May 27, 2005

"Jesus is Pro-Life news conference / pro-life rally - SC State House, Columbia

Columbia Christians for Life & Voice of the Unborn held a joint end-of-session pro-life rally and news conference on May 26 to praise, bless, and glorify God for what He has done with the Right to Life Act of South Carolina (H.3213/S.111) andthe Unborn Children's Monument memorial (H.3338) in 2005.

The event was held inside the SC State House in the first floor lobby between the SC Governor's and Lt. Governor's offices. Two media outlets were present at the news conference (SC Radio Network and WSPA-TV7), and just over 15 supporters in attendance.

There were four speakers who made statements:

1. Mr. Charles Butler, pastor, Souls Afire Baptist Church, Orangeburg
2. Mr. Jim Schirmer, pastor, Heritage Presbyterian Church
3. Johnny Gardner, Voice of the Unborn
4. Steve Lefemine, Columbia Christians for Life

_____________________________


CCL note: There are references to three pieces of SC state legislation (H.3213, S.111and H.3338) and two pieces of federal legislation (HR 552 and HR 3313) in the news conference statement below made by Steve Lefemine. The on-line URL's for each of these five bills is given at the end of this e-mail for those who wish to see the actual bills, or look at who the co-sponsors are (or were, in the case of HR 3313 from 2004), or to see the legislative progress of each bill, etc.

CCL note: The text of the infamous Roe vs. Wade decision may also be seen at the URL given at the end of this e-mail.
_________________________________________

Columbia Christians for Life
P.O. Box 50358, Columbia, S.C. 29250
* (803) 765-0916 *

www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net

“… I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18


“JESUS IS PRO-LIFE” NEWS CONFERENCE AND PRO-LIFE RALLY

Thursday, May 26, 2005, 10:45 PM:

First Floor, SC State House, Columbia, SC

Statement by Steve Lefemine, dir. Columbia Christians for Life:

Good morning, my name is Steve Lefemine. I am director of Columbia Christians for Life. Our purpose in gathering today is to praise and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to remember the works of the Lord this 2005 legislative session, which ends next week, and to bless His Name. God wants us to remember His mighty works, and to teach them to succeeding generations: Ps. 78 says, [read Psalm 78:5-8]. As I begin, let me say that both the Right to Life Act of SC and the Unborn Children’s Monument memorial are active bills at this time, and we expect that both will be carried over to the January 2006 legislative session. Though neither bill has yet passed into law, as believers in the Sovereign Lordship of King Jesus, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). We believe that while duty belongs to us, it is God Who gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). To Him be the glory !

One day, child-murder by abortion will be ended in SC. I know this because Jesus said, “I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18) Over 300,000 pre-birth human beings have been destroyed in their mothers’ wombs by surgical abortion alone in SC since the abominable, unconstitutional, Roe vs. Wade opinion in 1973. Many times more than that number have likely been killed by chemical abortion; by Depo-Provera, by birth control pills, etc. Yet since surgical abortions in SC peaked in 1988 at over 14,000, the # has dropped by over 50% to less than 7,000 in 2003. The # of major abortion centers in SC has dropped from 12 in 1988 to 3 today, a decrease of 75%. One day, every abortion mill in SC will be history. And by the way, Roe vs. Wade is not the Law of the Land according to Art. VI. of the U.S. Constitution. Furthermore, the U.S. Congress and the President have the power to end abortion in the United States in one week’s time by passing HR 552, the RTL Act in the U.S. House, with the same Article III., Section 2. prohibition of federal court jurisdiction that the U.S. House passed last year in HR 3313, the Marriage Protection Act.

To recap what the Lord has done with the RTL Act of SC in 2005 it has been a historic year: for the first time the bill passed the House Judiciary Comm. and the full SC House. Unfortunately, an amendment for a morning-after pill rape ‘Exception’ was added on the House floor, which fatally flaws the bill. I will speak more on that later. After passing the House, H.3213 went to a Senate Subcomm. of the Judiciary Comm., which has now held two public hearings on the bill, but has not yet taken a vote. This Subcommittee also has S.111 in its original, unamended form, under consideration.

By way of remembrance, let me briefly re-cap the history of how the Lord has progressed this bill over the last 8-years. The bill was conceived in 1997, and first filed in Feb 1998. It did not get a public hearing until April 2001, when it was defeated by a vote of 4 to 1 in a House Subcomm. with three Republicans. The only legislator to vote for the bill in 2001 was a Democrat from the black caucus. The next hearing did not come until April 2004. The bill passed the same House Subcomm. this time with some new members, by a vote of 2 to 0, with one abstention. The next week the bill was defeated in the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Comm. by what I maintain to this day was a fraudulent voice vote, because we spoke to numerous members afterwards, and if they voted as they claimed, the bill should have passed. Instead it was defeated. Nevertheless, in 2005, we started over again. This year the bill (H.3213) passed the same House Subcomm. again, this time by a 3 to 0 vote, with one abstention. The day before, the S.C. Attorney General, Henry McMaster, had issued an Opinion on the constitutionality of H.3213 the Opinion asserted the bill was “constitutional on its face” but if applied to abortion, would run into the matter of adjudication in the courts. The next week the bill passed the full House Judiciary Comm. for the first time, by a 15 to 5 vote, and was on its way to Second Reading on the floor of the full 124-member SC House, with 74 Republicans and 50 Democrats. Before the vote on Second Reading, the number of co-sponsors continued to increase, until there were 52 co-sponsors signed-on to the bill, 47 Republicans and 5 Democrats. On April 13th, the RTL Act of SC passed the SC House on Second Reading by a vote of 95 to 18, but not before a ‘fatal flaw’ rape ‘Exception’ Amendment was proposed by a Democrat, and accepted by the manager of the floor debate for the Republicans. This ‘Exception’ to fetal personhood undermines the whole legal “personhood” concept of this bill, just as a “life-of-the-mother” ‘Exception’ undermined the Texas law challenged in the Roe case over 30 years ago. The text of the Roe decision says explicitly, “If this suggestion of personhood is established, the [pro-abortion argument], of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment.” However, Justice Blackmun also said in a footnote to Roe, “… if the fetus is a person who is not to be deprived of life without due process of law, and if the mother’s condition is the sole determinant, does not the Texas exception appear to be out of line with the [14th] Amendment’s command ?… “ In other words, if fetal personhood is established, as the RTL Act of SC is intended to do, Roe collapses. However, if there are any ‘Exceptions’ to fetal personhood, then the “personhood” argument collapses, and Roe stands. The ‘fatal flaw’ amendment added by the House must be removed in the SC Senate before it goes back to the House, or the bill must be killed.

