| Topic: |
Science > Abortion |
| User: |
"Rev. Donald Spitz" |
| Date: |
04 Apr 2005 05:20:17 PM |
| Object: |
Groups Challenge Right to Life Compromisers |
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_0058_01C53942.F4076FC0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Anti-abortion groups emerge=20
Three organizations challenge Oregon Right to Life, calling it too =
willing to compromise and splitting a normally united front=20
Monday, April 04, 2005=20
MICHELLE COLE=20
The Oregonian=20
SALEM -- Three new anti-abortion groups are challenging Oregon Right to =
Life's political dominance in the Capitol, vexing Republican legislative =
leaders and drawing renewed attention to state-funded abortions.=20
The groups, started by a handful of longtime activists, probably won't =
sway many votes on a number of anti-abortion bills in the 2005 =
Legislature. But their contention that Right to Life is not pushing hard =
enough to end abortion reveals a rift in the normally united lobby that =
could make the issue even more divisive this year than in past sessions. =
In particular, the new groups oppose the $2.87 million the state will =
spend in the 2003-05 budget period to pay for about 4,100 abortions =
performed each year on women eligible for the Oregon Health Plan. They =
want lawmakers to promise not to vote for a budget that includes money =
for abortions.=20
Oregon Right to Life and its legislative allies say the U.S. Supreme =
Court's Roe v. Wade decision prevents the state from outlawing abortion. =
They're focusing on what they think can be done, such as requiring =
parents to be notified before their daughter has an abortion.=20
But lined up against them are:=20
Oregonians for Life, started by Amy Rabon, a former state Senate aide, =
and Mary Starrett, a former TV and radio talk show host in Portland.=20
Life Support Oregon, founded by a group that includes Dave Brownlow, a =
2004 Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Lon Mabon, =
former executive director of the Oregon Citizens Alliance.=20
Believers Against Child Killing, headed by Paul deParrie, a longtime =
abortion protester who says violence against doctors who perform =
abortions is "morally justified."=20
The leaders are unapologetically strident about wanting to end abortion, =
and they say Right to Life has been too willing to compromise on =
legislation to get along in the Capitol.=20
For example, Oregon Right to Life supports a bill sponsored by House =
Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, that would allow prosecutors to =
bring double-murder charges against someone who kills a pregnant woman =
and her unborn child.=20
Brownlow said the new groups agree with language in the bill defining an =
unborn child as a human. But they cannot support other language that =
otherwise affirms "lawful abortion."=20
"We're not going to compromise anymore," Brownlow said. "We want this =
bill to fail."=20
The groups, which have testified against several Right to Life-endorsed =
bills, have few members and little money. But they have registered with =
the secretary of state as political action committees, which means they =
can accept and make campaign donations.=20
"We're going to support candidates who are truly pro-life," deParrie =
said.=20
Despite their lack of resources, they've created a stir in the Capitol.=20
Over the past few weeks, organizers persuaded several Republican =
legislators to sign a pledge that they will not vote for a budget that =
includes money for abortions. By late last week, however, two House =
members had asked to withdraw their signatures.=20
Sen. Gary George, R-Newberg, signed the pledge. But he said some of his =
House colleagues had encountered objections from Republican leaders. =
"People were being encouraged to consider the loss of their bills if =
they signed this," George said.=20
The House speaker's office declined to comment on the pledge or the new =
anti-abortion groups.=20
House members who had signed the pledge and then regretted it said they =
weren't threatened by leadership.=20
"I didn't want my name used as a pawn in this process or leveraged =
against my colleagues," said Rep. Linda Flores, R-Oregon City, who said =
she asked to be dropped after reading some e-mails from the groups she =
didn't like.=20
The groups also have made a push outside the Capitol. In late February, =
Oregonians for Life sent letters to 2,500 Oregon households notifying =
them that their tax dollars pay for abortions.=20
"People were outraged," Starrett said.=20
Starrett, a former board member of the Oregon Right to Life Education =
