro-Life Wisconsin Legislator of the Year, State Senator Julian Bradley, who has worked tirelessly in our State Capitol to uphold the dignity of the preborn child.
Bring a friend and come prepared to meet other pro-life Wisconsinites from the Madison area and beyond. Let’s continue to work together for a Wisconsin in which all lives are respected and cherished. Early bird registration is now open! Register now at a discounted ticket price.
PRO-LIFE NEWS
ABORTION RIGHTS, ELECTABILITY EMERGE AS DOMINANT THEMES IN WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT PRIMARY: (Wisconsin State Journal) – “For being such a consequential race, the campaign for Wisconsin Supreme Court is off to a slow start. Outside groups, which in recent years have raised enormous sums to fund campaigns, are largely waiting until after the Feb. 21 primary before backing a candidate. Only one candidate – liberal Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz – has aired television ads so far. […] The conservative candidates, former state Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly and Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow, have been endorsed by anti-abortion groups. One of the groups, Pro-Life Wisconsin, which endorsed only Kelly, says on its website that they support candidates ‘who recognize the personhood of the preborn baby and hold the principled and compassionate no-exceptions pro-life position.’” Read the full story here.
NEW LAWSUITS TARGET STATE RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION PILLS: (Associated Press) – “Supporters of abortion rights filed separate lawsuits Wednesday challenging two states’ abortion pill restrictions, the opening salvo in what’s expected to be a protracted legal battle over access to the medications. The lawsuits argue that limits on the drugs in North Carolina and West Virginia run afoul of the federal authority of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has approved the abortion pill as a safe and effective method for ending pregnancy. The cases were brought by a North Carolina physician who prescribes the pill, mifepristone, and GenBioPro, which makes a generic version of the drug and sued in West Virginia.” Read the full story here.
THE FDA HAS NO AUTHORITY TO FORCE PRO-LIFE STATES TO ALLOW ABORTION PILLS: (LifeSiteNews) – “The Biden administration has pledged to use federal agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to make abortion drugs available in all 50 states, even though the Supreme Court said that abortion is a state issue. The House of Representatives took a step in that direction last year with House Resolution 1434 purporting to ‘reaffirm’ the FDA’s authority to force pro-life states to allow chemical abortions. This is a very big issue when more than half of all abortions in America are done with abortion pills. But can the FDA legally do this?” Read the full story here.
THIS WEEKLY BLOG POSTED EVERY MONDAY PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE
Don’t miss our heartwarming closing story every week!
From Pro-Life Wisconsin:
HISTORIC MARCH FOR LIFE
This past Friday, January 20, marked the 50th annual March for Life in Washington D.C. Thousands converged on our nation’s capital to advocate for the preborn and speak out against the injustice of abortion. Over 100 pro-life Wisconsinites filled three buses for the journey, leaving on Wednesday, January 18, and returning on Sunday, January 22.
This year’s March for Life was filled with a spirit of joy at the overturn of Roe. The message was one of hope and renewed commitment to keep fighting for life until every preborn child is protected–now is not the time to let up! Speakers included Johnathan Roumie, Tony and Lauren Dungy, Christina Francis, M.D., Sr. Mary Casey and her twin sister Casey Gunning, and many more! Participants left feeling energized for the work ahead and eager to advocate for life in their communities. Thank you to all who joined us for the Pro-Life Wisconsin March for Life trip! Your witness is extremely powerful in the fight to change hearts, minds, and culture.
Looking to march again here in Wisconsin? Mark your calendars for the March for Life Wisconsin on Saturday, June 24, 2023, as we commemorate the day Dobbs was decided. See you there!
PRO-LIFE NEWS
AG JOSH KAUL ASKS JUDGE NOT TO DISMISS CASE CHALLENGING ABORTION BAN IN WISCONSIN: (Wisconsin State Journal) – “Almost seven months after the case was filed, Attorney General Josh Kaul’s challenge to the state’s near-complete abortion ban remains unresolved, with defendants trying to dismiss the lawsuit and Democrats aiming to keep it going. On Tuesday, Kaul asked a Dane County judge not to dismiss the lawsuit after the three defendants each asked for the opposite.” Read the full story here.