As I said earlier, this amended bill passed by the House has now been passed to the Senate, and resides in a 4-man Senate Subcommittee, with three Republicans, including the chairman, and one Democrat. The Senate version of the bill (S.111) remains unamended, but has only six co-sponsors at present, and none of these 4 Senate Subcommittee members are among the six. Much work remains if this bill is to make it through the Senate. However, let this verview of the 8-year history of this bill not only work to build your faith in God’s overruling, prevailing Sovereignty, but let it give you a sense of having a long-term view and vision for the advance of Christ’s kingdom. The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish:…” (Proverb 29:18). God says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:…” Did you know that Article VI. of the U.S. Constitution does not include Opinions of the U.S. supreme Court in its list of the three things which are identified in the text as the “supreme Law of the Land?” Check out the literature and hand-outs on the card table here on the side if you would like to learn more. Did you know that the U.S. Constitution, in Art. III., Sec. 2., gives Congress the authority to limit the appellate jurisdiction of the U.S. supreme Court; and that Congress has the power to even eliminate all the other lower federal district and appellate courts, because Congress established them to begin with, and can certainly define their jurisdictions ? Remember, Congress and the President have the power, now, as they have had for the last 32 years, to end abortion in America in one week’s time. Please don’t believe the lie that we have to wait for the nine men and women in black robes to figure out the obvious, as any 3 or 4 year old can tell you, that the child in the womb is a “baby.”

In conclusion, remember the decades-long battle of an evangelical Christian from England against a different crime against humanity, waged in a different era. William Wilberforce was a member of the British Parliament from 1780 to 1825. He first fought the British Empire’s slave trade, which was outlawed by 1808, after he had worked against it for over 20 years, and then he worked for the abolition of slavery itself. He died in July 1833, and the Emancipation Bill, abolishing slavery in the British Empire, was passed a month after he died, in August. Today, the intercontinental slave trade is on the ash-heap of history and so it will be with child-murder by so-called “legalized” abortion. This outrageous atrocity against God’s little image bearers in the wombs of their mothers will come to an end one day. May the Lord be pleased to hasten that day ! Hallelu-Yah ! Praise the Lord !

____________________________________

Prepared by Columbia Christians for Life * http://www.righttolifeactofsc.net/ * (803) 765-0916 * Columbia, SC

Note:
For add’l resources that may be useful in lobbying SC State Senators, go to http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/, and click on “RTL Act of SC.” There you will find some items germaine to your lobbying effort, which may be printed out and mailed or faxed; or, e-mailed, to these Senators.

___________________________________________

If you wish to contribute to Columbia Christians for Life, go to http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/ and click on "Support" for further information (contributions are not tax deductible)

See the three SC state bills (H.3213, S.111, and H.3338) referred to inthe statement above, on-line at the following URL's:

H.3213 - Right to Life Act of SC (filed in SC House)www.scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/3213.htm

S.111 - Right to Life Act of SC (filed in SC Senate)www.scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/111.htm

H.3338 - Unborn Children's Monument memorialwww.scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/3338.htm

-------------------------------------------------

See the two U.S. House (federal) bills (HR 552 and HR 3313) referred to in the statement above, on-line at the following URL's:

HR 552 - the Right to Life Act (introduced 2/2/2005 in 109th Congress)48 co-sponsors (out of 435 members of Congress) http://thomas.loc.gov/

Enter Bill Number: HR 552 (click on 'Search') HR 3313 - the Marriage Protection Act of 2004 (from the 108th Congress in 2004) http://thomas.loc.gov/

  • Under "LEGISLATION," click on "Search Bills and Resolutions"
  • Under "Select Congress," click on "108th (2003-2004)
  • In the "Enter Search:" block, enter HR 3313- click on "Search"

This bill should have been passed last year in 2004 by Congress. This bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 22, 2004, by a vote of 233 to 194; however the U.S. Senate did nothing with this historic marriage-protecting legislation, which would have prevented the U.S. supreme Court from having appellate jurisdiction, or the lower federal courts from having any jurisdiction to decide cases concerning the (1996) Defense of Marriage Act - this bill (HR 3313) to protect marriage could have been passed by a simple majority in the U.S. Senate. Instead, we are subjected to the endless charade by the Republicans in Congress and the Republican President, of their purported plansto work for the passage of an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect marriage,a much higher legislative hurdle, which requires a 2/3 vote in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate (instead of a simple majority vote like with HR 3313, the M.P.A. of 2004) and which also then requires 3/4 of the state legislatures to approve. The Republicansare failing to protect marriage, just as they have failed to end abortion, or protect statelaws criminalizing sodomy from being overturned by a runaway federal judiciary, whenCongress and the President have the power now to curtail and restrict the jurisdiction of the federal courts !!! [see Article III. Section 2. of the U.S. Constitution]

--------------------------------------------------------

See the text of the Roe vs. Wade decision itself at:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=410&invol=113

May 23, 2005

NEWS CONFERENCE AND 'JESUS IS PRO-LIFE' VICTORY RALLY - Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 10:45 AM

First Floor, SC State House, Columbia
_______________________________________

Columbia Christians for Life & VOICE OF THE UNBORN

“… I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18

“Lo: children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. ”
Psalm 127:3


PRESS ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Monday, May 23, 2005

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Contact: Steve Lefemine, dir., Columbia Christians for Life, ph. (803) 765-0916 / CCFL@sc-online.net

Johnny Gardner, dir., Voice of the Unborn, ph. (803) 731-0062

NEWS CONFERENCE
AND
‘JESUS IS PRO-LIFE’
VICTORY RALLY
Thursday, May 26, 2005
10:45 AM
First Floor, SC State House

End of ’05 Legislative session report on what God has done vis-à-vis:

1. the “Right to Life Act of South Carolina” H.3213 / S.111
2. the Unborn Children’s Monument memorial H.3338

Columbia Christians for Life & Voice of the Unborn are having a joint pro-life rally and news conference on May 26, 2005 (next-to-last week of regular 2005 Legislative session) to praise, bless, and glorify God for what He has done with the Right to Life Act of South Carolina and the Unborn Children’s Monument memorial in 2005 at 10:45 AM inside our State House, on the first floor, right outside the Governor’s office.

Though neither bill has passed into law yet, as Christians, as believers in the Sovereign Lordship and Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7), and we believe that while duty belongs to us, it is God who gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). To Him be the glory ! In whatever trials and battles we are engaged, nevertheless, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:35-37).

Supporters are being invited to come and please stand with us to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. We are seeking to defend the precious lives of our unborn children and make abortion illegal in SC through the RTL Act of SC; and to memorialize and repent for the loss of over 300,000 children destroyed already since 1973, by surgical abortion alone, through the Unborn Children’s Monument memorial.

EXODUS 20:13 “THOU SHALT NOT KILL”

- ### -

May 18, 2005

Report on Public Hearing for the RTL Act of SC - Wed., May 18, 2005

Room 207, Gressette Bldg., conducted approx. 10:15 - 11:45 AM State House grounds, Columbia, SC

We give all praise and glory to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ forthe continued deliberations on the Right to Life of SC. Although a vote was not taken today in the subcommittee to pass the bill favorably out of the subcommittee and on to the full Senate Judiciary Committee; neither was the bill killed. A vote remains to be taken. The Right to Life Act of SC is still alive.

