The Luminary Lighting the Way to a Pro-Life Louisiana

Be the PULSE! Join Our Pro-Life Youth Movement!

Page 3: Will New Supreme Court Redefine Rights?

Page 4: Cenla Pregnancy Center Born Through Prayer

SUMMER 2018

Louisiana Right To Life

1.866.463.5433 | www.ProLifeLouisiana.org Benjamin Clapper, Executive Insights Executive Director

If we needed a reminder about what motivates those involved with abortion, we just can clearly see her motive: Make more profit off abortion by being got it in New Orleans. the owner and operator of an abortion facility. And our research shows she will only be doing at the new facility. It’s all about money at Deanz Health Care for Abortionist Dr. Rashonda Dean is trying to open her new abortion facility called Women. “Deanz Health Care for Women” in New Orleans East, a community still struggling to recover after Hurricane Katrina. As I write this, Dean has applied for a outpatient abortion facility license to the Louisiana Department of Health, and the application is currently outstanding. Dr. Dean has performed abortions in Louisiana since Across the city, (PP) has yet to receive its license from the at least 2012 at abortion Department of Health after its application in early 2017 to perform abortions because facilities in New Orleans the organization is under state and federal investigation for selling the broken bodies and Baton Rouge. From of innocent aborted babies. Planned Parenthood has sued Louisiana in federal court, our conservative estimates, demanding the abortion licensed be issued, but the state is defending its decision. This she has performed nearly case will continue to play out. For now, lives are being saved by this facility not selling 16,000 abortions herself abortion. during this time, destroying the future of these unborn While the abortion movement wants to tell us about women’s rights, we know the real babies and forever harming reason for pushing abortion: It’s a lucrative business with a clientele who feels they women. have nowhere else to turn. If abortion facilities were really interested in the long-term welfare of women, they would honestly share with them the harm that abortion does, Dr. Dean’s move to open both physically and emotionally. They would present the viability of adoption and the her own abortion facility many resources that exist to help them parent. was seen as a surprising move at first, but after For our part, we will continue to stand for moms and babies against the abortion further consideration, you industry. If we don’t, who will?

