The rallying cry of the pro-abortion movement has always been “My Body, My Choice.” Abortion has always been sold as empowering for women, allowing them to exercise control over what happens to their own bodies. A typical response to any pro-life argument is, “If you don’t like abortion, don’t get one.”

However, this line of argumentation ignores the heartbreaking, and all too common, cases in which the abortion is unwanted by the mother.… Continue Reading

In this week’s episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, IFI’s Dave Smith sits down with Elaine Demoulos and Angela from Alliance Family Services.

Serving the large area of Elgin and Schaumburg, Alliance Family Services is dedicated to protecting the preborn and proclaiming the Gospel to every woman that walks through their door.

“The majority of our clients have never heard the true Gospel. Alliance Women’s Clinics are front-line mission fields, partnering with the local church to reach women vulnerable to abortion with truth, compassion, and hope.

The Declaration of Independence emphatically affirms that all human beings are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, the first of which is the right to life.

The Bill of Rights reinforces this principle. The Fifth Amendment states that no person shall “be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law” — explicitly protecting the right to life within the legal framework of the United States.

The Fourteenth Amendment extends this protection further, declaring that no state shall “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.”… Continue Reading

When State Senator Neil Anderson, a Republican from Andalusia representing Illinois’ 47th Senate District, introduced Senate Bill 3572 on February 5, 2026, knowing very well that he was introducing legislation that would cause a firestorm of controversy and that very likely he would have to pay a political price.

A synopsis of SB 3572:

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features a conversation between IFI’s David Smith, Pastor Michael Johnson and Pastor Ceasar LeFlore.

Recently, Illinois Senator Neil Anderson introduced Senate Bill 3572, a bill with the express goal of abolishing abortion in the state of Illinois.

“Women are currently being told by the law that it is okay to kill their babies. That is unjust. We want to inform peoples’ conscience with a just law.

In this week’s episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, IFI’s Dave Smith sits down with Pastor Brandon Myers and Pastor Calvin Lindstrom to discuss SB 3572, a bill with the express goal of abolishing abortion in Illinois.

Because of its serious language, this bill has many pro-lifers standing against it. It is vital that we, as believers, are not controlled by our emotions but are instead controlled by the Word of God.… Continue Reading

Illinois State Senator Neil Anderson recently announced that he will be introducing legislation in Springfield to abolish abortion in the state of Illinois.

In this episode, IFI’s David Smith, Jenna Smith, and Alyssa Sonnenburg discuss this legislation and unpack the reality of the abortion practice in Illinois.

Did you know that in the state of Illinois,

• abortion businesses do not need to undergo inspections,
• when a woman dies during an abortion, the coroner is not required to be notified,
• a medical professional cannot be disciplined for performing an abortion on a non-pregnant woman, and
• medical professionals with a revoked medical license from another state will be allowed to perform abortions in Illinois.

The Illinois gubernatorial primary and general elections are coming up in March and November of this year, respectively.

For the past eight years, Illinoisans have had first-hand experience of the radical nature of the Democratic Party in Illinois.

• Shocking abortion statistics: 38,472 abortions in Illinois in 2014; 89,770 in 2024.
• The highest combined state and local tax burden in the nation.
• Heightened violence.
• Radical school curriculum: sex ed in kindergarten, proficiency testing of LGBTQ history in 8^th grade in order to graduate, tampons in boys school bathrooms, and much more.

You’ve likely been hearing a lot lately about the Hyde Amendment—a vital, long-standing safeguard that has protected Americans for nearly fifty years from being forced to fund abortion with their tax dollars. Its purpose is straightforward and morally necessary: no citizen should be compelled to subsidize the taking of innocent human life.

The amendment is named for Illinois Congressman Henry Hyde, a courageous and principled pro-life leader who represented the 6th Congressional District from 1975 to 2007.… Continue Reading

Last week, Republican Senator Josh Hawley, along with his wife Erin Hawley, a constitutional attorney affiliated with the Alliance Defending Freedom National Law Center, announced the launch of a new political action committee (PAC) – the Love Life Initiative.

According to its mission, the Love Life Initiative embodies:

“ [the] desire to restore a conviction that life is sacred, life is good, and life is worth protecting.”

Sounds like a message that every Republican can get behind, right?… Continue Reading

In this episode, Rev. Caesar LeFlore is joined by Cynthia Morales from Pro-Life Champions.

Cynthia, and her husband John, started their pro-life advocacy with the “40” film, a powerful documentary featuring Abby Johnson and others on the reality of the aftermath of abortion.

This project led them to start “Shout My Story,” a campaign started to combat Shout My Abortion:

“The Shout My Story campaign was created in response to websites like ShoutYourAbortion.com

One of the most dishonest attacks on the pro-life movement is the charge that pro-life people care only about the baby in utero – not about the mothers or their delivered babies.

A new report, “Pregnancy Centers Stand the Test of Time,” by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the Susan B. Anthony List, puts the lie to that assertion.

In 2019, the latest year tabulated, about 2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers nationally served nearly two million people.… Continue Reading

In this two for one podcast, you’ll hear remarks from Evangela Pringles, director of Pregnancy Aid Illinois during a 40 Days for Life Celebration, and from pastor Caesar LeFlore during the 2020 Rally for Jesus held on the campus of Cavlary Church in Orland Park. These two leaders touch on why advocating for life is so important, and how you can gain real peace to anchor you throughout any storm in life.… Continue Reading

In a significant legislative victory for life activists, President Donald Trump’s recent signature on the Federal budget bill is being hailed as a crucial step towards the potential defunding of Planned Parenthood. The Republican-led spending blueprint specifically targets organizations that perform abortions by denying them access to Medicaid funding.

While the legislation carefully avoids mentioning Planned Parenthood by name, the organization, a major provider of reproductive health services, stands to face substantial financial repercussions.… Continue Reading

“If Americans are going to reject abortion, they need to know what happens in an abortion. Who are the victims of abortion? What impact does it have on those mothers and fathers who choose abortion and on society as a whole.” – Anne Scheidler

Standing on the side of a busy highway, Monte Larrick talks with Anne Scheidler, vice president of the pro-life action league during the organization’s Face the Truth tour.… Continue Reading

Illinois is the abortion capitol of the Midwest. Women from states that have safegaurds to protect babies are choosing the land of Lincoln for surgical abortions or, increasingly, aboriton drugs. Donna Williams is trying to counter that. As the executive director for PASS network for Life, she leads the pregnancy based care center in Tinley Park to protect and promote life.

