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THEME: ALL LIVES MATTER Given everything that is happening in our chaotic world today, we thought it would be appropriate to focus this month’s e-newsletter on the theme that All Lives Matter. In the words of Pope John Paul II, upon arrival at the Denver airport in 1987:   All the great causes that are yours today will have meaning only to the extent that you guarantee the right to life, and protect the human person. ... America, you are beautiful. You are the best in so many ways. But your best beauty, your richest blessing is from the human person. If you want equal justice for all, and true freedom and lasting peace, then, America, defend life!

from the desk of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

August 2020
 
On most Saturday mornings, you will find me sidewalk counseling at our local abortion clinic. On one recent Saturday, I heard a fellow sidewalk counselor call out to an African American woman, “Black lives matter. All lives matter - except apparently the lives of black babies.” I looked at the woman’s car and saw a Black Lives Matter sticker proudly displayed on its bumper. The woman looked at us but did not pause or respond as she entered the clinic.  

I could not help but think she had been completely brainwashed. Here she was, presumably, to end the life of her unborn black baby (a reasonable assumption since abortion is the “medical procedure” done at 7:15 am on Saturday mornings at this clinic) while showing support for the Black Lives Matter Movement. Nowhere is the hypocrisy of the Black Lives Matter Movement more obvious than at an abortion clinic. 

In an article from lifenews.com, titled “Planned Parenthood Claims Black Lives Matter, But Kills 247 Black Babies in Abortion Every Day,” the writer states, “Planned Parenthood was founded by Margaret Sanger – a racist eugenicist who sought to sterilize and exterminate the black population. Not only was Planned Parenthood founded with the goal of controlling the breeding of ‘inferior races’ but, to this day, Planned Parenthood still celebrates Sanger, branding her a woman of heroic accomplishments.” (Note: Since this article was published, a few Planned Parenthood affiliates have dissociated themselves from the tie to Margaret Sanger, but this has not changed their horrendous racist agenda.)

Fast forward two weeks. I was nervously riding in the car with my teenage son, who had recently gotten his driver’s permit, when we saw a Black Lives Matter sign in a neighbor’s yard. My son nonchalantly said, “Mom, by the way, our house may get egged.” I asked, “What are you talking about? Why would someone egg our house?” (It is noteworthy that, earlier in the day, he had told me he wanted to take a self-defense class.) He replied that he had been responding to social media posts concerning the Black Lives Matter Movement. In his posts, he had conveyed that, while he believes in the statement “black lives matter,” he doesn’t support the Black Lives Matter Movement because their platform advocates for abortion (as well as other issues he disagrees with). His position angered many kids his age. They called him a racist and worse. In short, as a minority himself (he is adopted from Guatemala), he was being bullied for standing up against the Black Lives Matter Movement’s pro-abortion position and standing for his pro-life belief that all lives matter equally. 

I was proud of my son for standing up for his principles regarding a vitally important issue but was concerned that he was being bullied. I urged him to refrain from posting any more comments on the Black Lives Matter Movement. This advice stemmed from my belief that it is impossible to win a serious argument on social media. Also, I do not think social media is the optimal forum to touch people’s hearts. It saddened me that a fifteen-year old kid is dealing with such serious issues. When I was his age, I was not discussing matters like racism and abortion. 

Kids like my courageous son are not the only ones being bullied for expressing their beliefs. Almost daily, newspaper headlines highlight the latest public figure who has been fired for criticizing the Black Lives Matter Movement. People are labeled racist simply for disagreeing with the movement. This infringement on freedom of speech, combined with the failure of many to recognize the hypocrisy of the Black Lives Matter Movement, means that we have a colossal battle before us. We must not cower in silence. We need to do everything we are humanly capable of doing to protect and defend life –  whether black, white, brown,  preborn, elderly, handicapped, employed, unemployed, poor, rich, smart, demented, sick or healthy – because ALL LIVES MATTER! 

THE LIKELY—AND LARGELY HIDDEN— TOLL OF LOCKDOWN

THE LIKELY—AND LARGELY HIDDEN—
TOLL OF LOCKDOWN 

August 2020
By Margaret Pole

Bradley Mattes, president of the Life Issues Institute, observed, “Guidelines denying family members the ability to accompany an at-risk patient eliminate a patient advocate [emphasis added] who could halt or report abuse or facilitate communication on behalf of the patient’s wishes.” His sobering observations on discriminatory healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic brought to mind my father’s stay in a nursing home several years ago. Thankfully, no lockdown was then in effect. But what if there had been? I shudder to think of what the consequences might have been.

I had been caring for Dad and Mom at their home since early 2013. A multiple fracture in his left shoulder sent Dad to the hospital for a week in December 2014. Then he was transferred to a nursing home for rehabilitation. The hospital had given us little choice in this decision, since we didn’t have the proper equipment and support to provide at-home care.

Read more.