Henry Nguyen, right, Pro-Life Gumbo is shown with National Right to Life President Carol Tobias. Abortion Rate Drops 3% in 2017! Abbeville Teen The number of abortions in Louisiana decreased by 3 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to preliminary figures provided Wins National to Louisiana Right to Life recently by the Department of Health. It Pro-Life Oratory was the third straight year abortion numbers have declined. New Pregnancy Center Contest There were 8,706 abortions performed in Louisiana in 2017, Opens in New Iberia down from 8,972 abortions reported in 2016, 9,362 abortions Henry Nguyen, a recent graduate of Vermilion Catholic The Unexpected Pregnancy Center opened in reported in 2015, and 10,211 abortions reported in 2014. High School and incoming freshman at Xavier University New Iberia on July 24. The center is located The number of abortions performed in the state had increased in New Orleans, was the first-place winner in the National at 117 E. Pershing St. and is a mission of the steadily from 2008-2014 as population numbers returned to pre- Right to Life Jane B. Thompson Oratory Contest, held Mother Teresa Foundation, Inc. Katrina levels. during the National Right to Life Convention earlier this summer in Overland Park, KS. Even with numbers down nearly 15 percent since 2014, an Director Brittany Thomson said the center came about after two men, Lionel Schramm average of 25 abortions were performed each day in Louisiana. Henry represented Louisiana in the national contest after and John Manes, toured a center in Lafayette Louisiana Right to Life will continue working hard to reduce these having won the state oratory contest in May. Initially, and decided “New Iberia needs one of numbers until every baby is saved. he won the local contest sponsored by the Diocese of these.” The men recruited other pro-lifers and Lafayette. Students from around the country participated in formed a board of directors, a building was Caddo Parish had the highest number of abortions in a single the national contest on June 30. parish with 3,192, and the Shreveport-Bossier area saw the most donated, and a kick-off banquet was held. abortions performed - 3,441. Of those, 249 were performed in Henry presented a speech on euthanasia, which included a Thomson said: “Local pediatrician and Bossier Parish before the Bossier City Medical Suite closed its personal story about his grandfather. doors. Medical Director of the Board, Dr. Mo Faugot, gave a beautiful speech that night. In part, he said: “My grandpa was diagnosed with In it he stated, ‘Some of you out there will be Out-of-state residents accounted for 13 percent (or 1,099) of all terminal lung cancer, and (doctor) gave him three months our director and managers, and you don't abortions. This number is down from 2016, when 1,387 women to live and even suggested euthanasia. That was five even know it yet.’ After much thought and traveled across state lines into Louisiana for the procedure. years ago. And while I consider my grandpa’s recovery a prayers I sent in my resume and was hired miracle, cases like his actually aren’t that rare.” Some Quick Facts: at the beginning of March as the executive director. We have been working tirelessly • There were 8,706 abortions performed in 2017. That Henry, 18, is the son of Thao Bui and Minh Nguyen. He since then to try to get these doors open in means there were, on average, 25 abortions per day. lives in Abbeville. He said he learned about the oratory order to honor life and preserve the family." • 27 girls under the age of 15 had abortions in 2017. contest when the adoption documentary “I Lived on Parker Avenue” was presented at his school. Another 791 girls between the ages of 15-19 aborted their During the past several months volunteers babies. have worked hard to renovate the building “Through this contest, I was able to meet many other • The largest number of abortions - 2,532 - were and make the center a safe, welcoming passionate pro-life teenagers, something that’s much easier performed on women between the ages of 25-29. There environment. And the center’s first said than done,” Henry said. “I was shown nothing but were also 1,132 women ages 35 and older who had appointment was on the books weeks before love throughout the entire process and never really felt like abortions in 2017. the doors even opened. I was competing. My fellow competitors and I were just • African American women looking to spread our message and hear other people’s The center’s free services include pregnancy accounted for 60% stories through the power of oration. We weren’t focused tests and ultrasounds, pregnancy counseling, of abortions performed on winning a prize; we were focused on using our gifts for family planning counseling, and limited in 2017. a higher purpose. financial assistance. Volunteers are needed, • 84% of women who had and donations, both monetary and material, abortions in 2017 were “If nothing else, this contest teaches participants how to are needed. unmarried. polish and hone our pro- life beliefs in a way that allows us to logically and eloquently present our pro-life views • Nearly 70% of babies Visit the center’s website at to others and potentially convert them. We are the future were aborted within www.unexpectedpc.com or call of the pro-life movement, and this contest ensures that the eight weeks of (337) 321-6298 for more information. pregnancy. future will always be bright.”

Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Cenla PC Born 'Roe v. Wade' Going to College? Students: Get Involved Through Prayer Filming Completed Tips to Stay Pro-Life With PULSE Activities

Pg 2 | The Luminary: A Publication of Louisiana Right to Life Judge has served on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit since 2006 and has developed an extensive record of enforcing restrictions on abortion and protecting religious liberty and free speech. He was nominated by President Trump to fill the Supreme Court seat of retiring Justice .

Will New Supreme Court Send Abortion Battle Back to the States? President Trump's Nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh Has Pro-Lifers Optimistic