Foundation, blames Right to Life for not devoting more time and =
political clout to the state funding issue.=20
"I have to say I don't know what Right to Life does, and I've been part =
of it," she said.=20
Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, said her =
group was instrumental in stripping abortion funding from a state budget =
that passed the 1999 Legislature but was vetoed by then-Gov. John =
Kitzhaber, a Democrat.=20
Oregon Right to Life hasn't pushed the budget issue since, Atteberry =
said, because "you have to have the votes." Democrats gained a tie in =
the Senate last session and took firm control this year by picking up =
three seats in the fall elections.=20
Atteberry also takes issue with claims that Oregon Right to Life is =
politically ineffective.=20
"We're one of the more powerful PACs in the state," she said. "We're =
very, very successful in getting pro-lifers into the Capitol in the =
first place. Our first order of business is working the election =
process."=20
The Oregon Right to Life PAC spent more than $700,000 last election =
year. The 35-year-old group has a mailing list of 200,000 households.=20
Starrett said there's no question Right to Life is the "big dog" in the =
state's anti-abortion movement, and her group, Oregonians for Life, is a =
Chihuahua.=20
"Chihuahuas can be very irritating," she said. "And when they bite, you =
feel it."=20
--=20
=20
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell =
because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins =
and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and =
take away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.ArmyofGod.com
------=_NextPart_000_0058_01C53942.F4076FC0
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>
<H1 class=3Dred>Anti-abortion groups emerge </H1>
<DIV class=3Dsubhead><B>Three organizations challenge Oregon Right to =
Life,=20
calling it too willing to compromise and splitting a normally united =
front=20
</B></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dbyln>Monday, April 04, 2005=20
<DIV>MICHELLE COLE </DIV><B>The Oregonian</B> </DIV>
<P>SALEM -- Three new anti-abortion groups are challenging Oregon Right =
to=20
Life's political dominance in the Capitol, vexing Republican legislative =
leaders=20
and drawing renewed attention to state-funded abortions. </P>
<P>The groups, started by a handful of longtime activists, probably =
won't sway=20
many votes on a number of anti-abortion bills in the 2005 Legislature. =
But their=20
contention that Right to Life is not pushing hard enough to end abortion =
reveals=20
a rift in the normally united lobby that could make the issue even more =
divisive=20
this year than in past sessions. </P>
<P>In particular, the new groups oppose the $2.87 million the state will =
spend=20
in the 2003-05 budget period to pay for about 4,100 abortions performed =
each=20
year on women eligible for the Oregon Health Plan. They want lawmakers =
to=20
promise not to vote for a budget that includes money for abortions. </P>
<P>Oregon Right to Life and its legislative allies say the U.S. Supreme =
Court's=20
Roe v. Wade decision prevents the state from outlawing abortion. They're =
focusing on what they think can be done, such as requiring parents to be =
notified before their daughter has an abortion. </P>
<P>But lined up against them are: </P>
<P>Oregonians for Life, started by Amy Rabon, a former state Senate =
aide, and=20
Mary Starrett, a former TV and radio talk show host in Portland. </P>
<P>Life Support Oregon, founded by a group that includes Dave Brownlow, =
a 2004=20
Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Lon Mabon, former=20
executive director of the Oregon Citizens Alliance. </P>
<P>Believers Against Child Killing, headed by Paul deParrie, a longtime =
abortion=20
protester who says violence against doctors who perform abortions is =
"morally=20
justified." </P>
<P>The leaders are unapologetically strident about wanting to end =
abortion, and=20
they say Right to Life has been too willing to compromise on legislation =
to get=20
along in the Capitol. </P>
<P>For example, Oregon Right to Life supports a bill sponsored by House =
Speaker=20
Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, that would allow prosecutors to bring=20
double-murder charges against someone who kills a pregnant woman and her =
unborn=20
child. </P>
<P>Brownlow said the new groups agree with language in the bill defining =
an=20
unborn child as a human. But they cannot support other language that =
otherwise=20
affirms "lawful abortion." </P>