Pregnancy Aid South Suburbs offer services designed to address the needs of both mothers in crisis pregnancy situations and the father.… Continue Reading

This episode of Spotlight features Steve Karlen who serves as the campaign director for 40 Days for Life, where he trains and assists campaign leaders, co-hosts 40 Days for Life podcast and is the author of the book, “This is When we Begin to Fight.”

For those who may be unfamiliar, 40 Days for Life is a local pro-life ministry whose aim is to end abortion through prayer, fasting, and community outreach.… Continue Reading

“The End of Life Options Act” was introduced in the Illinois Senate on January 13, 2025 by State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) and in the Illinois House on January 14, 2025 by State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Chicago).

If this bill is passed into law, doctors will be legally allowed to prescribe death-inducing drugs to patients who are suffering from terminal illnesses.

This push to legalize physician-assisted suicide (PAS) was added to a shell bill during the last week of regular session and then passed in the Illinois House by a vote of 63 to 42, with two members voting “present.”… Continue Reading

Back in 2021, Governor Pritzker signed HB121, SB667, SB1596, and SB2665 into law. All four of these pieces of legislation enshrined into law Illinois’ stance on immigration as being one of the most welcoming in the entire nation.

The new laws strengthen the TRUST Act and make Illinois the second state in the nation to require local officials to end partnerships with ICE, address hate crimes against immigrant communities, expand workplace protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, and create the Illinois Immigration Impact Task Force to ensure state programs and policies best serve immigrant residents.

Today’s episode on Illinois Family Spotlight features Dr. Mark Zumhagen’s presentation at Illinois Family Institute’s Assisted Suicide Forum.

Dr. Mark Zumhagen is a family medicine physician with over four decades of practice and experience. In 2009, he co-founded Fearfully & Wonderfully Made, a holistic medicine center based in Orland Park, where he currently practices.

In this segment, he discusses how pro-suicide legislation has its roots in Darwinism and that life is a precious gift from God.… Continue Reading

I hate writing about this.

In what has to be one of the most gruesome, heartbreaking stories I’ve read in years, 18-year-old Chloe Coplen-Anderson has been sentenced to somewhere between 35-60 years in prison for the heinous crime she perpetrated against her newborn son.

When she was just 16, Coplen-Anderson secretly gave birth to her son in her bedroom after having hid the pregnancy from her parents. She then quietly retrieved a knife from the family’s kitchen, returned to her bedroom, and slit her son’s throat.… Continue Reading

Pro-life organizers are starting their preparations for the Fall 40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign.

This episode features a conversation between Catherine Walker, a prayer organizer with the Aurora 40 Days for Life, and Steve Carlin, the National Campaign Director with 40 Days for Life.

In this conversation, both Catherine Walker and Steve Carlin share encouragement for pro-life prayer warriors in Illinois.

“More than 25,000 lives have been saved because someone showed up to pray at an abortion facility.”

Did you know that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) includes coverage for the cost of abortions and abortion-related services?

The PWFA, which went into effect on June 27, 2023, was originally intended to provide pregnant workers with reasonable accommodations due to their pregnancy.

“Generally, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) requires a covered employer to provide a ‘reasonable accommodation’ to a qualified employee’s or applicant’s known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an ‘undue hardship.’”

Illinois is currently trying to legalize assisted suicide through the passage of the End of Life Options Act.

This Act, if passed, would give doctors the legal ability to prescribe death-inducing drugs to patients who have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses.

In this episode, Dr. Kevin Garner sits down with Monte Larrick to discuss the dangers this Act pose– not only to the terminally ill but the possible expansion of the bill to include non-terminal conditions and children.… Continue Reading

Did you know that legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Illinois would target people with disabilities?

In this Spotlight episode, Monte Larrick sits down with Riley Spreadbury to discuss this very topic.

Riley Spreadbury is a leader in the disability community and works with the Disability Resource Center in Joliet, Illinois. She is outspoken in her opposition against physician-assisted suicide and even testified before the Illinois State Senate committee.

“My concerns are that of course not every disabled person is terminally ill, but every terminally ill person, in my opinion, is disabled.

The assault on America’s children from the Democratic Left is unprecedented on our history.  Considering our long and storied history of favoring and protecting children, it is shocking and disgusting; and it must not be ignored!

Until I had children of my own, I did not fully understand how they would change my life and the joy they would bring.  I was always fond of children, but it is not the same as having little ones of your own.… Continue Reading

Are there repercussions for legal suicide in the state of Illinois?

Robert Gilligan answers this very question on this edition of Illinois Family Spotlight.

Robert Gilligan is the executive director of Catholic Conference in Illinois and, in this episode, he dives into the very real dangers posed to Illinois if physician-assisted suicide is legalized.

“In states where this has been legalized, this leads to more suicide overall. There were 49,000 suicides in the country last year.

The New York Times recently published a revealing article, titled “Botched Care and Tired Staff: Planned Parenthood in Crisis.” In her article, author Katie Benner details a litany of alarming problems at Planned Parenthood clinics across the U.S. The report asserts that many clinics face a high level of staff turnover that is fueled by substandard pay and poor working conditions.

Drawing from clinic documents, legal filings, and interviews with over 50 current and former executives, consultants, and medical staff, the article highlights a pattern of financial strain, understaffing, and inadequate training that has compromised patient care.… Continue Reading

On February 18, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order that expands access to In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

According to the White House,

“The Order recognizes the importance of family formation and that our Nation’s public policy must make it easier for loving and longing mothers and fathers to have children.”

The executive order goes on to cite the dangerously low fertility rate America is currently facing, as well as the difficulty many families are having as they try to have children.… Continue Reading

In this special episode, Illinois Family Spotlight highlights interviews with Nancy Valko and Scott Klusendorf regarding the state of Illinois and the End of Life Options Act.

Nancy Valko has served for more than fifty years as a registered nurse, and is the spokeswoman for the National Association of Pro Life Nurses.

Scott Klusendorf is a pro-life advocate– regularly traveling throughout the United States and Canada training pro-life advocates to persuasively defend their views in the public square.… Continue Reading

This special episode of Illinois Family Spotlight highlights Pastor Douglas Wilson’s remarks given at the 2015 Illinois Family Banquet.

Pastor Douglas Wilson preaches at Christ Church in Moscow, ID, and is senior fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College. He is a prolific author of many books and his blog, dougwils.com, is home to his witty and rapier thoughts on culture, the church at large, and politics.

