Annual Pro-Life Events-January 14, 2012-Raleigh, NC

North Carolina Right to Life, Inc.

13th Annual Prayer Breakfast for Life

January 14, 2012

North Raleigh Hilton

3415 Wake Forest Road Raleigh, NC

(Breakfast begins at 9:30 a.m. - Program 10:00 a.m.)

The cost for the breakfast is $25/person, $40/married couple, $20/students, clergy, and seniors. Payment can be made using MC/VISA/DISCOVER/Check. Call 800-392-6275 to register by phone using MC, VISA or Discover. Mail checks to NCRTL, PO Box 9282, Greensboro, N. C. 27429-0282. After January 11, 2011, the price WILL go up $5. Sponsorships are available.  (Click here for the form.)

&

2012 Annual Rally and March for Life

begins at 1:00 pm

Nash Square

(corner of Hargett and McDowell Streets, Raleigh, NC)

Join other pro-lifers to stand up for life and to display proudly your

church or school banner in support of life. The Most Rev. Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, will give remarks and the Invocation. Christina Geradts, a student at UNC-CH and a graduate of the NRL Academy, and Teresa Pincus, a student at NCSU, will speak.

                                                                                                                                                                       

Randall K. O’ Bannon, Ph. D., the Director of Education and Research at National Right to Life will be the featured speaker at the Prayer Breakfast. Dr. O’ Bannon is an expert on the funding and activities of Planned Parenthood, having tracked the organization for over 20 years. Additionally, Dr. O’ Bannon has written dozens of stories and blog entries and produced numerous fact sheets about Planned Parenthood to highlight its being the country’s largest abortion provider, aborting 332,278 babies in 2009. He is also an expert on the chemical abortion RU-486. In addition to having been interviewed by the national press.  Dr. O’ Bannon has worked on such notable projects as the award winning video, Infinite Possibilities.

Carol Tobias, the featured speaker at the Rally, became the 9th president of the National Right to Life Committee in April 2011.  A native of North Dakota, she has served on the National Right to Life board of directors since 1987.  From 1983 to 1991, she was executive director of North Dakota Right to Life and in 1991 was hired as National Right to Life Political Director, a position she held until 2005.  During her tenure as political director, pro-life majorities were elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.  In both 2000 and 2004, she oversaw the efforts of National Right to Life’s political action committee on behalf of George W. Bush.

She has appeared on ABC’s World News Tonight, NBC’s Today Show, CNN, The News Hour on PBS, C-SPAN, and Fox News Channel, as well as numerous television and radio programs throughout the country.  She has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today.

For More Information, call: NCRTL at 1-800-392-6275

Judge Enjoins Ultrasound Portion of NC Woman's Right to Know Law

DISTRICT JUDGE ENJOINS ULTRASOUND REQUIREMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA

Other life-saving provisions of Woman's Right to Know law take effect tomorrow.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles issued a ruling enjoining the "Right to View" provision of North Carolina's "Woman's Right to Know" law from taking effect. The remaining provisions of the law will take effect tomorrow. The law was enacted in July over Governor Beverly Perdue's veto and requires that mothers seeking abortion be given information about the abortion and that a real-time ultrasound image of her unborn child be displayed so that she may view the image before the abortion can be performed.

“While we are happy that most of the provisions of the Woman's Right to Know law will go into effect tomorrow, it is extremely regrettable that mothers will be unable to see real-time images of their unborn children kicking and moving inside the womb and hear their children's heartbeat," said Barbara Holt, president of North Carolina Right to Life.

Enacted by a bi-partisan override of Governor Perdue's July veto, the informed consent law provides that a booklet containing scientifically accurate information about risks, alternatives and information on the development of the unborn child, compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services, be offered to the mother at least 24 hours prior to an abortion so that she might have the opportunity to read and understand the information. The provision enjoined by Judge Eagles requires that an ultrasound image of the unborn child be displayed at least four hours prior to an abortion so that the mother might view it and that she be given the opportunity to hear the unborn child's heartbeat.

"There are numerous precedents which impact other aspects of people's lives where laws require information be provided, and in many cases displayed and orally described," noted Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee. "Displaying the ultrasound image, and orally describing what the screen depicts, gives mothers another piece they need to make a more informed decision and reduce the chance that she will make a decision based on an incomplete understanding of the full dimensions of her decision, which might later produce terrible remorse."