<P>"We're not going to compromise anymore," Brownlow said. "We want this =
bill to=20
fail." </P>
<P>The groups, which have testified against several Right to =
Life-endorsed=20
bills, have few members and little money. But they have registered with =
the=20
secretary of state as political action committees, which means they can =
accept=20
and make campaign donations. </P>
<P>"We're going to support candidates who are truly pro-life," deParrie =
said.=20
</P>
<P>Despite their lack of resources, they've created a stir in the =
Capitol. </P>
<P>Over the past few weeks, organizers persuaded several Republican =
legislators=20
to sign a pledge that they will not vote for a budget that includes =
money for=20
abortions. By late last week, however, two House members had asked to =
withdraw=20
their signatures. </P>
<P>Sen. Gary George, R-Newberg, signed the pledge. But he said some of =
his House=20
colleagues had encountered objections from Republican leaders. "People =
were=20
being encouraged to consider the loss of their bills if they signed =
this,"=20
George said. </P>
<P>The House speaker's office declined to comment on the pledge or the =
new=20
anti-abortion groups. </P>
<P>House members who had signed the pledge and then regretted it said =
they=20
weren't threatened by leadership. </P>
<P>"I didn't want my name used as a pawn in this process or leveraged =
against my=20
colleagues," said Rep. Linda Flores, R-Oregon City, who said she asked =
to be=20
dropped after reading some e-mails from the groups she didn't like. </P>
<P>The groups also have made a push outside the Capitol. In late =
February,=20
Oregonians for Life sent letters to 2,500 Oregon households notifying =
them that=20
their tax dollars pay for abortions. </P>
<P>"People were outraged," Starrett said. </P>
<P>Starrett, a former board member of the Oregon Right to Life Education =
Foundation, blames Right to Life for not devoting more time and =
political clout=20
to the state funding issue. </P>
<P>"I have to say I don't know what Right to Life does, and I've been =
part of=20
it," she said. </P>
<P>Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, said her =
group=20
was instrumental in stripping abortion funding from a state budget that =
passed=20
the 1999 Legislature but was vetoed by then-Gov. John Kitzhaber, a =
Democrat.=20
</P>
<P>Oregon Right to Life hasn't pushed the budget issue since, Atteberry =
said,=20
because "you have to have the votes." Democrats gained a tie in the =
Senate last=20
session and took firm control this year by picking up three seats in the =
fall=20
elections. </P>
<P>Atteberry also takes issue with claims that Oregon Right to Life is=20
politically ineffective. </P>
<P>"We're one of the more powerful PACs in the state," she said. "We're =
very,=20
very successful in getting pro-lifers into the Capitol in the first =
place. Our=20
first order of business is working the election process." </P>
<P>The Oregon Right to Life PAC spent more than $700,000 last election =
year. The=20
35-year-old group has a mailing list of 200,000 households. </P>
<P>Starrett said there's no question Right to Life is the "big dog" in =
the=20
state's anti-abortion movement, and her group, Oregonians for Life, is a =
Chihuahua. </P>
<P>"Chihuahuas can be very irritating," she said. "And when they bite, =
you feel=20
it." </P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><BR>-- <BR> <BR>SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear =
Jesus, I am a=20
sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you =
died on=20
the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask =
you now to=20
come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. <A=20
href=3D"http://www.ArmyofGod.com">http://www.ArmyofGod.com</A>=20
</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_0058_01C53942.F4076FC0--
.
|
|
| User: "Roger" |
|
| Title: Re: Groups Challenge Right to Life Compromisers |
05 Apr 2005 07:24:22 AM |
|
|
"Believers Against Child Killing"???
You chuckleheads really don't have any contact with the world the rest of us
live in, do you?
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in message
news:u4j4e.100078$755.18745@lakeread05...
Anti-abortion groups emerge
Three organizations challenge Oregon Right to Life, calling it too willing
to compromise and splitting a normally united front
Monday, April 04, 2005
MICHELLE COLE
The Oregonian
SALEM -- Three new anti-abortion groups are challenging Oregon Right to
Life's political dominance in the Capitol, vexing Republican legislative
leaders and drawing renewed attention to state-funded abortions.