The future of Roe v. Wade has been at the forefront of North Dakota and South Dakota, and abortion would discussions since Justice Anthony Kennedy announced become illegal there as well. Ten other states still have LA Senators Looking Forward to his retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court, and pro- pre-Roe abortion bans on the books that never were Confirmation Process abortion groups slammed President Trump’s nominee repealed. On the other hand, eight states have laws even before a name was announced. that explicitly protect abortion rights. The battle for life Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana is a member of the will return to state legislatures across America. Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold hearings That’s because President Trump promised he would on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. He and only nominate conservative justices “with impeccable While the focus of the conversation remains on Roe Sen. Bill Cassidy will cast votes for confirmation if the credentials, great intellect, unbiased judgment, and itself, a Justice Kavanaugh could tip the balance on nomination moves to the full Senate. deep reverence for the laws and Constitution of the other questions related to abortion. For example, United States.” Justice Kennedy, despite being a in 2016, Justice Kennedy was the key vote to strike “During the Senate Judiciary conservative in a number of areas, was a swing vote down Texas’ pro-life law requiring abortion facilities hearings, I plan to delve into how on abortion cases. While he was the key vote in to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Could he interprets a statute and how he 2007 to upholding the pro-life partial-birth abortion a new 5-4 majority reverse course when reviewing a would interpret the Constitution law, his disastrous votes in 1992 and 2016 affirmed similar law, such as Louisiana’s version of that Texas when it’s not clear,” Sen. Kennedy Roe and kept abortion legal. Now, pro-abortion law? This would reverse the “undue burden” test set said. “I want to understand activists say if Judge Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed, by Justice Kennedy in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in how he thinks the judiciary fits he will go in a different direction, providing the 1992 and give states more power to protect women’s in the Madisonian balance of vote needed to repeal Roe v. Wade and make all health and restrict abortion. separation of powers. I want to abortions illegal in the United States. know if he respects the Bill of Rights and A new court could also be tested by the “Unborn understands why we have a Bill of Rights. You really can’t But repealing Roe won’t make abortion illegal. Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion tell whether that standard can be reached until you have Rather, it would recognize that abortion is not a Act” passed in nine states, including Louisiana in a confirmation hearing. That’s why I look forward to a full constitutionally-protected right and return the control 2016. This law protects unborn babies from the and fair vetting process.” over abortion regulations to the states. That would dismemberment method of abortion beginning around be great news for Louisiana, one of four states with a the 14th week after conception. The court would be “Trigger Law” that would immediately ban abortion if faced with a decision to overturn Roe completely or “President Trump kept his promise, Roe v. Wade is overturned. “limit” it through upholding the law. Remember, the nominating a conservative faithful Supreme Court only needs a case involving abortion to the Constitution as written, Act 467, sponsored in 2006 by then-state Sen. to overturn or limit Roe – the case does not have to be recognized as having an excellent Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, and signed into law by a direct abortion ban. legal mind,” Sen. Cassidy then Gov. Kathleen Blanco, would ban virtually all said. “We the Senate have the abortions. It was easily approved in Louisiana’s In the end, lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court responsibility to examine his bi-partisan pro-life Legislature, passing 85-17 in the leave little guarantee about the future of all sorts of experience and temperament. I'll House and 30-7 in the Senate. policies and constitutional questions, but the pro-life meet with him, others will, too, cause is optimistic that the Supreme Court can begin we'll review his record, then Trigger laws have also been passed in Mississippi, to rectify its abortion mistakes of the past. vote on his confirmation. But based on his resume, his reputation, I suspect he'll be confirmed."

LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE

Adoption Option Act’s Passage Highlights 2018 Legislative Victories New Law Provides Abortion-Minded Women With More Information About Adoption Option

The Louisiana Legislature passed a diverse package of life-protective laws during the the Senate, and signed into law on May 15. 2018 regular legislative session, including Louisiana Right to Life’s flagship legislation, HB 449, the Adoption Option Act. HB 891 (Act 498) – Amended Act. 304, the Defunding Abortion Businesses Act, passed in 2016. It was authored by Rep. Frank Hoffmann, approved by a 90-3 vote in In addition to the Adoption Option Act, six pro-life bills were signed into law by Gov. the House and a 28-5 vote in the Senate, and signed into law on May 23. John Bel Edwards, including three, HB 273, HB 287, and HB 338, aimed at pulling our laws passed in previous years from the confines of federal court. HB 287 (Act 77) – Amended Act 563, the Unborn Child Protection from Disability Discrimination Act (Jacob’s Law). Provides relative to laws concerning abortion based “The Louisiana Legislature, across party lines, again showed its commitment to the on genetic abnormality. It was authored by Rep. Rick Edmonds, approved unanimously dignity of human life, the selfless option of adoption, and the health and safety of by the House and by a 31-1 Senate vote, and signed into law on May 10. women,” said Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life. Dorinda Bordlee, Senior Counsel for the Bioethics Defense Fund and legal advisor to SB 181 (Act 468) - Prohibits abortion at 15 weeks gestation but makes the bill effective Louisiana Right to Life, provided pro bono legal consultation on this package of pro-life on the outcome of a Mississippi federal court case dealing with a similar 15-week law. bills. It was authored by Sen. John Milkovich, approved by the Senate 31-3 and the House 81-9, and signed into law on May 23. HB 449 (Act 319): The Adoption Option Act - Focuses on ensuring that women considering abortion in Louisiana are provided more compelling and relevant SB 534 (Act 674) - Makes the intentional coerced abortion a crime in Louisiana. It was information about the option of adoption before deciding to carry through with an authored by Sen. John Milkovich, approved unanimously by the Senate and House abortion. It was authored by Rep. Rick Edmonds, unanimously approved by the House and signed into law on June 1. and Senate and signed into law on May 25. SB 325 (Act 564) - Provides authority to the Department of Health to revoke or suspend HB 273 (Act 204) – Amended Act. 815, the Human Dignity Act, passed in 2016. the license of an outpatient abortion facility if the facility is found to have falsified its Provides relative to post-abortion interment or cremation of human remains. It was patient records. It was authored by Sen. John Milkovich, approved 34-3 by the Senate authored by Rep. Frank Hoffmann, approved 95-1 by the House and unanimously by and unanimously by the House, and signed into law on May 25.

