March 2009 Newsletter
Back to Main Newsletters Page"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country... Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
- Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, December 23, 1776
A good pro-life friend and supporter of Healing the Culture recently quoted to me Thomas Paine's familiar words, above, which he penned during the bleakest days of the American War of Independence. More than 230 years later, these words seem to sum up the "spirit of the times" for many in the pro-life movement.
The bad news is not difficult to find these days. In his very first week in office, President Barack Obama overturned the pro-life "Mexico City Policy," the policy first established by President Reagan that prohibits U.S. funds from supporting international groups that perform or promote abortions in foreign countries.
As a result of President Obama's decision - and despite a mounting financial crisis at home - hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. taxpayers' money will now flow to groups that perform abortions abroad, and which lobby to overturn pro-life laws in countries that have resisted legalizing abortion.
We can also expect President Obama to restore funding for destructive embryonic stem cell research, and to continue appointing strongly pro-abortion individuals to key cabinet and agency positions. So should we despair about the future of the pro-life cause? Not hardly.
A Gallup poll conducted in early February showed that 58 percent of Americans oppose President Obama's decision to overturn the Mexico City Policy, while only 35 percent support it, with the remainder undecided. Even more interesting, Gallup asked about seven different policies President Obama implemented in the first days of his Administration. His decision to fund organizations that perform abortions had the lowest approval of any of the policies, and the highest disapproval rating.
This lack of public support probably explains why President Obama chose a Friday afternoon (January 23) to take this action. It is a time-honored tradition for politicians to announce unpopular decisions late on Friday, since it will receive the least amount of media coverage on the eve of a weekend.
Speaking of scant media coverage, there have been many pro-life developments in recent weeks at the state level that have not made national headlines. In Utah, the state senate recently approved a bill increasing the criminal penalties for performing late-term abortions. Montana's senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment, stating that "the protection of unborn human life is a compelling state interest."
Meanwhile, the Arkansas legislature passed a ban on partial birth abortion that mirrors the federal law. North Dakota's state house approved a bill that defines "personhood" to include unborn children. In Oklahoma, a legislative committee has approved a ban on performing abortions for the purpose of sex-selection. In Missouri, the state house overwhelmingly approved a resolution opposing the pro-abortion "Freedom of Choice Act." About a dozen states are considering bills that would require doctors to show women an ultrasound of their unborn baby prior to performing an abortion.
To be sure, some of these bills may not win final legislative passage. Some will be vetoed by pro-abortion governors (most likely on a Friday afternoon). Some will be blocked by activist judges in state or federal courts. But many pro-life bills will indeed become law this year, and it proves just how much vitality exists in the pro-life movement. Meanwhile, the abortion rate continues to decline, and every week thousands of babies in the U.S. are saved because of the incredible work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers. We are on the offensive. They are on the defensive.
So here at Healing the Culture we start each morning with undampened enthusiasm for our mission. Our "niche" in the pro-life movement is educational, not political, because we know that the mission of pro-life education is crucial to advancing the goal we all share: that every unborn child be welcomed in life and protected by law. We must provide the philosophical foundation that directly answers the question: "Why be pro-life?" That's why we're focused on the development of our "Life Principles" curriculum for high schools. We know this tool has huge potential to effect positive change.
For example, I was invited by a high school teacher to teach the Life Principles to his students at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Seattle. This presentation was one of many I have done over the last several years, experimenting to see what messages work for young people, and which ones do not. After the class, I asked the instructor for feedback. I'd like to share what he wrote:
"This program hit the nail on the head and gave my students a profound learning experience from which they will benefit for the rest of their lives. It not only changed the way they reasoned through ethical dilemmas, for many of them, it changed the way they lived their lives. I would love to see Healing the Culture develop this curriculum into a complete, multimedia program that teachers can use in the classroom on their own."
Your steadfast financial support of Healing the Culture is what enables us to move forward, now, and make this dream a reality. If you can afford to make an additional donation to support this vital work, I will personally be very grateful.
We are living through tough economic times right now. Like many other Americans, we've been forced to tighten our belts and live frugally. However, I hope you will agree that this troubled economy, bad as it is, pales in comparison to the crisis of values and the "virtue deficit" that has helped create the Culture of Death
Especially after we have made so much progress, we cannot afford to retreat. We must continue to boldly advance this pro-life mission. I am grateful not only for your financial support, but also for the prayers and moral encouragement that so many of you have given to us here at Healing the Culture.
May God bless you and your family
Camille Pauley
President
P.S. Any gift you can afford to give will be put toward our high school curriculum work right away!
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