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Thursday, June 30, 2005
Sad safe-n-legal anniversary
Sheryl Cottone was 23 years old when she underwent a first trimester abortion in June of 1981. She was rushed to Veteran's Memorial Hospital in Waukon, Iowa, on July 1. She was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy found that she had died from an embolism that lodged in her heart.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Pinning down mercury
An example of why it's hard to successfully file suit against an abortion facility is the Inglewood entity. This facility went through many incarnations, with six women dying after their ministrations. How did they get away with it?
Somebody get a set of crutches...
... because this is the lamest thing I've heard in weeks:
A Planned Parenthood got off tthe hook for having made a phone call to a pregnant 14-year-old's 21-year-old abuser instead of to her parents as required by law, by saying basically, "Hey, we called the number she gave us."
Could you imagine a 7-11 clerk beating the rap for selling beer to minors by saying, "Hey, I went by the ID he showed me!"? How come a minimum-wage teenager at a summer job is supposed to be more sophisticated about seeing through liies than trained professionals working in a counseling setting? Grrrrrr!
A Planned Parenthood got off tthe hook for having made a phone call to a pregnant 14-year-old's 21-year-old abuser instead of to her parents as required by law, by saying basically, "Hey, we called the number she gave us."
Attorney Al Gerhardstein, who is representing Planned Parenthood in the case, was on vacation today, but told The Enquirer earlier this month: "We have no problem with any scrutiny because Planned Parenthood has been a leader in establishing ways to follow the law."
Could you imagine a 7-11 clerk beating the rap for selling beer to minors by saying, "Hey, I went by the ID he showed me!"? How come a minimum-wage teenager at a summer job is supposed to be more sophisticated about seeing through liies than trained professionals working in a counseling setting? Grrrrrr!
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
More sad safe-n-legal anniversaries
Today, June 30, brings the anniversary of two more safe and legal abortion deaths.
Kendra McLeod, mother of two, underwent an abortion at a clinic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on June 12, 1998. She bled heavily after the abortion. The day after her abortion, she sought help at an emergency room. She had fainted three times by the time she got into the ER. Doctors at the hospital transfused Kendra with nine units of blood and performed surgery to try to save her life, to no avail. She died on June 30, at the age of 22. Her family lost a lawsuit against the hospital. Documents do not note if the family sued the abortion provider.
Seventeen-year-old Jennifer Suddeth underwent an abortion by Frank Robinson on June 30, 1982. On the drive home, Jennifer bled heavily, alarming her common-law husband, John Fredzess. Fredzess called the clinic repeatedly over the four hours after their return home, but staff would not put the call through to Robinson. One nurse admonished Fredzess to "be realistic" about how severely Jennifer was bleeding. By that time, Jennifer had bled through two pairs of sweat pants, two blankets, and a towel. At last the hysterical husband was able to contact Robinson, who insisted that the bleeding was normal and instructed Fredzess to stop calling. When Jennifer went into convulsions, Fredzess called an ambulance. Parmedics arrived at the home to find Jennifer already dead. Police interviewed the weeping and hysterical Fredzess, then pressed charges against Robinson for involuntary manslaughter in Jennifer's death. Although Robinson beat the rap, the state of California nevertheless counted Jennifer's death as due to illegal abortion.
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Kendra McLeod, mother of two, underwent an abortion at a clinic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on June 12, 1998. She bled heavily after the abortion. The day after her abortion, she sought help at an emergency room. She had fainted three times by the time she got into the ER. Doctors at the hospital transfused Kendra with nine units of blood and performed surgery to try to save her life, to no avail. She died on June 30, at the age of 22. Her family lost a lawsuit against the hospital. Documents do not note if the family sued the abortion provider.
Seventeen-year-old Jennifer Suddeth underwent an abortion by Frank Robinson on June 30, 1982. On the drive home, Jennifer bled heavily, alarming her common-law husband, John Fredzess. Fredzess called the clinic repeatedly over the four hours after their return home, but staff would not put the call through to Robinson. One nurse admonished Fredzess to "be realistic" about how severely Jennifer was bleeding. By that time, Jennifer had bled through two pairs of sweat pants, two blankets, and a towel. At last the hysterical husband was able to contact Robinson, who insisted that the bleeding was normal and instructed Fredzess to stop calling. When Jennifer went into convulsions, Fredzess called an ambulance. Parmedics arrived at the home to find Jennifer already dead. Police interviewed the weeping and hysterical Fredzess, then pressed charges against Robinson for involuntary manslaughter in Jennifer's death. Although Robinson beat the rap, the state of California nevertheless counted Jennifer's death as due to illegal abortion.
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Another sad safe-n-legal anniversary
Dawn Mendoza, a 28-year-old mother of two, underwent an abortion at the hands of Edward Rubin at Women's Medical Pavilion in Dobbs Ferry, New York, on June 29, 1988. During the abortion, Dawn started screaming and gasping for breath. Staff tried unsuccessfully to revive her, but she died without ever being transferred to a hospital.
The medical examiner determined that she had died from amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), as evidenced by particles of placenta and amniotic fluid in her lungs.
It's interesting in that although AFE is extremely rare in obstetric patients, abortionists commonly attibute patient deaths to AFE. The following abortion deaths were blamed on AFE, or had AFE cited as a contributing factor:
Belinda Byrd - not confirmed; disputed by survivors
Vanessa Preston - confirmed
Patricia Chacon - confirmed
Mary Ives - confirmed
Sheila Watley - confirmed
Christine Mora - confirmed
Deanna Bell - not confirmed; disputed by survivors
Alerte Desanges - unknown
Denise Holmes - unknown
Gaylene Golden - confirmed
Gloria Aponte - not confirmed
Marie Gibson - not confirmed
Angela Hall - confirmed
Christina Goesswein - confirmed
Lynn McNair - not confirmed
Abortionists frequently attribute deaths to AFE because it's a known risk of abortion. However, a review of cases in which AFE was confirmed indiates that the AFE was not an unforseeable complication, but rather was a predictable consequence of cervical or uterine lacerations. Steps can be taken to reduce the risk of AFE, so the mere verificaiton of AFE is not proof that this was an unforseeable and unaviodable complication, as abortionists would like survivors to believe.
Fatal AFE has long been associated with induced abortion. During the discussion period of a National Abortion Federation Risk Management Seminar, promiment abortionists Warren Hern and Mildred Hanson had a heated discussion about how to prevent mortality from AFE. Hanson recommended suctioning the fetal brain from the skull prior to collapsing it and extracting it, noting that fetal brain tissue is the tissue most likely to trigger a fatal chain of events upon entering the maternal bloodstream. Hern, on the other hand, advocated simply crushing and removing the fetal skull, because he recommends watching for the oozing of the brain tissue through the cervix to verify that the structure grasped is indeed the fetal head. (Hern referred to this oozing as "calvarium show," and provides an illustration in his book, Abortion Practice.) Hern also indicates on his web site that he ruptures the membranes prior to abortion after 15 weeks to reduce the risk of AFE.
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The medical examiner determined that she had died from amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), as evidenced by particles of placenta and amniotic fluid in her lungs.
It's interesting in that although AFE is extremely rare in obstetric patients, abortionists commonly attibute patient deaths to AFE. The following abortion deaths were blamed on AFE, or had AFE cited as a contributing factor:
Abortionists frequently attribute deaths to AFE because it's a known risk of abortion. However, a review of cases in which AFE was confirmed indiates that the AFE was not an unforseeable complication, but rather was a predictable consequence of cervical or uterine lacerations. Steps can be taken to reduce the risk of AFE, so the mere verificaiton of AFE is not proof that this was an unforseeable and unaviodable complication, as abortionists would like survivors to believe.
Fatal AFE has long been associated with induced abortion. During the discussion period of a National Abortion Federation Risk Management Seminar, promiment abortionists Warren Hern and Mildred Hanson had a heated discussion about how to prevent mortality from AFE. Hanson recommended suctioning the fetal brain from the skull prior to collapsing it and extracting it, noting that fetal brain tissue is the tissue most likely to trigger a fatal chain of events upon entering the maternal bloodstream. Hern, on the other hand, advocated simply crushing and removing the fetal skull, because he recommends watching for the oozing of the brain tissue through the cervix to verify that the structure grasped is indeed the fetal head. (Hern referred to this oozing as "calvarium show," and provides an illustration in his book, Abortion Practice.) Hern also indicates on his web site that he ruptures the membranes prior to abortion after 15 weeks to reduce the risk of AFE.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Monday, June 27, 2005
Question Abortion
Feminists for Life has an excellent Question Abortion campaign. Questions they ask, that need to be asked:
Is this the face of the enemy?
Did I deserve the death penalty?
Check out these excellent posters, ask yourself those questions, and get the debate started.
Check out these excellent posters, ask yourself those questions, and get the debate started.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
A reminder of prochoice priorities
Every year, on March 10, abortion supporters commemorate the death of abortionist David Gunn by holding a "Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers." They lament the terrible "risks" faced by abortionists. Abortionists are provided with security, guards, bulletproof vests, etc. No expense is too great to protect abortionists. Outcry is poured out repetedly at what a precious resource abortionists are, and how deserving they are of protection.
But today, June 26, marks an anniversry ignored by prochoicers. On this date in 1994, an abortionist at Women's Medical Services in Pensacola, Florida, sent 31-year-old Pamela Colson on her way with such severe lacerations that she bled to death on the way home. Women's Medical Services was the same clinic where Gunn had been shot to death.
Not only are the prochoice oblivious of Pam Colson's death; they don't want anybody else to remember her, either. When life activist Vicki Conroy and a post-abortion woman hung a black wreath at the clinic where she died, staff there had the pair arrested.
Abortion activists keep close tabs on abortion staff who die. There are seven that they blame on life activists.
But deaths caused by abortionists are shrugged off. Now, we can assume the deaths of the fetuses don't count as violence to abortion supporters, in that they don't consider the fetuses to be people. But how can they ignore the deaths of hundreds of women? Okay, they dismiss these as "all surgery has risks," even cases like Pamela Colson's, in which there was clear quackery involved in sending a critically injured patient home. What about abortionists killing people who aren't even their patients?
This site looks at cases of murder by abortionists, abortion promoters, and men who wanted their children aborted. If we look purely at murders by abortionists and abortion workers, and only those perpetrated outside the medical setting, we still have quite a bloodbath going on:
That's seven murders of adult non-patients by abortionists and clinic workers. It looks as if, excluding patients and live-born infants, an abortionist or abortion staffer is as likely to commit murder as to be the victim of "antichoice violence."
So abortion supporters of course applaud fetal deaths, gloss over the murders of live-born infants, dismiss the deaths of patients as just an acceptable risk. That we can expect. But how can they treat abortion workers as sitting ducks for antiabortionists when the abortion workers seem to be a particularly violent lot themselves? Perhaps they're forgetting that violence begets violence.