The Luminary: A Publication of Louisiana Right to Life | Pg 3 Pastor Brian Gunter Director of Outreach

Pastor Brian Gunter, president of the pregnancy center board, and Executive Director Claire Lemoine

Cenla Pregnancy Center Born Through Prayer Despite Theological Differences, Churches Throughout Cenla Partner to Protect Life

The founding of Cenla Pregnancy Center is the story of an urgent need, an audacious in such a major effort. I spoke with church leaders from each of these traditions and prayer, and the providence of God. I first learned about pro-life ministry and the made each a promise that if we partner together, I would never ask them to violate amazing work of pregnancy centers during my five years of pastoring churches in the theological distinctives of their faith. We would not promote one church or Texas. Pro-life work had become an extension of my pastoral ministry, and I knew that denomination over another. Rather, we would simply teach the biblical values of life, I would be involved in pro-life efforts wherever God called me in the future. marriage, and family.

In December 2013 I returned home to Central Louisiana as pastor of First Baptist While we understood that there were areas of theological disagreement among us, Church in Pollock. I immediately wanted to volunteer at a local pregnancy center. I we all found common ground in a 100% pro-life commitment: We promised to protect was shocked to find out there was not a pro-life pregnancy center in the Alexandria/ life from conception until natural death. We realized that we all share the exact same Pineville area open on a full-time basis. In fact, Central Louisiana was the largest pro-life convictions, and we can partner to save lives as long as we work within this population center in our state without a ministry open Monday through Friday each common ground. We agreed to work with any church that would rally together upon week. More than 400 mothers in our community were having abortions every year, this pro-life foundation. and we needed a united effort to rescue those children and give hope to mothers in a crisis pregnancy. During this time we searched for a location to house the ministry. The Louisiana Baptist Convention graciously offered Within a week of arriving at Pollock I attended the annual Pastors and Wives its newly renovated 5,660-square-foot property at 1254 Christmas dinner of the Big Creek Baptist Association in Grant Parish. During a short MacArthur Drive in the center of Alexandria. Then we hired business meeting before the dinner began, I was introduced to the other pastors as an exceptionally-qualified nurse with more than 20 years of their newest (and youngest) colleague from FBC Pollock. The primary purpose of a experience in maternal child nursing, Claire Lemoine, as our local association of churches is to partner together in missions work because we can executive director. Claire had years of experience serving accomplish far more by working together than apart. As the work of the association mothers facing a crisis pregnancy and demonstrated the throughout the past year was summarized at this meeting, it was asked if there was compassion and energy needed to lead this ministry. Claire any final business that needed to be discussed before dinner. At that moment I stood began assembling an army of volunteers, and she hired Heidi to my feet and announced that I had discovered an urgent need in our community: Peavy, also a registered nurse, as office manager. We needed to start a pro-life crisis pregnancy ministry! The providence of God was more evident than ever with a Many of the pastors at this meeting admitted that they did not know what a rent-free building, a first-class team, and the support of so pregnancy center was. Some said a previous attempt had been made at a pro-life many churches! We opened the doors of Cenla Pregnancy ministry to mothers in our area, but that ministry failed to survive due to lack of Center on Dec. 4, 2017. Within the first seven months of operation, more than 90 support and leadership. Someone asked me how much it would cost annually to fund women have come through our doors to receive completely free services, including such an endeavor, and I admitted that I had no idea, but I believed this is what God pregnancy testing, limited ultrasound, counseling, education classes, post-abortion wanted us to do and He would provide. Then this group of about 15 pastors and healing groups, and Bible studies. In order to provide more services to more mothers, their wives joined in an audacious prayer, asking God to help us start a pregnancy Claire also hired Kimberly Cheek as our client advocate coordinator to expand our center in Central Louisiana to save babies from abortion and to share the gospel of counseling program and follow up with mothers until their child’s second birthday. Jesus Christ with mothers and fathers in our community. Every day God is changing lives and saving lives at Cenla Pregnancy Center. As we In the four years after that prayer meeting, more than 200 Central Louisiana continue to grow and expand our services, we are confident that God will continue to churches (including Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Assembly of God, provide all that is needed to serve mothers and fathers in our community. Methodist, and various others) joined together in this effort. Many of us wondered if so many churches from various traditions and backgrounds could work together To learn more, visit cenlapc.com

