THE ERIE ECHO “voice for life” Vol. XXXVII No. 1 www.peopleforlife.org January 2009 Meet Ramesh Ponnuru “You’ll love Ramesh!” – Jacki Ragan, a media fellow at Stanford University’s National Right to Life Director of State Hoover Institution. Organizational Development His book The Party of Death examines Ramesh Ponnuru will be the main abortion and euthanasia and how “pro- speaker at People for Life’s annual Pro-Life choice” activists have manipulated the Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, January 17. political parties, the judicial system, and the The event will be held in Erie at the mainstream media to advance their agenda. Ambassador Banquet & Conference Center. As the Evangelical leader Charles Colson Mr. Ponnuru is a Senior Editor of has observed, the book is a “carefully National Review Magazine and author of researched and rigorously argued work The Party of Death , published in 2006. [that] skillfully rebuts the seductive Of Asian Indian descent, Ramesh arguments of America’s merchants of Ponnuru grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas. death.” He graduated high school at age 16 and Dr. Robert George, the well-known went on to Princeton University, graduating McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at summa cum laude with a B.A. in history. Princeton, has described Ponnuru’s history Ponnuru has published articles in thesis as “superb” and “the kind of work one numerous newspapers including the New expects from a young professor.” The thesis York Times , the Washington Post , the Wall focused on a friend-of-the-court brief filed Street Journal , the Financial Times , by 281 (evidently pro-abortion) historians in Newsday , and the New York Post . He has the Webster v. Reproductive Health Services PHOTO BY MICHAEL RONQUILLO also written for The Weekly Standard , abortion case that was heard by the U.S. Ramesh Ponnuru Policy Review , The New Republic , First Supreme Court. Ponnuru maintained that young man, not only a person of the highest Things , Reason and other leading the brief seriously misrepresented historical intellectual gifts but also one of integrity publications. He has appeared on CNN’s fact and that it actually contradicted material and personal rectitude. He is not afraid to Inside Politics , NBC’s The McLaughlin that was previously published by many of criticize his own side.... He’s extremely Group , MSNBC’s Buchanan & Press and the historians who signed the brief. fair-minded.” Donahue , CNBC’s Kudlow & Cramer , The thesis was seen as bold and Ponnuru lives in Washington D.C. with PBS’s The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer , courageous not only because it challenged his wife April and young daughter Mary. CSPAN’s Washington Journal , Comedy pronouncements of the academic elite, but Copies of The Culture of Death will be Central’s Politically Incorrect , Fox News, because some the historians that Ponnuru on sale at the Pro-Life Prayer Breakfast, and and NPR’s Morning Edition . took to task were currently teaching right Mr. Ponnuru has graciously agreed to sign Ponnuru has been a fellow at the there at Princeton. autographs. Institute of Economic Affairs in London and “I’m very proud that he was my Read more about the Pro-Life Prayer student,” said Dr. George. “He’s a brilliant Breakfast on page 2. Erie March & Motorcade for Life The annual Erie March & Motorcade for Everyone who is able to march is Square Gazebo in downtown Erie at 11:00 Life will take place on January 10, 2009. It encouraged to do so, but for those who am. All participants should arrive at least will be a local observance of the 36th would have difficulty walking the distance a 15 minutes early. anniversary of the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Motorcade will follow the marchers. Parade marshals will begin setting up the Bolton Supreme Court decisions, which The March will begin at the Perry Motorcade at 10:30 am. A line of vehicles gave our nation the most extreme abortion will form along the north side of South Park policies in the Western World. Caution: Winter Weather Row. (South Park Row is the one-way, Set aside an hour or so to be part of this Marchers should come prepared for westbound street on the south side of Perry winter weather conditions with warm urgent call for real CHANGE on behalf of Square.) Drivers should turn on their clothing and warm, non-slip boots. The our nation’s unborn children. Invite City of Erie does a good job clearing emergency flashers upon arrival to identify everyone you can think of to march with streets and sidewalks for us, but some their vehicles as part of the Motorcade. Red you. snow and ice is to be expected. ribbons