The Subcommittee chaired by Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg) of the Senate Judiciary Committee conducted a second Public Hearing during which testimony was heard primarily (almost exclusively) on the subject of the Right to Life Act of SC (H.3213/S.111). Of the nine speakers who spoke during the approx. one and one-half hours of testimony, all except for two spoke in favor of passage of the Right to Life Act of SC. The two who did not speak in support of the RTL Act of SC were: 1) a law professor from the partially tax-funded University of South Carolina, and someone from the A.C.L.U. - these two spoke of legal problems that would arise if the Right to Life Act of SC were passed into law.

At the end of the 90 minutes of intense testimony, chairman Senator Ritchie explained the need of the subcommittee to digest the information conveyed to them, and further assess the impact of the Right to Life Act, and also, unfortunately, another bill, S.479 (the Unborn Victim's Act), which while it does recognize fetal personhood in several limited areas of state law, it also disgracefully and abominably statutorily recognizes the so-called "mother's right to privacy, to a lawful medical procedure performed by aphysician..." [read 'abortion']. This is not a pro-life bill. It is advocated by South Carolina Citizens for Life (SC state chapter of National Right to Life).

As of the end of the subcommittee meeting, Senator Ritchie did not know whether, with just about two weeks left in the 2005 legislative session (it ends Thursday, June 2, two weeks from tomorrow), whether or not his subcommittee would actually vote on the Right to Life Act of SC by that end of session date or not.

Speakers in favor of passage of the Right to Life Act were:

1. Johnny Gardner, dir., Voice of the Unborn, Columbia
2. Steve Lefemine, dir., Columbia Christians for Life, Columbia
3. Kim _____, post-abortion, personal testimony, Columbia area
4. Gerald Nagy, missionary-support computer services ministry, West Columbia
5. Mr. Bob Slimp, Presbyterian minister, Reserve Army chaplain (LTC), Columbia
6. Chris _____, mother of post-abortive daughter, personal testimony, Columbia area
7. Mr. Charles Butler, pastor, Souls Afire Baptist Church, Orangeburg

Much excellent testimony was given, to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the pro-life/anti-abortion speakers. Much Scripture was spoken, and several important subjects were covered, including the God-ordained accountability of those in civil government to God, and issues of law, biology, and as mentioned above, personal testimonies.

To order the CD of the proceedings, contact Mr. Phil Lenski, staff attorneyfor the Senate Judiciary Committee, at (803) 212-6617. The cost is $5.00.

In addition to chairman Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg), there were two other senators present of the 4-man subcommittee:

Senator Randy Scott (R-Summerville)
Senator Joel Louris (D-Columbia)

absent (chairing another subcommitee) was Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry Co.)

Senator Ritchie and Senator Scott are generally favorable to the bill, however neither is presently a co-sponsor of S.111, and it seems that it would be beneficial for both of them to continue to hear from the public encouraging them to support the RTL Act of SC without the 'fatal flaw' rape EXCEPTION amendment that was added in the SC House. One step of progress that seems to have been made waswhen Senator Ritchie expressed after today's subcommittee hearing his understanding, essentially, how there can't be any 'exceptions' to personhood - either we vest personhood or we don't. This is important so that we do not make the same mistake that the State of Texas made over 30 years ago in the Roe case with a 'life-of-the-mother' exception that undermined the fetal 'personhood' case that Texas tried to make, but failed to, in part, because of an 'exception' to fetal personhood in law. Please pray for Senator Ritchie (and all these senators) that they will fear God and not man, and do what is their God-ordained duty, to 'establish justice' in the 'gate.'

Senator Joel Lourie (D-Columbia) appears to be generally against the bill. It is unknown what the position of Senator Luke Rankin (R-Horry County) is at present.

The bottom line is that all four senators need further encouragement to either:

a) vote for the bill, or
b) if they are against the bill, as Senator Lourie of Columbia appears most likely to be, that they be encouraged to abstain from voting against the bill.
c) ask each one of them to sign on as a co-sponsor of S.111

Furthermore, apparently SC Senate rules allow the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman (Senator Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston) to also potentially have a vote, in the subcommittee. So it may be helpful for pro-life people to contact Senator McConnell as well. Ask Senator McConnell to support passage of the RTL Act of SC in its original (unamended) form, and ask him if he will sign on as a co-sponsor of the Right to Life Act (tell him that the Speaker of the SC House, the Speaker Pro Tempore of the SC House, and the House Majority Leader all signed on as co-sponsors to the House version before Second Reading).

-------------------------------------------

Beyond these five men associated with Senator Ritchie's subcommittee (Senators Jim Ritchie, Luke Rankin, Randy Scott, Joel Lourie, and Judiciary Comm. chairman Glenn McConnell), it would also be helpful to begin making contact with some members of the 23-man Senate Judiciary Committee:

Please consider contacting these selected Judiciary Committee members below to:

a) sign onto bill S.111 as a co-sponsor themselves, and
b) ask them to urge the 5 men above on Senator Ritchie's subcommittee to pass the bill out favorably before the end of the legislative session inthe next two weeks:

Senator Greg Gregory (R-Lancaster and York Counties)
Senator Larry Martin (R-Pickens County)
Senator Bill Mescher (R-Berkeley County)
Senator John Hawkins (R-Spartanburg County)
Senator Jake Knotts (R-Lexington County)
Senator Ronnie Cromer (R-Lexington, Newberry, & Saluda Counties)
Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson County) [already a co-sponsor of S.111]
Senator Chip Campsen (R-Berkeley & Charleston Counties)
Senator Ray Cleary (R-Charleston, Georgetown, & Horry Counties)
Senator Kent Williams (D-Dillon, Florence, Marion & Marlboro Counties)

In addition to these 10 men, of course, are added the names of the 4 members of Senator Ritchie's Subcommittee (Ritchie, Rankin, Scott, & Lourie), and Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston), for a totalof 15 members of the (23-man) Judiciary Committee that should begin to be contacted.

------------------------------

Also please consider contacting these six state senators below who are already co-sponsors of S.111, to lobby the members of Senator Ritchie's Subcommittee and the other Judiciary Committee members above: [see link to S.111 from www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net]

Senator Mike Fair (R-Greenville)
Senator David Thomas (R-Greenville)
Senator Larry Grooms (R-Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton & Dorchester Counties)
Senator Danny Verdin (R-Greenville & Laurens Counties)
Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) [Senator Bryant is on the Judiciary Committee]
Senator Wes Hayes (R-York Co.)

Please ask the six senators above who are already co-sponsors of S.111 to urge the Judiciary Committee members above to:
a) sign onto bill S.111 as a co-sponsor themselves, and
b) ask them to urge the 5 men above on Senator Ritchie's subcommittee to pass the bill out favorably before the end of the legislative session inthe next two weeks.