Pg 4 | The Luminary: A Publication of Louisiana Right to Life Sandy Cunningham, Communications Director

Shown from left are Wade Williams, Jon Voight, Corbin Bernsen, Nick Loeb, John Schneider, Kathy Allyn, Richard Portnow, Robert Davi, Steve Guttenberg, Jarrett Ellis Beal, and William Forsythe. Loeb and Allyn are producers of the film; the others portray Supreme Court justices.

Movie Tells Story of How Abortion Became Legal in the United States ‘Roe v. Wade’ Producer Hopes Film Changes Lives When It’s Released

Filming of the new movie "Roe v. Wade" has wrapped after a couple months of made-up statistics and people involved who switched their positions from pro-choice shooting at locations around southeast Louisiana, in Washington, D.C, and in New to pro-life, including Norma,” he said. The film stars conservative actors Jon Voight York City, and producers hope to have it ready for a January release. and Robert Davi as Supreme Court justices. Other justices are Corbin Bernsen, John Schneider, Steve Guttenberg, William Forsythe, Wade Williams, Jarrett Ellis Beal and The movie, which tells the true story of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case Richard Portnow. that legalized abortion in America, is being produced by Nick Loeb and Cathy Allyn, who also co-wrote the script. Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Stacey Dash, an actress who starred in such films as "Clueless" and is now a is executive producer and has a cameo role. conservative commentator, plays Mildred Jefferson, the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School and a former president of National Right to Life. Making the movie hasn’t been easy for the trio. Just as the pro-abortion left has been in an uproar about the fate of Roe v. Wade since Justice Anthony Kennedy announced Jamie Kennedy plays abortion-rights leader Larry Lader; Joey Lawrence portrays his retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court, the movie, too, has stirred emotions. Robert Byrn, a pro-life law professor at Fordham University; and Loeb plays Dr. During filming the production team faced hostilities, cast and crew members walked Bernard Nathanson, an abortion doctor who later became an outspoken pro-life off the set, and location access was denied. advocate. Greer Grammer, daughter of pro-life actor Kelsey Grammer, portrays Sarah Weddington, an attorney for Norma McCorvey. McCorvey is played by Summer Joy Campbell, an actress from Baton Rouge. In a world where the pro-life message is shelved in Hollywood and in the media, we rejoice at opportunities when the truth can The film follows key advocates in the abortion fight in the 1970s, including Nathanson be told. We are thankful to the Nick Loeb and team for sharing and women’s rights activist Betty Friedan on the pro-abortion side and Dr. Jefferson on the pro-life side. the real story of how abortion-on-demand was thrust upon America. I enjoyed visiting the set of the film while they were “Bernard and Betty, along with the team at Planned Parenthood, search the country shooting in Louisiana and look forward to the release of the film. to find a pregnant girl they can use to sue the government for her right to have an abortion. Our characters find the perfect pawn: a broke girl with a 10th-grade - Benjamin Clapper, Louisiana Right to Life education named Norma McCorvey. She is now famously known as ‘Jane Roe.’ They all convince Norma that she can have an abortion if she sues, knowing full well that her case will never get to the courts in time,” the film’s website description reads. But despite the challenges and backlash from pro-abortion activists, Loeb said the media attention created by the controversy has brought in additional private investors The film examines the lies and manipulative tactics of abortion activists, people like to add to funds raised through the movie’s crowdfunding campaigns. McCorvey and Nathanson, who later had a change of heart, and dedicated pro-life advocates like Jefferson, who fought valiantly to defend the right to life of the unborn. “And we have been offered free locations, free food, and free extras, and over 2,000 contributions have come in plus three distribution deals,” he added. The film also addresses the racism intertwined in the abortion industry through Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger and others as well as Jefferson’s fight for unborn Loeb said the movie aims to show both sides of the abortion fight, but he doesn’t shy babies and people of color. away from the fact it’s a pro-life film, described on its website as “the untold story of how people lied, how the media lied, and how the courts were manipulated to pass a Loeb has described the Roe v. Wade decision as one of the most controversial political law that has since killed over 60 million Americans.” and legal decisions in history.