will also be used for this purpose. continued on page 3 Page 2 T he Erie Echo January 2009 speech that earned him a trip to the state the new Precious Feet are enhanced with a Annual Pro- finals in the National Right to Life High touch of color (choice of pink, pastel blue, Life Prayer School Oratory Contest last spring. The or white). speech is based on an essay Joseph wrote Business and Professional that took first place in the statewide 2008 Breakfast Student Essay Contest sponsored by the PA Sponsor Listings People for Life’s 31st Annual Pro-Life Pro-Life Federation. The printed program for the Pro-Life Prayer Breakfast will be held on Saturday, Erie Catholic Bishop Donald Trautman Prayer Breakfast will include sponsor January 17 at 9 am. We are excited to be at has made plans to attend and promised to listings for local businesses and a new location this year, the Ambassador share a few words with us as well. professionals. Listings are available at Banquet & Conference Center on Peach Free babysitting with entertaining levels of $10, $25, $50, $75, and $100 Street just north of I-90. The doors will activities for children of all ages will be (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and open and our pro-life displays will be ready available during the speaking portion of the Diamond). to browse at 8:00 am. program. Parents are invited to take Sponsors will also be eligible for a We are very happy to be hosting an advantage of this service so they are better listing and link on our website, incredible guest speaker, National Review able to devote their full attention to the www.peopleforlife.org. Magazine Senior Editor Ramesh Ponnuru. keynote message while the kids are also Please help spread the word to pro-life For tickets, mail $12 per person ($7.50 enjoying themselves. business people and other pro-life for ages 3-10; no charge for kids under 3) to A large selection of pro-life literature professionals! People for Life or visit either of our two and promotional materials, including a new For more information or a sponsorship Erie offices. version of the famous Precious Feet lapel form, call (814) 882-1333 or e-mail Also this year, high school senior Joseph pin, will be on display before and after the . Caulfield will present the very impressive program. Available for the very first time, The official March for Life program someone with a strong desire to “march for March for Life begins at noon with a Rally on the National life.” Mall at 7th Street, between the U.S. Capitol Please consider being a March for Life Bus Trip and the Washington Monument. The March sponsor. In some cases, even a partial The annual Washington, DC March for itself begins at approximately 1:15 pm, sponsorship of $10 or $20 could make the Life will take place on January 22, two days following Constitution Avenue to the U.S. difference between someone marching in after the inauguration of Barack Obama. Supreme Court. DC or having to stay home. Plan now to march in DC to show the Members of Silent No More, a national Freedom of Choice Act new President, as well as the new 111th pro-life organization made up of women Everyone probably knows by now that Congress, that Americans really do care who have had abortions, will gather on the the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is the about their unborn brothers and sisters. steps of the Supreme Court at 3:30 pm and most radical and dangerous pro-abortion People for Life has chartered three 56- present testimonies about their own abortion legislation ever introduced in Congress and passenger motor coaches for our 36th experiences as the marchers are passing by. that Barack Obama, a cosponsor of this bill, annual March for Life Bus Trip. As this When they finish the March many cannot wait to sign it into law. newsletter goes to press, about half the seats people will take time to visit their senators Although FOCA is only one of many have already been taken, so make your and representatives in the nearby House and anti-life bills that we will have to fight reservations as soon as possible. Senate office buildings. Many legislators during the next four years, no bill is likely to People for Life has sponsored a set aside a generous amount of time to be more dangerous. successful Bus Trip every year since the spend with the marchers. People for Life Now is the time to start lobbying our first March for Life in 1974. That year, the provides the times and locations of any federal legislators in opposition to FOCA. marchers numbered about 20,000. At least meetings that have been scheduled. Remember, whether you are ten times that many are expected this year. The return trip begins at 5:00 pm.