In his speech, Pastor Wilson challenges Christians to fight for biblical sanity and morality.… Continue Reading

On January 14, 2025, Thomas More Society attorneys submitted to the incoming Trump administration formal requests for presidential pardons on behalf of 21 pro-life advocates who have been unjustly prosecuted, convicted, and in several cases, imprisoned, by the Biden Department of Justice.

In their letter submitted to President Donald J. Trump, Thomas More Society attorneys

“urge that these pro-life Americans are deserving of full and unconditional pardons.”

Is legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Illinois really that dangerous?

In this edition of Spotlight, Dr. Stephen Smart will answer that exact question. Dr. Stephen Smart is a clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Illinois college of medicine, and is in private practice at the Springfield clinic in Peoria.

Illinois Family Institute and other pro-life organizations are actively watching the Illinois state legislature for the inevitability of physician-assisted suicide legislation coming to the state of Illinois.… Continue Reading

Recently, the 40 Days for Life pro-life activist, Catherine Walker, spoke outside of Illinois’ Flossmoor Planned Parenthood.

Catherine Walker is a post-abortive, pro-life warrior and she has dedicated her life to helping women through the ministry of sidewalk counseling. In this episode of Spotlight, Catherine shares how she is seeing a positive impact in her community as a result of sidewalk counseling.

“My job is to be faithful and be a warrior in the army and go and try to save one life at a time.

Did you know that the abortion industry is trying to shut down SouthSide Pregnancy Center and other crisis pregnancy care facilities?

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we feature remarks by Frank Pavone given at SouthSide Pregnancy Center’s 2024 Banquet. Reverend Frank Pavone serves as the national director of Priests For Life and president of the National Pro-Life Religious Counsel and pastoral director of Rachel’s Vineyard.

“There is nothing that takes more life than abortion.

Should Illinois legalize assisted suicide?

To answer this question, this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight will feature Dr. Benjamin German and the remarks he gave in a special forum on assisted suicide to answer this important question.

Dr. German is a primary caregiver in the Lawndale Christian Health Center on Chicago’s West side. He is also an Illinois Representative in the Academy of Medical Ethics, the biomedical arm of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations.… Continue Reading

Governor JB Pritzker has been forthcoming and direct in articulating his desires to make Illinois the “abortion capital” of the United States.

In July of this year, Pritzker signed the Birth Equity Act (HB 5142) into law, which mandates insurance companies in Illinois cover the cost of abortion without any deductibles, extra costs, or copays.

In the state of Illinois, you can kill your baby at any point, for any reason, and with no added impact to your wallet.… Continue Reading

Though some foolish, uniformed, and lazy voices would claim otherwise, there is little to no moral equivalency between the platforms and positions of the left and the right.

The Democrats and the Republicans are at odds with one another on a number of vital issues.

The Democrats are a proud, death-cult political party that celebrates what God hates.

As Dr. Andrew Walker notes, the Democratic platform, written by their key leaders, is the most radical platform in U.S.… Continue Reading

A Christian brother recently told me that he was originally planning not to vote in this presidential election. He obviously wasn’t going to vote for Kamala, and given Trump’s support for abortion pill access, he couldn’t bring himself to vote for Trump either.

Abortion is so morally repugnant that he couldn’t see himself supporting a candidate who supported access to even the pills. For him, abortion was a reason to not vote in this election.… Continue Reading

Is it a Christian’s duty to vote?

According to research conducted by Barna, 41 million professing Christians and 32 million mainline Christians are not planning on voting in the upcoming general election.

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick sits down with David Smith, Executive Director of Illinois Family Institute and Illinois Family Action, to discuss the results of this research study.

“Romans 13 tells us that all authority is ordained by God… Who is the authority in America?

Women’s rights are the central theme of the Harris/Walz campaign and central to Eric Sorensen’s campaign for reelection to Illinois’ 17^th Congressional District.… Continue Reading

“Operation Swing State” is in full gear for the upcoming general election on November 5^th.

The goal of this operation? To convert as many people as possible to the pro-child sacrifice side not only in Illinois but also in key swing states like Wisconsin.

NPR Illinois recently covered the work of this operation:

“On a hot sunny day in September, Elizabeth Posner and Mark Steen, two volunteers from Illinois, drove around the politically purplish city of Racine, Wis.,

In this exciting episode of Spotlight, we are featuring Allie Beth Stuckey’s keynote speech that she delivered at the annual Faith, Family & Freedom Banquet! Allie is a dedicated wife, mom, cultural commentator, and is the beloved host of her podcast, Relatable.

In her speech, Allie breaks down her popular catchphrase: politics matter because policies matter because people matter. Politics affects policy, policy affects people, and people matter.

“While it is absolutely true– yes and amen– that Jesus is coming back one day, He is not here yet.

There is no conservative case to be made for Kamala Harris.

None.

Obviously, there are many conservatives, particularly Christian conservatives, who are not voting for Donald Trump based on conviction and principle. It’s a position that is, in my estimation, reasonable and legitimate. But all that reason and all that legitimacy immediately flies out the window when such an individual announces intent to cast a vote in favor of a spectacularly unfit, ideologically radical, and morally untethered political party fabrication like the candidacy of Kamala Harris.… Continue Reading

Dr. Erwin Lutzer is the pastor emeritus of Moody Church in Chicago and is the author of the highly acclaimed books including The Church in Babylon, When a Nation Forgets God, and The Eclipse of God.

In this special episode of Spotlight, Dr. Lutzer sits down with Monte Larrick to discuss what inspired his newest book, The Eclipse of God.

“If the baboon is our grandfather– if we are only animals on a continuum with animals… we have no argument against abortion, euthanasia.

It doesn’t annoy me that people have disparate opinions on issues that matter, or more specifically, that others would find my own personal opinions ill-informed or wrong. The world might well be a boring place if everyone agreed on everything, so you won’t find me in the camp of those wishing to eliminate intellectual or ideological diversity.

What does annoy me is when a sizable group of people are willing to suspend intellectual curiosity to the issues that matter, put their fingers in their metaphorical ears, and refuse any modicum of critical thinking when forming and spouting opinions.… Continue Reading

Earlier this year, Gov. JB Pritzker urged the Democrats in the General Assembly to pass legislation placing three advisory questions on our ballots for the upcoming election. Every voter in the state of Illinois will have the options of voting either Yes or No.

These questions are non-binding, meaning they simply act as an official poll of voters to guide state lawmakers on public opinion regarding questions of policy, but do not directly change law.… Continue Reading

A new book by Melania Trump is due to come out [today]. Among other things, the former First Lady discusses her pro-abortion position. In the book she will go into much more detail on this, but in a short video just released she said this about the matter:

“Individual freedom is a fundamental principle that I safeguard. Without a doubt there is no room for compromise when it comes to this essential right that all women possess from birth.