Like Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade), Loeb changed his opinion on He said he wanted to tell the story “so everyone can see the truth and decide for abortion and had his own pro-choice to pro-life conversion. He said during his late themselves.” 20s he realized that his own children that had been aborted were not just clumps of cells, but instead were human lives with heartbeats. He then learned more about the “If I’m lucky enough to save lives along the way, that would make all of this worth it,” landmark Supreme Court decision and realized the truth had never been told in a he said. feature film.

“When I delved into (the Roe v. Wade decision), Producer/director Nick Loeb discusses a scene with the I discovered conspiracy theories, fake news, film crew while Summer Joy Campbell (Norma McCorvey) prepares for a scene in the background.

LARTL board member Sharon Rodi and Executive Director Ben Clapper with Stacey Dash, who portrays Dr. Mildred Jefferson in the film.

Shown are, seated, Nick Loeb and Kathy Allyn, producers; and standing, LARTL Board member Sharon Rodi, Executive Producer Dr. Alveda King, and LARTL Executive Director Ben Clapper.

The Luminary: A Publication of Louisiana Right to Life | Pg 5 Alex Seghers, Youth Programs Co-Director Going to College? Hold True to Your Pro-Life Convictions Tips to Help You Remain Pro-Life in College “Back to School” is just around the corner. Are you heading Fortunately, I was not one of those students who entered off to college and not sure what you’re going to encounter? college pro-life and left pro-abortion. My household Become a part of the community. If there Do you believe the values and beliefs you leave home with encouraged pro-life views when I was growing up, but isn’t a pro-life club already on campus, put won’t be challenged or even changed during the next four my pro-life formation did not stop with our faith. As a the word out and find other pro-life students. years? sophomore in high school I attended a PULSE Immersion Maybe the local pregnancy center or the Weekend, a program of Louisiana Right to Life. Throughout state’s Right to Life organization knows of If you’re not sure, you are definitely not alone. In fact, the weekend I was shocked by reality, informed about pro-life students on your campus. I know of according to Students for Life of America, 46 percent of resources, and trained in the science and philosophy clubs whose members are each others’ most women enter college pro-life, but only about 27 percent of of pro-life persuasion. My high school youth group had compassionate, caring, and authentic friends. these women are pro-life when they graduate. And men, this encouraged this attendance and continued pro-life formation Tulane University’s pro-life club even had a happens to you, too! consistently with activism and education until I graduated. member who changed his pro-choice views because, when he confronted the pro-life But WHY does it happen? I became so solidly pro-life that when I attended college I club, he found “the biggest hearts you could held different officer positions within my college pro-life club ever find.” Continue learning together, and Maybe you’ll be challenged about your pro-life views until graduation, and with the group I organized events, challenge each other’s articulation of your during a discussion with your new college friends. Maybe prayed at the local weekly, and arranged for pro-life beliefs. you’ll hear something like: “How can you be pro-life? What speakers at my university. I even took the pro-life vocation about my friend who was raped? Would you have forced route, interning with Louisiana Right to Life in the summer Be open-minded while you search for this motherhood on her, especially with her rapist’s child? Why and now running the youth programs I once attended. And I community. Growing up, I was a very would you wish that trauma on her? And don’t you know am so happy to provide the same pro-life formation I had to conservative Republican, and I thought that if adoption causes trauma, too?” Maybe you grew up in a the high school and college students of today! you were truly pro-life you would align with pro-life environment but never considered these questions me politically. But I have learned that anyone before. Maybe having compassion for this person’s For the past three years I have traveled, spoken, and from any political or religious background experience causes you to reconsider your beliefs. participated in activism at universities across Louisiana. I can unite in pro-life work with a consistent have seen activism methods that have and haven’t worked, human rights point of view. You may have Or maybe you will make a mistake and, while you students who felt burned out, and students who experienced different solutions to the abortion issue, but consider yourself pro-life, you aren’t really familiar with the tremendous growth in leadership and effectiveness. you can certainly agree about the tragedy compassionate and forgiving pro-life resources available. of abortion and reach a wider variety of If you feel ashamed, alone and unsupported, it is possible And now it’s your turn. Will you be like me and grow even students. Even if you doubt your faith or you could choose abortion in an unplanned pregnancy, stronger in your pro-life convictions, or will you let others reconsider your political views in the coming thus reconsidering everything you believed in prior to this make you doubt your beliefs or let mistakes overrule what years, you can remain pro-life and help experience. you know to be right? others do the same.