----------------------

Lastly, please consider contacting YOUR OWN STATE SENATOR:
to sign on to Senate bill S.111 themselves, and to urge the Judiciary Committee members above to:

a) sign onto bill S.111 as a co-sponsor themselves, and
b) ask them to urge the 5 men above on Senator Ritchie's subcommittee to pass the bill out favorably before the end of the legislative session in the next two weeks:

________________

Below you will find the detailed contact information for Senator Ricthie's Subcommittee and Senator Glenn McConnell (phone numbers / e-mail addresses / mail addresses).

NOTE: all of the SC Senators can be faxed at 803-212-6299 - be sure to include the Senator’s name on whatever you fax since this is a fax machine in common use to all 46 SC state senators.

If you need the name, address, e-mail, or telephone number of your SC State Senator, go to:

www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/senatebios.html

www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/senate2.html

SENATE MAILING ADDRESS:

You may also write any Member of the Senate at:
Post Office Box 142, Columbia, S.C. 29202-0142

_________________________

Contact info for SC Senators:
Glenn McConnell (R) and
Jim Ritchie (R), Randy Scott (R),
Luke Rankin (R), & Joel Lourie (D):

President Pro Tempore Glenn F. McConnell
District 41 - Charleston Co.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: SJU@scsenate.org

(H) 27 Bainbridge Dr., Charleston, 29407
Bus. (843) 747-7554 Home (843) 571-3921
(C) 101 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6610

Senator James H. "Jim" Ritchie, Jr.
District 13 - Greenville, Spartanburg & Union Cos.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: JHR@scsenate.org

(H) 302 South Pine St., Spartanburg, 29302
Bus. (864) 585-2275 Home (864) 585-6047
(C) 608 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6008/6032

Senator Randy Scott
District 38 - Charleston & Dorchester Cos.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: SCOTTR@scsenate.org

(H) 107 Cleveland St., Summerville, 29483
Bus. (843) 873-5544 Home (843) 871-2964
(C) 606 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6024

Senator Luke A. Rankin, Sr.
District 33 - Horry Co.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: LR@scsenate.org

(H) 201 Beaty St., Conway, 29526
Bus. (843) 248-2405 Home (843) 626-6269
(C) 508 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6132

Senator Joel Lourie
District 22 - Kershaw & Richland Cos.
Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: JBL@scsenate.org

(H) P.O. Box 6212, Columbia, 29260
Bus. (803) 765-9200 ext.257 Home (803) 787-5802
(C) 504 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202
Bus. (803) 212-6116

_________________________

Prepared by Columbia Christians for Life * http://www.righttolifeactofsc.net/ * (803) 765-0916 * Columbia, SC

Thank you for your interest in passing principled pro-life/anti-abortion, no ''EXCEPTIONS'state-level legislation in South Carolina. If you are from out of state and would like to help, your e-mails, faxes, letters and phone calls are welcome. If South Carolina, Lord willing,passes principled pro-life legislation, perhaps that would be helpful to other states to do likewise. Already this legislative year, three other states have had principled pro-life, no 'EXCEPTIONS' bills filed in their state legislatures:
GEORGIA, NORTH DAKOTA, and OHIO.

Note: For add’l resources that may be useful in lobbying these State Senators, go to
www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net, and click on “RTL Act of SC.” There you will find someitems germaine to your lobbying effort, which may be printed out and mailed or faxed; or, e-mailed, to these Senators.

__________________

If you wish to contribute to Columbia Christians for Life, go to http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/ and click on "Support" for further information (contributions are not tax deductible)

May 16, 2005

Update: Public Hearing for RTL Act of SC - May 18, 2005

Public Hearing for Right to Life Act of SC - Wed., May 18 at 10 AM

Room 207, Gressette Bldg., next to SC State House, Columbia


This is the 2d public hearing for S.111/H.3213 - it is scheduled before a 4-man (3 R's, 1 D) Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee,from 10 AM to 12 noon.

[links to bills from www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net ]



Please contact these four SC state senators and ask them to support and vote for the Right to Life Act of SC without the 'fatal flaw' rape' EXCEPTION' that was added to H.3213 in the SC House in April.

  • Senator Jim Ritchie, chair. (Republican - Spartanburg)
  • Senator Randy Scott (Republican - Summerville)
  • Senator Luke Rankin (Republican - Myrtle Beach)
  • Senator Joel Lourie (Democrat - Columbia)

The contact information (phone / fax / e-mail) for these four senators is below. The public hearing is at 10 AM this Wednesday morning (May 18).

Please contact them by close of business, Tuesday, May 17th.

Please pray Proverb 21:1 over these four men, if you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it withersoever He will." The Word of God is for all men, for all nations, for all time. God Himself is sovereign over all men, and all nations, for all time, whether they acknowledge Him or not ![Psalm 2]

Please consider joining in a time of prayer and fasting for the passage of a pure, God-honoring bill (without the rape 'EXCEPTION' that rebels against the LORD's commandment in Exodus 20:13), from 6 PM Monday evening May 16, through the public hearing on Wednesday May 18 that is scheduled to go until 12 noon.

If you are able to attend the hearing, and would like to come in support of passage of the Right to Life Act of SC without the rape 'EXCEPTION' added on the floor of the SC House in April, when you arrive, look for someone passing out lapel tags saying, "VOTE 'YES' to RTL Act of SC, S.111 and H.3213 without rape 'EXCEPTION.'

May 12, 2005

New Updated Flyer for Right to Life Act of South Carolina (H.3213/S.111) - May 12, 2005

May 12, 2005

If you are from out-of-state (outside South Carolina), you can still e-mail these South Carolina state senators to help pass the Right to Life Act of SC (H.3213/S.111) !

If SC passes a principled, no 'exceptions' pro-life/anti-abortion bill, it may help your state pass principled legislation as well !

At least three other states have had active no 'exceptions' bills this legislative session:

1. North Dakota - House Bill No. 1227 (defeated on the House floor)

2. Georgia - House Bill HB 93 (status undetermined)

3. Ohio - House Bill 228 (recently filed)

4. South Carolina - House Bill H.3213 (passed SC House of Representatives April 14, albeit with a 'fatal flaw' rape EXCEPTION amendment added on the SC House floor prior to vote on Second Reading of the bill on April 13; H.3213 sent to SC Senate. First public hearing before Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 4)

5. South Carolina - Senate Bill S.111 (companion bill to H.3213 - first public hearing before Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 4)

North Dakota House Bill No. 1227
www.state.nd.us/lr/assembly/59-2005/bill-actions/ba1227.html

Georgia House Bill HB 93
www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/search/hb93.htm

Ohio House Bill 228
www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=126_HB_228

South Carolina House Bill H.3213
http://www.scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/3213.htm

South Carolina Senate Bill S.111
www.scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/111.htm

Steve Lefemine, pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
CCL lobbyist
Columbia, SC
www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net
www.RighttoLifeActofSC.net

__________________

New Updated Flyer for Right to Life Act of South Carolina (H.3213/S.111) [May 12]

TAKE ACTION TO PASS the "Right to Life Act of South Carolina"

Now is the time for action !

