[adoptionblessings]

ABORTION SURVIVOR PLEADS WITH
SENATOR OBAMA

Abortion survivor Gianna Jessen contrasts her struggle for life as a newborn with Barack Obama’s four votes opposing protections for babies born from failed abortions

Washington, DC – For the first time ever, an abortion survivor is featured in a new advertisement released today which takes issue with Senator Obama’s four votes against born alive protections when he was an Illinois state senator. The 30-second spot showcases Gianna Jessen, who explains to viewers that she survived an abortion attempt 31 years ago. Jessen then highlights Barack Obama’s four votes against the Illinois Born Alive Infant Defined Act, and asks him to support protections for infants who, like her, are born alive from failed abortion attempts.
Legislation identical to the proposed Illinois law was passed by the U.S. Senate (before Obama became a US Senator) by a vote of 98-0. This included even the most adamant pro-choice Senators.
“If Senator Barack Obama’s position against born alive protections were in place when I was born, I would not be here today. Senator Obama had the opportunity four times to vote to protect infants born from failed abortions and he chose not to. By voting against these protections, he was basically denying these living, breathing babies their most basic human right,” Jessen said.
In the ad, available online at www.BornAliveTruth.org, Jessen asks:

“Can you imagine not giving babies their basic human rights, no matter how they entered our world? My name is Gianna Jessen, born 31 years ago after a failed abortion. I’m a survivor, as are many others…but if Barack Obama had his way, I wouldn’t be here. Four times, Barack Obama voted to oppose a law to protect babies left to die after a failed abortion. Senator Obama, please support born alive infant protections. I’m living proof these babies have a right to live.”
“I want people to understand that there are babies born from failed abortions. No matter how they came to us, these babies are living and breathing human beings and deserve the same protections as the rest of us. Unfortunately, Barack Obama voted four times against affording these babies their most basic human right. I don’t trust Senator Obama on this issue given he voted against these protections four times as a state Senator. Just as abuse victims or rape victims share their stories to educate the public, fight for the common good and hope that as a result politicians do what’s right, I felt it was important to come forward and give these new born babies a voice,” Jessen concluded.

To interview Gianna Jessen, please contact Colleen O’Boyle (703) 683-5004 ext. 122 or Kristina Grabosky (90 902-8473.

[QueenAngie]

Thank you for sharing!

[DK615617]

Wow! Thanks for sharing

[adoptionblessings]

Like Gianna, I am an adoptee who was born to a birth mother who had cancer, a communicable disease and struggled with alcoholism and a rocky marriage. Many reasons today why a woman would choose to have an abortion. But Life was the law for the unborn back in 1955 when I was born,(abortion was illegal) so my birth mom chose LIFE and adoption. I was the answer to my adoptive parents prayers for a child since they could not have children.
I would encourage people to think of "the least of these" this election, the unborn, who have no voice in this era of abortion being a legal choice. I know that had I been conceived in this era, and with my birth mother's fragile state and issues, I would have most likely have been aborted. So with gratitude in my heart for having the privilege of being born and living this adventure of life, I stand in the gap for the unborn and urge others to consider them and vote for candidates that stand for Life. McCain/Palin ticket embrace the unborn.
For me not to be a voice for the unborn, when I think of the blessings I have been given with the gift of Life, would be unforgivable.
Jody

[jkl123]

I have read Gianna's book - what an amazing story!

[mcmama]

Jody, the perspective of someone who survived being aborted in the 1970s is truly a rare and valuable one. Clearly when an aborted fetus survives and is a viable infant, some protections do need to be in place.

But in 1955, the year I was born, there was no "choice" besides "life" except dangerous and illegal ones. I grew up Catholic among adoptees (I am not an adoptee) who understood once abortion became legal that had it been legal in 1955 many of them would have been aborted. A rather sobering awareness for the first generation of women who did not have to travel to foreign countries or make "other arrangements".

I have allowed this thread to stand because it presents a perspective not usually discussed. But let's please be clear about the actual reality of "choice" and "choosing life" as compared to the 1950s and the 1970s and present day.

This thread is NOT to turn into a discussion of abortion in general, or our own feelings on the "pro choice - pro life" (actually "pro abortion - anti abortion" in politicalspeak). The responses should be about Gianna Jessen, or feelings of adoptees on their birthmothers not having an abortion.

[Alejandros Mommy]

Poltics isn't that smiple...if someone added something to that Bill that people really didn't agree with it may be why it was not passed. Can I ask...what did the amended bill contain?

[adoptionblessings]

Thanks for the replies to my original post. The information on the Bill spoken of and the amended bill can be found on the link listed in the original post- and then click the "Backround" index tab to see more and you can view the bill and the amended bill there.
I truly understand that my birth mother "choosing" life in 1955 was one in which she did not chose a dangerous or back alley illegal method to get rid of me or end my life in the womb. I feel overwhelming gratitude for her not choosing to end my life and for her also not having to live with the emotional repercussions of having an abortion that most people rarely speak of. I also am in awe of the laws before Roe v Wade that protected me and held up and honored the sanctity of life from conception. I have lived a wonderful life- not perfect, but I embrace it and all its ups and downs. I read a quote the other day by Ronald Reagan that is profound. I posted it below. As an adoptee who knows that being born in 1955 saved me from the plight of abortion, I can clearly see that had I been conceived now with my birth mothers fragile health state and insurmountable family challenges, I would have been an abortion statistic. The amazing fact is my birth mother survived my birth even in 1955 with more primitive medical procedures.(She had cancer, a venereal disease and was an alcoholic at the time of my birth) And my adoptive parents felt blessed and filled with joy to have a child to bring into their home and family.
We who are all alive today realize that ALL our mothers chose life and we enjoy it- it seems easier for those of us who are alive to take that right and priviledge for granted and think callously towards the unborn's future in light of the current day's "choices". Are we not glad that our mothers chose life for us?

I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born. ~Ronald Reagan, quoted in New York Times, 22 September 1980