During the recent vice presidential debate on CBS News, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) quoted Scripture and applied it to how we should respond to the flood of illegal immigrants coming across the border, saying we should protect “the least among us…” Here is his answer in context, from the debate transcript:

Look, this issue of continuing to bring this up, of not dealing with it, of blaming migrants for everything.

When Illinois voters make their candidate selections on the November 5, 2024, election ballot, they will also be asked their opinions on three advisory questions:

• Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitation on the number of treatments?

• Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?

Showcasing her deep and abiding commitment to the pro-abortion cause, Vice President Kamala Harris has come out in support of a damaging U.S. Senate rules change. In the future, if Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, the Vice President’s proposed rule change would likely make it possible to pass a federal law imposing a “right” to abortion on all 50 states.

The United States Senate is sometimes referred to as the world’s greatest deliberative body.… Continue Reading

A Newsweek article from August chronicles the many Republicans who have openly pledged their support for Kamala Harris.

Their list includes former Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney (Wyoming), Adam Kinzinger (Illinois), former Trump White House official Stephanie Grisham, and a group of over 200 staffers for previous presidential Republican candidates.

Enough Republicans are feeling likewise that Newsweek reports a program started by the Harris campaign—”Republicans for Harris”—which is intentionally catering to Republicans who are rejecting Trump.… Continue Reading

Is praying outside of an abortion clinic terrorism?

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick sits down with Constitutional attorney David Shestokas to discuss how pro-life activists in Illinois have been targeted by Eileen O’Neill Burke, a candidate for the Cook County State’s Attorney position, as it regards their Constitutional rights.

“She’s going after free speech… Possibly potentially freedom of religion… She’s intending to prosecute people not necessarily based on their conduct, but based on the content of their message.”

In hosting the second presidential debate of the general election season, ABC News once again exposed themselves as left-wing ideologues and staunch allies of Kamala Harris.… Continue Reading

Could there be anything more creepy?

Last weekend, the “second gentleman” of the United States, Douglass Emhoff, took to X to post his personal support of child killing for convenience:

The stakes of this election couldn't be higher. It's time for men to step up for reproductive freedom. https://t.co/WCboun9eOW

— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) August 31, 2024

I understand the politics behind the post. Since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v Wade, Democrats have been capitalizing financially and electorally on the issue of aborting children in the womb.… Continue Reading

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features remarks from the Go Public for Pro Life rally, organized by Vision 2020.

Julie Garofalo, executive director of the women’s crisis pregnancy center, Waterleaf; Matt Yonke of the Pro Life Action League; and Veronica Janiszewski with Students for Life, all speak on the vital importance of speaking truth and hope into the lives of women facing unexpected pregnancies.

“Our voices are a gift from God, and we must use them for good.

In the real world, no nationwide abortion ban is going to pass Congress, so Donald Trump will never have the opportunity to veto it. As a practical matter, concerns from pro-life activists amount to nothing because nothing is going to happen at the federal level. But for Trump and JD Vance, how they have improvised answers to the concerns of pro-life voters could hurt them more than help them. At the local level, the pro-life movement is on defense and losing every state that puts the matter up to a public vote.… Continue Reading

The alarms were sounded throughout every village and upon every non-existent city hill—the Democrats are coming to Chicago! And indeed it’s true! The Democratic National Convention chose Chicago as their host city in 2024.

The dates are Monday, August 19th through Thursday, August 22nd.

They could hardly have picked a more like-minded community in which to gather. A cursory look back at the city’s history would inform us that William Lane Thompson was the last of his kind to be Mayor of Chicago.… Continue Reading

Besides Jesus Christ, John the Baptist is by far one of my most favored and respected heroes of the Christian Bible. His boldness and fearless proclamation of the truth concerning the imminent coming of the Kingdom of Christ, even to a hostile and spiritually blind world, caused him to be identified in New Testament Scripture as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness,” prophesied by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament.… Continue Reading

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke before the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) last Thursday. This was her first speech as a presidential candidate, since President Biden ended his campaign and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee.

Rather than hiding the fact that the AFT has had a tremendous amount of power and influence on the Biden administration and the country, Harris proudly announced it, thanking AFT president, Randi Weingarten, in particular saying that she has been a “great force” and “an incredible friend and adviser” to the president and her.… Continue Reading

In October 2023, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker launched a national nonprofit group named “Think Big America,” which is focused on normalizing abortion and making the slaughter of pre-born babies legal in every state across the country. The New York Times reports that this new group “will support ballot measures to codify or restore abortion rights, seeking to elevate an issue that has energized Democrats.”

According to the Think Big America website, their mission is to take “the fight to right wing extremists all across the country.”… Continue Reading

In this week’s episode of Spotlight podcast, Dr. Benjamin German discusses physician-assisted suicide from his perspective as a medical-care provider.

Dr. German is a primary caregiver in the Lawndale Christian Health Center and serves as an Illinois Representative in the Academy of Medical Ethics, which is the biomedical arm of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations.

Dr. German’s speech will discuss how medically-assisted suicide works and the ethics surrounding medically-assisted suicide.… Continue Reading

When can you deliberately kill an innocent human being?

Answer: Never.

But that is not what the Republican Party says in the new platform it approved at its convention this week.

When President Ronald Reagan was running for reelection in 1984, the Republican Party adopted a platform that unequivocally called for the legal protection of all human life — from the moment of conception to natural death.

“The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed,” said that platform.… Continue Reading

Republicans and many independents do not believe in the term “independent fact-checkers” when it comes to federal elections. Fact-checkers predictably defend Democrats from GOP “misinformation” in election season. Democrat extremism on abortion is one topic where the fact-“checkers” are the fact-manglers.

Take Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy in Montana. On July 10, PolitiFact broke out the “False” flag for something Sheehy said in a June 8 debate:

“Elective abortions up to and including the moment of birth.

There have been a lot of laughs at President Joseph R. Biden’s expense since his disastrous debate with former President Trump on Thursday, June 28.

Democrats have been in a state of panic since then.

USA Today on June 30 reported the shocking results of a CBS/You Gov National Survey in which 72% of voters –  as well as nearly half of his party – said they do not believe Biden has the mental or cognitive capacity to serve as president.… Continue Reading

Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, the pro-life issue has become more important than ever before.