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But today, June 26, marks an anniversry ignored by prochoicers. On this date in 1994, an abortionist at Women's Medical Services in Pensacola, Florida, sent 31-year-old Pamela Colson on her way with such severe lacerations that she bled to death on the way home. Women's Medical Services was the same clinic where Gunn had been shot to death.
Not only are the prochoice oblivious of Pam Colson's death; they don't want anybody else to remember her, either. When life activist Vicki Conroy and a post-abortion woman hung a black wreath at the clinic where she died, staff there had the pair arrested.
Abortion activists keep close tabs on abortion staff who die. There are seven that they blame on life activists.
But deaths caused by abortionists are shrugged off. Now, we can assume the deaths of the fetuses don't count as violence to abortion supporters, in that they don't consider the fetuses to be people. But how can they ignore the deaths of hundreds of women? Okay, they dismiss these as "all surgery has risks," even cases like Pamela Colson's, in which there was clear quackery involved in sending a critically injured patient home. What about abortionists killing people who aren't even their patients?
This site looks at cases of murder by abortionists, abortion promoters, and men who wanted their children aborted. If we look purely at murders by abortionists and abortion workers, and only those perpetrated outside the medical setting, we still have quite a bloodbath going on:
In November 1999, Pasadena abortionist Kevin Paul Anderson strangled his business partner, neonatologist Dr. Deepti Gupta, a mother of two young children who was expecting her third. They were involved in an extramarital affair, and she was carrying his baby. In December 2000, Anderson was convicted of second-degree murder by a Pasadena jury. Kansas City, Missouri abortionist Lynn D. Weller was shot to death in his home in September 1973 by two masked gunmen who were hired by rival abortionist William Carlos. Carlos was angry that Weller was having an affair with his ex-wife. Marc Eason was a vocal pro-abortionist who worked at the Dadeland abortion clinic in Miami. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole for the ax-murders of his two roommates. Eason claimed the murders were "justifiable homicide" because the roommates had "complained about his sloppiness." Abortionist John Gwynne was convicted of the first-degree murder of his nineteen-year-old girlfriend. Prominent Oklahoma City abortionist John Baxter Hamilton (pictured) was having an affair with a topless dancer he had aborted, and his wife was considering leaving him. On Valentine's Day 2001, Hamilton choked his wife with a necktie, beat her over the head with a heavy blunt object hard enough to smash a hole in her skull, and then slammed her face repeatedly onto the floor. In December 2001, a jury convicted Hamilton of murdering his wife. Notorious Chicago abortion mill owner Kenneth "Creepy Kenny" Yellen literally died in the gutter after his gangland-style execution in November 1979, from five shots in the head as he walked to work. The primary suspect was Robin Dragin, a professional burglar with mob connections, who organized a Chicago abortion clinic that had been in competition with Yellin's operation.
That's seven murders of adult non-patients by abortionists and clinic workers. It looks as if, excluding patients and live-born infants, an abortionist or abortion staffer is as likely to commit murder as to be the victim of "antichoice violence."
So abortion supporters of course applaud fetal deaths, gloss over the murders of live-born infants, dismiss the deaths of patients as just an acceptable risk. That we can expect. But how can they treat abortion workers as sitting ducks for antiabortionists when the abortion workers seem to be a particularly violent lot themselves? Perhaps they're forgetting that violence begets violence.
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Saturday, June 25, 2005
That says it all, doesn't it?
Thanks to Ashli at The S.I.C.L.E. Cell for noting that The Cheerful Oncologist found these Johnny Cash lyrics. Particularly apt for abortion are the following snippets:
Lessee....
Flushed from the bathroom:
Garbage disposal:
The only thing missing? The meat grinder:
Mystery du Jour: Why is it that abortion supporters have their panties in such a twist over how "disrespectful" it is for that Catholic church in Boulder, Colorado, to give aborted fetuses a decent burial, but they're blithely indifferent to the toilets and garbage disposals?
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And now you say you've got me out of your conscience
I've been flushed from the bathroom of your heart
In the garbage disposal of you dreams I've been ground up dear
Lessee....
Flushed from the bathroom:
Abortionist Sidney Knight got in trouble when the Department of Public Works reported that fetuses were disposed of by grinding them and flushing them into the sanitary sewer system. (Department of Public Works letter 12-29-89)
A July/August 1993 inspection of abortionist Lawson Akpolonu's clinic found that staff were flushing fetuses of less than five months down the toilet.
Garbage disposal:
Former abortion entrepeneur Eric Harrah was fined after a Delaware plumber told investigators that he had installed an "industrial guage" garbage disposal at his Brandywine Valley Women's Center. Employees told investigators that they routinely flushed 8 to 20 week fetuses down the disposal. (Wilmington News Journal 12-3-94, 12-4-93, 12-15-93, 8-22-93, 4-16-94; Philadelphia Inquirer 7-11-93; State News 1-4-95)
Abortionist Lawson Akpulonu got in trouble after, among other things, the Medical Board found: "Employees were trained to dump tissue jars into the sink and run the contents through the garbage disposal." (Medical Board Accusation No. D-5286 OAH. No. L-63123)
When inspectors visited abortionist Lawson Akpolonu's clinic in August and September of 1991, they found that "Employees were trained to dump tissue jars into the sink and run the contents through the garbage disposal." Akpulonu's clinic remained open. A May 1993 inspection found that fetuses less than 18 to 24 weeks were flushed down the garbage disposal.
The only thing missing? The meat grinder:
Abortionist Curtis Stover filed an affidavit stating that he vomited after observing abortionist James Park's method of disposing of aborted fetuses of 15 to 22 weeks gestation: he ground them up with a standard kitchen meat grinder and flushed the tissue down the sink. In a letter to the health department, Stover stated that Parks told him he had developed this method because the fetuses would "stop up" the toilet and because he did not want fetuses retrieved from the trash by pro-lifers. (Letter by Stover dated 6-15-92, affidavit by Stover dated 6-15-92; Up The Creek 9-11-92; excerpt from Parks' deposition 2-4-91 Arapahoe County District Court Case No. 90CV432)
Mystery du Jour: Why is it that abortion supporters have their panties in such a twist over how "disrespectful" it is for that Catholic church in Boulder, Colorado, to give aborted fetuses a decent burial, but they're blithely indifferent to the toilets and garbage disposals?
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Friday, June 24, 2005
A Safe and Legal Death, Pre-Roe
"Annie" Roe is one of the women Life Dynamics identifies on their "Blackmun Wall" as having been killed by a legal abortion. Annie traveled from New Jersey to New York for a first-trimester abortion on June 24, 1971. Shortly after she was given anesthesia, Annie went into cardiac arrest, and attempts to revive her failed. She left behind three children.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Wednesday, June 22, 2005
You never know....
A paragraph in this article about Nick Cannon's "Can I Live" video reminds us to stay the course, even if we can't see any results:
It makes me remember the news interview with an abortion clinic administrator in response to a prolife billboard. That pushed me off the fence and got me active. Twenty-two years later, I'm still going strong. Neither the prolifers that put up that billboard, nor the administrator who said, "We want that billboard down!" has a clue that they were so instrumental in my life. And I have no idea what impact I've had in other lives.
We have to stay faithful, and leave the rest to God.
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I love to retell the story of Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., who spent a late evening in 1998 in an empty Senate chambers talking about partial-birth abortion, even though he knew President Clinton was going to veto the prohibition bill he was arguing for. It was a wasted night so far as he knew until he heard from a couple who were, in fact, flipping with the remote, hit C-SPAN and, to make a long story short: She didn't have the abortion she had scheduled, unbeknownst to her boyfriend, for the next day. They have a child today and are grateful to the Pennsylvania senator for their child.
It makes me remember the news interview with an abortion clinic administrator in response to a prolife billboard. That pushed me off the fence and got me active. Twenty-two years later, I'm still going strong. Neither the prolifers that put up that billboard, nor the administrator who said, "We want that billboard down!" has a clue that they were so instrumental in my life. And I have no idea what impact I've had in other lives.
We have to stay faithful, and leave the rest to God.
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More sad safe-n-legal anniversaries
On June 21, 1985, 17-year-old Deborah Lozinski's parents filed suit against Dr. Scheininger, Dr. Sinha, and other staff at Medical Care Center in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Their daughter had been in a coma for two months following an abortion. Deborah's parents said that the staff failed to properly screen and examine Deborah prior to her abortion. They also alleged that staff failed to properly monitor their daughter's vital signs during the abortion, failing to quickly detect and properly treat respiratory difficulty. As a result, Deborah suffered the brain damage that had caused her coma.
Shortly after midnight on June 22, a hospital staffer checked on Deborah and found her dead; she evidently had died shortly before midnight.
More recently, 32-year-old Kelly Morse of Vermont traveled with her husband to Hillcrest Women's Medical Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for an abortion on June 19, 1996. Dr. Delhi Elmore Thweatt, Jr., performed the abortion.
Even though Kelly had notified Hillcrest staff that she had asthma and was allergic to the "caine" medications, including Lidocaine, Thweatt administered 12 cc's of 1 percent Lidocaine to Kelly at about 11 a.m. Kelly immediately had trouble breathing. A licensed practical nurse got Kelly's inhaler from her purse and helped her to use it, but Kelly reported that it was not helping. She became very agitated because of her difficulty in drawing breath.
Thweatt continued with the abortion, completing it in about four minutes, and spent some time providing ineffectual care to Kelly before having an ambulance summoned.
According to the suit filed by her husband, "No one started an IV. No respiration rate was recorded, no pulse was checked and no blood pressure was measured. No EKG was applied. No cardiac monitoring was conducted. No pulse oximeter was applied. No intubation or emergency tracheotomy was performed. No oxygen was administered. Kelly continued to agitate in fear, desperately gasping for air, and remained blue in color. Defendant Thweatt just stood there with a stethoscope in hand and listened to Kelly's breathing and wheezing progressively worsen."
Paramedics arrived within five minutes of the call, just as a staff member was running outside to summon Kelly's husband. Kelly's husband reported that he went in with the ambulance crew to find his wife, naked and blue-black from lack of oxygen, lying on a table that was halfway out of the examination room into the hallway.
The paramedics put a breathing tube into Kelly, properly administered medications, and performed CPR as they transported Kelly to nearby Polyclinic Medical Center, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Her condition continued to deteriorate, and she was pronounced dead on June 22. Her two children, a boy and a girl, were left motherless.
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Shortly after midnight on June 22, a hospital staffer checked on Deborah and found her dead; she evidently had died shortly before midnight.
More recently, 32-year-old Kelly Morse of Vermont traveled with her husband to Hillcrest Women's Medical Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for an abortion on June 19, 1996. Dr. Delhi Elmore Thweatt, Jr., performed the abortion.