The groups, started by a handful of longtime activists, probably won't sway
many votes on a number of anti-abortion bills in the 2005 Legislature. But
their contention that Right to Life is not pushing hard enough to end
abortion reveals a rift in the normally united lobby that could make the
issue even more divisive this year than in past sessions.
In particular, the new groups oppose the $2.87 million the state will spend
in the 2003-05 budget period to pay for about 4,100 abortions performed each
year on women eligible for the Oregon Health Plan. They want lawmakers to
promise not to vote for a budget that includes money for abortions.
Oregon Right to Life and its legislative allies say the U.S. Supreme Court's
Roe v. Wade decision prevents the state from outlawing abortion. They're
focusing on what they think can be done, such as requiring parents to be
notified before their daughter has an abortion.
But lined up against them are:
Oregonians for Life, started by Amy Rabon, a former state Senate aide, and
Mary Starrett, a former TV and radio talk show host in Portland.
Life Support Oregon, founded by a group that includes Dave Brownlow, a 2004
Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Lon Mabon, former
executive director of the Oregon Citizens Alliance.
Believers Against Child Killing, headed by Paul deParrie, a longtime
abortion protester who says violence against doctors who perform abortions
is "morally justified."
The leaders are unapologetically strident about wanting to end abortion, and
they say Right to Life has been too willing to compromise on legislation to
get along in the Capitol.
For example, Oregon Right to Life supports a bill sponsored by House Speaker
Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, that would allow prosecutors to bring
double-murder charges against someone who kills a pregnant woman and her
unborn child.
Brownlow said the new groups agree with language in the bill defining an
unborn child as a human. But they cannot support other language that
otherwise affirms "lawful abortion."
"We're not going to compromise anymore," Brownlow said. "We want this bill
to fail."
The groups, which have testified against several Right to Life-endorsed
bills, have few members and little money. But they have registered with the
secretary of state as political action committees, which means they can
accept and make campaign donations.
"We're going to support candidates who are truly pro-life," deParrie said.
Despite their lack of resources, they've created a stir in the Capitol.
Over the past few weeks, organizers persuaded several Republican legislators
to sign a pledge that they will not vote for a budget that includes money
for abortions. By late last week, however, two House members had asked to
withdraw their signatures.
Sen. Gary George, R-Newberg, signed the pledge. But he said some of his
House colleagues had encountered objections from Republican leaders. "People
were being encouraged to consider the loss of their bills if they signed
this," George said.
The House speaker's office declined to comment on the pledge or the new
anti-abortion groups.
House members who had signed the pledge and then regretted it said they
weren't threatened by leadership.
"I didn't want my name used as a pawn in this process or leveraged against
my colleagues," said Rep. Linda Flores, R-Oregon City, who said she asked to
be dropped after reading some e-mails from the groups she didn't like.
The groups also have made a push outside the Capitol. In late February,
Oregonians for Life sent letters to 2,500 Oregon households notifying them
that their tax dollars pay for abortions.
"People were outraged," Starrett said.
Starrett, a former board member of the Oregon Right to Life Education
Foundation, blames Right to Life for not devoting more time and political
clout to the state funding issue.
"I have to say I don't know what Right to Life does, and I've been part of
it," she said.
Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, said her group
was instrumental in stripping abortion funding from a state budget that
passed the 1999 Legislature but was vetoed by then-Gov. John Kitzhaber, a
Democrat.
Oregon Right to Life hasn't pushed the budget issue since, Atteberry said,
because "you have to have the votes." Democrats gained a tie in the Senate
last session and took firm control this year by picking up three seats in
the fall elections.
Atteberry also takes issue with claims that Oregon Right to Life is
politically ineffective.
"We're one of the more powerful PACs in the state," she said. "We're very,
very successful in getting pro-lifers into the Capitol in the first place.
Our first order of business is working the election process."
The Oregon Right to Life PAC spent more than $700,000 last election year.
The 35-year-old group has a mailing list of 200,000 households.
Starrett said there's no question Right to Life is the "big dog" in the
state's anti-abortion movement, and her group, Oregonians for Life, is a
Chihuahua.
"Chihuahuas can be very irritating," she said. "And when they bite, you feel
it."
