Celebration of Life Dinner with Dr. Alveda King
Texas Alliance for Life is honored to welcome Dr. Alveda King, niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to Austin, Texas, for our Celebration of Life Dinner on Tuesday, October 18. Book your table by September 15 and get a free DVD player. Donation levels for tables of eight are Platinum $5,000; Gold $2,500; Silver $1,000; and Bronze $500. Single dinners cost $50. To make your reservation or for more information, call 512-477-1244 or click here.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Alveda King's family home was bombed, and she marched for justice. After healing from the pain and tragedy of her own abortion, Dr. Alveda King became a pro-life advocate, speaking out against the injustice of abortion as well as the importance of making her uncle's dream a reality for all.
Dr. Alveda King has served as a State Representative for Georgia, is a former college professor, and has authored several books and the provocative essay, "How Can the Dream Survive If We Murder the Children?" She is the grateful mother of six children and a doting grandmother. You will be encouraged and inspired by Dr. Alveda King's compelling message!
President Bush Nominates Judge John Roberts for Chief Justice of U.S. Supreme Court
On September 5 President Bush withdrew
his nomination of Judge John Roberts as a replacement for pro-abortion Sandra Day O'Connor and instead nominated him to replace Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Rehnquist died on September 3 after a long battle with thyroid cancer. Rehnquist was one of the two justices (out of nine) who voted against the majority in the Roe v. Wade decision 32 years ago.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider the Roberts nomination beginning on Monday, September 12, at noon (CDT). The hearings will be broadcast on the web at C-SPAN.org.
Meanwhile Justice Sandra Day O'Connor remains on the Court until her replacement is nominated and confirmed. O'Connor has consistently voted to uphold Roe v. Wade and even voted to strike down Nebraska's ban on the grisly partial-birth abortion procedure because of Roe. President Bush is expected to nominate a replacement for O'Connor after a replacement for Rehnquist is confirmed by the Senate.
Roe v. Wade is the tragic decision that struck down Texas' protective law against abortion that had been in effect for more than 100 years. Roe made abortion on demand legal, even for minors without parental consent and even for partial-birth abortions. Today, only two other justices oppose Roe (Anton Scalia and Clarence Thomas). Overturning Roe v. Wade is highly unlikely anytime soon, even with pro-life replacements for Rehnquist and O'Connor. There will still be a five-vote pro-abortion majority on the Court.
Texas' New Parental Consent Law Goes into Effect
September 1 is the date that Texas' hard-fought new parental consent law went into
effect, the top goal for Texas Alliance for Life during the state legislative session ending in May. Governor Perry signed the measure into law in June. For the first time in the 32 years since Roe v. Wade, Texas parents now have the legal right to protect their minor daughters from abortion. The new law requires abortion doctors to obtain the written consent of a parent before performing abortions on young girls, 17 years of age and younger. "We are thrilled with the new law. It restores parents' rights and will likely result in a drop in abortions and pregnancies for minor girls," commented Joe Pojman, Ph.D., TAL's executive director (standing second from left in photo).
Embryonic Stem Cell Victory in Texas Legislature
Texas Alliance for Life and other pro-life/pro-family organizations and churches scored a major pro-life victory this summer against the anti-life component of the biotech industry. During the second special state legislative, a bill was defeated that would have funded destructive research on human embryos and embryonic stem cell research. The Texas legislature considered HB 6, a bill to fund new buildings at Texas' public universities. Millions of state tax dollars were slated for biomedical research facilities at which human embryonic stem cell research and possibly human cloning would have been conducted. Texas Alliance for Life and more than 60 other pro-life organizations and individuals in Texas jointly authored a letter to the legislature from "Texans for Ethical Research" (click here) that supported adult stem cell research but condemned tax-funded research that destroys human embryos. The letter referenced similar statements recently issued by the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (click here) and the Southern Baptist Convention (click here).
In the coming weeks the U.S. Senate is expected to take up one or more bills to overturn the pro-life policy of President Bush that bans federal funds for research that destroys human embryos. Check the TAL website for updates at www.texasallianceforlife.org.
A fundamental tenet of the pro-life movement is that human life begins at conception and that human embryos are persons and should be treated with dignity and respect, not destroyed with tax-funded scientific research.
Perry Appoints New Texas Supreme Court Justice
On August 24, Governor Perry appointed Don
Willett to fill a vacancy on the Texas Supreme Court. Willett has a distinguished career as the chief legal counsel to pro-life Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and advisor to President Bush.
"We are very pleased that Governor Perry has appointed Don Willett to the Court," said Joe Pojman, Ph.D., executive director of Texas Alliance for Life. "Willett will faithfully interpret the laws and constitution of Texas according to the intent of the lawmakers instead of creating laws from the bench." (Photo at right: Attorney General Abbott congratulates Don Willett, holding his son Jacob, while his wife Tiffany and Governor Perry look on.)
Helping Katrina Evacuees
What can we in the pro-life movement do? Please donate to your local pregnancy help center. Texas has absorbed more than 200,000 refugees, among them pregnant woman and newborns or small babies. They need lots of items -- cash, diapers and wipes, bottles and formula, clothes (maternity, baby, children), bassinets and cribs. To find pro-life pregnancy help centers near you:
P.O. Box 49137 * Austin, Texas 78765 * (512) 477-1244 * TexasAllianceforLife.org * Support Us