To Stop the Culture of Death, We Can Act: CONTACTING YOUR LEGISLATORS is the easiest way to STAND UP FOR LIFE!! Other than your personal prayers, it is the most effective way to put the pressure on those who make the laws.
Haven't all our legislators heard these same arguments against baby-killing over and over for the last 40 years? Are things really different now? Actually, yes. In 1973, the Supreme Court judges declared they didn't know when 'life' begun; there was a lot of talk about "viability" - when a pre-born baby could live on his or her own if born premature. What was meant was when could they 'breathe' on their own, because newborn humans could NOT live on their own! Then, perhaps, they might need to be protected by law. Meanwhile, with the development of medical advances such as ultrasound procedures, more sophisticated genetic testing, and more effective surgery in utero, everyone admitted that, yes, human life begins at conception. And then, their hearts changed and said, "SO WHAT?" The killing continued even more.
In 1973, the law was supposedly made for rare cases in which the life of a mother may be threatened. Now, abortion is truly used as 'birth control.' FYI: In 1925 in New York City, Margaret Sanger and her colleagues proposed a broad system of birth control and sterilization to combat the "black" and "yellow" peril. How wildly has she succeeded!: In New York City, with a steady 41% of all pregnancies ended by direct abortion, the rate for blacks is around 60% to over 70%. In my view, this is genocide! Why not are the African-Americans ALL campaigning to stop this slaughter!!
With the past 40 years' experience of legal abortion, we know that now 47% of American women of child-bearing age have aborted at least one of their unborn babies! What a immense amount of grieving! In the Bible, Rachel wept because her children 'were no more.' Yes, the Culture of Death in America is definitely on the rise. The last figure I remember for the total number of babies killed by abortion in America alone in the last 41 years is 53 million!
We in the Kentucky Sixth District are blessed with Pro-Life Senators and a Pro-Life Congressional Representative. It was not always this way! Let me tell you of how it may have begun.
Although groups concerned with legal protection for all American citizens were active since 1968, the National Right to Life Committee was officially incorporated in May, 1973. Dr. John Willke, a Cincinnati physician, was the President. Since its inception in 1976, I was a member of Right to Life of Danville and later on the board of Kentucky Right to Life. At that time, Kentucky's Sixth Congressional District stretched from south of Lexington/central Kentucky and north clear to the Ohio River/Covington area.
Our Kentucky Sixth District Congressman was John Breckinridge, who in his 3rd term in 1977 had a 100% Pro-Death Voting Record. I was determined to meet with him, in person, and ask him about this. In the summer of 1977, he was coming to the Boyle County Courthouse in Danville to talk with interested citizens. I was a bit nervous about seeing such an important person until I remember what my dear grandfather, Rob, used to say when us kids would be impressed with some or another popular, important person, "Well, does he put his pants on one leg at a time?" (Grandpa Rob had a 2nd grade education.)
Everyone I knew discouraged me from even trying to change Mr. Breckinridge's mind. They said, "He is unbeatable." "Kentucky is and has been solid Democratic for over a hundred years. The 6th district has elected Democratic Congressmen for all of that time with exception of one 2-year period." "Breckinridge is a really BIG SHOT in State Government." But the more I thought about it: I'd never know unless I tried!
It seemed like a good idea to bring along my 8-month-old baby, daughter #6, Patty. We went to the courthouse on a Saturday morning and finally Mr. Breckinridge and several of his staff came. There was a group of about 30 people, all 'old' except for me and Patty. The staff asked each of us individually what we wanted to talk with the congressman about. Everyone else had mentioned various problems with their Social Security but I said, "Life Issues."
Patty and I had to wait several hours while Mr. Breckinridge talked with the others, one by one. They called us last. I prayed Patty would behave and she was perfect! Mr. Breckinridge sat on one side of a desk and I sat down opposite him. I sat Patty on the desk between us, on one side.
Mr. Breckinridge said, "Hello."