With the Republican National Convention coming up on July 15^th in Milwaukee, Students for Life Action (SFLAction) understands this crucial moment and is demanding that the Republican Party (Grand Old Party, GOP) maintain its pro-life stance.

While the GOP has been dedicated to the pro-life cause for decades, there are some Republicans (Republicans In Name Only, RINOs) that stand as a hindrance to the pro-life mission.… Continue Reading

It is our understanding that the RNC is considering a national platform without mentioning pro-life, pro-family, or parents’ rights issues. That would be a major mistake. Here is why:

Pro-Life Catholics and evangelical Christians make up the largest single GOP voting bloc. Many are low frequency GOP voters, if they vote at all. In 2016 and 2020, evangelical Christians voted for President Donald Trump at a rate of 75-78 percent, according to most post-election polls.… Continue Reading

Will The GOP Uphold the Sanctity of Human Life?

On March 20, 1854, at a schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin, the Republican Party was established to stop the expansion of slavery into western territories. Six years later, Abraham Lincoln was elected as the first Republican president. After Lincoln, 18 other Republicans have been elected to the office of President of the United States.

Since 1973, the Republican Party has officially opposed abortion in its party platform.… Continue Reading

In this week’s Spotlight episode, David Curtin, IFI’s Springfield Lobbyist, gives an update on the Illinois General Assembly.

As it relates to Assisted Suicide in Illinois, David Curtin has a hopeful update:

Assisted Suicide is dead for now. We don’t expect it to come up before the end of May. If it comes up during veto session in the Fall, maybe? If it comes up next year, maybe?

But, we are just ecstatic that IFI listeners registered their opinion on so many bills down here.

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Tom Brejcha discusses President Biden and his State of the Union address.

Tom Brejcha is the Founder, President, and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Society. He is a legal expert with over 50 years of experience in the federal and state courts.

Abortion is a top issue for the 2024 election, and Brejcha comments on states who are codifying abortion into their state laws and gives insight on how Christians and conservatives can counter this.… Continue Reading

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a bipartisan, pro-Israel political action lobbying committee, has been endorsing members of Congress for years in a bid to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with Israel, America’s biggest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East.

AIPAC essentially raises millions of dollars by Jewish and Christian people and groups across the country, who want to see Israel protected.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick sits down with IFI Springfield Lobbyist, David Curtin, in order to get his perspective on the upcoming Illinois legislative sessions.

A bill that has a lot of conservatives in Illinois concerned is SB 3499 (Physician-Assisted Suicide). David Curtin comments,

The assisted suicide legislation is a very coordinated national effort and they’ve already done it in a few other blue states, and Illinois is the next state they usually stop at to try to pass something like this… [Physician Assisted Suicide] would allow physicians to dispense some pills to a person who is diagnose with a terminal illness to kill themselves at home.

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features Reverend Ceasar LeFlore.

Reverend LeFlore is the director of Public School Exit , an IFI-affiliated organization dedicated to facilitating the exit of children from government schools. He is also the director of Good Soil Good Seed (GS2), a scholarship foundation designed to help children afford to attend Christian schools.

Reverend LeFlore has an event on April 18th, called “Saving Our Children for God.”  Attendance is free and the discussion will focus on the danger of Illinois government schools.… Continue Reading

In our day of weaponized government and intolerance for honest speech, it isn’t difficult to imagine a scenario where politicians would willingly relegate our individual freedoms – guaranteed to us in the U.S. Constitution – to the voters in the states to decide what levels of liberty – and restrictions of those liberties – they would allow going forward.

For those of us in blue states, it isn’t a stretch to imagine how this would play out for the Second Amendment.… Continue Reading

This edition of Illinois Family Spotlight features Mark Houck, a devout Catholic and peaceful pro-life protestor who was falsely accused of violating the FACE Act.

Houck was arrested and handcuffed in front of his wife and children by the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice.

With legal representation from the Thomas More Society and a unanimous jury verdict, Mark Houck was declared to be innocent.

This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.… Continue Reading

During his 2005 confirmation hearings, Chief Justice John Roberts compared the role of the U.S. Supreme Court to that of an umpire calling balls and strikes. But what happens when the umpire allows one team more at-bats than the other? Once again, the much-vaunted conservative U.S. Supreme Court is a one-way ratchet for left-wing litigation. Some things never change.

When Donald Trump was president, not a single major administrative policy went unchallenged by the officiously litigious left-wing legal movement.… Continue Reading

In this episode, Spotlight is featuring remarks made by former state representative Peter Breen at the 2024 Speakout Illinois Pro-Life Conference.

Peter Breen is the executive vice-president and is the head of litigation for the Thomas More Society, which is a non-profit, public-interest law firm that champions the causes of life, family, and freedom.

In his speech, Peter Breen remarks on the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which overturned Roe v.… Continue Reading

Why does CVS want to force employees to violate their religiously informed conscience? Why would they terminate a faithful, high performing health care professional of more than 20 years? Why would CVS previously grant a religious accommodation from prescribing contraceptive abortifacients from 2014 to 2022 and then abruptly revoke it?

Why would they fire a wonderful employee because of her sincerely held religious beliefs and open themselves up to a civil rights lawsuit?… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Scott Lively, author and founder of Biblical Worldview Resource Center.

Scott Lively emphasizes the importance of pushing against the status quo of the culture. He also has a strong message to send to parents who continue to keep their kids in the public school system:

If you are intentionally keeping your kids in public schools, you know the children are being indoctrinated in secular humanist presuppositions in every field.

In this episode of Spotlight, Pastor Charles Moodie recounts the ministry of City Life Center, located in Englewood, Illinois.

Recently, City Life Center Church opened a pregnancy resource center for the community of Englewood.

The Pregnancy Resource Center is a space for expectant mothers to receive prenatal care and support. The resource center, located in our church office, offers free pregnancy testing, limited ultrasounds, and other maternity resources.

Adjacent to our initiative to support families in the Southside Chicago community, the Pregnancy Resource Center aims to show love to mothers who need it most, providing childcare options for children ages 3 and under as well as basic infant necessities like strollers, diapers, and clothing.

The visit by Vice President Kamala Harris to a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in St. Paul, the first ever visit by a president or vice president to an abortion clinic, is getting the considerable attention it deserves.

When America’s vice president visits and pays homage to the nation’s largest abortion provider, it’s news. And what she said there is also news.

Harris predictably distorted truth and reality, pitching the boilerplate left-wing headline calling the destruction of our unborn health care.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring a speech given by Alex Schadenberg which was given at the 2023 Speakout Illinois conference.