--
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell
because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and
to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take
away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.ArmyofGod.com
.
|
|
|
|
| User: "Joe S." |
|
| Title: Re: Groups Challenge Right to Life Compromisers |
04 Apr 2005 08:54:11 PM |
|
|
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_00B1_01C53958.740929B0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
More rightwingnut cannibalism. Let 'em go -- they'll destroy each other =
and save us the effort.
--=20
-----
"Rev. Donald Spitz" <Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com> wrote in message =
news:u4j4e.100078$755.18745@lakeread05...
Anti-abortion groups emerge=20
Three organizations challenge Oregon Right to Life, calling it too =
willing to compromise and splitting a normally united front=20
Monday, April 04, 2005=20
MICHELLE COLE=20
The Oregonian=20
SALEM -- Three new anti-abortion groups are challenging Oregon Right =
to Life's political dominance in the Capitol, vexing Republican =
legislative leaders and drawing renewed attention to state-funded =
abortions.=20
The groups, started by a handful of longtime activists, probably won't =
sway many votes on a number of anti-abortion bills in the 2005 =
Legislature. But their contention that Right to Life is not pushing hard =
enough to end abortion reveals a rift in the normally united lobby that =
could make the issue even more divisive this year than in past sessions. =
In particular, the new groups oppose the $2.87 million the state will =
spend in the 2003-05 budget period to pay for about 4,100 abortions =
performed each year on women eligible for the Oregon Health Plan. They =
want lawmakers to promise not to vote for a budget that includes money =
for abortions.=20
Oregon Right to Life and its legislative allies say the U.S. Supreme =
Court's Roe v. Wade decision prevents the state from outlawing abortion. =
They're focusing on what they think can be done, such as requiring =
parents to be notified before their daughter has an abortion.=20
But lined up against them are:=20
Oregonians for Life, started by Amy Rabon, a former state Senate aide, =
and Mary Starrett, a former TV and radio talk show host in Portland.=20
Life Support Oregon, founded by a group that includes Dave Brownlow, a =
2004 Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Lon Mabon, =
former executive director of the Oregon Citizens Alliance.=20
Believers Against Child Killing, headed by Paul deParrie, a longtime =
abortion protester who says violence against doctors who perform =
abortions is "morally justified."=20
The leaders are unapologetically strident about wanting to end =
abortion, and they say Right to Life has been too willing to compromise =
on legislation to get along in the Capitol.=20
For example, Oregon Right to Life supports a bill sponsored by House =
Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, that would allow prosecutors to =
bring double-murder charges against someone who kills a pregnant woman =
and her unborn child.=20
Brownlow said the new groups agree with language in the bill defining =
an unborn child as a human. But they cannot support other language that =
otherwise affirms "lawful abortion."=20
"We're not going to compromise anymore," Brownlow said. "We want this =
bill to fail."=20
The groups, which have testified against several Right to =
Life-endorsed bills, have few members and little money. But they have =
registered with the secretary of state as political action committees, =
which means they can accept and make campaign donations.=20
"We're going to support candidates who are truly pro-life," deParrie =
said.=20
Despite their lack of resources, they've created a stir in the =
Capitol.=20
Over the past few weeks, organizers persuaded several Republican =
legislators to sign a pledge that they will not vote for a budget that =
includes money for abortions. By late last week, however, two House =
members had asked to withdraw their signatures.=20
Sen. Gary George, R-Newberg, signed the pledge. But he said some of =
his House colleagues had encountered objections from Republican leaders. =
"People were being encouraged to consider the loss of their bills if =
they signed this," George said.=20
The House speaker's office declined to comment on the pledge or the =
new anti-abortion groups.=20
House members who had signed the pledge and then regretted it said =
they weren't threatened by leadership.=20
"I didn't want my name used as a pawn in this process or leveraged =
against my colleagues," said Rep. Linda Flores, R-Oregon City, who said =
she asked to be dropped after reading some e-mails from the groups she =
