• Idaho Chooses Life Alliance ICLA has learned that Planned Parenthood of Idaho received a $25,000 grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to perform breast cancer screening in several Idaho cities. This is the latest, and largest, Planned Parenthood subsidy from the Komen folks that ICLA has uncovered. Ironically enough, Planned Parenthood's grant announcement came during the same week that a British insurance industry magazine published an article warning companies of a coming epidemic of breast cancer claims, as a result of legalized abortion-on-demand. See http://idahochooseslife.org/index.php?page=home

• Children of God for Life Three new articles of interest have been posted on the COG for Life website:
  1. Boosters may not be needed for MMR – If your child was given a dose of MMR before you learned about aborted fetal cell lines, take heart. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that children exposed to the diseases may have lifetime immunity. See www.cogforlife.org/booster.htm.
  2. Merck AIDS vaccine failure due to PER C6 AD5 aborted fetal cell line – The adenovirus vector (AD5), a strain of the common cold added to induce immune response, is being blamed for the vaccine failure. The problem is that AD5 is also being added to several other new vaccines in development and Merck will decide whether or not to tell trial participants if they have received the actual vaccine! See www.cogforlife.org/aidsvax.htm.
  3. New West Nile virus vaccine uses PER C6 aborted fetal cell line – Ethical options already exist and have proven effective. See www.cogforlife.org/westnilevirus.htm.

• Pharmacists for Life International PFLI has recently updated the main news page of its web site, migrating toward a Drudge Report style. PFLI invites you to take a look and welcomes constructive feedback in order to make the news page more readable, informative and timely. See www.pfli.org.

Tip of the Month – Letters to the Editor
By ALL Staff

Is there a problem with the way a particular reporter slants the news in your local newspaper? Are local pro-abortion leaders decrying "extremists" who stand outside the local abortion clinic? Are you reading inaccurate or misleading information about the latest "study" on abstinence, contraception or abortion risks? Want to alert readers in your community to pro-life concerns that the paper or magazine would like to keep silent?

Go ahead and tell the editor what's on your mind! Speak up and be heard!

Most people are not aware of the fact that the opinion page of their local newspaper is one of the most frequently read pages each day. By writing a letter to the editor, you can shed light on the tragedy of abortion, inform readers of the truth about life issues and bring hope to your community. Best of all, it's free!

Look on the newspaper's opinion page (or web site) for its guidelines and instructions for submitting letters to the editor.  Here are some additional tips to keep in mind:

1. Stick to the paper's guidelines, especially length (usually 200-250 words maximum) or your letter will never be seen. Type (double space) or write with ink plainly and neatly.
2. Express your thoughts as clearly and concisely as possible.
3. Deal with only one topic in a letter. Use simple words; short words, short sentences and short paragraphs make for easier reading.
4. Stick to the facts and don't report rumor or hearsay items.
5. Plan your first sentence carefully. Aim to make it short and interesting to draw readers in.
6. If you're responding to a specific story or editorial carried in the paper previously, refer to the article and/or writer by name and mention the date of publication. Responding within 48 hours is best.
7. Stories are a compelling way to motivate people. Don't hesitate to use a relevant personal experience to illustrate a point. When rightly told, it can be persuasive.
8. Be positive, Christ-like, upbeat and charitable–even when disagreeing or pointing out error. End your letter with some constructive criticism or suggestion. Avoid violent language. It is possible to be frank but friendly.
9. Always sign your name and give your address.
10. Don't give up looking for your letter too soon. It may not appear for many days. Don't be discouraged if your letter is not printed. It reached the editor and that is worth something. Try again.

Still not quite sure what to say? Here are some suggestions:

1. Write about your organization's upcoming event—what it is and how you are involved.
2. Tell stories about blessings you have experienced during a pro-life event.
3. Issue a call to action – Invite people in your community to join your event. Give clear instructions.

There is also a collection of sample letters to the editor on some specific pro-life topics that ALL addresses, on a regular basis, at http://www.all.org/article.php?id=10086.

In addition to letters to the editor, note that many newspapers, magazines and blog web sites allow readers to comment on articles and opinion pieces. Some may require that you register on the site, but this usually requires minimal information, time and effort. This is another way that pro-life advocates can make their voices heard.

Next month – Editorial writers, op-ed pieces and columnists

News

• ALL's Michael Hichborn in New Oxford Review

Roger Chylla's defense of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act is both ineffective and naïve, and he mistakenly persists in the delusion that the Act did anything good.

 

According to a report appearing in the Journal of Adolescent Health, 12 percent of the teens interviewed believed that they were abstinent if they were engaging in sexual intercourse. Now, where did they get that idea?

 

More than 1 million cases of Chlamydia were reported in the U.S. last year—the most ever reported for a sexually transmitted infection. Gonorrhea rates also increased after hitting a record low. Syphilis is rising, too.

 

• New study shows double cervical cancer risk for oral contraceptive users

A new study shows a strong correlation between the use of "the pill" and an increased cervical cancer risk.

 

• American bishop: Catholic disobedience on contraception has caused "tremendous harm to society"

Bishop Robert Vasa is calling on Catholics to embrace the teaching of the Church regarding openness to life. Speaking of the encyclical Human[a]e Vitae and its teachings against contraception, Vasa wrote, "Many Catholics have erroneously determined that the path they should follow is to disobey while trying to convince the Church that Her teaching is erroneous."

 

• An abortionist profile in the "Health" section
  The Times talks to an abortion doctor about what a "rewarding thing" it was to give pregnant women "back their lives" by killing their unborn children.

• Media ignore major insurance report stating abortion is "best predictor of breast cancer"

The mainstream media have again almost totally ignored a new study published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons that found that abortion is the "best predictor of breast cancer" in eight European nations.

• International medical conference exposes serious consequences of abortion

An international medical conference held in Lisbon, Portugal examined the serious psychological and medical consequences suffered by millions of women who have had abortions.

• Stem cell find for child cancer

Scientists have uncovered a stem cell in dogs which could lead to new treatments for bone cancer in children.

 

• Seaweed transformed into stem cell technology

Engineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have transformed a polymer found in common brown seaweed into a device that can support the growth and release of stem cells at the sight of a bodily injury or at the source of a disease.

 

• Human embryonic stem cells derived from preimplantation genetically diagnosed embryos

A human stem cell line derived from embryos that were identified by PGD to carry the mutation for fragile X syndrome has provided an unprecedented view of early events associated with this disease.

 

• Monkey cloning may open door to therapeutic stem cell advances

A group of researchers have successfully cloned primate embryos for the first time and used them to create stem cells, opening up the possibility that the same could be done with humans.

 

Closing thought

The Lord said, "I was ready to answer my people's prayers, but they did not pray. I was ready for them to find me, but they did not even try. The nation did not pray to me, even though I was always ready to answer, ‘Here I am; I will help you.' I have always been ready to welcome my people, who stubbornly do what is wrong and go their own way."

—Isaiah 65:1-2