Alex Schadenberg is the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition based in Canada.

Illinois recently introduced HB3499 (currently SB3499) which “Authorizes a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request that a physician prescribe aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient’s life in a peaceful manner.”… Continue Reading

This episode of Spotlight features the legacy of Joe Schiedler, who passed away at the age of 93.

Joe Schiedler leaves a 50 year legacy of peaceful, pro-life activism that took him around the nation and the world. Schiedler and his wife, Anne, co-founded the Chicago based Pro-Life Action League, and he authored Closed: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion and Racketeer for Life.

Back in 2017, IFI hosted a Pro-Life Forum where Joe Schiedler reflected on his work and his calling in the pro-life movement.… Continue Reading

This episode of Spotlight the IFI Forum for pastors & leaders, hosted by the Spirit of Liberty Church of God in Markham, IL.

In the first segment of this episode, IFI’s Executive Director, David Smith, explains why Christians should be active in politics, public policies, and the 40 Days for Life campaigns that operate outside of abortion facilities. In his speech, David Smith emphasizes the first three words of the Constitution: “We the people…”

We have lots of opportunities as American citizens.

This episode of Spotlight features Pastor Charles Moodie’s speech given at the Foundations of Faith and Family Conference.

Charles Moodie is the pastor of Chicago City Life Center church, and congregation is deeply involved in outreach ministries within Englewood. Currently, Pastor Moodie is building a Crisis Pregnancy Care Center in Englewood. The purpose of this Pregnancy Center is to provide pregnancy support for women dealing with unexpected pregnancies, family support through counseling, and transitional support through offering classes.… Continue Reading

Recently, Jeffrey Clark, an associate editor for Fox News Digital, wrote an important column summarizing the growing call in media circles for “humans to go extinct.” In his article, Mr. Clark cites the oft-repeated refrain from cultural talking heads who now argue that “science proves kids are bad for the earth and that morality suggests we stop having them.”

Examples include Ginger Zee, a meteorologist on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” who recounted in December the tension she felt in becoming pregnant with her second child because some in her family didn’t think she would “do that again,” for the sake of the planet.… Continue Reading

The abortion debate generally centers around two people: the mother and her child. Of course, there’s a lot of back-and-forth over how to define her child, when her child “becomes” a child, what that means, how or whether to support her as a mother and so on.

But somehow, another necessary party is almost always missing from the debate — namely, the father. I find this baffling.

There is a father involved, somehow, in every pregnancy.… Continue Reading

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features Peter Breen’s speech at the Will County Republican Banquet in the first half and a Q&A session with Scott Klusendorf, President of the Life Training Institute, in the second half.

Peter Breen is a former state representative and currently is the executive vice president & head of litigation for the Chicago based Thomas More Society.

Breen speaks on the unconstitutional nature of Senate Bill 1909, which causes pro-life pregnancy centers to undergo litigation and fines.… Continue Reading

I agree with the articles I’m reading that we need to boldly defend the Pro-Life position, but I have a suggestion for an entirely new strategy to do so. I think this would not only be a winning strategy, but would also strongly win over the black vote. We need to start saying over and over again:

“Yesterday’s Dems supported slavery and today’s Dems support abortion.  In both cases they were denying that someone was or is fully human.

Following the Court’s decision in Dobbs, legislatures in pro-life states across the nation have taken steps to curtail or dramatically reduce the availability of abortion.… Continue Reading

This Spotlight episode features Scott Phelps, executive director of Abstinence and Marriage Partnership, and his speech on The Success Sequence– the three steps to a successful life.

The first step to a successful life is to complete a high school level of education. The second step is to get a stable job.

Finally, the biggest indication for a successful life is to keep sex and children in the context of marriage alone.… Continue Reading

Controversy over a federal ban on abortion after 15 weeks of gestation proposed by a national pro-life political action committee prompted Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, to tell Republican candidates to “talk about abortion. . . . When you don’t respond, the lies become the truth.” Okay, what about this truth? The constitutional argument for it is the same as that of Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. In fact, if we are going to uphold the Fourteenth Amendment, the 15-week federal abortion ban is unconstitutional.… Continue Reading

16 years ago, Planned Parenthood opened an abortion facility in Aurora, Illinois. On the anniversary of this opening, pro-life activists held a prayer vigil outside of the building featuring Pastor Randy Schoof of Warehouse Church and Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action League.

In his speech, Pastor Schoof encouraged those in attendance to continue to pray for the end of abortion, to plead for God’s mercy, and to continue the work of sidewalk counseling outside of abortion sites.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Phil Price and Catharine Walker outside the Aurora Planned Parenthood clinic, where more than 400 surgical abortions are performed every single month.

Price and Walker are two of the leaders of 40 Days For Life Aurora. 40 Days For Life is a powerful Christian prayer campaign that brings 24-hour prayer vigils outside abortion centers in Illinois, across the nation, and around the world.… Continue Reading

Over the years, former president Donald Trump’s position on abortion has shifted, as this video collage demonstrates. In 1999, Trump said he hated abortion, but that he was also very pro-choice and would not support a ban on partial-birth abortion. In 2015, he said he was pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. In 2016, he said women who obtain an abortion should be punished, a position on which he quickly backtracked.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Dave Smith and Monte Larrick sit down with Evelyn Stenzel.

Evelyn works with the Southside Pregnancy Center and travels throughout the greater Chicago area for the purpose of equipping Christians with the pro-life message.

Part of Evelyn’s ministry, “Equipped!”, includes informing pro-life advocates of abortion procedures and the impact abortion has on both the unborn baby and the mother. In the interview, she comments,

Many people that are pro-life honestly are unfamiliar with abortion procedures, the impact of abortion– of course on the unborn but also on the mother…

Mentioned in the podcast is Evelyn’s Equipped!… Continue Reading

In his column, Donald Trump Owes Pro-Lifers (September 29), William McGurn has made some important points about the significance of the pro-life movement in electing Donald Trump President in 2016.

First, however, Mr. McGurn mentions Trump’s recent attack on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for signing a six-week abortion ban. Trump is calling it a “terrible thing.” The Florida law is called federalism in action, Mr. President.

Mr. McGurn correctly reminds us of the two major events which were crucial in providing overwhelming, and probably decisive, pro-life support for Trump in 2016.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring the second part of Scott Klusendorf’s speech at the 2023 Worldview Conference.

Scott Klusendorf is the founder and president of the Life Training Institute, which is an organization that is dedicated to equipping pro-life advocates to effectively defend Life in the public square. He is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.