FOCUSON ‘CHANGING HEARTS,’ BISHOP BURBIDGE TELLS PACKED POST-ROE VIGIL MASS FOR LIFE: (Catholic News Agency) – “Following the Mass, Heather Kramer, who traveled to the vigil and the march from Wisconsin, told CNA that she felt it was important to attend “to be a testament to our faith and a peaceful support to the unborn.” She saw Roe being overturned as “just one battle that we’ve overcome now,” but “the battles are really back to our states and we have to still have a united front and show people that we’re still here and still caring for the unborn.” Read the full story here.
NEW MARIST POLL: 91% OF AMERICANS AFFIRM PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTERS: (Live Action) – “The January 2023 Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll has revealed that a whopping 91% of Americans support the existence of pregnancy resource centers, which offer resources to women during pregnancy and after their babies are born. These centers have been attacked by abortion advocates who seem to see them as a threat to abortion businesses.” Read the full story here.
—Pro-Life WI
ALSO:
Scott Walker on the March For Life The March for Life in 2023 should be the last time a march for the pro-life movement is held in Washington, D.C., during the month of January.
Slings, Arrows, and Tony Dungy This weekend’s March for Life provided yet another opportunity for the hate-filled Left to trash this good Christian man.
The Daily Signal went to the 50th March for Life in Washington, D.C. and asked pro-life advocates the questions pro-abortion activists would like to ask…
AND FINALLY, LOVIN’ LIFE…
Photos: Courtesy of Zach Bell and Brave Books
Actor Reads Christian Kids’ Book at Library, Takes Aim at Wokeism: ‘God Gave Children to You, Not Government’
BY MICHAEL WING, The Epoch Times, January 7, 2023
Overflowing crowds enthusiastically welcomed actor and author Kirk Cameron to story hour at public libraries in New York and Indiana last week to hear him read his Christian-themed kids’ book “As You Grow.”
The Brave Books storybook espouses a message of “biblical truths of the fruits of the spirit”—those are “love, joy, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control,” Cameron told Fox News’s Julie Banderas.
Scarsdale Public Library in Westchester County, New York, was brimming past capacity on Friday, Dec. 30 forcing Cameron to give two readings in the allotted hour for the program.Play Video
“We’re here because we love God, we love our families, our children, we love our country, and we love Scarsdale Public Library,” Cameron told the audience.
“We’re so grateful that we get to be here and read this story.”
The book tells the tale of an acorn that grows into a mighty oak tree and then dispenses wisdom to the animals that live within the shelter of its branches.
One passage of the book reads, “As you grow strong, grow in gentleness.”
Afterward, they sang a rendition of “God Bless America” at the suggestion of a grandfather in attendance.
They then went to the library to request more time to read to the families who missed out. “They told us no,” Brave Books spokesman Zac Bell said.
Cameron aims to battle woke ideologies in public libraries like Scarsdale’s that promote drag queen story hours for toddlers as young as 18-months.
“God gave your children to you and not to the government,” Cameron told the audience, generating applause.
Cameron was received by an even larger crowd on Thursday, Dec. 29, in Indianapolis, Indiana, where an estimated 2,500 people attended—the largest gathering in the library’s 137-year history.
(L) Families attend Indy Public Library story hour; (R) Actor and author Kirk Cameron holds up his book “As You Grow.” (Courtesy of Zach Bell and Brave Books)
There were about “1,000 moms, dads, and kids INSIDE the library” and another “1,000 waiting OUTSIDE” to show their support, Cameron wrote on a message on Facebook. The library reading room holds only 170 people.
“We were blown away by Indianapolis and the room was absolutely filled here,” Cameron told Fox News. “We could not be happier with the reception.”