Even though Kelly had notified Hillcrest staff that she had asthma and was allergic to the "caine" medications, including Lidocaine, Thweatt administered 12 cc's of 1 percent Lidocaine to Kelly at about 11 a.m. Kelly immediately had trouble breathing. A licensed practical nurse got Kelly's inhaler from her purse and helped her to use it, but Kelly reported that it was not helping. She became very agitated because of her difficulty in drawing breath.
Thweatt continued with the abortion, completing it in about four minutes, and spent some time providing ineffectual care to Kelly before having an ambulance summoned.
According to the suit filed by her husband, "No one started an IV. No respiration rate was recorded, no pulse was checked and no blood pressure was measured. No EKG was applied. No cardiac monitoring was conducted. No pulse oximeter was applied. No intubation or emergency tracheotomy was performed. No oxygen was administered. Kelly continued to agitate in fear, desperately gasping for air, and remained blue in color. Defendant Thweatt just stood there with a stethoscope in hand and listened to Kelly's breathing and wheezing progressively worsen."
Paramedics arrived within five minutes of the call, just as a staff member was running outside to summon Kelly's husband. Kelly's husband reported that he went in with the ambulance crew to find his wife, naked and blue-black from lack of oxygen, lying on a table that was halfway out of the examination room into the hallway.
The paramedics put a breathing tube into Kelly, properly administered medications, and performed CPR as they transported Kelly to nearby Polyclinic Medical Center, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Her condition continued to deteriorate, and she was pronounced dead on June 22. Her two children, a boy and a girl, were left motherless.
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Sunday, June 19, 2005
Reminder: A consequence of legalization
Milan Vuitch was a hero among abortion advocates. He had deliberately been arrested performing criminal abortions so that he could challenge the Washington, DC abortion law. As an openly practicing criminal abortionist, he'd had no maternal deaths to his discredit. His arrests were purely for his open challenge to the law. Then came legalization, and he got sloppy.
On June 15, 1974, seventeen-year-old Wilma Harris of West Virginia went to Vuitch's Laurel Clinic for an abortion. Although the abortion was done at around 2:00 PM, Vuitch didn't trasfer Wilma to a properly equipped hospital until after midnight. Wilma's family sued, claiming that Vuitch and his staff had allowed Wilma to lapse into a coma and lie unattended for 12 hours before transferring her to the hospital. The suit also claimed that Vuitch and his staff falsified records to cover their tracks. Five days after her abortion, Wilma was dead due to the complications of her abortion. Today, June 20, is the anniversary of that sad occasion.
Vuitch went on to botch more abortions, accumulating a string of lawsuits. He also performed the fatal abortion on Georgianna English in 1980. Like Wilma, Georgianna died from complications of the anesthesia. During the investigation of Georgianna's death, officials learned that he kept patients overnight in his home (an unlicensed facility) which he designated "The Annexe." Inspectors also noted repeated violations of medical standards regarding sanitation and anesthesia. Vuitch also admitted during another case that he had lacked hospital admitting privileges since 1963.
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On June 15, 1974, seventeen-year-old Wilma Harris of West Virginia went to Vuitch's Laurel Clinic for an abortion. Although the abortion was done at around 2:00 PM, Vuitch didn't trasfer Wilma to a properly equipped hospital until after midnight. Wilma's family sued, claiming that Vuitch and his staff had allowed Wilma to lapse into a coma and lie unattended for 12 hours before transferring her to the hospital. The suit also claimed that Vuitch and his staff falsified records to cover their tracks. Five days after her abortion, Wilma was dead due to the complications of her abortion. Today, June 20, is the anniversary of that sad occasion.
Vuitch went on to botch more abortions, accumulating a string of lawsuits. He also performed the fatal abortion on Georgianna English in 1980. Like Wilma, Georgianna died from complications of the anesthesia. During the investigation of Georgianna's death, officials learned that he kept patients overnight in his home (an unlicensed facility) which he designated "The Annexe." Inspectors also noted repeated violations of medical standards regarding sanitation and anesthesia. Vuitch also admitted during another case that he had lacked hospital admitting privileges since 1963.
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Friday, June 17, 2005
Another sad anniversary
Dr. Benjamin Munson performed the abortion on 28-year-old Linda Padfield on June 15, 1973, at his South Dakota abortion facility. He discharged her, and she later was hospitalized. She finally died of massive infection on June 18.
A pathologist found the remains of a five-month fetus in Linda's uterus, missing a leg, arm, part of its skull and part of its torso. The retained fetus caused the massive infection that had killed Linda.
The prosecution focused on the fact that infection will inevitably result from that much retained tissue. The Attorney General commented, "You take a three-inch leg off something, you have to know that there's more in there than just the leg." The defense, however, argued that infection is an accepted risk of abortion, and that the state couldn't prove that Munson meant to harm Linda. The jury bought it, and Munson was aquitted.
Despite having sent Linda home to die with roughly half her fetus rotting in her uterus, he later became a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF). In 1985, he sent a teenage patient, Yvonne Mesteth, home with retained tissue. She, like Linda Padfield, died of infection. Again Munson was prosecuted for manslaughter, and again he beat the rap.
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A pathologist found the remains of a five-month fetus in Linda's uterus, missing a leg, arm, part of its skull and part of its torso. The retained fetus caused the massive infection that had killed Linda.
The prosecution focused on the fact that infection will inevitably result from that much retained tissue. The Attorney General commented, "You take a three-inch leg off something, you have to know that there's more in there than just the leg." The defense, however, argued that infection is an accepted risk of abortion, and that the state couldn't prove that Munson meant to harm Linda. The jury bought it, and Munson was aquitted.
Despite having sent Linda home to die with roughly half her fetus rotting in her uterus, he later became a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF). In 1985, he sent a teenage patient, Yvonne Mesteth, home with retained tissue. She, like Linda Padfield, died of infection. Again Munson was prosecuted for manslaughter, and again he beat the rap.
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Another example of why we need parental involvement
California mother Virginia P.'s 14-year-old daughter, Erin, had a learning disability, low verbal comprehension, and psychological and emotional impairment. Due to the problems Erin was having, Virginia approached the school, and school officials agreed "to keep her informed of everything that happened relating to Erin, no matter how trivial or insignificant," and the principal developed a program of written daily reports to keep Virginia apprised of Erin's school situation.
Nevertheless, staff at Erin's school learned that she was pregnant, and conspired with outside agencies to falsify records and arrange an abortion for Erin during school hours.The abortion was performed at Chico Feminist Women's Health Center, a National Abortion Federation member facility.
The first Erin's mom knew about all these machinations came when she got a call to come to the school immediately. Erin was suffering complications from the abortion and had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
While Erin was in emergency surgery, and her mother paced the floor in front of surgery, Chris Parker from the clinic arrived at the hospital, and started defending the decision to perform this secret abortion on Erin, on the grounds that the girl was a woman who had every right to do what she wanted with her own body. Erin's mom, needless to say, was in no mood for this, with doctors fighting to save her daughter's life.
Fortunately, Erin survived her ordeal. But her mother learned that it Erin's school routinely conspired to arrange secret abortions on underage girls.
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Nevertheless, staff at Erin's school learned that she was pregnant, and conspired with outside agencies to falsify records and arrange an abortion for Erin during school hours.The abortion was performed at Chico Feminist Women's Health Center, a National Abortion Federation member facility.
The first Erin's mom knew about all these machinations came when she got a call to come to the school immediately. Erin was suffering complications from the abortion and had to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
While Erin was in emergency surgery, and her mother paced the floor in front of surgery, Chris Parker from the clinic arrived at the hospital, and started defending the decision to perform this secret abortion on Erin, on the grounds that the girl was a woman who had every right to do what she wanted with her own body. Erin's mom, needless to say, was in no mood for this, with doctors fighting to save her daughter's life.
Fortunately, Erin survived her ordeal. But her mother learned that it Erin's school routinely conspired to arrange secret abortions on underage girls.
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Thursday, June 16, 2005
Blog roundup
Patricia is a young student learning to explore and express her political views, and she's asked for feedback on her analysis of abortion. I left my two cents worth. Let's point her toward some solid information. Kudos to Patricia! (Though she sounds much older than she says she is!
Marie is pregnant, and though she's rejected abortion she's still in great need of prayer and wisdom. She's trying to choose between parenting and making an adoption plan. Let's rally around her!
GovernorGrayDavis has a bee in his bonnet about Ahnold's support of parental notification for abortion. Gracious! What's to become of the world, when the Governor himself actually wants parents to be involved in life-altering decisions being made by and on behalf of their underage daughters!
Marie is pregnant, and though she's rejected abortion she's still in great need of prayer and wisdom. She's trying to choose between parenting and making an adoption plan. Let's rally around her!
GovernorGrayDavis has a bee in his bonnet about Ahnold's support of parental notification for abortion. Gracious! What's to become of the world, when the Governor himself actually wants parents to be involved in life-altering decisions being made by and on behalf of their underage daughters!
Contact new ACOG president
Operation Rescue is reminding prolifers that we have a window of opportunity to contact the new president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to urge him to steer the ACOG into a prolife direction. I'd add, let's remind him that prolife is pro-woman!
I'll write about how I was being pressured into abortion before I was even pregnant. Post-abortion women -- especially Ashli! You have a unique perspective -- make sure he hears your voices! Here, thanks to OR, is the contact information:
Michael T. Mennuti, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director of Reproductive Genetics
University of Pennsylvania Health System
5 Dulles Building 3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283
PHONE: 215-662-3234
FAX: 215-349-5893
email: mmennuti@mail.obgyn.upenn.edu
Please go first to this page for background on Mennuti. Sadly, it looks like this guy is a "search and destroy" pioneer. But on the plus side, this is an opportunity to open his eyes. If happy parents of children with disabilities, and mothers devastated after the abortion of a disabled child, can tell their stories, he might lean toward seeking treatments rather than "termination." Maybe stress the fine work his colleagues are doing in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Suggest that perhaps perinatal hospice is an idea whose time has come. Perhaps make mention of overeagerness to prescribe abortion among far too many ob/gyns. Maybe mention women who have died from complications of fetal-indications abortions, particularly Marla Cardamone and Allegra Roseberry, whose fetuses turned out to have been perfectly healthy.
There are so many things we can bring up with this man. Let's appeal to him based on what's important to him. And he seems to be heavily into perfecting prenatal diagnoses. Let's make our focus on steering him toward helping the woman and her family, and away from thinking in terms of "early termination."