Once you form or join a club, balance your club’s activism with educational awareness and resourceful service. You can spread awareness by interactively tabling with surveys, such as: “Should Abortion Be Legal?”, “Can you be Pro-Life and Feminist?”, “Who Deserves Human Rights?” and “When does Life Begin?” Host “Cemetery of the Innocents” displays or other unique and attractive pro-life displays that start thought-provoking conversations. Provide creative displays and handouts with local low-income women’s resources and adoption information. Pro-Life LSU, for instance, tables with collected maternity clothes and baby items a few times a semester, and expectant mothers and student parents take what they need or trade what they have borrowed for the next size up. Other service projects that intersect with the abortion issue can include a local human trafficking safe house fundraiser, providing food for the homeless, domestic violence awareness, material-need backpacks for foster care kids, CASA events, etc. These Pro-Life LSU members share maternity clothes and actions are a beautiful witness to consistently baby items with expectant mothers and student parents during tabling on campus. caring for life and offering alternatives to abortion!

Attend PULSE. I mentioned that I attended a PULSE Immersion Weekend in high school. Louisiana Right to Life’s PULSE programs are for both high school and college students. Ben Parks, a student at LSU, and Alex Lucas, a student at Loyola, Looking for community? Overwhelmed talk with PULSE students about college activism. about starting a club? Want to hear others’ experiences with activism? Don’t think you are a leader? Want to be a better leader? You can start all of these things with us at PULSE. You have a part to play, no matter what gifts and talents you have. We are dedicated to helping you grow in pro-life leadership!

Nicholls students Miranda Plaisance and Taylor Luccich support student-parents.

Pro-Life Cajuns members talk with other UL-L students about a display exposing Planned Parenthood.

Pg 6 | The Luminary: A Publication of Louisiana Right to Life PULSE Leadership Institute Got Teen Out of His Comfort Zone Comeaux Urges Others to Get Involved with PULSE

My name is Spencer Comeaux. I am 16 years old, and I am a rising senior at Ovey happened to his sister, Terri Schiavo, Comeaux High School in Lafayette. and how she was treated. I had really great conversations when I never fully understood the meaning of being pro-life until my classmate, Bailey we went to LSU to survey people Mannina, invited me to a Comeaux Right to Life meeting. Krista Corbello and Amber about human rights issues. That Sims shared their pro-life testimonies, and during their presentation it struck me how was a cool experience, something real abortion is and how their lives could have easily ended if their mothers had I would not have expected myself chosen abortion. They wouldn’t be here if that were the case, and that really affected to do. It was out of my comfort me emotionally. zone, but it was worth it. I think everyone had a rewarding Spencer Comeaux "testifies" in committee. I was starting to understand what it means to be pro-life, but I wanted to know more. experience that day. That semester I went to another meeting, and when summer came Bailey invited me to go to PULSE Leadership Institute (PLI). I am so glad I decided to register. My Another day we went to the Capitol, experience at PLI was amazing! and in one of the committee rooms each one of us “testified” about why we are pro-life. I was very nervous, but I managed to get through it. Not only did I learn a lot of new things, but I also made so many new friends and had a lot of fun! On the first day of the camp I met so many new people from around This camp is really good for getting you out of your comfort zone to both speak in the state, and I even got to see my friends from school. Playing laser tag was an front of people and have dialogue with others about important issues like abortion. awesome way to have fun with both new and old friends. And I especially enjoyed I really enjoyed it, and I could tell everyone else did, too, because we all left with spending time with my small group. enthusiasm for next year. I’m also glad I experienced such an impactful camp with other members of Comeaux Right to Life. We became even better friends and now I was able to learn a lot about being pro-life through all of the presentations, and I plan to expand our club and become more active on campus. realized how proud I am to be a part of this compassionate and positive movement. During Dr. Kim Hardey’s presentation we learned about the medical perspective I can’t wait for the next PULSE camp, and I urge others to get involved with PULSE, of abortion procedures, and I realized how wrong they are. This really inspired too, and experience this great movement! me. I also learned how horrific euthanasia is from Bobby Schindler, who told what PLI Photos by Matthew Seymour

From left, Kimberly Sellers, John Paul Fontenot, Matthew Fontenot, and John Paul Students, from left, Lizzie Jurek, Virginia Seymour, Jayci Tekell, Students listen as Sarah Zagorski tells her Zeringue speak with a resident at a Baton and Megan Wilkes watch as an ultrasound is performed at story of surviving abortion. Rouge nursing home. Woman’s New Life Center. Sarah Massey talks with an LSU student about abortion. Pro-Life Persuasion Tip: My Body, My Choice!