Not all libraries allowed the book to be heard, however.
Over 50 of the libraries Brave Books contacted either rejected or did not respond to the request.
“It seems sort of silly, right?” Cameron said. “There are no skeletons in the closet here.
“This is about helping kids grow in wisdom through the seasons of their life and learn how to be kind and loving and strong and gentle and compassionate toward others.
“I don’t know why anybody would push back on a message like that.”
After Cameron wrote an open letter to the libraries and cited the First Amendment right to free speech, two libraries, in Scarsdale and Indianapolis, acquiesced.
“I came here because of [Cameron’s] values,” Marie Wayne, of Hawthorne, New York, said at the Scarsdale event. “We thought we were going to get in and out like that. We were very surprised to see this many people.”
The two readings are just the beginning, Cameron said. He’s taking suggestions for what library they should visit next.
“A ‘brushfire’ of faith, family, and freedom was ignited,” he told Banderas of their momentum. “And it’s moving across the country uncontained.”
—Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada
Today’s read is from Marco Rubio, a Republican U.S. senator from Florida. Here’s an excerpt:
On Friday, thousands of Americans will travel to Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the country for the annual March for Life. You, the marchers, will be diminished, ignored, or vilified by the political left, the legacy media, and even some in our own party.
Nevertheless, you stand firm in your demonstration of solidarity with women and the unborn.
In doing so, you carry on a tradition that has been unbroken for almost half a century. But you will also be founding a new tradition. This year’s march—unlike marches of the past—will not be directed at overturning Roe v. Wade.
THIS WEEKLY BLOG POSTED EVERY MONDAY PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE
Don’t miss our heartwarming closing story every week!
From Pro-Life Wisconsin, the latest Monday update:
SAVE THE DATE: PLW SPRING SOCIAL Join us for an evening with fellow pro-life Wisconsinites on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the Great Dane Pub–Hilldale (357 Price Pl, Madison, WI 53705). Enjoy drinks, appetizers, and fantastic company from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Your first drink is on us!
We will also hear briefly from our Pro-Life Wisconsin Legislator of the Year, State Senator Julian Bradley, who has worked tirelessly in our State Capitol to uphold the dignity of the preborn child.
Bring a friend and come prepared to meet other pro-life Wisconsinites from the Madison area and beyond. Let’s continue to work together for a Wisconsin in which all lives are respected and cherished. Early-Bird registration details to follow soon!
THE MIKEY AND ANGIE FUND FOR POST-ABORTIVE HEALING
Over 60 million preborn children have been killed since abortion became legal, and we know there are millions upon millions living their lives each day with the regret and shame of their abortion.This is why Pro-Life Wisconsin has now established the “The Mikey and Angie Fund” which will be dedicated solely to post-abortive healing efforts and the creation of memorials here in Wisconsin for repentant men and women seeking to honor the lives of their precious preborn children.
Why the “Mikey and Angie” Fund? In the words of the La Crosse Life Leauge Chaplain, Father Alan Benander, O. Praem:
“Michael ‘Mikey’ Joseph and Angelica ‘Angie’ Mary are two precious children whose lives were unjustly taken from them by chemical abortion. Through the help of post-abortive healing, their deeply penitent mother has come to reclaim these children as her very own, creating a headstone for them, and declaring on it her repentance through a deeply heartfelt message of love and sorrow.
Since the blessing and dedication of this headstone on July 7, 2018, she has visited that headstone almost daily, and it has served several purposes:
1.) It is an act of just vindication for the children. Though they are no longer living with us on earth, there is a duty in justice to give them the honor they deserve and at least try to ‘undo’ the indescribable dishonor they suffered through these abortions.
2.) The repentant mother has been deeply healed by this act. For, to the extent that a mother honors her children killed and dishonored by abortion, she is herself honored and thus healed. The creation of this headstone and the frequent visiting of it has been a critical step in reclaiming her children as her own and truly becoming a mother to them, once again.