I'll write about how I was being pressured into abortion before I was even pregnant. Post-abortion women -- especially Ashli! You have a unique perspective -- make sure he hears your voices! Here, thanks to OR, is the contact information:
Michael T. Mennuti, M.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director of Reproductive Genetics
University of Pennsylvania Health System
5 Dulles Building 3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283
PHONE: 215-662-3234
FAX: 215-349-5893
email: mmennuti@mail.obgyn.upenn.edu
Please go first to this page for background on Mennuti. Sadly, it looks like this guy is a "search and destroy" pioneer. But on the plus side, this is an opportunity to open his eyes. If happy parents of children with disabilities, and mothers devastated after the abortion of a disabled child, can tell their stories, he might lean toward seeking treatments rather than "termination." Maybe stress the fine work his colleagues are doing in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Suggest that perhaps perinatal hospice is an idea whose time has come. Perhaps make mention of overeagerness to prescribe abortion among far too many ob/gyns. Maybe mention women who have died from complications of fetal-indications abortions, particularly Marla Cardamone and Allegra Roseberry, whose fetuses turned out to have been perfectly healthy.
There are so many things we can bring up with this man. Let's appeal to him based on what's important to him. And he seems to be heavily into perfecting prenatal diagnoses. Let's make our focus on steering him toward helping the woman and her family, and away from thinking in terms of "early termination."
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
More beneficiaries of safe and legal abortion
Twenty-five-year-old Margaret Smith traveled from Michigan to New York for an abortion because she had been exposed to rubella. Her abortionist, Dr. Jesse Ketchum, had run a criminal abortion practice in Michigan, before carpetbagging to Buffalo when New York legalized abortion on demand. Ketchum performed a vaginal hysterotomy on Margaret at 10:30 the morning of June 16, 1971. Margaret was then left virtually unattended until her boyfriend retured at 2:00. He found Margaret unresponsive, and begged Ketchum and his staff to do something.
Paramedics were summoned, but they were unable to revive Margaret. She was taken to a hospital across the street from Ketchum's office, where she was pronouced dead on arrival. Margaret's vagina had been sutured, but a laceration in her uterus and cervix had not been repaired. She had bled to death.
Ketchum was charged with criminally negligent homicide in Margaret's death. Before his case went to trial, he performed a similar abortion on Carole Schaner of Ohio. Carol suffered similar injuries ad bled to death in her motel room after Ketchum discharged her.
Margaret Smith isn't the only Margaret whose death we should remember on June 16. Margaret Paula Clodfelter was 19 years old when she had an abortion at Richmond Medical Center For Women on June 2, 1989. After she was discharged from the clinic, Margaret had pain and bleeding. She called the facility to consult with them, but they did not tell her that she needed any further care. She developed infection, so doctors performed a hysterectomy. Their efforts were in vain. Margaret died on June 16, 1989. She left behind a husband and a one-year-old son.
And a third death to remember on this date is that of a 20-year-old Newark college student, identified in prolife sources as "Jane Doe of Newark" because her name is redacted from public record documents. She underwent an abortion by Dr. Steven Berkman at Metropolitan Medical Associates on June 16, 1993. Jane reportedly felt dizzy in recovery. Berkman examined her, noted that she had a perforated uterus, and had her taken to a hospital by ambulance. She died in surgery, leaving her four-year-old son motherless.
Save and legal is a lie. It's not safe when women die.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Paramedics were summoned, but they were unable to revive Margaret. She was taken to a hospital across the street from Ketchum's office, where she was pronouced dead on arrival. Margaret's vagina had been sutured, but a laceration in her uterus and cervix had not been repaired. She had bled to death.
Ketchum was charged with criminally negligent homicide in Margaret's death. Before his case went to trial, he performed a similar abortion on Carole Schaner of Ohio. Carol suffered similar injuries ad bled to death in her motel room after Ketchum discharged her.
Margaret Smith isn't the only Margaret whose death we should remember on June 16. Margaret Paula Clodfelter was 19 years old when she had an abortion at Richmond Medical Center For Women on June 2, 1989. After she was discharged from the clinic, Margaret had pain and bleeding. She called the facility to consult with them, but they did not tell her that she needed any further care. She developed infection, so doctors performed a hysterectomy. Their efforts were in vain. Margaret died on June 16, 1989. She left behind a husband and a one-year-old son.
And a third death to remember on this date is that of a 20-year-old Newark college student, identified in prolife sources as "Jane Doe of Newark" because her name is redacted from public record documents. She underwent an abortion by Dr. Steven Berkman at Metropolitan Medical Associates on June 16, 1993. Jane reportedly felt dizzy in recovery. Berkman examined her, noted that she had a perforated uterus, and had her taken to a hospital by ambulance. She died in surgery, leaving her four-year-old son motherless.
Save and legal is a lie. It's not safe when women die.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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The "Koop Report" rears its ugly head
Annie at After Abortion noted that the "Koop Report" is rearing its ugly head again, with abortion proponents claiming that Koop "found" that abortion has no negative impact on women. You must read this article that addresses the genesis of this prochoice myth.
If you want to repost the entire article in your site, just make sure you give me the byline, add a linkback to the original article, and acknowledge it as a reprint. Let's get the word out. The "Koop Report" is a scam!
If you want to repost the entire article in your site, just make sure you give me the byline, add a linkback to the original article, and acknowledge it as a reprint. Let's get the word out. The "Koop Report" is a scam!
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Pro-Child/Pro-Choice?
We've all heard that bizarre slogan. But even the most hardened abortion proponent would have a hard time telling Germain Newman's mom how pro-child "choice" is. On June 14, 1984, 14-year-old Germaine had a second-trimester abortion performed by Dr. E. Wyman Garrett in Newark, New Jersey. She was 22 weeks pregnant. The next day her mother found her lying dead on the bathroom floor. An autopsy found that Germaine's abdomen was full of pus and adhesions. The cause of death was abdominal infection and perforation of the uterus.
Germain was only one of far too many children to pay with their lives for the myth that abortion is good for them:
And these are just the girls whose tragic stories I happen to know about. God alone knows how many others have died whose deaths didn't spark the lawsuits and investigations that bring these tragedies to light.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Germain was only one of far too many children to pay with their lives for the myth that abortion is good for them:
Deanna Bell, age 13
Teresa Causey, age 17
Patricia Chacon, age 16
Sharon Davis, age 17
Laniece Dorsey, age 17
Gwendolyn Drummer, age 15
Maureen Espinoza, age 16
Cristella Forte, age 16
Glenna Jean Fox, age 17
Jammie Garcia, age 14
Wilma Harris, age 17
Barbara Hoppert, age 16
Sandra Kaiser, age 14
Deborah Lozinski, age 17
Sophie McCoy, age 17
Rita McDowell, age 16
Natalie Meyers, age 16
Denise Montoya, age 15
Beverly Moore, age 17
Loretta Morton, age 16
Kathy Murphy, age 17
Sara Niebel, age 15
Katrina Poole, age 16
Dawn Ravenelle, age 13
Erica Richardson, age 16
"April" Roe, age 17
"Julie" Roe, age 14
"Roxanne" Roe, age 17
Sharonda Rowe, age 17
Tamia Russell, age 15
F.S., age 16
Deloris Smith, age 15
Jennifer Suddeth, age 17
Latachie Veal, age 17
Cheryl Vosseler, age 17
And these are just the girls whose tragic stories I happen to know about. God alone knows how many others have died whose deaths didn't spark the lawsuits and investigations that bring these tragedies to light.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Another one for the "Depraved" files
The Daily Sport comments on abortion merchandise, including the baby hat that says "choice" on it. (Thanks for advertising to the world that you decided not to snuff Junior after all.) Oh, and a "Kiss me, I'm prochoice" t-shirt that is no doubt providing a vital public service to slimy men who want to make sure that if their one-night-stand gets knocked up, they'll only be stuck coughing up half the abortion fee and not saddled with 18 years of child support payments.
Window of opportunity
The blogosphere, prolife and prochoice alike, is abuzz with the article about how George Tiller is one of the few abortionists willing to snuff third-trimester babies with Down Syndrome.
Let's start publicizing sites that celebrate folks with Down Syndrome.
And I also think now would be a good time to get copies of Common Threads into every ob/gyn's waiting room, into CPCs, and especially into the hands of folks outside and near Tiller's "clinic." Band of Angels gives a 20% discount for orders of 30 or more items, so prolife groups can have a fund raiser and get lots of materials.
Folks who would have direct contact with women who might be considering aborting a Down Syndrome baby should be provided with copies of My Baby Can! in both boy version and girl version. Maybe the Wichita prolifers can recruit somebody with Down Syndrome to be there, wearing a T-shirt saying, "Ask me about my Down Syndrome before you make your choice," and being ready to give the proper baby book to moms who change their minds.
Let's start publicizing sites that celebrate folks with Down Syndrome.
And I also think now would be a good time to get copies of Common Threads into every ob/gyn's waiting room, into CPCs, and especially into the hands of folks outside and near Tiller's "clinic." Band of Angels gives a 20% discount for orders of 30 or more items, so prolife groups can have a fund raiser and get lots of materials.
Folks who would have direct contact with women who might be considering aborting a Down Syndrome baby should be provided with copies of My Baby Can! in both boy version and girl version. Maybe the Wichita prolifers can recruit somebody with Down Syndrome to be there, wearing a T-shirt saying, "Ask me about my Down Syndrome before you make your choice," and being ready to give the proper baby book to moms who change their minds.
Remembering more safe-n-legal carnage
On June 11, 1991, Angela Hall, a 27-year-old mother of five, called to arrange an abortion at Thomas Tucker's office in Alabama. One of Tucker's employees, Joy Davis, screened Angela and felt that she had risk factors that made abortion in an office setting unsafe. Joy got on the phone with Tucker and indicated that she felt that Angela should be referred to a hospital. Tucker told Davis that "we need the money" and ordered her to prep Angela, who was in the second trimester of pregnancy. Angela had trouble breathing and began to hemorrhage after the abortion, but Tucker cancelled the ambulance Davis had called because they'd already sent another patient to the hospital that day. Eventually Tucker gave in to Davis' pleading, snapped at her to call an ambulance, and left the building. Angela developed sepsis and finally died of her injures on June 14. The autopsy found numerous tears and lesions in the pelvic area, and congestive necrosis in Angela's liver and spleen. The doctors concluded that amniotic fluid embolism had caused clotting problems resulting in necrosis, septic shock, and cardiac arrest. When Alabama authorities subpoenaed Angela's records, Tucker ordered Davis to destroy some and falsify others. Davis tore up the records, but then taped them back together and provided the authorities with photocopies.
Eighteen-year-old newlywed Barbaralee Davis called a local women's group for an abortion referral. They sent her to a member of the newly founded National Abortion Federation, Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois. Barbaralee underwent the abortion on June 14, 1977. After the abortion, Barbaralee was kept for observation, then discharged. Her sister helped her, pale and bleeding, to the car. Barbaralee slept in the back seat the whole way home. Her sister helped her to bed. When Barbaralee's sister checked on her later, she was unresponsive. She was rushed to the Pickneyville hospital, where an emergency hysterectomy was attempted to save her life. Barbaralee died during the surgery. The autopsy found the face and spinal column of Barbaralee's baby embedded in a hole in her uterus. There were two quarts of blood in her abdomen. Barbaralee had bled to death.
