Planned Parenthood Celebration Jolted by Abortion Survivor

Focus on the Family ^ | June 16, 2006 | Ted Harvey

[skandalon]

She sings the anthem to applause, then her secret is revealed to stunned silence.

I want to share with you an awesome experience I had in the Colorado House of Representatives on May 8. It is a humbling experience to look back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine orchestration.

I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat speaker of the House announced that the coming Monday would be the final day of this year's General Assembly. He went on to state that there were still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would pass a resolution honoring this 90-year legacy of genocide. I drove home that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness during the debate on this heinous resolution.

On Saturday morning, I took my 8-year-old son up to the mountains to go white-water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home, exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization. One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I'd have to clean up and head over.

After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a guitar.

Her name was Gianna Jessen.

Gianna said "Hello," welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most beautiful Christian songs I have ever heard.

She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17 years old and seven and a half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful 2-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately, she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would never survive. The doctors were wrong.

Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.

As I listened to Gianna's amazing testimony, the Lord inspired me to ask her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she could even begin the final day's session by singing our country's national anthem!

To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to agree, she wanted her accompanying guitarist to stay as well. A lady standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the guitarist's room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.

As I was driving home from the banquet, my cell phone rang. It was Gianna, and she immediately said, "I'm in, let's ruin this celebration." Praise God!

When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6 a.m. to write my speech before heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words, I could sense God's help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the pro-life movement.

Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House chambers just as the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, I wrote a quick note to the speaker of the House explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note to the speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the speaker took the microphone and said, "Before we begin, Representative Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the national anthem."

Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was completely still, quiet and in awe of this frail young lady's voice.

Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she forgot the words and began to hum and then said, "Please forgive me; I am so nervous." She then immediately began singing again and every House member and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to give her encouragement and to lift her up.

As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of Gianna's voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had chills running all over my body, and I knew that I had just witnessed an act of God.

As the song concluded the speaker of the House explained that Gianna has cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. "Let us give her a hand not only for her performance today, but also for her advocacy work," he said. The chamber immediately exploded into applause -- she had them all in the palm of her hand.

The speaker then called the House to order, and we proceeded as usual to allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I introduced Gianna.

As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial moments of my political career.

While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever heard before.

Finally, I was the last person remaining. So, I proceeded to the microphone and began my speech.

Members, I would like to introduce you to a new friend and hero of mine -- her name is Gianna Jessen. She is visiting us today from Nashville, Tennessee, where she is an accomplished recording artist.

She has cerebral palsy and was raised in foster homes before being adopted at the age of four.

She was born prematurely and weighed only 2 pounds at birth. She remained in the hospital for almost three months. A doctor once said she had a great will to live and that she fought for her life. Eventually she was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care.

Because of her cerebral palsy, her foster mother was told that it was doubtful that she would ever crawl or walk. She could not sit up independently. Through the prayers and dedication of her foster mother, she eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. Shortly before her fourth birthday, she began to walk with leg braces and a walker.

She continued in physical therapy and after a total of four surgeries, she was able to walk without assistance.

She still falls sometimes, but she says she has learned how to fall gracefully after falling for 29 years.

Two years ago, she walked into a local health club and said she wanted a private trainer. At the time her legs could not lift 30 pounds. Today she can leg press 200 pounds.

She became so physically fit that she began running marathons to raise money and awareness for cerebral palsy. She just returned last week from England where she ran in the London Marathon. It took her more than eight-and-a-half hours to complete. They were taking down the course by the time she made it to the finish line. But she made it, nonetheless. With bloody feet and aching joints, she finished the race.

Members would you help me recognize a modern-day hero -- Gianna Jessen?

At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15-to-20 seconds. Gianna had touched their souls.

Ironically, Alice Madden, the majority leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood resolution, walked over to Gianna and congratulated her.

As the applause began to die down, I raised my hand to be recognized one more time.

Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I would appreciate your time.

My name is Ted Harvey, not Paul Harvey, but, please, let me tell you the rest of the story.

The cause of Gianna's cerebral palsy is not because of some biological freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother.

You see when her biological mother was 17-years-old and 7-and-a-half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late-term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of saline into the mother's womb, which the fetus is then bathed in and swallows, which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and out. Within 24 hours the results are normally an induced, still-born abortion.

As Gianna can testify, the procedure is not always 100 percent effective. Gianna is an aborted late-term fetus who was born alive. The high concentration of saline in the womb for 24 hours resulted in a lack of oxygen to her brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy.

Members, today, we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood…"

BANG! The gavel came down.

Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech -- the climax of the morning -- the speaker of the House gaveled me down and said, "Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction, but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the House."

At which point I said, "Mr. Speaker, I understand. I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today."

Silence.

Deafening silence.

I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn't look at me. They were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the Legislature for five tough years, and this made it all worthwhile.

The House majority leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.

Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we touched her soul? She could congratulate an inspirational cerebral palsy victim and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she congratulated was also an abortion survivor.

The headline in The Denver Post the next day read "Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke." The majority leader is quoted as saying, "I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics."