"We are confident that the Court, upon further review, will ultimately allow the ultrasound provision to take effect giving North Carolina mothers the opportunity to witness their living unborn children in the womb," Mrs. Holt added.

(Source: Joint Press Release by National Right to Life and its state affiliate, North Carolina Right to Life Inc.)

NC Right to Life Fair Booth at NC State Fair Draws Positive Comments

Each October, North Carolina Right to Life (NCRTL) proudly sets up its exhibit at the NC State Fair in the Education Building. Over 100 pro-lifers volunteer their time and talent to man a shift (sometimes several) at the NCRTL booth.  Not only is the booth a blessing to those who visit it but to the volunteers too.  

Yesterday, one of the volunteers told us how touched she was by the man who stopped by to offer a pro-life poem and by another woman who came by to share her regret for the 2 abortions that she had.  This post abortive mother said that there was not one day that went by that she does not regret her decision to abort her children.  According to this volunteer, the majority of comments have been positive, with only about 1/2% negative; those folks make their comments and then leave. This volunteer thanked NC Right to Life for the opportunity to work the booth.

Thousands of fair goers stop by our booth to sign our petition, view the award winning video about life, make donations for bumper sitckers, magnets, precious feet pins, etc. and get information about abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia/assisted suicide.  Each person who visits the booth receives a sticker which says, "Thanks Mom for Life."  Many are returning visitors to the booth, who are looking for a new petition to sign and new materials to pick up.

If you have not yet made your trip to the NC State Fair, it is not too late.  The fair closes on Sunday, October 23.  Senior Citizens get into the fair free of charge. Be sure to stop by our booth in the Education Building (located at the corner of Blue Ridge and Hillsborough Street by the electronic fair sign) to sign our petition and check out all the pro-life materials.

The Abortion Industry Wants to Deny Mothers Considering Abortion the Facts They Need to Make a Truly Informed Decision

On September 29, 2011, the ACLU, Planned Parenthood of Central Carolina, and various abortionists filed a suit against North Carolina’s recently enacted Woman’s Right to Know law. The law, supported by the majority of North Carolinians and more importantly by mothers who have been harmed by the lack of information received prior to having an abortion, would have taken effect beginning on October 1, 2011.

 

“When a mother's decision involves the life or death of her unborn child, she needs more, not less information. North Carolina's Woman's Right to Know law ensures she gets the scientific facts about her unborn child when deciding whether or not to have an abortion," stated Barbara Holt, President of North Carolina Right to Life. "Mothers, not abortionists, should be the ones deciding whether to view the ultrasound image and to hear the heart tone of their unborn children."

 

The law requires abortionists to turn the ultrasound image toward the mother, but does not require her to look at the image.  The description of the image is supposed to be scientifically accurate and consistent with what the image shows. The abortionist must offer the mother the opportunity to hear the heart tone of her unborn child but does not force her to listen to it.  Only the abortion industry would oppose giving mothers all the facts to make this life and death decision for their unborn children.

Republican Controlled General Assembly Concludes Historic Legislative Session

In an historic legislative session, the Republican controlled State House and Senate passed a record number of pro-life laws:

• 
  The Unborn Victims of Violence Act/Ethen's Law, H215, mirrors the federal law so that the unborn child is recognized a second victim when a crime is committed.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H215&submitButton=Go

•                                                                              The Authorize Various Special Plates, H289, includes the Choose Life Plate. The bill requires that the words North Carolina which appear at the bottom of the plate and the background for the numbers will have to be reflective white. The new law requires that in 2015, the full color plate becomes a "First in Flight" plate with a logo to the left representing the special plate. Of course, prior to 2015, the legislature can amend the law to allow the full color plates to continue.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H289&submitButton=Go

• Using the budget as its vehicle, the legislature repealed the Abortion Fund which had been amended in 1995 limiting abortion coverage to $50,000 for the reasons of life of the mother, rape, and incest.  Since the funds have not been used since 1995, the legislature eliminated the provision entirely. Secondly, the legislature included a provision in the budget that states: "No state funds may be used for the performance of abortions or to support the administration of any governmental health plan or government-offered insurance policy offering abortion, except that this prohibition shall not apply where (i) the life of the mother would be endangered if the unborn child were carried to term or (ii) the pregnancy is the result of a rape or incest. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit medical care provided after a spontaneous miscarriage."  Finally, the legislature included a provision in the budget that de-funds Planned Parenthood.  Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit against the state to restore these funds. (See the news story about the suit which includes a quote by Barbara Holt:click here.) The Budget was vetoed by the Governor but overridden by the legislature with 5 House Democrats joining Republicans in the House and Senate voting for the override. The 5 House Democrats are Reps. William Brisson, Jim Crawford, Dewey Hill, Bill Owens, and Tim Spear.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H200&submitButton=Go