.SAVING FAITH VICTORIA

SAVING FAITH VICTORIA August 2020 Faith Victoria, a 22-month old, was recently found face down in a swimming pool. Faith's family did CPR until the paramedics arrived and took her to the hospital. Below is Faith’s story, written by her Grandmother, Linda, which describes the family’s fight for Faith against a hospital’s medical futility policy. Please join us in praying for Faith Victoria as her battle continues. On Monday, July 13th, 2020, Rachel and Tim (Faith’s parents) and our family began the intense battle for our little Faith Victoria. Her life weighing in the balance, we gave her to the Lord who holds the keys of life and death, and prayed for His sovereign will to be done. Never did we realize that part of the battle was to convince the hospital administration and staff that Faith’s life was in God’s hands – not theirs. Within days of her admission, even though her heart was beating strongly, they concluded that her brain was dead and they were going to move ahead with removing her ventilator. Three times, the hospital pressed upon Rachel and Tim to let them do an assessment test, which was really a technicality that the law required in order to end life. Three times, Rachel and Tim begged for more time, believing Faith was very much alive! "She is the Lord's child - it is in His realm to say who is to live and who is to die!" Three times, our Sovereign Lord stepped in and proved them wrong. Two times, Faith began to breathe just before the process was to begin. After two weeks of fighting the constant pressure and pleading our case, doctor's hearts were won over; and the hospital switched gears and started to move forward with saving her. Nutrition was given. Therapy was begun. Procedures were done to make it possible for her to, in the future, go home. The Lord used our little Faith's tragedy to expose something that we never imagined existed - laws that give hospital physicians the power to end a child's life without the consent of the parents. And this law is in place in hospitals all over this country. Dear people, those who know the Lord, know that "our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Eph. 6:12) The enemy is not the hospital and doctors; we pray for them. In fact, the doctors and nurses who have been working with Faith, and getting to know Rachel and Tim, are applauding their efforts to battle for their daughter’s life. Many of them were there to be sources of comfort when things were looking bleak. Some of them who came onto Faith's case without hope are now cheering Rachel and Tim on and tenderly caring for this little one with hope in their hearts that she will be whole again. Satan and his hoard of demons have been pushed back! He is the real enemy that comes to “kill, steal and destroy” – who battles for the souls of men. "I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies."(Ps. 18:3) The battle for our precious Faith is not over. Until there is complete victory and the work is done, we will continue to stand and pray. We also stand and pray for the many lives that have been touched by her life. The Lord is using this little wisp of our child who has grabbed a hold of all of our hearts, to draw people to Himself. He looks at the eternal; and what the enemy of our souls means for evil, He turns around for the good! We pray that through this, we will all draw close to the only One Lord, Jesus Christ, who can save – where no situation is beyond His strong arm – where He is our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer - our Strength and our Salvation – where His love endures forever!

STUNNING DEVELOPMENT: POWERFUL “SIMON’S LAW” SIGNED INTO LAW IN IOWA August 2020 In her article titled “Strongest Simon’s Law Yet is Passed in Iowa,” Nancy Valko describes this new law as follows: “A court of law or equity shall not have the authority to require the withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures from a minor child over the objection of the minor child’s parent or guardian, unless there is conclusive medical evidence that the minor child has died and any electronic brain, heart, or respiratory monitoring activity exhibited to the contrary is a false artifact.” (Emphasis added) This law is truly stunning as it means that the withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures over the objection of the parents (or guardians) requires conclusive medical evidence that the child has died using the most stringent criteria. This law demonstrates that better legal protections for the medically vulnerable are essential.

Euthanasia in 2020 August 2020 Recent world headlines, including the following ones from APnews.com, show us that the practice of euthanasia, once thought to be rare, is becoming more and more accepted around the world. Voluntary Euthanasia Becomes Legal in Australia State Spanish Government Passes First Hurdle to Legalize Euthanasia Amid Protests, Portugal Lawmakers vote to Allow Euthanasia Promoters of legislation to legalize euthanasia evade the truth by using softer terms – “death with dignity,” “end-of-life option,” “medical assistance in dying,” etc. This is a deadly game of “let’s pretend,” but the far-reaching dreadful consequences of euthanasia are very real. Alex Schadenberg, a member of the HALO Advisory Board and Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, focuses our attention on a bill to extend euthanasia in the Netherlands to people who are merely "tired of living." Learn more at Dangerous "Completed Life" bill would extend euthanasia in the Netherlands to healthy people. A group of American euthanasia activists have started a Completed Life Initiative in collaboration with End of Life Choices New York. The idea that it is compassionate to medically assist anyone, at any stage of life to commit suicide is a deadly deception. We know instinctively that taking one's own life is not decent or dignified, not a choice to be encouraged or aided; nor is assisting another to kill himself or herself a praiseworthy act. See HALO’s Information Sheet on Assisted Suicide for more information.

HALO Recommends

The Euthanasia Deception: We are all Vulnerable – Added August 2020 The Euthanasia Deception: We are all Vulnerable is a shocking one-hour long documentary created by Canadian filmmaker, Kevin Dunn, who examines the consequences of Belgium’s 2002 legalization of euthanasia. One contributor to the film noted that it’s as if those in favor of the law change want to create a “perfect” world – a world  in which disability and suffering have no place – and only those deemed worthy will be allowed to exist. What happened in Belgium shows how quickly life becomes devalued when killing is the answer for suffering or inconvenience. This film serves as a wake-up call to the rest of the world, and is a must see. Review by Anne O’Meara Image: The Euthanasia Deception

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HALO MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Healthcare Advocacy and Leadership Organization is to promote, protect, and advocate for the rights of the medically vulnerable through direct patient and family interactions; through community education and awareness programs; and through promotion and development of concrete *"life-affirming healthcare"* alternatives for those facing the grave consequences of healthcare rationing and unethical practices, especially those at risk of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

*"Life-affirming healthcare" is defined as medical care in which the paramount principle is the sanctity of life, which means that the life and safety of each person come first and each person receives medical care across their lifespan based on their need for care and never with an intention to hasten death, regardless of their abilities or perceived "quality of life."