Who, in these cases, benefitted from "access" to "safe and legal" abortion.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Eighteen-year-old newlywed Barbaralee Davis called a local women's group for an abortion referral. They sent her to a member of the newly founded National Abortion Federation, Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Illinois. Barbaralee underwent the abortion on June 14, 1977. After the abortion, Barbaralee was kept for observation, then discharged. Her sister helped her, pale and bleeding, to the car. Barbaralee slept in the back seat the whole way home. Her sister helped her to bed. When Barbaralee's sister checked on her later, she was unresponsive. She was rushed to the Pickneyville hospital, where an emergency hysterectomy was attempted to save her life. Barbaralee died during the surgery. The autopsy found the face and spinal column of Barbaralee's baby embedded in a hole in her uterus. There were two quarts of blood in her abdomen. Barbaralee had bled to death.
Who, in these cases, benefitted from "access" to "safe and legal" abortion.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Monday, June 13, 2005
Blog roundup
Go to Blance of Power for some great discussion.
LaruaMcKenna laments the sad lack of "access" in Mississippi. Women who want dead babies might actually have to either kill them before 16 weeks or travel out-of-state. Perish the thought!
GayLikeAFox manned a prolife table at a Gay Pride event, and recounts his experiences. Cool!
The-Goddess can't seem to distinguish between survival and avoiding stretch marks. What is it with people who can't cope when life doesn't go as planned? Nowhere in the Constitution is there a right to get your way all the time. You have sex, you might make a baby. Learn to adjust.
Over at Pieces of Flair are musings about how the right to privacy is sacrosanct when it comes to abortion but somehow don't seem to apply to Second Amendment rights.
And remember Krishna Rajanna, the Kansas abortionist who finally lost his license? You can see pictures of his clinic at Operation Rescue's site. All together now: Eeeewwwwww!!!!!
LaruaMcKenna laments the sad lack of "access" in Mississippi. Women who want dead babies might actually have to either kill them before 16 weeks or travel out-of-state. Perish the thought!
GayLikeAFox manned a prolife table at a Gay Pride event, and recounts his experiences. Cool!
The-Goddess can't seem to distinguish between survival and avoiding stretch marks. What is it with people who can't cope when life doesn't go as planned? Nowhere in the Constitution is there a right to get your way all the time. You have sex, you might make a baby. Learn to adjust.
Over at Pieces of Flair are musings about how the right to privacy is sacrosanct when it comes to abortion but somehow don't seem to apply to Second Amendment rights.
And remember Krishna Rajanna, the Kansas abortionist who finally lost his license? You can see pictures of his clinic at Operation Rescue's site. All together now: Eeeewwwwww!!!!!
Sunday, June 12, 2005
"Keeping the government out of our bedrooms"
Yeah, abortion defenders use this line to defend keeping abortion legal. But who the heck is doing abortions in bedrooms, aside from that creepy guy in Oklahoma?
Is "the sanctity of the bedroom" even remotely valid here? The bedroom is not exempt from laws. If you rape your daughter, beat your wife, or bag drugs for sale in your bedroom, the government can and will interfere. This is as it should be. Otherwise, all criminals would have to do is commit crimes in bedrooms to be immune from prosecution.
This government access to our bedrooms has not resulted in the police monitoring our sleep patterns or lovemaking. And abortion advocates are insulting all of us to suggest otherwise. They should stick to the subject. Abortion is not about two people making love--it is about two people killing a baby. And the abortion doesn't take place in a bedroom, it takes place in a public accomodation -- a doctor's office, clinic, or hospital. Bedrooms have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Is "the sanctity of the bedroom" even remotely valid here? The bedroom is not exempt from laws. If you rape your daughter, beat your wife, or bag drugs for sale in your bedroom, the government can and will interfere. This is as it should be. Otherwise, all criminals would have to do is commit crimes in bedrooms to be immune from prosecution.
This government access to our bedrooms has not resulted in the police monitoring our sleep patterns or lovemaking. And abortion advocates are insulting all of us to suggest otherwise. They should stick to the subject. Abortion is not about two people making love--it is about two people killing a baby. And the abortion doesn't take place in a bedroom, it takes place in a public accomodation -- a doctor's office, clinic, or hospital. Bedrooms have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Focusing on abortion
Salon online has a fascinating article on NARAL's focus groups coming up with another PR plan to make abortion-on-demand more palatable to the general public. It's a doozy:
Well, Mr. Saletan, it's hard to reconcile the idea of "responsibility" with a lifestyle of casual sex being maintained with the blood of children. The "Will Kill For Sex" crowd is evidently catching onto this fact and trying to come up with a way to dress it up. And NARAL's attitude of "Hey, if some slimebag 24-year-old Romeo wants to knock up your 13-year-old daughter then spirit her away for an abortion to keep their little romance a secret, he's got our phone number in his pocket and we'll pull out the stops to help him" isn't really attractive to the public, either.
You can put a tutu on that pig, but you can't make it dance.
Thursday morning, the folks at NARAL Pro-Choice America hold a press conference in downtown Washington to release a poll and a new message they swear will shake up—really, truly this time—the abortion debate. They're going to talk about responsibility.
It's a great idea. I've hounded Democrats for years to talk about responsibility. But great ideas can be dangerous. The last time NARAL invented a new message, it came back to bite them. In 1989, when their backs were against the wall, they repackaged abortion rights as an issue of getting the government out of the family. That message won over millions of pro-family, anti-government people. But the pro-family, anti-government people thought pro-family meant supporting parental notification laws and anti-government meant opposing government funding of abortions. Pro-choicers got beaten with their own words.
Is it about to happen all over again?
Well, Mr. Saletan, it's hard to reconcile the idea of "responsibility" with a lifestyle of casual sex being maintained with the blood of children. The "Will Kill For Sex" crowd is evidently catching onto this fact and trying to come up with a way to dress it up. And NARAL's attitude of "Hey, if some slimebag 24-year-old Romeo wants to knock up your 13-year-old daughter then spirit her away for an abortion to keep their little romance a secret, he's got our phone number in his pocket and we'll pull out the stops to help him" isn't really attractive to the public, either.
You can put a tutu on that pig, but you can't make it dance.
Well, add this to the depravity file
Operation Rescue has found out that George "The Killer" Tiller has a granny down the street who babysits children while their siblings are being snuffed two blocks over.
It's not quite as disquieting as the sight of moms bringing their kids to their abortions, like I've seen done when I picketed in Harrisburg -- but it's creepier, really, because they plan it that way.
"You stay with the nice lady while Mommy goes and kills the baby. Be a good boy!"
It's not quite as disquieting as the sight of moms bringing their kids to their abortions, like I've seen done when I picketed in Harrisburg -- but it's creepier, really, because they plan it that way.
"You stay with the nice lady while Mommy goes and kills the baby. Be a good boy!"
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Another look at George "The Killer" Tiller
Infamous Wichita late-term abortionist George "The Killer" Tiller may be in a heap-o-trouble for routinely performing abortions past viability when there are no maternal health indications. So now seems a good time to review some of Tiller's questionable behaviors:
A look at Tiller's web site indicates that his staff can diagnose fetal viability over the phone.
He was sued by a woman who said that he told her she had an ectopic pregnancy in order to trick her into consenting to an unwanted abortion.
Another woman sued, saying that Tiller not only botched her abortion, but left her cold and frightened in a utility room instead of treating her complications.
He's become famous for his gruesome ceremonies to memorialize the aborted babies.
Most recently, a 19-year-old developmentally-disabled woman died after an abortion at Tiller's facility.
Here's a blog roundup on Tiller:
A look at Tiller's web site indicates that his staff can diagnose fetal viability over the phone.
He was sued by a woman who said that he told her she had an ectopic pregnancy in order to trick her into consenting to an unwanted abortion.
Another woman sued, saying that Tiller not only botched her abortion, but left her cold and frightened in a utility room instead of treating her complications.
He's become famous for his gruesome ceremonies to memorialize the aborted babies.
Most recently, a 19-year-old developmentally-disabled woman died after an abortion at Tiller's facility.
Here's a blog roundup on Tiller:
Kansas abortionist finally loses license
Thanks to Kevin for the tip -- Kansas City abortionist Krishna Rajanna lost his license after a medical board inspector pulled a surprise inspection and found that his facility was nasty, with syringes of medication in an unlocked refrigerator and a dead mouse in the hall. Medical waste was being stored in open containers.
Here are some background stories on Rajanna:
Here are some background stories on Rajanna:
Safe-n-Legal -- One day, one clinic, two fatal injuries
On this date, June 12, in 1979, 19-year-old Angela Scott died after lingering for a week in a coma. She sustained her fatal injuries at Atlanta Women's Pavillion, a National Abortion Federation member facility, on June 2. Angela was the first of two teen patients to suffer fatal injuries at Atlanta Women's Pavillion in less than an hour.
It all began when Angela stopped breathing in the recovery room. A nurse-anesthetist was administering anesthesia to 14-year-old Delores Smith while Dr. Jacob Adams was performing her abortion. The nurse-anesthetist ran to assist in efforts to revive Angela, leaving Delores unattended with her anesthesia drip still running.
After staff had resuscitated Angela and loaded her into an ambulance, they returned their attention to Delores, who had gone into cardio-respiratory arrest. Adams had accompanied Angela to the Grady Memorial Hospital, and staff refused to release Dolores to an ambulance until the physician had returned to discharge her. This resulted in a 30-minute delay, during which the ambulance crew was unable to attend to Delores or begin transporting her.
Angela lingered for a week in a coma before dying on June 11. Delores never regained consciousness and eventually was admitted to a nursing home, where she died of adult respiratory distress syndrome on October 24, 1979, some time after her fifteenth birthday.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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It all began when Angela stopped breathing in the recovery room. A nurse-anesthetist was administering anesthesia to 14-year-old Delores Smith while Dr. Jacob Adams was performing her abortion. The nurse-anesthetist ran to assist in efforts to revive Angela, leaving Delores unattended with her anesthesia drip still running.
After staff had resuscitated Angela and loaded her into an ambulance, they returned their attention to Delores, who had gone into cardio-respiratory arrest. Adams had accompanied Angela to the Grady Memorial Hospital, and staff refused to release Dolores to an ambulance until the physician had returned to discharge her. This resulted in a 30-minute delay, during which the ambulance crew was unable to attend to Delores or begin transporting her.