Yes, Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when she was in her mother's womb, and she was when she sang the national anthem on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.

The paper went on to quote Gianna, stating she was glad I told her story.

"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"

All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: If you'd like to contact Ted Harvey, you may e-mail him at ted@tedharvey.com.

[skandalon]

Unfortunately, it did. Here is the text of the bill.

---

2006
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 06-044
BY SENATOR(S) Boyd, Shaffer, Bacon, Fitz-Gerald, Gordon, Grossman,
Isgar, Keller, Tupa, Veiga, Williams, Windels, and Hagedorn;
also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Madden, Benefield, Borodkin, Carroll M.,
Carroll T., Cerbo, Coleman, Green, Kerr A., Marshall, McFadyen,
McGihon, Merrifield, Plant, Pommer, Ragsdale, Solano, Todd, and
Weissmann.
CONCERNING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF PLANNED
PARENTHOOD OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
WHEREAS, For 90 years Planned Parenthood has worked to make sure
that all people have the information and means to decide freely and
responsibly when to have children; and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of
each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility,
regardless of the individual's income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, age, national origin, or residence; and
WHEREAS, It is the mission of Planned Parenthood to provide
comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in
settings that preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each
individual, to provide educational programs that enhance understanding of
individual and societal implications of human sexuality, and to promote
research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and
encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social
implications; and
WHEREAS, Health care is a critical component of healthy communities;
and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood affiliates serve nearly 5,000,000
PAGE 2-SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 06-044
women, men, and adolescents each year, nearly 74% of whom have incomes
at or below 150% of the federal poverty level; and
WHEREAS, Contraceptive services provided by Planned Parenthood
affiliates prevent an estimated 617,000 unplanned pregnancies each year;
and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has been
providing quality health care services to women and their families in
Colorado for 90 years; and
WHEREAS, Each year more than 117,000 women, men, and teens visit
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains' 31 health centers throughout
a 5-state region; and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has
contributed to the overall good health of Colorado through their 24 health
care facilities; and
WHEREAS, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains will recognize
its 90th anniversary on May 27, 2006, and will celebrate its anniversary
from the beginning of May through the end of the year; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-fifth General Assembly of the
State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, recognize
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains on its 90th anniversary for its
contributions to the statewide health and welfare of all Coloradans.
PAGE 3-SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 06-044
Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Joint Resolution be sent to
the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains' administrative office in
Denver.
____________________________ ____________________________
Joan Fitz-Gerald Andrew Romanoff
PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
____________________________ ____________________________
Karen Goldman Marilyn Eddins
SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

[TAdams8591]

"If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"

EXACTLY!

[TAdams8591]

Agreed.

[TAdams8591]

"without the results what is this other than (a) representative exploiting this poor child's cerebal palsy;"

This was an opportunity for this woman to fight back, for herself and others. The more opportunities she gets the greater(both qualitatively and quantitatively) the results will be.

[SuziQ]

Glory to God is right!!

[SuziQ]

Planned Parenthood was founded to combat the rising birth rate of colored people.

Not just colored people, but those pesky Irish and Italian immigrants, too.

[.30Carbine]

Thank you for the ping. Ravi Zacharias had an excellent word on the abortion debate on his Just Thinking radio program yesterday, from a Q & A in Florida: Here is an audio link to RZIM's radio broadcast from June 23rd, "University of Florida Q & A (part 3 of 3) by Ravi Zacharias". To be honest, when I first heard the question I thought, 'There's no way to answer this calmly, with respect as well as reason! I would lose it if I had been in his shoes and had to answer such a question publicly! Thank God it is Ravi and thank God we get to listen in and learn!

Excerpt:

"...[T]he hardest thing for the Christian - and for me, I speak now personally: to me it's a very treasured thing: that this life is so sacred, so vulnerable. It is not the mother's life it is not the father's life, geneticists tell you that. From the moment of that conception this is a brand new entity. I do not know a geneticist anywhere who have said this is not a life! This is a completely different entity.

I think what the world has to answer is, what are we going to do...if that is a life...?...and we are taking them up by the millions? What are we going to do if that is indeed a life? And we are destroying them by the millions.

Now you can then...somebody can then turn around and say, "Ravi, this is a pluralistic society; you have no right to impose your ethic upon me." I accept that statement in 99 out of 100 times. Where I have the quandary is this: If indeed my responsibility in life is to guard the sanctity of another life, ought not I to do my best to protect that life, too? How do we go about it in a democratic society? Here is the hardest way for us to accept, I am afraid: it is this: to change society from the top down is always a temptation, but to change society the slow way, of changing the hearts of men and women so that they will change the laws of the land is the way I think Christ has I think operated in history.

As difficult as that is - and I know it's a divisive statement - I will do everything in my power to talk to every human being about the sanctity of that life, but I also recognize that in a society where a person has that freedom to make his or her decision Jesus moves through the slow way of rebuilding a life. That's why there were many societal issues He could not directly address, because He wanted to change the heart of man. And let us never forget He gave them a perfect Law and the country still went wild without a vision - went berserk - so that ultimately it is only the change of heart that can change society."