I replied, "Hello. Mr. Breckinridge. You vote to kill babies just like this one."
He leaned over and nearly whispered, "I have to."
I looked him in the eyes and firmly stated, "Then I will do everything I can to see that you are not elected again. Thank you." I picked up Patty and left.
Several months later our Right to Life of Danville group decided we would invite the candidates for the 6th District to talk to us about their positions on various issues. We arranged to meet at the local business school. Mr. Larry Hopkins, a Lexington attorney, came and spoke about many concerns and said that he was "Pro-Life." In his previous ads, however, I felt he came across as 'tentative', like he was testing the waters of public opinion, and didn't want his opinion known widely.
Mr. Hopkins asked me privately, "How Pro-Life is the 6th District?" That got me excited! I told him, "The 6th District is the Most Pro-Life District in the State of Kentucky! In Covington, we have an extremely active Right to Life chapter. Covington is across the river from Cincinnati. That's where the National Right to Life group started!! We are Pro-Life!!" He thanked me and left.
After that I noticed that Mr. Hopkins' ads had changed to vigorously emphasize that he was pro-life! No mistake about it! While our Right to Life chapter could not say, "Vote for Larry Hopkins," we could say, "Don't forget to register to vote. Learn where your candidates stand on Life Issues. Vote Pro-Life!"
In the primary election in May, Mr. Breckinridge was defeated by democratic candidate, Tom Easterly. Mr. Breckinridge died one year later. May his soul rest in peace!
Larry Hopkins, a Republican, defeated Tom Easterly in the November, 1978, general election!!! Mr. Hopkins served us well from 1979 to 1993, voting 100% pro-life. Since then, we seem to alternate with Pro-Death Democratic representatives and Pro-Life Republican representatives.
Particularly disturbing to me was the term of Ben Chandler. He served from 2004 till last year, 2013. I would write him letters about my views on various issues but on 'Life' issues, he was intractable, and on the edge of being nasty. Similar to Mr. Breckinridge, Mr. Chandler came from a family history of service in Kentucky government which included Governor Happy Chandler. Mr. Ben Chandler also figured he was 'unbeatable!'
Last year, Andy Barr, a Pro-Life Republican candidate, opposed Ben Chandler. I was still working so I couldn't do much but I had to do something to help him. I went door-to-door in my own precinct with my #2 son, John. The precinct is large and it took us fully three Sunday afternoons to reach everyone but we did! We either talked with or left literature on the front door handles. Only two people spoke very 'passionately' for the opposition. That surprised me; I thought we'd have a lot of potential verbal fights. Again, I don't know what good we did, but Andy Barr carried my precinct and is doing a great job in Congress.
These two examples are just two ways of contacting or helping your representatives and candidates. If you visit Washington, D.C., you could also make an appointment and go to see them there. Wouldn't that be fun! I hope to do that this summer!
The fastest, easiest way to make your views known is to write a letter. E-mails are very quick! Snail-mail is also good. They say that members of Congress actually get, in comparison to the number of people they serve, few letters! So, YOUR LETTER WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT! It is suggested that if you have multiple issues to address, send a separate note for each issue. You will ALWAYS get a response. It will take several weeks.
Our local Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Congressman and their addresses are:
1) Senator Mitch McConnell: e-mail: www.mcconnell.senate.gov, 317 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
2) Senator Rand Paul: e-mail: www.paul.senate.gov, 124 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20510
3) Congressman Andy Barr: e-mail: www.barr.house.gov, 1432 Longworth House Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20515.
An idea just popped into my mind: let's copy this information and put it out at home where we can see it. Check out these or find your own particular government officials, also on the State level. Don't complain if you don't make your voice heard! (I know you're registered to vote!!)
Dear Lord, please get us out of our comfort zone and get us DOING WHATEVER WE CAN to protect the beautiful lives you have given to us. Give us the energy, give us the thoughts, if we need stamps, remind us to buy them. We want to do this for you, Lord, and for ourselves!!
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