Angela lingered for a week in a coma before dying on June 11. Delores never regained consciousness and eventually was admitted to a nursing home, where she died of adult respiratory distress syndrome on October 24, 1979, some time after her fifteenth birthday.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Friday, June 10, 2005
The wheels of justice grind slowly indeed
Diane Adams will be able to sue the people who killed her daughter in a botched abortion in 1992. Deanna Bell was 13 years old when staff at FPA's Albany Medical Surgical Clinic in Chicago gave her a massive overdose of Brevitol, then according to their own records, stood around doing nothing after she stopped breathing. The clinic in question was and remains a member of the National Abortion Federation. (Cite: Adams v. Family Planning Associates Medical Group, Inc., No. 1-98-2583; 1st District, June 30, 2000
I called the NAF hotline in 1995, posing as a patient scheduled for an abortion at Albany. I said that somebody had told me a girl had died there. The hotline counselor assured me, "All of the complications are reported here, and if there was an excessive amount of complications, they would not be a member of the National Abortion Federation." I then called Susan Shapiro, a NAF spokesperson, and what they'd tell a caller who wanted to verify a death. Shaprio told me, "We don't have that -- No, we would not inform them of anything specific, unless there was a problem. Then they wouldn't be NAF members if there was something -- if there was a serious problem, and if the complications were -- were serious, you know."
A report sent from Albany to the hospital that had referred Deanna read, "Date of service 9-5-92, Uneventful D&C, Thank you!" It was signed by abortionist Steve Lichtenberg.
So evidently Albany and NAF don't consider the death of a 13-year-old girl to be "eventful" or "serious."
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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I called the NAF hotline in 1995, posing as a patient scheduled for an abortion at Albany. I said that somebody had told me a girl had died there. The hotline counselor assured me, "All of the complications are reported here, and if there was an excessive amount of complications, they would not be a member of the National Abortion Federation." I then called Susan Shapiro, a NAF spokesperson, and what they'd tell a caller who wanted to verify a death. Shaprio told me, "We don't have that -- No, we would not inform them of anything specific, unless there was a problem. Then they wouldn't be NAF members if there was something -- if there was a serious problem, and if the complications were -- were serious, you know."
A report sent from Albany to the hospital that had referred Deanna read, "Date of service 9-5-92, Uneventful D&C, Thank you!" It was signed by abortionist Steve Lichtenberg.
So evidently Albany and NAF don't consider the death of a 13-year-old girl to be "eventful" or "serious."
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Thursday, June 09, 2005
Prayers needed for blogger, girlfriend, unborn baby
MyLife's pregnant SO was planning to abort their baby behind his back, after saying she'd have the baby. He found the card from the clinic in her purse and talked to her and she's agreeing not to do it, but will she keep her word? Prayers and support for this guy! He's trying to be a good boyfriend and a good father and he's getting shafted!
If they really needed an abortion, why would they change their minds?
Abortion advocates ensure us that women only have abortions they "need." How, then, can they explain why women change their minds after a failed abortion attempt? If the birth of this baby is truly going to utterly ruin the woman's life, wouldn't she still "need" the abortion when she learned it had failed to kill the fetus?
"Liz" has an abortion at a Planned Parenthood on September 22, 1990. As it turned out, the pre abortion ultrasound had shown a twin pregnancy, but only one twin was aborted. The surviving fetus was born on May 16, 1991, and named Jordan.
"Glenda" had an abortion at a Family Planning Associates facility on August 20, 1981, and was assured that "the abortion...had been successful and that she was no longer pregnant." The abortion had failed to kill the fetus, however, and Glenda had the baby. (FPA is the most notorious of the National Abortion Federation abortion mills.)
"Emily" has a suction abortion by Basil Bisca on September 24, 1983. Four and a half months later Tawnya gave birth by C-section to premature infant boy who died from multiple birth defects about five hours later.
"Lena" has an abortion by Dr. Gay Boyle at Birmingham Women's Medical Clinic November 21, 1982. She learned later that the fetus had survived and that she was in the second trimester of pregnancy. Lena chose to continue to term despite worry about the baby, who was born July 23, 1983.
"Latisha" had a positive pregnancy test on December 30, 1981. The staff at Her Medical Clinic recommended an abortion, which she had that day. When she returned to Her Medical Clinic on February 22, 1982, they told her she was still pregnant. Latisha "could not bear the emotional trauma of a repeat abortion at that stage in her pregnancy," so she had the baby. (Her Medical Clinic is the facility where the fatal abortions on Michelle Thames, Liliana Cortez, and Donna Heim were performed.)
"Kathleen" had an abortion at Women's Health Center of West County April 13, 1984. When she reported for Army Basic Training a few weeks later, she was found to be 13 weeks pregnant. Kathleen was discharged from the Army, and gave birth to her baby on October 19, 1984.
"Peg" had a D&C abortion at Dr. Burton Krafte's office when she was eight weeks pregnant. Upon returning for a follow up visit, Peg was discovered to be 18 weeks pregnant. She had the baby.
"Addie" had abortion done by Marvin K. Levin at Family Planning Centers on November 1, 1978. Addie went to a clinic for a pregnancy test on January 9 of 1979, and was informed that she was indeed still pregnant. By then, Addie was 14 weeks pregnant and decided to carry to term.
If, as abortion advocates would have you believe, women seeking abortions are adamant that they "need" them, then wouldn't women always have a second "safe and legal" abortion to kill the fetus that survived a first abortion attempt? The fact that a cursory glance through my notes found these cases, and more, should give us pause. Is abortion something women are really so sure about? Or is it something they resort to in a moment of crisis, something that they're ambivalent enough about to change their minds even after undergoing an abortion procedure to get rid of the "unwanted" pregnancy?
"Liz" has an abortion at a Planned Parenthood on September 22, 1990. As it turned out, the pre abortion ultrasound had shown a twin pregnancy, but only one twin was aborted. The surviving fetus was born on May 16, 1991, and named Jordan.
"Glenda" had an abortion at a Family Planning Associates facility on August 20, 1981, and was assured that "the abortion...had been successful and that she was no longer pregnant." The abortion had failed to kill the fetus, however, and Glenda had the baby. (FPA is the most notorious of the National Abortion Federation abortion mills.)
"Emily" has a suction abortion by Basil Bisca on September 24, 1983. Four and a half months later Tawnya gave birth by C-section to premature infant boy who died from multiple birth defects about five hours later.
"Lena" has an abortion by Dr. Gay Boyle at Birmingham Women's Medical Clinic November 21, 1982. She learned later that the fetus had survived and that she was in the second trimester of pregnancy. Lena chose to continue to term despite worry about the baby, who was born July 23, 1983.
"Latisha" had a positive pregnancy test on December 30, 1981. The staff at Her Medical Clinic recommended an abortion, which she had that day. When she returned to Her Medical Clinic on February 22, 1982, they told her she was still pregnant. Latisha "could not bear the emotional trauma of a repeat abortion at that stage in her pregnancy," so she had the baby. (Her Medical Clinic is the facility where the fatal abortions on Michelle Thames, Liliana Cortez, and Donna Heim were performed.)
"Kathleen" had an abortion at Women's Health Center of West County April 13, 1984. When she reported for Army Basic Training a few weeks later, she was found to be 13 weeks pregnant. Kathleen was discharged from the Army, and gave birth to her baby on October 19, 1984.
"Peg" had a D&C abortion at Dr. Burton Krafte's office when she was eight weeks pregnant. Upon returning for a follow up visit, Peg was discovered to be 18 weeks pregnant. She had the baby.
"Addie" had abortion done by Marvin K. Levin at Family Planning Centers on November 1, 1978. Addie went to a clinic for a pregnancy test on January 9 of 1979, and was informed that she was indeed still pregnant. By then, Addie was 14 weeks pregnant and decided to carry to term.
If, as abortion advocates would have you believe, women seeking abortions are adamant that they "need" them, then wouldn't women always have a second "safe and legal" abortion to kill the fetus that survived a first abortion attempt? The fact that a cursory glance through my notes found these cases, and more, should give us pause. Is abortion something women are really so sure about? Or is it something they resort to in a moment of crisis, something that they're ambivalent enough about to change their minds even after undergoing an abortion procedure to get rid of the "unwanted" pregnancy?
This'd be a good start
When I saw the title, Missouri Judge: Planned Parenthood Must Pay Back State Funds, I thought that this was the first incident of PP having to pay back state Medicaid funds because they'd broken the law regarding mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse. But no, it's just that PP had appealed Missouri's efforts to defund their abortion business, and lost this round of appeals. They're planning to keep appealing. But wouldn't it be lovely if they had to pay back the $600,000? Wouldn't this be a beautiful, heartening trend? Let the Pill-pushers and abortion advocates fund their own social engineering, and leave the taxpayers out of it!
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Where's the "need" for abortion?
Among the prochoice it's a given: there is a real "need" for abortion, as measured by the reality of women seeking abortions. But is the request for abortion proof that abortion is necessary, or does it demonstrate some other principle?
It's long been documented that ambivalence is normal in early pregnancy:
To summarize: It's normal during the first trimester to be ambivalent, or even to reject the pregnancy. The fact that the woman rejects the pregnancy during the first trimester does not mean that she will continue to reject the pregnancy, or that she will reject the baby once it is born. It simply means that she is normal.
To "treat" this ambivalence with abortion is as irresponsible as to "treat" the bleeding of menstruation with a hysterectomy. Normal, self-limiting phenomena do not need to be "treated." The conscientious doctor will instead provide support to help the patient understand and deal with her symptoms.
It's long been documented that ambivalence is normal in early pregnancy:
"Surprise or shock is often the initial reaction to the validation of pregnancy. Caplan (1959) indicated that initial rejection of pregnancy is common, but that it is generally followed by acceptance at the end of the first trimester." (Lederman, Psychosocial Adaptation in Pregnancy, 1984)
"Those who plead for an extensive relaxation of the law [against abortion] have no idea of the very many cases where a woman who, during the first three months, makes a most impassioned appeal for her pregnancy to be 'finished,' later, when the baby is born, is thankful indeed that it was not killed while still an embryo. During my long years in practice I have had many a letter of the deepest gratitude for refusing to accede to an early appeal." (A. Bourne, A Doctor's Creed: The Memoirs of a Gynecologist, 1963)"[Members of the 1955 Planned Parenthood conference on abortion] agreed, and this was backed up by evidence from the Scandinavians, that when a woman seeking an abortion is given the chance of talking over her problem with a properly trained and oriented person, she will in the process very often resolve many of her qualms and will spontaneously decide to see the pregnancy through, particularly if she is assured that supportive help will continue to be available to her." (Calderone, "Illegal Abortion as a Public Health Problem," American Journal of Public Health, July 1960)
"M.J. Daly has noted that the legitimately pregnant woman, and often those illegitimately pregnant too, are ambivalent to the pregnancy. This ambivalence is so universal that it may be considered normal in the first trimester. ("The Unwanted Pregnancy," Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1970." Cited in Gardner, Abortion: The Personal Dilemma, 1972)
"Ambivalence is another emotional response observed in many pregnant women. .... Surprise or shock may be the initial reaction, followed by very mixed feelings. .... Rubin believes that few women who become pregnant feel ready 'now.' .... Initial rejection of the pregnancy is common, Caplan states, but it is usually replaced by acceptance by the end of the first trimester." (Nichols and Humenick, Childbirth Education: Practice, Research, and Theory, 1988)
To summarize: It's normal during the first trimester to be ambivalent, or even to reject the pregnancy. The fact that the woman rejects the pregnancy during the first trimester does not mean that she will continue to reject the pregnancy, or that she will reject the baby once it is born. It simply means that she is normal.