didn't like.=20
The groups also have made a push outside the Capitol. In late =
February, Oregonians for Life sent letters to 2,500 Oregon households =
notifying them that their tax dollars pay for abortions.=20
"People were outraged," Starrett said.=20
Starrett, a former board member of the Oregon Right to Life Education =
Foundation, blames Right to Life for not devoting more time and =
political clout to the state funding issue.=20
"I have to say I don't know what Right to Life does, and I've been =
part of it," she said.=20
Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, said her =
group was instrumental in stripping abortion funding from a state budget =
that passed the 1999 Legislature but was vetoed by then-Gov. John =
Kitzhaber, a Democrat.=20
Oregon Right to Life hasn't pushed the budget issue since, Atteberry =
said, because "you have to have the votes." Democrats gained a tie in =
the Senate last session and took firm control this year by picking up =
three seats in the fall elections.=20
Atteberry also takes issue with claims that Oregon Right to Life is =
politically ineffective.=20
"We're one of the more powerful PACs in the state," she said. "We're =
very, very successful in getting pro-lifers into the Capitol in the =
first place. Our first order of business is working the election =
process."=20
The Oregon Right to Life PAC spent more than $700,000 last election =
year. The 35-year-old group has a mailing list of 200,000 households.=20
Starrett said there's no question Right to Life is the "big dog" in =
the state's anti-abortion movement, and her group, Oregonians for Life, =
is a Chihuahua.=20
"Chihuahuas can be very irritating," she said. "And when they bite, =
you feel it."=20
--=20
=20
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal =
hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my =
sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my =
heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. =
http://www.ArmyofGod.com
------=_NextPart_000_00B1_01C53958.740929B0
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1458" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>More rightwingnut cannibalism. =
Let 'em go --=20
they'll destroy each other and save us the effort.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR>-- <BR><BR>-----<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV>"Rev. Donald Spitz" <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com">Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com</A>&g=
t;=20
wrote in message <A=20
=
href=3D"news:u4j4e.100078$755.18745@lakeread05">news:u4j4e.100078$755.187=
45@lakeread05</A>...</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>
<H1 class=3Dred>Anti-abortion groups emerge </H1>
<DIV class=3Dsubhead><B>Three organizations challenge Oregon Right to =
Life,=20
calling it too willing to compromise and splitting a normally united =
front=20
</B></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dbyln>Monday, April 04, 2005=20
<DIV>MICHELLE COLE </DIV><B>The Oregonian</B> </DIV>
<P>SALEM -- Three new anti-abortion groups are challenging Oregon =
Right to=20
Life's political dominance in the Capitol, vexing Republican =
legislative=20
leaders and drawing renewed attention to state-funded abortions. </P>
<P>The groups, started by a handful of longtime activists, probably =
won't sway=20
many votes on a number of anti-abortion bills in the 2005 Legislature. =
But=20
their contention that Right to Life is not pushing hard enough to end =
abortion=20
reveals a rift in the normally united lobby that could make the issue =
even=20
more divisive this year than in past sessions. </P>
<P>In particular, the new groups oppose the $2.87 million the state =
will spend=20
in the 2003-05 budget period to pay for about 4,100 abortions =
performed each=20
year on women eligible for the Oregon Health Plan. They want lawmakers =
to=20
promise not to vote for a budget that includes money for abortions. =
</P>
<P>Oregon Right to Life and its legislative allies say the U.S. =
Supreme=20
Court's Roe v. Wade decision prevents the state from outlawing =
abortion.=20
They're focusing on what they think can be done, such as requiring =
parents to=20
be notified before their daughter has an abortion. </P>
<P>But lined up against them are: </P>
<P>Oregonians for Life, started by Amy Rabon, a former state Senate =
aide, and=20
Mary Starrett, a former TV and radio talk show host in Portland. </P>
<P>Life Support Oregon, founded by a group that includes Dave =
Brownlow, a 2004=20
Constitution Party candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Lon Mabon, =
former=20
executive director of the Oregon Citizens Alliance. </P>