1. Pray* (if you are a born-again Christian)
2. Call
3. Inform others
4. E-mail
5. Write
6. Lobby
7. Donate* as you are led of the Lord, you might also consider fasting betweennow and Wednesday, May 18th, whether a regular complete fast (water-only);or some form of a partial fast (e.g., liquid/juices only; or fast one meal a day;or fast two meals a day, etc.).

UPDATE:

1. The Right to Life Act of SC passed the S.C. House of Representatives on April 14, with 52 House co-sponsors, albeit with a 'fatal flaw' rape EXCEPTION by a so-called 'morning-after-pill' (which is an abortifacient causing chemical abortions) amendment that was unfortunately added to the bill. Because it creates an "exception" to the fundamental purpose and strategy of the bill, rendering the bill now logically nonsensical, and legally indefensible (just as the "exception" in the Texas anti-abortion law challenged in Roe v. Wade over 30 years ago undermined the case that the State of Texas tried to make for fetal "personhood"), the bill passed by the SC House, H.3213, is now fatally flawed. S.111, the Senate companion bill, is still in its original, unamended state - this is the version that we should pray and work for the SC Senate to pass (see both bills by direct links from http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/ homepage).

2. On May 4, a 4-man (3 R's, 1 D) Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, began hearing testimony on the Right to Life Act of SC (S.111 and H.3213) in Room 207, the Gressette Building, near the SC State House.

3. On May 4, there were numerous speakers for both sides, supporting and opposing the bill, including six women from Planned Parenthood (including a medical doctor, a USC (USC is partially tax-funded) health professor, and a PP of SC Board member. PP operates a child-murder-by-abortion mill in Columbia. A Senate schedule change on May 4 shortened the available time for the public hearing; so the chairman, Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg), informed the public in the audience present for the subcommittee hearing that another hearing will be scheduled, to allow more speakers to testify.

4. At this point, the date/time and room # for the next public hearing on S.111/H.3213, the Right to Life Act of SC, is unknown, however it is possible that it could be scheduled for 11 AM, Wednesday, May 18.

5. The four members of the Senate Subcommittee considering this bill to vest legal "personhood" for al pre-birth human beings at fertilization, thereby protecting their lives under the SC State Constitution, are:

  • Senator Jim Ritchie, chair. (R-Spartanburg)
  • Senator Randy Scott (R-Summerville)
  • Senator Luke Rankin (R-Myrtle Beach)
  • Senator Joel Lourie (D-Columbia)

The contact information for all four men is given in the flyer below. Please contact these men NLT Tuesday, May 17th (e-mail / fax / call / and/or write),

Please ask these four SC State Senators to support and vote for the language of the Right to Life Act of SC in its original form, without the rape EXCEPTION. Give them both House/Senate bill #’s: H.3213 and S.111. These Senators can remove the ‘fatal flaw’ Amendment and still, Lord willing, save this bill.

There are 46 total members in the full Senate (26 R's, 20 D's).

________________

FLYER - see Attachment below for properly formatted version for use as a one-page hand-out for distribution

________________

(5/12/05)

TAKE ACTION TO PASS

the

"Right to Life Act of South Carolina"

On Wednesday, May 4, a 4-man (3 R’s, 1 D) Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Comm. began hearing testimony on the Right to Life Act of SC -S.111 / H.3213 in Rm. 207, Gressette Building.

There were numerous speakers for both sides, supporting and opposing the bill, including six women from Planned Parenthood (including a medical doctor, a USC health professor, and a PP of SC Board member). PP operates a child-murder mill in Columbia. A Senate schedule change May 4 shortened the available time for the public hearing; another hearing is planned, possibly as early as Wed., May 18, to allow more to speak.

The bill passed the SC House of Representatives on April 14, albeit with a ‘fatal flaw’ rape EXCEPTION by a so-called ‘morning-after-pill’ (an abortifacient causing chemical abortions) amendment that was added to the bill. Pray the Senate will remove this ‘fatal’ amendment.

While we praise and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ for the bill’s progress, the rape EXCEPTION unravels the whole legal ‘personhood’ concept of the bill (just as a life-of-the-mother EXCEPTION in the Texas statute overturned in Roe v. Wade helped undermine the case for legal ‘personhood’ Texas tried to make over 30 years ago). CONCLUSION: The rape ‘EXCEPTION’ must be removed, or the bill must be killed.

There are presently only 6 co-sponsors of the Senate companion bill (S.111), which is still in its original form (i.e., without the rape EXCEPTION amendment like on H.3213). You can help. Please call / write / e-mail / and/or fax at least one of the subcomm.’s 3 Republicans NLT Tues., May 17th:

  • Senator Jim Ritchie, chair. (R-Spartanburg)
  • Senator Randy Scott (R-Summerville)
  • Senator Luke Rankin (R-Myrtle Beach)
  • Senator Joel Lourie (D-Columbia)

Please contact the three Republicans first, then contact Democrat Senator Joel Lourie

The Republicans outnumber the one Democrat by 3 votes to 1 vote, however none are yet S.111 co-sponsors!

Ask them to support and vote for the language of the Right to Life Act of SC in its original form, without the rape EXCEPTION. Give them both House/Senate bill #’s: H.3213 and S.111. These Senators can remove the ‘fatal flaw’ Amendment and still, Lord willing, save this bill.

If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, pray God would turn the hearts of all 4 members of this Senate Subcomm. (3 R's, 1 D) to support the RTL Act of SC in its original form without the rape EXCEPTION.

The "Right to Life Act of South Carolina", if passed by the Republican-majority SC Legislature, and if signed by Republican SC Governor Mark Sanford, would recognize the God-given, legal ‘personhood’ of all pre-birth human beings at fertilization under the SC State Constitution. See link to bill at ChristianLifeandLiberty.net

Contact info for SC Senators: Jim Ritchie (R), Randy Scott (R), Luke Rankin (R), & Joel Lourie (D):

NOTE: all Senators can be faxed at 803-212-6299 include the Senator’s name on whatever you fax !

Senator James H. "Jim" Ritchie, Jr.

District 13 - Greenville, Spartanburg & Union Cos.

Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: JHR@scsenate.org

(H) 302 South Pine St., Spartanburg, 29302

Bus. (864) 585-2275 Home (864) 585-6047

(C) 608 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202

Bus. (803) 212-6008/6032

------------------------------------

Senator Randy Scott

District 38 - Charleston & Dorchester Cos.

Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: SCOTTR@scsenate.org

(H) 107 Cleveland St., Summerville, 29483

Bus. (843) 873-5544 Home (843) 871-2964

(C) 606 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202

Bus. (803) 212-6024

-----------------------------------

Senator Luke A. Rankin, Sr. District 33 - Horry Co.

Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: LR@scsenate.org

(H) 201 Beaty St., Conway, 29526

Bus. (843) 248-2405 Home (843) 626-6269

(C) 508 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202

Bus. (803) 212-6132

------------------------------------

Senator Joel Lourie District 22 - Kershaw & Richland Cos.

Contact Addresses: E-Mail Address: JBL@scsenate.org

(H) P.O. Box 6212, Columbia, 29260

Bus. (803) 765-9200 ext.257 Home (803) 787-5802

(C) 504 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29202

Bus. (803) 212-6116

_____________________________

Prepared by Columbia Christians for Life * http://www.righttolifeactofsc.net/ * (803) 765-0916 * Columbia, SC

Note: For add’l resources that may be useful in lobbying these State Senators, go to http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/, and click on “RTL Act of SC.” There you will find some items germaine to your lobbying effort, which may be printed out and mailed or faxed; or, e-mailed, to these Senators.

May 06, 2005

South Carolina state Senators begin hearing testimony on Right to Life Act of SC - S.111/H.3213

Bill already passed SC House, albeit with a 'fatal flaw' amendment

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee plans to schedule another public hearing to hearmore speakers from both sides, for and against the Right to Life Act of SC. Next Wednesday (May 11), Senator Ritchie's subcommittee has a hearing on S.590, a bill opposing stem cell research, so the soonest another public hearing for the Right to Life Act of SC (H.3213/S.111) could be scheduled, is Wednesday, May 18.

May 6, 2005
Steve Lefemine, pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
CCL lobbyist
Columbia, SC

www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net
www.RighttoLifeActofSC.net

_______________________

The State
Columbia, SC

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/columnists/john_monk/11566702.htm

Posted on Thu, May. 05, 2005

Senators debate rights of embryos

by John Monk
News columnist

Opponents clashed Wednesday in the kickoff of the state Senate’s debate of one of this year’s most contentious topics ­ the rights of the unborn.

“These bills are not about abortion,” declared leadoff witness Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville, testifying at a Senate hearing on bills that would bestow citizenship rights on a fertilized egg within minutes of conception.

[CCL note: Senator Mike Fair (R-Greenville) is the primary sponsor of S.111.]
[CCL note: should read: "... on human embryo at conception (fertilization)."]

“These bills are to clarify the fact that an unborn child is an unborn child and becomes such at fertilization,” Fair said at a Judiciary subcommittee meeting.

Minutes later, witness No. 2 ­ Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg ­ denounced Fair’s position. The bills are all about abortion, Hutto said, and will spark numerous lawsuits to protect just-conceived embryos. “That is the whole emphasis behind this bill.”

Over the next 40 minutes, witnesses served up clashing religious, medical and political viewpoints over whether to grant citizenship rights to just-conceived embryos. Under the bills, embryos could not be “deprived of life without due process of law.”

Kathryn Luchok, a health professor at the USC School of Public Health, said the bills would take the right to choose an abortion away from a woman and let a “third party” decide.

[CCL note: This article fails to mention that Dr. Luchok's name was listed on the Subcommittee sign-in sheet with a block of five women from Planned Parenthood, right after Dr. Renee Carter's name, with whom Dr. Luchok paired up with at thewitness table as Dr. Carter and Dr. Luchok testified side-by-side against the bill.]A sixth woman from the Planned Parenthood of South Carolina Board was also on the sign-up sheet,]

[CCL note: Here is a good illustration why taxpayer money should not be spent toaugment the budgets of universities like the University of South Carolina (USC), Clemson University, etc. - Christian pro-life taxpayers are being forced to fund the salaries of pro-abortion professors teaching young people in South Carolina !]

Luchok was grilled by Sen. Randy Scott, R-Dorchester, after she said pregnant women should have the right to choose an abortion.

“How about her husband and the child?” asked Scott, who wondered whether they had rights, too.

“I believe most women do consult with their partner,” Luchok said.

Abortion opponent Robert Hayes, director of the S.C. League of the South, told subcommittee members the male sperm and the female egg must not be aborted once they are joined. “South Carolina must protect innocent life,” he said.

Under questioning by Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Richland, Hayes also said South Carolina would be better off as an independent nation. Federal laws allowing abortion are unconstitutional, he said. (In a 1972 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court said a woman has a constitutional right to choose to have an abortion.)

[CCL note: The U.S. Supreme Court's unconstitutional, Oath-breaking, Covenant-breaking Roe v. Wade decision was issued in 1973.]

Another issue raised Wednesday is whether to bestow legal protections upon embryos for matters other than abortion.

Abortion opponent Holly Gatling said a pregnant woman can be beaten and miscarry, but if the unborn child is less than 24 weeks old, the assailant can’t be charged with the death.

[CCL note: There were three bills on the Senate Subcommittee's agenda: S.111 (original version of the RTL Act of SC, vesting legal "personhood" for all pre-birth human beings); H.3213 (RTL Act of SC passed by the S.C. House on April 14, now amended with the 'fatal flaw' rape EXCEPTION language), and S.479 (bill supported by S.C. Citizens for Life (the S.C. chapter of NRL) that recognizes fetal "personhood" in certain limited areas of law, but specifically not in the area of abortion; saying this S.C. Citizens for Life bill "does not apply to a mother's right to privacy" (her alleged 'right' to murder her child), "to a lawful procedure performed by a physician or other licensed medical professional at the request of the mother of an unborn child or the mother's legal guardian" (child-murder by surgical abortion to cut-up, pull apart, or saline poison the pre-born baby to death), "or to the lawful dispensation or administration oflawfully prescribed medication" (including the 'hard-core' abortifacient drug RU-486, or so-called "Morning-After-Pills" which are both abortifacient and contraceptive in their functionality, or other chemical abortion causing drugs, like Depo-Provera and Birth Control Pills (both are multi-functional).

At this Senate Judiciary Subcommittee public hearing, both H.3213 and S.111, the two versions of the Right to Life Act of SC, were on the agenda. The version of the Right to Life Act of SC without the rape exception amendment added before the vote on Second Reading in the SC House on April 13, had the support of at least these three orgainizations: Columbia Christians for Life, Voice of the Unborn, and the S.C. League of the South. H.3213 and S.111 can be seen on-line with links form the homepage of www.ChristianLifeandLiberty.net. Updates and action items in support of the bill can be seen at www.RighttoLifeActofSC.net.

The Unborn Victim's Act, S.479, is supported by S.C. Citizens for Life (NRL chapter),and can be viewed at: www.scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/479.htm ]

Under one bill considered Wednesday, an assailant could face criminal charges for causing the miscarriage of an unborn child younger than 24 weeks old.

Subcommittee chair Sen. Jim Ritchie, R-Spartanburg, cut short the hearing because senators had to go into session. He promised to hold another hearing.