To "treat" this ambivalence with abortion is as irresponsible as to "treat" the bleeding of menstruation with a hysterectomy. Normal, self-limiting phenomena do not need to be "treated." The conscientious doctor will instead provide support to help the patient understand and deal with her symptoms.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Safe-n-Legal: Joyce Ortenzio
The survivors of 32-year-old Joyce Ortenzio filed suit against Edward Allred, his Family Planning Associates Medical Group (FPA), the San Vicente Hospital FPA facility, and abortionist Ruben Marmet. Joyce went to San Vicente for laminaria insertion by Marmet on June 7, 1988. Later, Marmet performed an abortion, but did not remove all of the fetal parts from Joyce's uterus.
The next day, June 8, Joyce was found dead in her home.
The cause of death was an overdose of the drug amitriptyline, infection from fetal parts that were not removed during the abortion, and septic shock.
Joyce left three children motherless.
Maybe some prochoicers can explain to me how much better off Joyce's children are that their mother had access to safe-n-legal abortion, and didn't have to die from one of those terrible "back-alley" abortions. Other women who gained the dubious benefits of dying from a safe-n-legal abortion at San Vicente include Sara Lint and Natalie Meyers. Despite their poor safety record, FPA was welcomed into the National Abortion Federation.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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The next day, June 8, Joyce was found dead in her home.
The cause of death was an overdose of the drug amitriptyline, infection from fetal parts that were not removed during the abortion, and septic shock.
Joyce left three children motherless.
Maybe some prochoicers can explain to me how much better off Joyce's children are that their mother had access to safe-n-legal abortion, and didn't have to die from one of those terrible "back-alley" abortions. Other women who gained the dubious benefits of dying from a safe-n-legal abortion at San Vicente include Sara Lint and Natalie Meyers. Despite their poor safety record, FPA was welcomed into the National Abortion Federation.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Digging for dirt on abortionists
For prolifers who want to use "The Chicago Method," and for prochoicers who would like to start doing background checks on their local practitioners so that they can steer women away from quacks, here's the basics on Digging for Dirt on Abortionists.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Lest we forget -- two abortion deaths
Today, June 6, marks the deaths of two young women from safe-n-legal abortions.
A chronic ashtma patient, 27-year-old Sheila Hebert went to Delta Women's Clinic in Baton Rouge for an abortion on June 6, 1984. Shortly after the abortion, Sheila complained of chest pains and difficulty breathing. She lost consciousness, and staff injected her with adrenaline, but were unable to revive her. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died. The coroner attributed the death to "cardiorespiratory arrest due to acute ashtmatic bronchitis" after "surgical termination of pregnancy."
Nicey Washington was 26 years old when she underwent a safe and legal abortion at Ambulatory Surgery Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 6, 2000. Her heart stopped after the abortion. She was rushed to Lutheran Hospital at about 11 a.m. Attempts to revive her failed, and she was declared dead at around noon.
Laws don't kill women. Abortion does.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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A chronic ashtma patient, 27-year-old Sheila Hebert went to Delta Women's Clinic in Baton Rouge for an abortion on June 6, 1984. Shortly after the abortion, Sheila complained of chest pains and difficulty breathing. She lost consciousness, and staff injected her with adrenaline, but were unable to revive her. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died. The coroner attributed the death to "cardiorespiratory arrest due to acute ashtmatic bronchitis" after "surgical termination of pregnancy."
Nicey Washington was 26 years old when she underwent a safe and legal abortion at Ambulatory Surgery Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 6, 2000. Her heart stopped after the abortion. She was rushed to Lutheran Hospital at about 11 a.m. Attempts to revive her failed, and she was declared dead at around noon.
Laws don't kill women. Abortion does.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Sunday, June 05, 2005
Back-Alley Butchers vs Main Street Maimers
A few examples of how much legalization changed abortion practice:
Dr. Sidney C. Laughlin
Former employees of Dr. Sidney C. Laughlin alleged that he performed illegal late-term abortions in a bedroom of his home, across the street from an elementary school. Upon investigating the allegation, police found a dismembered 16-week fetus in his trash. A nurse who claimed to have assisted in 4 or 5 abortions in his home said Laughlin sterilized abortion instruments in his dishwasher. The nurse said she quit assisting in these abortions after she observed Laughlin aborting a 28-week old fetus, 4 weeks past the 24-week legal limit. Equipment found in Laughlin's home included suction machine, medications, and an exam table. Laughlin denied that it would be improper or illegal to perform abortions in the doctor's home. Because a law restricting 2nd-trimester abortions to hospitals had been found unconstitutional by the state attorney general in 1984, Laughlin said that no law would prevent abortions from being done in a home.
Dr. Milan Vuitch
Patient "Amanda" filed suit, saying that she had an abortion performed by Milan Vuitch at his Laurel Clinic on January 8, 1981. During the abortion, Vuitch lacerated Amanda's uterine wall. Vuitch kept Andrea overnight, in violation of clinic licensing statute. He subsequently moved her to his home, designated as the "Clinic Annex," and cared for his injured patient there.
He then returned her to clinic January 10, and discharged her. On January 11, in severe pain, Amanda was taken to the hospital by relatives and admitted. Vuitch used the company car to transport patients from clinic to the "Annex," "which is not licensed in Maryland to treat patients," and testified to transporting as many as three patients to the "Annex" for overnight stays.
Although Vuitch managed to keep his nose clean when he ws doing criminal abortions, his practice deteriorated after Roe. Sloppy practices by Vuitch resulted in two deaths that I know of: Wilma Harris and Georgianna "Jeannie" English.
Dr. Joe Bills Reynolds
Reynolds was a jack of all trades, doing a variety of elective surgeries, including abortions, in his filthy clinic. Reynolds' anesthetist, age 60, had originally been hired as a janitor, and an untrained orderly was acting as his nurse. The operating room was littered with dirty cups and papers. Reynolds performed the fatal abortion on Gaylene Golden and a fatal liposuction on his wife.
Blue Coral Medical Center
Blue Coral was temporarily shut down under an emergency order describing "deplorable conditions," including:
* a suction device with "green mold" growing in it
* about 70 different kinds of medication with expired dates
* unsafely administered general anesthesia
* stirrups covered with blood
* untrained workers monitoring women in recovery
An inspector was quoted as saying, "When we got there, there wasn't any soap in the place, so our inspectors had to go next door to wash their hands." Blue Coral's owner, Nabil Ghali, had already had his medical license revoked in Florida and Kentucky due to a conviction for having sex with his 14-year-old goddaughter. Ghali was also party to the abortion death of Ellen Williams at Dadeland.
Ladies First Medical Center
Ladies First was temporarily closed by the board of health in 1989 "after finding dead cockroaches in a sterilizing room, unsanitary surgical gloves, expired drugs and bloody equipment." Inspectors also noted:
* "Bloody equipment, though abortions had not been performed in the two days before the inspection"
* no hot water and no soap at the clinic's sinks
* a device that is inserted into patients' noses during general anesthesia was found on the floor, still hooked to a hose that had been used on a patient
* supposedly sterile gauze pads that were stained yellow
The Health Secretary described Ladies First as "just filthy, the worst I've seen." One of the inspectors told a reporter, "I spent years inspecting clinics in prisons all through Florida. And we wouldn't have waited a minute to close a prison clinic long before it ever looked this bad. I couldn't believe how bad this place was."
Anybody who thinks that these fly-by-nights are an improvement on what abortionists offered before legalization owes criminal abortionists an appology. Abortionists like Robert Spencer and George Timanus would roll over in their graves if anybody compared their practices with these places.
Dr. Sidney C. Laughlin
Former employees of Dr. Sidney C. Laughlin alleged that he performed illegal late-term abortions in a bedroom of his home, across the street from an elementary school. Upon investigating the allegation, police found a dismembered 16-week fetus in his trash. A nurse who claimed to have assisted in 4 or 5 abortions in his home said Laughlin sterilized abortion instruments in his dishwasher. The nurse said she quit assisting in these abortions after she observed Laughlin aborting a 28-week old fetus, 4 weeks past the 24-week legal limit. Equipment found in Laughlin's home included suction machine, medications, and an exam table. Laughlin denied that it would be improper or illegal to perform abortions in the doctor's home. Because a law restricting 2nd-trimester abortions to hospitals had been found unconstitutional by the state attorney general in 1984, Laughlin said that no law would prevent abortions from being done in a home.
Dr. Milan Vuitch
Patient "Amanda" filed suit, saying that she had an abortion performed by Milan Vuitch at his Laurel Clinic on January 8, 1981. During the abortion, Vuitch lacerated Amanda's uterine wall. Vuitch kept Andrea overnight, in violation of clinic licensing statute. He subsequently moved her to his home, designated as the "Clinic Annex," and cared for his injured patient there.
He then returned her to clinic January 10, and discharged her. On January 11, in severe pain, Amanda was taken to the hospital by relatives and admitted. Vuitch used the company car to transport patients from clinic to the "Annex," "which is not licensed in Maryland to treat patients," and testified to transporting as many as three patients to the "Annex" for overnight stays.
Although Vuitch managed to keep his nose clean when he ws doing criminal abortions, his practice deteriorated after Roe. Sloppy practices by Vuitch resulted in two deaths that I know of: Wilma Harris and Georgianna "Jeannie" English.
Dr. Joe Bills Reynolds
Reynolds was a jack of all trades, doing a variety of elective surgeries, including abortions, in his filthy clinic. Reynolds' anesthetist, age 60, had originally been hired as a janitor, and an untrained orderly was acting as his nurse. The operating room was littered with dirty cups and papers. Reynolds performed the fatal abortion on Gaylene Golden and a fatal liposuction on his wife.
Blue Coral Medical Center
Blue Coral was temporarily shut down under an emergency order describing "deplorable conditions," including:
* a suction device with "green mold" growing in it
* about 70 different kinds of medication with expired dates
* unsafely administered general anesthesia
* stirrups covered with blood
* untrained workers monitoring women in recovery
An inspector was quoted as saying, "When we got there, there wasn't any soap in the place, so our inspectors had to go next door to wash their hands." Blue Coral's owner, Nabil Ghali, had already had his medical license revoked in Florida and Kentucky due to a conviction for having sex with his 14-year-old goddaughter. Ghali was also party to the abortion death of Ellen Williams at Dadeland.