• The Abortion-Woman's Right to Know Act, H854, is the most recently passed law; it was the top priority for North Carolina Right to Life.  The Abortion-Woman's Right to Know Act, H854, passed the NC House June 8, 71-48, and the NC Senate on June 15, by a vote of 29-20, one vote short of the necessary votes to override the expected Governor's veto.  On June 27, Governor Beverly Perdue vetoed the bill. (Click here for WRAL article on the veto; click here for another article with audio of Ruth Samuelson on the veto.) Following Perdue's veto and during the special session on redistricting, both the chambers took up the veto override. On July 26, the NC House overrode the Governor's veto, 72-47, with all Republicans and 4 Democrats voting for the bill, Reps. William Brisson, Jim Crawford, Dewey Hill, and Tim Spear.  Two days later on July 28, the NC Senate voted in favor of the bill, 29-19, with Republican Senators Stan Bingham and Richard Stevens absent.  (Senator Stan Bingham explains not voting on the override of Governor's veto of the Abortion-Woman's Right to Know.) The bill became law by the exact number of votes needed to override the Governor's veto of the bill.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H200&submitButton=Go

ACTION NEEDED:

Please thank your representative and senator if he or she voted for anyone of these bills.  They need to be acknowledged for their support.  We especially want you to thank them for supporting the Woman's Right to Know. 

Also, put in your application to get a Choose Life Special Plate for your car and help support the agencies that help mothers who are choosing life for their unborn children. To get an application for the plate, click here.

State Senate Joins House in Overriding 

Governor's Veto of the

Abortion-Woman's Right to Know

Greensboro,NC- Today, North Carolina Right to Life, the state's largest and oldest right-to-life organization applauded the members of the North Carolina Senate for overriding Governor Beverly Perdue's veto of the Woman's Right to Know Act, H854, by a vote of 29-19. On July 25, the North Carolina House overrode the the Governor's veto, 72-47. Governor Perdue vetoed the legislation on June 27.

North Carolina becomes the 26th state to have a Woman's Right to Know law consistent with the findings in the U. S. Supreme Court decision of 1992, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

"At long last, North Carolina has taken the necessary steps to ensure that mothers receive the factual, non judgmental, and scientifically accurate information they need to make an informed decision about a procedure that means life or death for their unborn children." stated Barbara Holt, President of North Carolina Right to Life. "Many unborn children's lives will be saved and their mothers will be spared much heartache when the law takes effect later this year."

North Carolina will join the other southern states that have this legislation. Both the Senate and House can be proud of their votes to override the Governor's veto.  They represented the people of the state who support the legislation.  The Civitas Institute recently reported the results of a poll about the bill, showing that 56% of the voters of the state support the bill while only 36% oppose it.

North Carolina Right to Life, the state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee, is the oldest and largest single issue organization in the state serving all of North Carolina.

State House Overrides Governor's Veto, 72-47

Greensboro,NC- Today, North Carolina Right to Life, the state's largest and oldest right-to-life organization applauded members of the North Carolina House of Representatives for overriding Governor Beverly Perdue's veto of the Woman's Right to Know Act, H854. The House voted, 72-47, to override the Governor's veto; the Senate is expected to take up their veto override soon. Governor Perdue vetoed the legislation on June 27.

This historic vote puts NC one step closer to being the 26th state to have a Woman's Right to Know law consistent with the findings in the U. S. Supreme Court decision of 1992, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

"This vote was a bipartisan vote to ensure that mothers receive the factual, non judgmental and complete information they need to make informed abortion decision affecting their unborn children," stated Barbara Holt, President of North Carolina Right to Life. "Many unborn children's lives will be saved and their mothers will be spared much heartache when the legislature completes its work of overriding the Governor's veto."

The House listened to the voices of the majority of the people of the state who support the legislation.  The Civitas Institute recently reported the results of a poll about the bill, showing that 56% of the voters of the state support the bill while only 36% oppose it.

North Carolina Right to Life, the state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee, is the oldest and largest single issue organization in the state serving all of North Carolina.