It is a famous mantra of the pro-abortion movement: "It's my for the first nine months of life, is distinct and not "part" of the body, so it's my choice." What's the best way to answer the often mother. The unborn baby has a separate brain, nervous system emotionally-charged tagline and lead to a productive conversation? and heart and can have a separate blood type. His or her DNA is different from the mother and has a trajectory of life independent Ask the Question: from the mother's other bodily functions. Can You Do Whatever You Want With Your Body? To begin, the "my body my choice" mantra presupposes that a Can the "Fetus" Be Tortured If It Is "Part of your Body"? woman (or anyone for that matter) can do whatever she wants This sounds extreme, but if the two points above are not getting with her body. Is that true? No. In society, our rights with our body you anywhere, you can result to asking this question: If the "fetus" end when they violate the rights of another person's body or their is part of a woman's body, and she can do whatever she wants legal property. In addition, our society strives to prevent people with her body, would it be OK for a woman to purposefully take from hurting themselves, especially when it comes to young people medications with the intent to torture or deform the "fetus"? There (sadly, the growth of assisted suicide shows that exceptions can be have been medications outlawed during pregnancy due to made with the medically vulnerable or elderly). Ask the question their known risk to deform unborn babies, but if anything goes and see if the person will admit that their bodily rights are limited. with "your body," wouldn't that be permissible? The person would likely not go along with intentionally deforming an You can also ask, for example, if a woman should be able to have unborn baby, but they would be fine with abortion killing an abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, even the day the baby. Follow up with a simple question: What's the before birth, for any reason, including gender or eye color? If the difference? answer is 'no, there should be limitations', then it becomes clear that a woman certainly cannot do whatever she wants with her Remember, be calm, listen, and ask questions. You can YOUR BODY body or the baby's body. lead even the most avid abortion supporter to re-think their position! Present the Case: The Unborn Baby is Distinct from the Mother It is clear that the unborn baby, while living within his or her mother NOT YOUR BODY

The Luminary: A Publication of Louisiana Right to Life | Pg 7 New Orleans, LA 70124 PO Box 24106 Louisiana Right to Life

The Luminary Lighting the Way to a Pro-Life Louisiana

Be the PULSE! Join Our Pro-Life Youth Movement!

Page 3: Will New Supreme Court Redefine Abortion Rights?

Page 4: Cenla Pregnancy Center Born Through Prayer

SUMMER 2018

Louisiana Right To Life

1.866.463.5433 | www.ProLifeLouisiana.org

The Luminary is a publication of Louisiana Right to Life, the state's premier pro-life organization founded in 1970 to restore the right to life in Louisiana through education, legislation, service, and activism. Louisiana Right to Life is a non-partisan and non-sectarian organization.

Currently running three times a year, The Luminary is received by our Luminary Members, Churches and Groups. To order additional copies, Be a Luminary Member call or email us at [email protected] Join Us to Stand for Life To stay up to speed between issues The Luminary is delivered to Louisiana Right to Life Luminary Members of The Luminary, be sure you are and Church/Organization Members three times a year. For only $25 receiving our bi-monthly e-newsletters. a year for individuals and $50 for churches, you will help us light the Contact us today to sign up! way to a pro-life Louisiana and receive this publication, plus a "I Stand for Life" Luminary Member Sticker or Magnet for Your Car. Become a Luminary member by visiting ProLifeLouisiana.org/Member

Louisiana Right to Life Louisiana Right to Life Across the State Board of Directors: William Watkins, Statewide toll free number: 1.866.463.5433 Celie Clark, Robert Winn, Peg Kenny, New Orleans Sharon Rodi, Michelle Gorney, John Nickelson, 200 Robert E. Lee Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70184 James B. Godchaux, M.D., and Ryan Verret 504.835.6520 Executive Director: Benjamin Clapper Managing Editor: Sandy Cunningham Lafayette 600 Jefferson Street Suite 506, Lafayette, LA 70501 www.ProLifeLouisiana.org Follow us on Twitter @LARighttoLife 337.524.0044 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LouisianaRightToLife