Ladies First Medical Center
Ladies First was temporarily closed by the board of health in 1989 "after finding dead cockroaches in a sterilizing room, unsanitary surgical gloves, expired drugs and bloody equipment." Inspectors also noted:
* "Bloody equipment, though abortions had not been performed in the two days before the inspection"
* no hot water and no soap at the clinic's sinks
* a device that is inserted into patients' noses during general anesthesia was found on the floor, still hooked to a hose that had been used on a patient
* supposedly sterile gauze pads that were stained yellow
The Health Secretary described Ladies First as "just filthy, the worst I've seen." One of the inspectors told a reporter, "I spent years inspecting clinics in prisons all through Florida. And we wouldn't have waited a minute to close a prison clinic long before it ever looked this bad. I couldn't believe how bad this place was."
Anybody who thinks that these fly-by-nights are an improvement on what abortionists offered before legalization owes criminal abortionists an appology. Abortionists like Robert Spencer and George Timanus would roll over in their graves if anybody compared their practices with these places.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Blog roundup
Julie at Silent Rain Drops blogs about Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress, based on writings by Rachel McNair.
Ol' Cranky at The Disenchanted Forest can't quite grasp why PP is being targeted for an investigation into child sexual abuse. Hint to Ol' Cranky: Because they have clear and convincing evidence crimes were committed against these children, in that they billed for abortions for them, and then they failed to report the crimes.
Amanda at Pandagon has a theory that prolifers target Planned Parenthood not because it's an evil organization of lying, killing scumbags, but because they make recreational sex available to the masses when conservatives prefer that it remain a luxury item. Bread and circuses, anybody? I didn't bother commenting because the folks there seem to be oblivions.
JT at Relentless Pursuit of Wisdom and Liberty thinks abortion is a state issue, not a federal one.
Doug at Literal Madness contemplates The Madness Of "Genetic Screening".
Ol' Cranky at The Disenchanted Forest can't quite grasp why PP is being targeted for an investigation into child sexual abuse. Hint to Ol' Cranky: Because they have clear and convincing evidence crimes were committed against these children, in that they billed for abortions for them, and then they failed to report the crimes.
Amanda at Pandagon has a theory that prolifers target Planned Parenthood not because it's an evil organization of lying, killing scumbags, but because they make recreational sex available to the masses when conservatives prefer that it remain a luxury item. Bread and circuses, anybody? I didn't bother commenting because the folks there seem to be oblivions.
JT at Relentless Pursuit of Wisdom and Liberty thinks abortion is a state issue, not a federal one.
Doug at Literal Madness contemplates The Madness Of "Genetic Screening".
Memorial Graphic
Do you like the memorial graphic at the bottom of this page? It links to a different woman's story each time your page loads. If you want to add it to your own page, go here to learn how.
Lest we forget -- two abortion deaths
Today, June 3, is the anniversary of two abortion deaths. The only thing these women had in common is that they thought abortion would solve their problems, and they'd found doctors willing to do the deed.
Barbara Lofrumento, a 19-year-old college student, informed her parents that she was pregnant during the spring of 1962. Mr. and Mrs. Lofrumento cast about for a reputable abortionist and were referred by an acquaintance to Dr. Harvey Lothringer. Lothringer examined Barbara on June 2, 1962, and assured the parents that although Barbara's pregnancy was 5 months advanced, there was no danger. He performed the abortion in the early morning hours of June 3. But something went wrong, and Barbara died. Lothringer cut her body up and tried to dispose of it, along with her clothing and the fetus, down the toilet and garbage disposal. When this stopped up the plumbing for the entire house, Lothringer fled the country. An international manhunt found him in France. he was extradited, and pled guilty to second-degree manslaughter in Barbara's death.
Sandra Lynn Chmiel was not a teenager from a wealthy family. She was a pretty young mother of four when she went to Biogenetics Ltd. in Chicago for an abortion on June 3, 1975. Her abortion was performed in a legal abortion clinic, during daylight hours. But it was every bit as fatal as Barbara Lofrumento's abortion thirteen years earlier. Her abortionist, however, had nothing to fear from the law. What he did to Sandra was perfectly legal.
Sandra Chmeil didn't benefit from Roe vs. Wade. Nor did her husband or her four children. But the doctor who performed her fatal abortion certainly did.
Seems the "safe" in "safe and legal" is referring to the risks to the abortionist, not the risks to the patient.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Barbara Lofrumento, a 19-year-old college student, informed her parents that she was pregnant during the spring of 1962. Mr. and Mrs. Lofrumento cast about for a reputable abortionist and were referred by an acquaintance to Dr. Harvey Lothringer. Lothringer examined Barbara on June 2, 1962, and assured the parents that although Barbara's pregnancy was 5 months advanced, there was no danger. He performed the abortion in the early morning hours of June 3. But something went wrong, and Barbara died. Lothringer cut her body up and tried to dispose of it, along with her clothing and the fetus, down the toilet and garbage disposal. When this stopped up the plumbing for the entire house, Lothringer fled the country. An international manhunt found him in France. he was extradited, and pled guilty to second-degree manslaughter in Barbara's death.
Sandra Lynn Chmiel was not a teenager from a wealthy family. She was a pretty young mother of four when she went to Biogenetics Ltd. in Chicago for an abortion on June 3, 1975. Her abortion was performed in a legal abortion clinic, during daylight hours. But it was every bit as fatal as Barbara Lofrumento's abortion thirteen years earlier. Her abortionist, however, had nothing to fear from the law. What he did to Sandra was perfectly legal.
Sandra Chmeil didn't benefit from Roe vs. Wade. Nor did her husband or her four children. But the doctor who performed her fatal abortion certainly did.
Seems the "safe" in "safe and legal" is referring to the risks to the abortionist, not the risks to the patient.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Austrian woman suspected of four retroactive abortions
The discovery of the bodies of four newborns in an apartment complex in Vienna has led to charges against their mother.
Well, those are perfectly legitmate reasons for ridding yourself of a child, right? If it's logical at the abortion clinic, why not use the logic in the privacy of your own home? Aside from it being wrong.
Investigators said the infants' 32-year-old mother confessed to killing them out of despair over her inability to pay the bills and fear that having a child might drive away her longtime male partner.
Well, those are perfectly legitmate reasons for ridding yourself of a child, right? If it's logical at the abortion clinic, why not use the logic in the privacy of your own home? Aside from it being wrong.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Blog roundup
This blogger thinks it's great that abortion advocates are drumming up happy abortion stories. I begged to differ:
Insight Scope is pleased to have recently (and belatedly) found Libertarians for Life.
And The Agenda comments on the investigation into abortion clinic complicity in statutory rape in Indiana.
I'll believe that all these champions of women's rights actually care about the women in question when they start holding the National Abortion Federation accountable. Getting together and saying how glad they were to have had their abortions doesn't bring any of the women NAF members have killed back from the dead.
Insight Scope is pleased to have recently (and belatedly) found Libertarians for Life.
And The Agenda comments on the investigation into abortion clinic complicity in statutory rape in Indiana.
"Access" trumps safety in Mississippi
Life News reports that U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee struck down a Mississippi law limiting second-trimester abortions to hospitals or outpatient surgical facilities.
Now, why is there no outrage among the prochoice that nobody selling abortions in Mississippi cares enough about patient safety to meet the qualifications for an outpatient surgical facility? Instead of complaining that the prolifers are the ones setting up this "restriction," why aren't the self-proclaimed champions of women's lives demanding that people who routinely perform outpatient surgery actually be outpatient surgical facilities?
Prolifers pointed to former Mississippi abortionist Malachy Dehenre as justification for tightening up regulations. Dehenre had performed the fatal abortion on Leigh Ann Alford in Alabama.
Lee said the state knew no abortion facility in the state was licensed as an ambulatory surgical facility or private hospital and thus the law would essentially ban all such second-trimester abortions.
He said the state's action made abortions "effectively unavailable in the state of Mississippi beyond the first trimester."
Now, why is there no outrage among the prochoice that nobody selling abortions in Mississippi cares enough about patient safety to meet the qualifications for an outpatient surgical facility? Instead of complaining that the prolifers are the ones setting up this "restriction," why aren't the self-proclaimed champions of women's lives demanding that people who routinely perform outpatient surgery actually be outpatient surgical facilities?
The Jackson Women's Health Organization, the state's only abortion center, filed suit last year against the state with the help of the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights.
Prolifers pointed to former Mississippi abortionist Malachy Dehenre as justification for tightening up regulations. Dehenre had performed the fatal abortion on Leigh Ann Alford in Alabama.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
"Money Talks, Nobody Walks"
Annie at After Abortion has posted this excellent letter that really covers all the bases on stem-cell funding. Do go there and read it! And link back to it!
Abortion regs improved in Florida
The Curt Jester posted that Governor Jeb Bush has signed "The Women's Health and Safety Act," providing some safety regulations of second-trimester abortions in Florida. Associated Press coverage noted that there are about 9,000 second-trimester abortions a year in Florida. It also notes:
God knows Florida could use some regulation of their abortion mills. Deaths from botched abortions in Florida include:
Florida abortion mills have included the notorious Dadeland.
Police busted 71-year-old Jose Casso after he allegedly botched an abortion on a 16-year-old girl at his Hialeah clinic, which he was openly operating without a medical license.
Abortion had become legal in Florida in 1972, ahead of Roe vs. Wade, because criminal abortionist Luis Barquet successfully challenged the law. The "Back-Alley Butchers Welcome" sign has been greeting abortionists in Florida for 33 years now. It's about time they were made unwelcome. And the ability to at least curtail their second-trimester activities is a good start.
One supporter on hand for Tuesday's signing was Dr. Randy Armstrong, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Hillsborough County who provides emergency room coverage at University Community Hospital.
Armstrong, who does not perform abortions, said he has seen "and continues to see" the problems that result from lack of regulations of abortion clinics. In the last six months of 2004, nearly three dozen women were admitted into the hospital because of complications from second-trimester abortions.
God knows Florida could use some regulation of their abortion mills. Deaths from botched abortions in Florida include:
- Myrta Baptiste, 1982
Pamela Colson, 1994
Marina DeChapel, 1978
Carolina Gutierrez, 1996
Barbara Lerner, 1981
Ruth Montero, 1979
Maura Morales, 1981
Shirley Payne, 1983
Katrina Poole, 1988
Gloria Small, 1978
Maureen Tyke, 1983
Cycloria Vangates, 1976
Ellen Williams, 1985
Florida abortion mills have included the notorious Dadeland.
Police busted 71-year-old Jose Casso after he allegedly botched an abortion on a 16-year-old girl at his Hialeah clinic, which he was openly operating without a medical license.
Abortion had become legal in Florida in 1972, ahead of Roe vs. Wade, because criminal abortionist Luis Barquet successfully challenged the law. The "Back-Alley Butchers Welcome" sign has been greeting abortionists in Florida for 33 years now. It's about time they were made unwelcome. And the ability to at least curtail their second-trimester activities is a good start.