[.30Carbine]

PS - Ravi also reminded the audience,

"Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good;
He came into this world to make dead people live -
those who are dead to God, to be make alive to Him."

[.30Carbine]

She still falls sometimes, but she says she has learned how to fall gracefully after falling for 29 years.

I love this quote. It reminds me of the Proverb:

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again;
But the wicked are overthrown by calamity

Thank you for the post.

[Pure Country]

When I became pregnant with my second child, I had been on medications that would leave the child physically and mentally handicapped. The doctors said that she would be totally deformed and that her mental abilities would be close to non-functioning. They said the baby didn't have a chance and that I should abort it.

My husband and I told the doctors that we would proudly take what the Lord gave us.

Well, that little thing was a beautiful baby girl who grew up to be in the top 6 in her graduating class, president of her senior class, lettered in three sports all four years in HS, played on the all-state basketball team, went on to play college ball, and now is happily married with four children--age four and under. And to think that there was absolutely no chance that she would deliver healthy. Isn't modern medicine amazing in what they don't know.

[Badray]

"1. Great. Just don't fall under the sway of the herd of morons on this site who are ready to throw conservative reps under the bus. For some reason they think screwing over the House for the Senate's stupidity will make the GOP more conservative."

Must be a small herd. I've never heard of anyone planning on that. Of course, it does depend on one's definition of conservative.

"2. Majorities count. For the conservatives to implement their agenda, they have to be part of the party that is in the majority. If the Dems have the Congress but ever Republican in it is a solid Reagan conservative, guess what that gets us? Bupkus."

Liberals of varying stripes hold the Democrat Party. More liberals also reside with the GOP ranks. Liberals are the problem no matter what party label they wear.

A GOP majority that contains enough liberals to dilute our majority is no majority at all. Throw the RINOs out any time that you have a chance. It's easier to replace a Dem than it is to replace a RINO. Both parties come together to help the RINO stay in office.

[.30Carbine]

Thank you so much for sharing your testimony here!!! Wow, what glory! Oh how I thank God that you had the faith and the wisdom to trust and obey! Sadly though, for every story like yours I hear - and I've heard many, many like it - there are stories of those who are not alive to God in Christ and did not know any better than what the doctors told them. May eyes to see be granted them.

And may your daugter's entire life always resound with praises, graces and testimonies to His power! Amen!

[Pajamajan]

Powerful story. I can't think of anything that makes the point better than a survivor -Hello! It's not a blob of tissue- it's a living breathing person. (I wish copies of abortion survivor's stories-and pictures of them- could be handed out at abortion clinics, high schools, and colleges.)

The other side of abortion -the Pro life side, NEVER gets positive coverage in the media, anywhere- including Fox News.

I recall Matt Drudge was going to have a show on Fox, but quit because they wouldn't let him make a pro life comment, after doing a story about surgery on the fetus in the womb. There was a picture of a baby (in the womb), holding on to the doctor's finger- a powerful image-but it was considered "too controversial" to comment on. This is better known as "censorship".
(I dare the media to do "Fair and Balanced" reporting about abortion))

How can it be explained to these women/girls- that if you are say, 2 months pregnant -in seven months, you will deliver a little living, breathing, being. One year after that, your little boy or girl will be learning to walk and talk, and you will celebrate his/her first birthday. In 3 more years your little boy or girl will go to school, then grow up, and meet his/her destiny. At no point was this person, EVER, a blob of tissue-Anymore than you were a blob of tissue to your parents. If you abort- YOU are taking the life of your child away. If you leave the baby alone, he/she WILL be born, will have a first birthday, go to school, and grow up. It is his/her destiny to live. This is what your "choice" is- life or death? What is so hard to understand?

What about adopting? It is a choice for life, much easier, than the life-long guilt and shame of "choosing" death for your child.

Back in the 70's the Pro life movement used to run commercials on the big networks, ABC, NBC, exc..They would have an announcement that Cancer had been cured by John Smith, or some other problem had been resolved by some person-they'd give the name, but, then they would tell you that Cancer hadn't been cured because John Smith was never born, his mother aborted him. These ads really made you think . I wish they could do that again today. There is just so much deception/censorship about this issue.

[Quix]

PRAISE GOD!

What was the effect on the Planned Parenthood resolution?

[Quix]

Yup.

Been engineered toward that for decades.

[RavenATB]

"Beautiful! I can only pray that God touched the souls of those democrats and made them reflect on what they are doing to the children of this country."

Unfortunately, it's not just Democrats. There are, in fact, pro-abortion Republicans. And, we must not forget the Libertarians, who are largely pro-abortion.

[RavenATB]

Ann said it of them best..."GODLESS!"

[Quix]

A local pro-life Baptist legislator actually took up the matter with the Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput, who has been trying to remedy the situation
- - - -

PRAISE GOD. I think that kind of spiritual unity-for-life pleases God enormously.

[Quix]

Your prose is so excellent in all versions.

Thanks.

[Quix]

Excellent quotes from Ravi. I love him and his ministry.