By Steve Jalsevac
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 17, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A coalition of prominent pro-life leaders has arranged a giant, Stop The Abortion Mandate live webcast for the public this coming Thursday, July 23, to alert Americans about the great dangers of the Democrat-proposed health care bill. David Bereit, a coalition member and leader of 40 Days for Life, told LifeSiteNews that he is temporarily de-emphasizing his current 40 Days for Life tasks to concentrate on this issue because of its extreme importance. He is concerned that pro-lifers are not aware of what is at stake with the health care bill.
Connie Marshner, a well-known Washington pro-life political organizer, warned today that “this is the biggest issue since Roe v Wade. This is not just about funding. Everyone will be forced to have abortion coverage.” Further, she warned, the effect of successful passage of the Health Care bill will dramatically change the pro-life movement as we know it “because every doctor and health care worker will be forced to be involved in abortion.”
The pro-life webcast's promotional material states that “Powerful abortion industry lobbyists and Washington, D.C. bureaucrats have just launched a massive effort to mandate taxpayer-funded abortions as part of their proposed trillion-dollar healthcare takeover.”
They list four main results of what they call “this abortion industry power-grab”:
- Impose one of the cornerstones of the “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA) by stealth
- Force taxpayers to fund a huge abortion industry bailout—something the majority of Americans oppose, and certainly cannot afford in these tough economic times
- Mandate that virtually every American be forced into a health plan that includes abortion coverage
- Require honorable medical providers to violate their consciences and perform abortions—or risk losing their jobs
The one-time-only LIVE webcast event will take place this Thursday, July 23, at 9 PM Eastern (6 PM Pacific, 7 PM Mountain, 8 PM Central.)
The live webcast, for which there is no charge, will be approximately 70 minutes long and will be accessible even to Internet users with only a dial-up connection. Participants who register for the event will be able to listen in on the live audio and submit questions.
During the event, the following nationally known leaders will be heard:
- MIKE HUCKABEE, Former Governor and Presidential Candidate
- DR. CHARMAINE YOEST, Americans United for Life
- TONY PERKINS, Family Research Council
- FR. FRANK PAVONE, Priests for Life
- MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, Susan B. Anthony List
- DOUGLAS JOHNSON, National Right to Life Committee
- TOM MINNERY, Focus on the Family
- CONGRESSMAN CHRIS SMITH, U.S. House of Representatives
- KRISTIN HAWKINS, Students for Life of America
- CONGRESSMAN JOE PITTS, U.S. House of Representatives
- DR. RICHARD LAND, Southern Baptist Convention
- CARMEN PATE, Point of View Radio Show
- DAVID BEREIT, 40 Days for Life
The Webcast organizers state that those who join the webcast will discover:
- The shocking facts about the sweeping legislation that the political power brokers are trying to ram through before Congress goes on summer recess…
- The devastating implications of the proposed mandates—facts the abortion industry doesn't want Americans to hear…
- Why respected leaders, national organizations, and pro-life people are joining together in record numbers to challenge this attempted power-grab…
- The exact action steps YOU can take to make a difference at this crucial moment…
Registration for the event is accessed at https://www.stoptheabortionmandate.com/. Registration also allows those who are unable to be online at the time of the webcast to later access a recording of the webcast audio.
Organizers are hoping that 100,000 people will participate in this very urgent and unique education and action event.