02 Jun Petitions, “AKA Jane Roe,” Resources, and Hope
Friends,
Before getting into the meat of this email, I thought I’d share a quick joke a family member told me: “Five weeks into the lockdown and my dog is looking at me with a face that says, ‘See? This is why I chew the furniture.’”
I hope that, however frustrating this situation is, whatever difficulties you are facing, you will always find things to laugh about.
Now, on to business:
Communications
As the state gradually begins to reopen, we will eventually reduce the frequency of these general emails. At that time, these more frequent updates on events and resources will once more be going through our HLW Defenders email list. If you want to continue receiving these more in-depth updates on a regular basis, be sure to sign up for Defenders by texting Defenders to 84576 or by following this URL: https://edfo.flocknote.com/Defenders.
If you are receiving this as a text message and would prefer to receive it as an email, please be sure we have your current email on file.
Referendum 90
Time is running out to sign the petition for Referendum 90, a measure that, if we can get it on the ballot in November, will provide us the opportunity to overturn ESSB 5395, a bill that forces state-accredited schools to teach “comprehensive sex-ed curriculums” designed by Planned Parenthood.
Petition signing locations can be found at Parents for Safe Schools and Informed Parents of Washington. To request petitions to sign at home, contact Parents for Safe Schools. A big thank you to those who have already signed; if you have petitions, be sure to mail them as soon as possible, preferably by June 1st to ensure they can be returned to the State in time.
Viable on-demand
There’s still time to catch the special online screening of Viable, available on-demand through June 10th. Viable is a story of healing and forgiveness about one of the most vital issues of the Pro-Life Movement: post-abortive healing.
“The script is realistic and accurately portrays the aftermath of abortion,” says HLW Executive Director Esther Ripplinger, “a reality that is the elephant in room in many homes.”
Proceeds from Viable go to support the National Right to Life Committee and its state affiliates, of which we are Washington’s.
AKA Jane Roe
Some of you may have heard about the documentary AKA Jane Roe, now streaming on Hulu, telling the life of Norma McCorvey, aka “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade. The documentary claims that her conversion to the Pro-Life Movement, and to Christianity, were lies.
Regrettably, we can’t ignore this narrative. The story is complex and, while the documentary has a definite bias and omits many critical details, its claims appear to have at least some truth to them. This is a painful reality for many of us, and I regret that I cannot provide better news.
It is not as catastrophic as our opponents would have us believe, however. Two important takeaways from the story are: First, that Norma McCorvey’s beliefs, one way or another, don’t undermine the Pro-Life position. We are not Pro-Life because of Norma McCorvey; we are Pro-Life because of the truth. Second, Norma was a complicated woman who had suffered many deep wounds. We will never know the full picture, and both sides must take that into account.
For advice on how to respond to Pro-Choicers who bring the film up, we recommend this Equal Rights Institute article. An even more in-depth exploration of the topic can be found on ERI’s Equipped for Life Podcast #45. (The Equipped for Life Podcast is an excellent resource in general).
COVID-19 Petition
As many of you know, the State of Washington considers abortion to be an “essential service,” even though elective surgeries are not. Family Policy Institute of Washington* has put forth this petition asking that much-needed personal protective equipment not be wasted in operations that kill Washington citizens rather than saving them. Thank you to all who have already signed.
Free Pro-Life Resource!
To help carry on teaching our youth about life issues during lockdown, Healing the Culture is offering their excellent respect life high school curriculum free of charge! E-book versions of Principles and Choices can be found here.
Giving for Free
Well, more accurately it’s “giving at no extra charge.” Amazon Smile allows you to donate to charities of your choice with the purchase of eligible items without it costing you anything extra. So, if you’re doing any shopping on Amazon, please consider helping us out by doing it with us as your charity of choice. Thank you to everyone who has already shopped with us in mind!
A Beautiful Story
Finally, some good news. A woman in a medically induced coma for Coronavirus woke up to discover that she had safely delivered her baby while unconscious! You can read this incredible story here. One blessing in the midst of this virus has been that children in the womb seem quite safe from COVID itself. In this there is great cause for joy!
In Conclusion…
Always remember, my friends, that there is never a time so dark that hope cannot shine through. We have weathered other storms. We shall weather these as well.
As we close out, a special thank you to everyone who has supported us during this difficult time. Your support means the world to us!
From all of us here at Human Life of Washington, stay safe, stay healthy, and thank you for all you do.
For Life,
Michael Dumais
Outreach Coordinator
Human Life of Washington
michael@humanlifewa.org
253-517-7733×204
*The views expressed by other organizations do not necessarily represent the views of Human Life of Washington. HLW is a non-partisan, non-sectarian organization.