Oklahoma anti-abortion law temporarily blocked; Teresa Collett weighing i

Teresa Collett talked with Susie Jones and John Hines of WCCO (radio station) today about the Oklahoma law and explained that ultrasounds are performed by almost all abortion clinics in the US to ensure that the pregnancy is not an ectopic pregnancy.

Please pray for Teresa Collett - she is a warrior for Christ and His Church (and a dear friend). 

David Brewster, Star Tribune

Teresa Collett (left, 2004 photo)

By TIM TALLEY , Associated Press

Last update: May 3, 2010 - 5:59 PM

From StarTribune.com  (Minneapolis)

OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma's attorney general agreed Monday to temporarily block enforcement of a controversial new state law that requires pregnant women to get an ultrasound and hear a detailed description of the fetus before they get an abortion.

The Center for Reproductive Rights was set to argue for a temporary restraining order Monday, but attorneys for both sides agreed to accept the order before the court hearing, Oklahoma County District Judge Noma Gurich said. She signed the order Monday afternoon.

"We're sorry to see implementation of the law delayed," said Tony Lauinger, state chairman of Oklahomans for Life and vice president of the National Right to Life Committee. "This has been a long process and apparently it will be a little longer."

A pregnant woman should have all of the information available before she makes the irrevocable decision to terminate her pregnancy, Lauinger said, adding: "We're confident that this law is constitutional."

Attorney General Drew Edmondson agreed to the order to give his office more time to retain Teresa Collett, a University of St. Thomas Law School professor who represented the state when a similar law passed in 2008 was challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights. She also is the Republican nominee in Minnesota's 4th Congressional District election this fall.

A judge ruled last year that the 2008 law was unconstitutional because it violated requirements that legislative measures deal only with one subject — but did not rule on the validity of the ultrasound provisions.
The new abortion law went into effect last week after lawmakers overrode Gov. Brad Henry's veto.

Fetal Pain Measure Being Heard

My friend, Teresa is still out there fighting for the sanctity of life. You might remember a recent post about a very disappointing defeat.
But she doesn't stop & I thank God for people who have chosen to devote their lives to such an important cause. Teresa is brilliant and could be in a top 10 law firm handling cases that would pay her insane amounts of money.
She chose to fight for life.
I am sure she would blush if she knew I was posting my opinions as she is a very humble person. But I want to ask for your continued prayers . . . for Teresa and all the people on the front lines of the  legislation fight for pro-life. Here is an article from yesterday's Omaha World Herald by Martha Stoddard.

LINCOLN – New knowledge about when fetuses start feeling pain justifies moving up the line after which abortions should be banned, an anti-abortion law professor said Thursday.
Teresa Collett, from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., expressed confidence at a press conference that the U.S. Supreme Court would agree with her.

"It’s my opinion the court will consider this a sufficient state interest" to allow restrictions on abortions, she said.
Collett is expected to be among the witnesses at this afternoon’s hearing on Legislative Bill 1103.
The measure, introduced by Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood of Norfolk, would ban abortions at 20 weeks except for serious threats to a woman’ life or physical health.

The bill would go beyond what existing Supreme Court rulings have allowed. The court has said the government cannot unduly restrict a woman’s right to choose abortion before the point at which her fetus can survive outside the womb.

Fetuses typically reach viability at 24 weeks.

Dr. Ferdinand Salvacion, an anesthesiologist at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, said growing scientific evidence shows that fetuses have the ability to feel pain before that point.

His view was supported by Dr. Tom Grissom, medical director of the Advanced Pain Center of Alaska.

"From my perspective this is an issue of compassionate care," he said at the press conference.

However, a review of fetal pain literature by University of California-San Francisco physicians concluded that fetal perception of pain is unlikely before about 27 weeks.

I think, although this would be an this incremental change in the existing laws, it is monumentally important. Maybe our pro-abortion brothers and sisters need to accept that abortion is murder -- in small steps. Maybe their minds shut down when they confront the total reality and, like small children, they balk.  They would not be able to live such self-centered lives should they let themselves truly comprehend the reality of abortion.
If we do not take small steps BACK toward the sanctity of life . . . we will be taking small steps towards:

• having abortions based solely on gender selection (this is already being done and it is legal)
• partial birth abortions (already happening)
• letting newborns die after they are born
• using unwanted babies for experimentation
• euthanasia 
• the list goes on and gets even more disheartening