3.) It is a statement to the public of the honor due to these children, to the pain that mothers go through when they have abortions, and to the horror of abortion. At the same time, it is a testament to the graces that God has given to this repentant mother to reclaim her motherhood, and a beacon of hope for the healing that awaits post-abortive men and women.
Having journeyed with this mother through her healing, the idea came to us both that other such ‘honor stones’ for children lost by abortion should be made. Thus, we hope to establish memorial walls in cemeteries and churches, for specific, individual children, and in time create larger memorial sites for this same purpose. Repentant mothers, fathers, abortion workers, or anyone wounded by abortion could then create individual honor stones or plaques dedicated to specific children killed through abortion, just like the particular honor stone was created for Mikey and Angie.”
If you or someone you know is suffering from the pain and regret of abortion and needs healing, please contact us at info@ProLifeWI.org. To donate to The Mikey and Angie Fund and assist in the healing journey of countless post-abortive men and women, visit ProLifeWI.org/donate, select PLW ETF, and give generously to the Mikey and Angie Fund.
PRO-LIFE NEWS
MADISON DOCTOR OPENS ABORTION CLINIC IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS: (Wisconsin State Journal) – “Nearly seven months after a Madison doctor bought two properties in Rockford, Illinois, to open abortion clinics in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the first clinic has opened and the second is expected to start up this spring. A city zoning decision and a monthslong wait for an Illinois medical license delayed Dr. Dennis Christensen’s plan to open the first clinic, for pill abortions. The clinic opened last week, seeing its first patient Friday, Christensen said Monday. Remodeling started last week on the second site, for surgical abortions and other care, which could be ready by April, he said.” Read the full story here.
‘PURE EVIL’: ILLINOIS GOVERNOR SIGNS ABORTION LAW OPPONENTS SAY GREATLY ENDANGERS WOMEN: (Live Action) – “Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois this week signed a new law expanding abortion even further in the abortion haven state, allegedly in order to meet ‘soaring demand.’ HB 4664 passed on the last day of the lame-duck legislative session and contains several provisions expanding the abortion industry in the state. Proponents of the law – both when Pritzker signed the bill and in statements from pro-abortion legislators – claimed the changes became necessary due to rising demand in Illinois on account of pro-life laws enacted in neighboring states in the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. As such, part of the main thrust of the law is to grow the abortion workforce in the state as quickly as possible.” Read the full story here.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD PUSHES ABORTION PILLS TO INCREASE PROFIT MARGINS: report: (LifeSiteNews) – “Planned Parenthood, America’s largest provider of abortions, is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization that is pushing pill abortions to increase profit margins, according to research compiled by the American Life League’s STOPP International. STOPP, an initiative dedicated to educating people about Planned Parenthood, has documented the abortion vendor’s increased focus on do-it-yourself abortion, a move that will increase profits for the ‘non-profit’ abortion business.” Read the full story here.
STUDIES SHOW ABORTION PILL IS FOUR TIMES MORE DANGEROUS THAN SURGICAL ABORTIONS: (LifeNews.com) – “The Biden administration continues to endanger both women and unborn children by loosening the rules regarding the dispensation of chemical-abortion drugs. In December 2021, the FDA permanently continued the Covid-era policy of allowing women to obtain chemical-abortion pills without an in-person medical exam. Then last week, the FDA announced that women could obtain chemical-abortion pills at retail pharmacies. Already, large pharmacies including Walgreen’s and CVS have indicated that they will offer chemical-abortion drugs. A solid body of public-health research has demonstrated that chemical abortions pose serious health risks.” Read the full story here.
“The problem with this bill [Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act] is that it endangers some infants by stating that that infant must immediately be brought to the hospital.” Congressman Jerry Nadler (D)
“The law that you have provided on the Republican side actually can create more harm. It requires immediately taking a struggling baby to a hospital. That hospital could be hours away and could be detrimental to the life of that baby.” Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
This Just In... From Franklin, WI 