<P>Believers Against Child Killing, headed by Paul deParrie, a =
longtime=20
abortion protester who says violence against doctors who perform =
abortions is=20
"morally justified." </P>
<P>The leaders are unapologetically strident about wanting to end =
abortion,=20
and they say Right to Life has been too willing to compromise on =
legislation=20
to get along in the Capitol. </P>
<P>For example, Oregon Right to Life supports a bill sponsored by =
House=20
Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, that would allow prosecutors to =
bring=20
double-murder charges against someone who kills a pregnant woman and =
her=20
unborn child. </P>
<P>Brownlow said the new groups agree with language in the bill =
defining an=20
unborn child as a human. But they cannot support other language that =
otherwise=20
affirms "lawful abortion." </P>
<P>"We're not going to compromise anymore," Brownlow said. "We want =
this bill=20
to fail." </P>
<P>The groups, which have testified against several Right to =
Life-endorsed=20
bills, have few members and little money. But they have registered =
with the=20
secretary of state as political action committees, which means they =
can accept=20
and make campaign donations. </P>
<P>"We're going to support candidates who are truly pro-life," =
deParrie said.=20
</P>
<P>Despite their lack of resources, they've created a stir in the =
Capitol.=20
</P>
<P>Over the past few weeks, organizers persuaded several Republican=20
legislators to sign a pledge that they will not vote for a budget that =
includes money for abortions. By late last week, however, two House =
members=20
had asked to withdraw their signatures. </P>
<P>Sen. Gary George, R-Newberg, signed the pledge. But he said some of =
his=20
House colleagues had encountered objections from Republican leaders. =
"People=20
were being encouraged to consider the loss of their bills if they =
signed=20
this," George said. </P>
<P>The House speaker's office declined to comment on the pledge or the =
new=20
anti-abortion groups. </P>
<P>House members who had signed the pledge and then regretted it said =
they=20
weren't threatened by leadership. </P>
<P>"I didn't want my name used as a pawn in this process or leveraged =
against=20
my colleagues," said Rep. Linda Flores, R-Oregon City, who said she =
asked to=20
be dropped after reading some e-mails from the groups she didn't like. =
</P>
<P>The groups also have made a push outside the Capitol. In late =
February,=20
Oregonians for Life sent letters to 2,500 Oregon households notifying =
them=20
that their tax dollars pay for abortions. </P>
<P>"People were outraged," Starrett said. </P>
<P>Starrett, a former board member of the Oregon Right to Life =
Education=20
Foundation, blames Right to Life for not devoting more time and =
political=20
clout to the state funding issue. </P>
<P>"I have to say I don't know what Right to Life does, and I've been =
part of=20
it," she said. </P>
<P>Gayle Atteberry, executive director of Oregon Right to Life, said =
her group=20
was instrumental in stripping abortion funding from a state budget =
that passed=20
the 1999 Legislature but was vetoed by then-Gov. John Kitzhaber, a =
Democrat.=20
</P>
<P>Oregon Right to Life hasn't pushed the budget issue since, =
Atteberry said,=20
because "you have to have the votes." Democrats gained a tie in the =
Senate=20
last session and took firm control this year by picking up three seats =
in the=20
fall elections. </P>
<P>Atteberry also takes issue with claims that Oregon Right to Life is =
politically ineffective. </P>
<P>"We're one of the more powerful PACs in the state," she said. =
"We're very,=20
very successful in getting pro-lifers into the Capitol in the first =
place. Our=20
first order of business is working the election process." </P>
<P>The Oregon Right to Life PAC spent more than $700,000 last election =
year.=20
The 35-year-old group has a mailing list of 200,000 households. </P>
<P>Starrett said there's no question Right to Life is the "big dog" in =
the=20
state's anti-abortion movement, and her group, Oregonians for Life, is =
a=20
Chihuahua. </P>
<P>"Chihuahuas can be very irritating," she said. "And when they bite, =
you=20
feel it." </P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><BR>-- <BR> <BR>SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear =
Jesus, I am a=20
sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you =
died on=20
the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask =
you now=20
to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. =
<A=20
href=3D"http://www.ArmyofGod.com">http://www.ArmyofGod.com</A>=20
</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_00B1_01C53958.740929B0--
.
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