In this portion, Klusendorf tackles the topic of how one’s church can effectively engage the culture with pro-life apologetics.… Continue Reading

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features Scott Klusendorf at the IFI 2023 Worldview Conference.

Scott Klusendorf is the founder and president of the Life Training Institute, which is dedicated to equipping pro-life advocates to effectively defend their view of life in the public square. He has taught pro-life apologetics at over 80 colleges and universities, and he is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.… Continue Reading

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features remarks from Ariella Del Turco on the topic of religious liberty in the first half, along with a question and answer segment with Ambassador Sam Brownback during the second half.

Arielle Del Turco is the director of Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council (FRC) and is the co-author of FRC’s “Hostility Against Churches” report.

Sam Brownback is the former governor of Kansas, formerly representing Kansas in the U.S.… Continue Reading

Though I don’t think it’s a particularly wise or self-aware accusation for them to make, the progressive left continues to make political hay out of smearing conservatives as “anti-science.” Most people who are not fervent congregants of the church of progressivism, and who have been conscious over the last several years, probably can’t help but roll their eyes at the insult.

After all, this is a movement that denies the humanity of human babies in the womb.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews Horace Cooper. Cooper is a senior fellow with the National Center for Public Policy Research, chairman of the Project 21 National Advisory Board and a legal commentator.

In response to the attack that Christianity and the Church is facing, Cooper notes,

As Christians, one of things we need to understand… American Christians are one of the most powerful forces on the planet.

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews attorney David Shestokas, a former 2022 candidate for Illinois Attorney General. Mr. Shestokas is involved in the battle for election integrity, and is the author of two must-read books: Creating the Declaration of Independence and Constitutional Soundbites.

In this episode, Shestokas emphasizes the important role that the Declaration of Independence currently plays in preserving American freedoms. He notes,

“What the Constitution is intended to do is to execute the ideals that are found in the Declaration of Independence… the Constitution itself is a pretty mechanical document, but the Declaration of Independence defines really what it means to be an American.”

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring remarks made by Dr. Jonathan Diggs during Illinois Family Institute’s 2023 Worldview Conference.

Dr. Jonathan Diggs has been practicing medicine for over thirty-five years, is an American Board of Internal Medicine diplomat, is a motivational speaker, and is a guest on national television and radio programs.

In his speaking segment, Dr. Diggs outlines three consequences of sexual immortality, which include the following:

1) unwanted pregnancies,
2) sexually transmitted diseases (STIs),
3) and the disruption of social cohesion.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick discusses the pro-life movement with Eric Scheidler, who is the executive director of Chicago’s Pro-Life Action League. During their annual “Face the Truth” tour, dozens of volunteers line sidewalks adjacent to streets near busy intersections in Chicago and the suburbs, silently and often prayerfully holding photographs of aborted babies.

When asked about the public reaction to these photographs, Scheidler notes,

We expected to see more hostility and anger and we’ve had some incidents… But, what I’ve found more notable is kind of a lack of curiosity… it seems more difficult to get people to take a piece of literature from you… That’s troubling.

In this episode of Spotlight, we are featuring remarks from Dr. Michelle Cretella given at IFI’s 2019 Worldview Conference. During her presentation, she points out the differences between true, biological science, which supports pro-life and pro-family propositions, and the anti-science cult of gender ideology, which is preached by mainstream medicine, psychiatry, public and private education systems, and social and mass media.

Dr. Cretella also addresses the serious implications of the transgender movement: erasure of parents’ rights, women’s rights, and religious freedom; establishment of gender identity as a protected class; as well as potential legal action that awaits anyone who persists in using “discriminatory” language, i.e.… Continue Reading

There has been a lot of talk recently, notably by President Donald Trump but by several other prominent “conservatives,” about including exceptions for rape, incest, and viability in anti-abortion legislation. [1]

The purpose of such legislation though is not political popularity, but fundamental human liberty – securing certain unalienable rights of all mankind, determined and given by Our Creator – the most important, and perhaps only true duty of American government.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick interviews former state representative, Peter Breen, who now serves as the Executive Vice President of the Thomas More Society, which is a non-profit national public interest law firm that is dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, religious liberty, and election integrity. They discuss at length the tyrannical Senate Bill 1909, which is designed to shut down pro-life pregnancy care centers through litigation, fines, and more.… Continue Reading

How many voters know that the Democratic Party supports legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy on demand for virtually any reason? How many voters know this position aligns with only six other countries in the world — three of them, not incidentally, being North Korea, Vietnam and China?

How many voters know that Democrats want to pass a federal law banning states from stopping sex-selective abortions or the dismembering of the post-viable unborn or the requirement of parental and guardian notification for minors before getting abortions?… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, David Smith and Pastor Ceasar LeFlore interview Pastor Charles Moodie, who is the head of the Chicago City Life Center. This center is located in the middle of one of Chicago’s darkest neighborhoods– Englewood.

Chicago City Life Center’s mission is to change the city of Chicago, one life at a time. They implement this mission through “offering discipleship and life skills training, spiritual treatment, job training, pre-school, and several programs for children, youth and young adults.”… Continue Reading

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has ramped up his efforts to expand and protect the abortion industry and turn California into an “abortion sanctuary.” He launched billboards in several pro-life states encouraging women to come to California to receive abortions. He has signed a dozen radical abortion bills, including a bill to block other states from enforcing pro-life laws. He also launched a website to help women seeking abortions find clinics to do so. … Continue Reading

In this special episode of Spotlight, Illinois Family features remarks from Ann O’Connor, Vice President of legal affairs for the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA). This lecture, presented at Speakout Illinois 2023, highlights legislation that is targeting pregnancy care centers for the sole purpose of shutting them down. She states the core of what NIFLA is about in her lecture when she says,

While Dobbs did change abortion not to be the law of our land federally, it didn’t change hearts and that’s our job.

Thirty-five hundred years ago, God through Moses conveyed the ultimate human choice:

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways … life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30: 15 and 19).

Fifteen centuries later, as foretold by Moses, Isaiah and other prophets, the Messiah came. As the human Incarnation of God, Jesus Christ healed, did miracles and taught.… Continue Reading

Stephanie Trussell is a mother, grandmother, entrepreneur, board member for the Illinois Family Institute & Good Soil Good Seed Foundation, and former candidate for Illinois Lieutenant Governor. In this special episode of Spotlight, Monte, David and Stephanie revisit the 2022 campaign and the events that led up to it.