At the next hearing, Lourie said he would like to hear from an impartial legal expert from the USC law school. “The expert could tell us about current South Carolina law and what the implications would be if these bills passed.”

Last month, a right-to-life bill breezed through the S.C. House.

Since then, thanks to a controversial amendment offered by bill opponent Rep. Thayer Rivers, D-Jasper, medical and some women’s rights advocates have questioned the proposal.

Rivers’ amendment, which the House approved, said a rape victim could take a morning-after pill to end or prevent a pregnancy.

[CCL note: "Morning-After-Pills," which are just high-doses of birth control chemicals, have three functioning mechanisms, two are contraceptive, one is chemically abortifacient, just like Birth Control Pills. See article on the subject at the Pharmacists For Life Int'l website at: www.pfli.org/begin108.html ]

The amendment infuriates abortion opponents. They hold that all human life ­ even if the result of rape ­ is sacred.

[CCL note: The rape EXCEPTION amendment 'fatally flaws' the entire bill because it undermines the whole legal "personhood" concept / strategy uponwhich the bill is based. This is a primary reason why the Texas law challenged in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was overturned, because it too had an"EXCEPTION," which helped fatally undermine the legal argument that Texasattempted to make for fetal personhood. This is all documented in the text anda germaine Footnote of the Roe decision itself. See entire text of Roe decision on-line at: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=410&invol=113 ]

However, medical groups said doctors should be able to prescribe morning-after pills, a legal drug, to all women, not just rape victims. Some women’s rights advocates have said incest victims or women whose lives are at risk from pregnancy could not have an abortion under the bills.

Dr. Renee Carter of Charleston testified Wednesday that if these bills are passed, a doctor performing an abortion to save a woman’s life might face murder charges. “That I could be charged with murder is inconceivable.”

[CCL note: How ironic that someone associated with Planned Parenthood (Murder, Inc.),finds it inconceivable she could be charged with murder.]

[CCL note: Again, this article fails to mention that Dr. Renee Carter's name ledthe list of a block of five women from Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthoodoperates the only remaining free-standing child-murder mill in Columbia, S.C.(the Lord has shut down four other abortuaries here since 1995), and last year reported murdering over 1,400 pre-birth human beings by surgical abortion alone in their death camp located in Middleburg Park, just off Forest Drive. Since 1978, PP in Columbia has likewise murdered over 25,000 individuals who have grown and matured WEEKS past what The State newspaper here calls "fertilized eggs."The Bible says in Hosea 4:1 that the Lord has a controversy with the rebellious, wicked people in the land in that day (like America today). One of God's indictments upon thispeople was, "... there is no truth,..." Think about that as you consider the statements of false witness given by various individuals in this article - no wonder in America that,"... blood toucheth blood." (Hosea 4:2), or bloodshed follows bloodshed. We sow,we reap. We sow bloodshed in the womb; we reap bloodshed in homes, on the streets, in workplaces, in churches, in schools, in the World Trade Towers.]

© 2005 The State and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.http://www.thestate.com

May 01, 2005

Letter to 4 Members of Senator Jim Ritchie's Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee vis-a-vis the "Right to Life Act of SC" - H.3213 / S.111

Columbia Christians for Life

P.O. Box 50358, Columbia, S.C. 29250 * (803) 765-0916 * www.christianlifeandliberty.net

“… I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18


To: Members (4) of Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee: May 1, 2005
1) Senator Jim Ritchie, chairman (R-Spartanburg)
2) Senator Luke Rankin (R-Myrtle Beach / Conway)
3) Senator Randy Scott (R-Summerville)
4) Senator Joel Lourie (D-Columbia)

Fr: Steve Lefemine
dir., Columbia Christians for Life / http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/ / http://www.righttolifeactofsc.net/


Subject: The “Right to Life Act of South Carolina” – H.3213 / S.111 (upcoming hearing May 4)


Re: The Purpose of the Right to Life Act of SC is to Vest Legal ‘Personhood’ at Fertilization to Pre-Birth Human Beings under the South Carolina State Constitution – without any so-called ‘EXCEPTIONS’ – which would ‘fatally flaw’ the entire bill in logic and law.

Request: Removal of the Rape EXCEPTION for so-called "morning-after-pill" abortifacient(chemical abortion causing) Amendment added at Second Reading in House, when H.3213 and S.111 is taken up by Senator Ritchie's Subcommittee of the Senate
Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, May 4, at 11 AM in Room 207, Gressette Bldg



Dear Gentlemen,

This letter will attempt to explain why the text of the Roe v. Wade decision itself, and the germaine footnote in the Roe v. Wade decision itself by (pro-abortion) Justice Harry Blackmun includes the following assertions in the Roe framework, as adjudicated and issued as the Supreme Court’s Opinion
on January 22, 1973:

Assertions in framework of Roe v. Wade decision:

1. Vesting legal "personhood" at fertilization unravels ("collapses" in the words of the Roe decision itself, see below) the pro-abortion argument, and;

2. Conversely, why any so-called "EXCEPTIONS" to legal "personhood" unravel the whole "personhood" argument, which is what happened to the state of Texas over 30 years ago when the State of Texas tried to argue for "personhood" and failed because of a "life-of-the-mother"exception in the Texas law challenged in Roe.

The original text of the "Right to Life Act of South Carolina" (H.3213 / S.111) states its purpose is:TO ENACT THE "RIGHT TO LIFE ACT OF SOUTH CAROLINA" WHICH ESTABLISHES THAT THE RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS AND THE RIGHT TO EQUAL PROTECTION VEST
AT FERTILIZATION…

Whereas, Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of South Carolina, 1895, guarantees that no person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law or denied the equal protection of the laws;…

Section
1-1-320. The right to due process, whereby no person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, and the right to equal protection of the laws, both of which rights are guaranteed by Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of this State, vest at fertilization."



Yesterday in The State paper there was an article on the Right to Life Act of SC and the rape EXCEPTION so-called "morning-after-pill" abortifacient (chemical abortion causing) Amendment. This amendment ‘fatally flaws’ the bill, and makes it logically nonsensical and legally indefensible (just as the Texas law in the 1973 Roe case was determined to be logically nonsensical and legally indefensible, as is documented in the text and the germaine footnote of the Roe decision itself).

The amended House version of the bill must be corrected, or the bill must be killed. It will do more harm than good if passed with the fatally flawed, dead-end rape EXCEPTION amendment.


As even a well-known children's book series has said, A person's a person no matter how small. The whole concept of this bill is to establish legal "personhood" for all pre-birth human beings at fertilization - either a human being is a legal "person" at fertilization, or they are not. This is one time when there is no “middle ground” – choose where you will stand – on the side of “life” and the Lord of life, or against the sanctity of all innocent human life expressed in the Bible, the Declaration, and the Constitution.

An "exception" to legal “personhood” for some human beings makes no sense in logic or law.

