Posted by Eric Scheidler (November 30, 2012 at 10:00 am)
Note: Stand Up Rally co-director Eric Scheidler published this article on the Pro-Life Action League website shortly after the 2012 election. Since the pro-life and religious freedom movements are so closely allied, readers of this site may be interested in Eric’s remarks.
Several liberalcommentators and even a few conservatives are gleefully reporting exit polls for last week’s election showing 59% of voters say they believe abortion should be legal in “most or all cases,” a sure sign that the pro-life movement is losing and that the advantage on social issues has swung to Democrats.
That’s one way to add up the numbers, recruiting the 30% of voters who say abortion should be legal in most cases to legitimize the more hard-core pro-choice position that there should be legal in all cases, as 29% of voters polled believe.
But here’s another way to do the math: add that 30% who believe abortion should be legal in most (but not all) cases to the 24% who believe it should be illegal in most cases and the 13% who believe it should always be illegal, and you find that 66% of voters believe abortion should be illegal in at least some cases.
2012 Exit Poll on Abortion
Which comes closest to your position? Abortion should be:
Legal in all cases: 29%
Legal in most cases: 30%
Illegal in most cases: 23%
Illegal in all cases: 13%
In other words, fully two-thirds of thirds of the electorate holds a position on abortion contrary to that espoused by either President Obama or Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards, who will not name a single case in which abortion should not be a woman’s choice. [Continue reading …]
Posted by Matt Yonke (November 29, 2012 at 2:38 pm)
In March of 2012, Frank O’Brien and his business, St. Louis based O’Brien Industrial Holdings LLC. (offices pictured left), filed suit against the US Department of Human Services.
O’Brien claimed that the department’s contraceptive mandate under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) violated O’Brien’s religious freedom by forcing him to provide contraception, sterilizations and abortion-inducing drugs to his employees through their health plans.
This October, U.S. District Judge Carole Jackson ruled against O’Brien, saying:
This Court rejects the proposition that requiring indirect financial support of a practice, from which plaintiff himself abstains according to his religious principles, constitutes a substantial burden on plaintiff’s religious exercise.
First HHS Mandate Challenge to Reach Federal Appeals Court
O’Brien immediately appealed his case to the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and today, LifeNews.com reports that he was granted a preliminary injunction ruling that O’Brien Industrial Holdings does not have to obey the HHS Mandate while the case is pending. [Continue reading …]
Posted in News and Commentary | Comments Off on A New Victory in the Fight Against the HHS Mandate
Posted by Matt Yonke (November 15, 2012 at 11:01 am)
Note: In the wake of last week’s election we offer this reflection from Joe Scheidler, national director of the Pro-Life Action League, one of the co-sponsors of the nationwide Stand Up Rally effort. This piece was originally posted on the Pro-Life Action League website.
Last week on Election Night my daughter Cathy and her family came over to watch election results with Ann and me. They stayed overnight because we expected it to be a long night of returns coming in. And, of course, we were hoping for a victory for life and liberty.
The next morning, I walked into the bedroom where my little granddaughters had slept. I said to them, “I had a terrible nightmare.”
Posted by Matt Yonke (October 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm)
At this time of crisis in our nation, it’s been great to see art addressing the subject of religious freedom, and particularly religious freedom in danger. In particular, the excellent film For Greater Glory which chronicles Mexico’s Christero wars fought over the very same issues we’re facing today.
The film did a great run at the box office, and now For Greater Glory is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand! You can now experience this amazing film and help spread the word so more people see this important film.
Posted by Monica Migliorino Miller (October 25, 2012 at 4:47 pm)
A Reflection on the October 20th Stand Up Rally
Monica Miller addresses the crowd at the 10/20 Rally in Detroit
As I write these words—the most important election in American history will take place in just two weeks—an election that will decide the very future of our nation and so much is at stake.
For the first time since the pilgrims disembarked the Mayflower the issue of religious liberty is something that voters must take into consideration when they discern for whom they will cast their vote on Nov. 6th. This is the time in which we live!
Even with the election of Obama four short years ago (and for many it may seem like a lot longer) who would have predicted that religious liberty would be under attack through this president’s administration in the Health and Human Services Mandate? Even all those Catholics who voted for Obama—but for whom Obama’s support for legalized abortion should have been enough of a disincentive—never envisioned that this president would initiate and stand by a decree that so seriously compromises the consciences of people of faith. [Continue reading …]
Posted by Matt Yonke (October 19, 2012 at 2:43 pm)
Stand Up Rally co-director Eric Scheidler had an op-ed piece published in the Washington Times today, calling on liberals and moderates to take seriously our concerns over the erosion of religious freedom in our country.
