Archive for August, 2007

Update: Mayor Weisner agreed late this afternoon to allow the City Council to choose who should investigate Planned Parenthood's dealings with the City. Democracy lives! Of course, this means we'll have to watch very closely how things develop. Be prepared to visit the City Council again when they next meet, September 11.

Early Wednesday morning, Mayor Thomas Weisner assured the assembled pro-life citizens of Aurora and surrounding communities that an open, independent, thorough investigation would be conducted into Planned Parenthood's dealings with the City.

Unfortunately, the attorney chosen by the mayor to conduct this investigation, Richard Martens, is unsuitable. Moreover, the mayor has informed the City Council that the investigation will be completed by September 13.

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In this time of controversy over the meaning and purpose of God’s most fundamental gift—the gift of human life—we, the clergy of Aurora and neighboring communities, seek to bring clarity and speak the truth in love.

Our faith in Jesus Christ leads us to proclaim that God the Father is the Author of life, and that every human life is created with purpose and dignity (Genesis 1:26-27). From the moment of conception, each of us is seen and loved by our Father (Psalms 139:13,16).

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Today's Beacon article by Kristen Zambo offers far more balance than her piece yesterday, in which abortion advocate Bonnie Grabenhofer—one of only two voice before the Council in favor of Planned Parenthood—was quoted at a length of 78 words, while the pro-life voices were given a mere 54 words, none of which was actually from the formal statements before the Council.

This is, interestingly, the only time that the score card has worked out that way for the pro-life side.

• Statements to City Council August 28: 100 to 2
• Protestors on August 25: 1,300 to 18
• Presence at Prisco Center, August 16: 450 to 15

By the way, [Continue reading . . . »]

I don't have the words to express my appreciation and gratitude for all the wonderful pro-lifers who stood up before the City Council last night, and on into this morning, telling their personal stories about why Planned Parenthood is bad for Aurora.

Many times during the nearly six hours of statements from pro-lifers, I was nearly overcome not only by the moving stories people had to tell—of loss and sorrow and anguish, of hope and promise and exhortation—but by the tremendous faithfulness and courage before my eyes. [Continue reading . . . »]

I'm proud to announce the launch of the Families Against Planned Parenthood blog. This new service will provide a place for participants and supporters of the effort to keep Planned Parenthood out of the Fox Valley to share stories, pictures and important news.

I'm still tweaking the code, so please be patient with any awkward looking elements on the page. There are plenty of kinks to work out yet.

Soon, I'll try to get up a story about this past Saturday's awesome Rally—one of the biggest pro-life events in decades.

I've also got plans to create a page just on the news coverage of everything we've been doing, from the first Beacon News article that first "outed" Planned Parenthood's designs on the East Side of Aurora.

Until then . . .