This was the same mistake the State of Texas made with the law challenged in the 1973 Roe v Wade case. There was a life-of-the-mother" exception. Texas tried to make the "personhood" argument, but even pro-abort Justice Harry Blackmun saw the logical and legal inconsistency as Texas tried to argue for fetal personhood when there was an "exception." Blackmun said in a footnote recorded right in the text of the Roe v. Wade decision itself:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=410&invol=113

From the Roe v. Wade decision:

“[ Footnote 54 ] When Texas urges that a fetus is entitled to Fourteenth Amendment protection as a person, it faces a dilemma. Neither in Texas nor in any other State are all abortions prohibited. Despite broad proscription, an exception always exists. The exception contained [410 U.S. 113, 158] in Art. 1196, for an abortion procured or attempted by medical advice for the purpose of saving the life of the mother, is typical. But if the fetus is a person who is not to be deprived of life without due process of law, and if the mother's condition is the sole determinant, does not the Texas exception appear to be out of line with the Amendment's command? ...”

[Footnote by Justice Blackmun]
[emphasis added]

So, in other words, the life-of-the-mother EXCEPTION in the Texas law appealed in what became the abominable 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, helped to undermine the case that the State of Texas tried to make for fetal personhood under the Fourteenth Amendment (note: it would be better to make the argument under the 5th Amendment), and helped open the blood-stained floodgates to over 45 million dead and counting... from surgical abortion alone.

The South Carolina Right to Life Act would suffer the same fate as the Texas law appealed in Roe, for having a rape EXCEPTION for the abortifacient (chemical abortion causing) so-called "morning-after-pill" that has a mechanism to prevent post-fertilization one-week old embryos from being able to properly implant in the mother's uterus, thereby causing a one-week old pre-birth human being, with its complete genetic blueprint determined at fertlization seven days earlier, to be sloughed off, and purged from the woman's body, thereby killing her week-old son or daughter. [Go to http://www.pfli.org/, the Pharmacist’s for Life International website for further information - www.pfli.org/begin108.html (article on morning-after-pill ]

The critical nature of maintaining the integrity of the vestment of legal "personhood' for all human beings, without EXCEPTION, is seen by the result which came when the State of Texas failed to make the case for legal "personhood" - i.e., the Supreme Court handed down the abominable Roe decision that has brought our country to the brink of destruction with the flood of innocent blood being shed and the accompanying divine judgment from God upon America (e.g., Numbers 35:33, Jeremiah 19:3-5, 2 Kings 24:1-4). The Bible says “…blood toucheth blood.” (Hosea 4:2), or bloodshed follows bloodshed. We sow, we reap.

As someone else has said, "The Supreme Court, in the Roe v. Wade Decision itself, provided a way to overturn their decision."

www.solport.com/roundtable/archives/000472.php

Again, this time in the main body of the text of the Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court stated:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=410&invol=113

A. The appellee [Texas] and certain amici argue that the fetus is a "person" within the language and meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. In support of this, they outline at length and in detail the well-known facts of fetal development. If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case [i.e., Norma McCorvey, the former “Jane Roe” who is now completely pro-life and who appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn her 30-plus years old case], of course, collapses, [410 U.S. 113, 157] for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [Fourteenth] Amendment.

[ emphasis added]

So, in other words, if the "Right to Life Act of South Carolina" is passed without any exceptions, it would accomplish what was missing in the Texas law that was challenged and became the Roe decision – the South Carolina Right to Life Act would define in law that all pre-birth human beings are legal "persons" at fertilization.

However, if there are any so-called "EXCEPTIONS" to legal "personhood" for any pre-birth human beings, then the South Carolina Right to Life Act would fall dead on its face. It would be internally self-contradictory, and therefore logically nonsensical and legal indefensible just as the Texas law challenged in Roe was over 30 years ago. I guess after 32 years of innocent bloodshed and over 45 million dead, we still have not yet learned the lesson of what is plainly written right in the text of the Roe v. Wade decision.

Gentlemen, I urge you, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Yahshua Messiah), that when you take up this bill this coming Wednesday, May 4th, that you please save this bill (which was conceived in late 1997, and first filed in February 1998 in both the SC House and the Senate), and remove the rape EXCEPTION "morning-after-pill" abortifacient (chemical abortion causing) amendment, restore the bill (H.3213) to its original, unamended condition, and pass the bill favorably out of Senator Ritchie's Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Declaration of Independence is part of the organic law of the United States of America (United States Code Annotated http://uscode.house.gov/usc.htm (search “Declaration of Independence”). It is posted on the landing of the stairs between the First and Second State House floors on the SC House side.
I take pleasure in reading the words in the very first sentence, that the principal premise asserted by the founders as the basis for America to exist as a separate nation among the Powers of the Earth, was based upon “…the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God…” “Thou shalt not kill [murder]” is one of those “Laws of … God” (Ex. 20:13).

Gentlemen, you have a duty, So Help [you]God, to do your utmost to uphold the plain text of the Declaration of Independence, and the South Carolina and United States Constitutions, to preserve and protect the unalienable right to life. After the acknowledgment of God, it is your first duty as civil ministers. May the Lord be glorified in the process and outcome of the Subcommittee public hearing on May 4.

King Jesus is Lord of the ‘Gates’ (Matt. 16:18, Ps. 24:1,7-10, Ps. 110:1)

Steve Lefemine, pro-life missionary
dir., Columbia Christians for Life
CCL lobbyist
http://www.christianlifeandliberty.net/
wwww.RighttoLifeActofSC.net



cc:

Senator Mike Fair (R-Greenville)
Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson)
Senator Larry Grooms (R-Berkeley-Charleston-Colleton-Dorchester)
Senator Wes Hayes (R-York)
Senator David Thomas (R-Greenville)
Senator Danny Verdin (R-Greenville-Laurens)
Rep. Ralph Davenport (R-Spartanburg)
Governor Mark Sanford (R)
Mr. Johnny Gardner, dir., Voice of the Unborn




Inclosures:

1. “Preven will increase, not lower, number of abortions,” by Lloyd J. DuPlantis, P.D., (past) president
Pharmacists For Life International (http://www.pfli.org/). Article explaining that “Morning-After-Pills”
are abortifacient, causing chemical abortions, can be found at: www.pfli.org/begin108.html

2. “Judge Rules Embryos ‘Human Beings,” (Feb. 5, 2005), can be found at CovenantNews.com at:
http://www.covenantnews.com//newswire/archives/009709.html

3. Two pages of excerpts from the United States Supreme Court decision ROE v. WADE, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) – one, addressing that if “personhood” for the “fetus” is established, the pro-abortion argument “collapses;” and the second page, addressing that in light of the “life of the mother” exception in the Texas law challenged in Roe, that the State of Texas argument for personhood under the Fourteenth Amendment was undermined.

4. Brochure: “When it comes to banning abortion… EXCEPTIONS BREAK THE RULE,” by Marie Dietz, published by American Life League, 1992 (reprinted 1996)
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...