The article was published under the title “Religious freedom attacks threatens every American: HHS mandate is only the beginning.” Here’s an excerpt:
Despite 10 months of controversy — including a public clash between the White House and the U.S. Catholic bishops, countless rallies and protests across the country and the filing of dozens of federal lawsuits — many liberals and independents remain puzzled by the fight over the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. They don’t understand how conservatives can insist that the HHS mandate constitutes an unprecedented attack on religious freedom.
The mandate, announced by the Obama administration in January and finalized in February, requires nearly all employers to provide contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs through their health plans, regardless of any moral objections. This includes religious employers such as Catholic hospitals and universities, despite the fact that paying for such “services” contradicts settled Catholic doctrine.
Indeed, few Americans, whatever their political persuasion, understand or have much sympathy for the Catholic teaching that it is a sin to use contraception. In fact, it has come as news to many that the Catholic Church still teaches this. Sadly, few bother to ask why — or why it matters so much to the Catholic bishops that they insist they would rather shut down all those universities, charities and not-for-profit hospitals than comply with the HHS mandate.
This is exactly the question all Americans should be asking right now . . .
Posted by Eric Scheidler (October 19, 2012 at 2:00 am)
World renowned evangelist Billy Graham has added his voice to the chorus of religious leaders calling on Americans to vote in accordance with their values on Election Day.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will publish ads in key locations around the country over the coming weeks featuring Graham’s familiar image and his strong statement for Christian voters:
On November 6, the day before my 94th birthday, our nation will hold one of the most critical elections in my lifetime. We are at a crossroads and there are profound moral issues at stake. I strongly urge you to vote for candidates who support the biblical definition of marriage between a man and woman, protect the sanctity of life, and defend our religious freedoms. The Bible speaks clearly on these crucial issues. Please join me in praying for America, that we will turn our hearts back toward God.
Let us pray that voters will heed the words of this great evangelical leader, one of the most respected religious leaders in the world, whose ministry over the past seven decades has exemplified the value of religious faith playing a special role in the public square.
Posted by John Jansen (October 18, 2012 at 11:16 am)
Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally Co-Chairman Eric Scheidler has an article posted today on the Manhattan Declaration blog, highlighting the nationwide rallies this Saturday and the ongoing fight against the HHS Mandate.
Here’s an excerpt:
Earlier this year, the prestigious magazine Crain’s Chicago Business published their list of the top ten workplaces for women in the entire Chicago area. At the very top of that list was a company called Triune Health Group, which is owned and managed by Chris and Mary Anne Yep.
One of the main reasons that the Yeps’ company received this special honor is their generous benefits package, including an outstanding health plan. They have also implemented policies to accommodate the special needs of women, from single moms who may need time off to care for a sick child, to flexible work hours for women dealing with breast cancer or other health problems.
But Chris and Mary Anne Yep haven’t only made news this year by being named the “Best Workplace for Women” in Chicagoland. They have also been in the headlines because they are suing the federal government over the HHS Mandate. [Continue reading …]
Posted in News and Commentary | Comments Off on Manhattan Declaration Blog Highlights Rally Effort
Posted by Matt Yonke (October 18, 2012 at 9:57 am)
I can’t believe all the great videos that are being produced exposing the HHS Mandate for the pernicious policy that it is.
This video reduces the message to 15 seconds. It really is that simple.
Don’t forget to share this video on Facebook, Twitter and wherever else you can. Hard as it is to believe, there are still good people who care about this country who haven’t heard this message yet. Let’s all work to spread the word between now and election day!
Posted in News and Commentary | Comments Off on Archdiocese of St. Louis Says, “It’s That Simple”
Posted by Matt Yonke (October 17, 2012 at 4:23 pm)
This great new commercial from Let Freedom Ring highlights the specific harms of the HHS Mandate, specifically citing the example of Catholic Charities in Chicago which would face $5,000,000 in fines unless they compromise their beliefs and submit to the Mandate!
Those kinds of crippling fines will shut down Catholic Charities along with many other charitable religious organizations. As the ad asks, is this what we want our government doing? Fining charitable organizations for their religious beliefs?
Posted in News and Commentary | Comments Off on New Ad Shows How the HHS Mandate Would Cripple Catholic Charities
Several liberal commentators and even a few conservatives are gleefully reporting exit polls for last week’s election showing 59% of voters say they believe abortion should be legal in “most or all cases,” a sure sign that the pro-life movement is losing and that the advantage on social issues has swung to Democrats.
In March of 2012, Frank O’Brien and his business, St. Louis based O’Brien Industrial Holdings LLC. (offices pictured left), filed suit against the US Department of Human Services.
Last week on Election Night my daughter Cathy and her family came over to watch election results with Ann and me. They stayed overnight because we expected it to be a long night of returns coming in. And, of course, we were hoping for a victory for life and liberty. 
Stand Up Rally co-director Eric Scheidler had an 
World renowned evangelist Billy Graham has added 
Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally Co-Chairman Eric Scheidler has an article posted today on the