They discussed how Illinois Republican voter turnout can be improved. Startlingly, only 45 percent of Republicans turned out to vote. Stephanie implores that conservatives must unite, not tear each other up for small differences in beliefs, and overcome a defeatist attitude when it comes to Illinois elections.… Continue Reading

40 Days for Life is a essential and vital part of the pro-life movement. The constant intercession they make to God on behalf of those contemplating abortion has saved 22,855 lives since 2007, closed 136 abortion centers, and has caused 247 abortion workers to quit. Their silent witness to passersby and the love they show by their presence outside of an abortion clinic can literally be the difference between life and death.… Continue Reading

Earlier this month, Monte Larrick attended the Pro-Life Action League’s protest against Walgreens and CVS pharmacies because they have started to offer the sale of the abortion drug, Mifepriston, also known as RU 486. It works by blocking the activity of progesterone, a substance your body makes to help continue pregnancy.

This “medication” is used in combination with misoprostol to cause a pregnant mother to miscarry her baby as late as 12 weeks along.… Continue Reading

Don’t look now, but the resistance to woke tyranny is rising rapidly, and not just in the United States.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resigned on Wednesday after eight years in office. A leftist and climate change extremist, she opposed Brexit while leading the fight for Scottish independence from Britain.

During her tenure, according to the Daily Mail, Scottish life expectancy plunged, drug deaths doubled, alcohol deaths increased, schools continued failing, and Scots were worse off economically than when she took office.… Continue Reading

Nancy Valko is a registered nurse, legal consultant and a spokesperson for the National Association of Pro-Life Nurses. Monte Larrick had the opportunity to speak with her at a Lake County Right To Life forum, where she keynoted and spoke on the dangers of saying nothing when it comes to medically assisted suicide.

“The problem is, if doctors themselves don’t take a position on the most important issue they have–the most important covenant they have with their patients, which is they will not kill them–what else is open?”

In this edition of Spotlight, IFI’s Dave Smith and Public School Exit’s Ceasar LeFlore converse with Juan Elias-Riesco, former owner of the famous Nini’s Deli in Chicago (which you can learn about through the documentary Paint the Wall Black) and a blazing torch for the kingdom of Christ.

Elias-Riesco’s testimony of how he became a Christian is anything but boring. Growing up on the streets of Chicago, he quickly became hardened to shoplifting and spiraled into a sinful lifestyle that had him in prison and rejecting God’s design for sexuality.… Continue Reading

The divisions in our country go far beyond conservative versus liberal or Republican versus Democrat. Not that the parties are unimportant. More on that in a minute.

It’s right versus wrong and whether we’ll be able to pass on America’s heritage of liberty and prosperity to our children and grandchildren.

One side — the progressive, Marxist left — wants to expand government to intrude into every human activity except one: sexuality. For that, they seek to eradicate all moral, cultural and legal restraints.… Continue Reading

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we’re highlighting the work of the Waterleaf Women’s Center, located directly across the street from the mega Planned Parenthood Center in Aurora, Illinois. The contrast between the two organizations could not possibly be starker. During the 2022 Fall campaign of 40 Days For Life, IFI’s Monte Larrick conversed with Waterleaf’s director, Julie Garafalo, about the vital impact the organization is having on the community.… Continue Reading

This article continues addressing a ballot measure that Illinois voters must vote on this election cycle.
We urge voters to reject Amendment 1, a constitutional amendment that
would elevate collective bargaining rights in the Illinois Constitution,
allowing government union contracts to override state law.

“What if I told you there was a way you could earn real money without being scammed and without a tie…I’m talking about the gig economy…ride shares, food delivery…”

— Johnny Lawrence learning about the gig economy, Cobra Kai, “Downward Spiral”, Sony Pictures Television Studios, Netflix, 9/9/22

As shared recently on Illinois Family Action, the forced unionization of 1099 independent contractors is the hidden agenda now openly public for the proponent of Amendment 1.… Continue Reading

We are beyond frustrated hearing abortion cheerleaders in Illinois call pro-life candidates “extreme” because of the view that all human life is sacred and should not be gruesomely “terminated” and callously disposed of at will and for convenience sake.

If you are like us, you talk back to the radio, television or computer screen when you hear JB Pritzker claim that abortion is “health care,” or that Darren Bailey is a disqualified leader for pointing out the fact that millions of babies have been destroyed in the name of “choice.”… Continue Reading

If you are like me, you’re beyond frustrated hearing abortion cheerleaders in Illinois call pro-life candidates (and activists by extension) “extreme” because of the view that all human life is sacred and should not be gruesomely “terminated” and callously disposed of at will and for convenience sake.

If you are like me, you talk back to the radio, television or computer screen when you hear JB Pritzker claim that abortion is “health care,” or that Darren Bailey is a disqualified leader for pointing out the fact that millions of babies have been destroyed in the name of “choice.”… Continue Reading

Written by John Lopez

The Washington, D.C. Democrats are at it again.

After their abortion-on-demand legislation from last September failed twice in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives decided to double-down and pass, again, abortion-on-demand under the gaslighting guise of “codifying” Roe v. Wade along with a 2nd bill to ensure access to abortion-on-demand.

The House voting grid from July 15, in spite of a couple of changes to the membership of the House as well as the bill number, is identical to the voting grid from last September:

Like last September, all of the Republicans in the House opposed version 2 of the “Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022” (WHPA), and all of the Democrats, with the exception of Congressman Henry Cuellar (D, TX-28) voted for it.… Continue Reading

A congressional hearing on Tuesday was suddenly and dramatically interrupted — by the chairwoman conducting it. Her aim: Abort a Republican congressman’s attempt to present the very first photo of a person who is now 22 years old.

The scene was the U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. The title of the hearing: “Roe Reversal: The Impacts of Taking Away the Constitutional Right to an Abortion.”

Republican U.S. Representative Gary Palmer of Alabama began to ask a question of Dr.… Continue Reading

The recent reversal of Roe v. Wade, acting like a starter’s pistol at a track meet, has initiated a new round of corporate social activism and virtue-signaling. American companies are racing from the starting blocks to demonstrate their support for aborting would-be future employees and customers. Many businesses pledged to cover or reimburse U.S. employees who need to travel to gain an abortion if access is limited because of specific state laws.… Continue Reading

The U.S. Supreme Court decision of Dodd v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, is a victory for all who support life. The decision ends federal protection of abortion and sends the subject back to individual states to determine how and if abortion will be allowed in the state. It is estimated that at least 26 states will have strong restrictions or bans on abortion. While it indeed should be celebrated, conservatives should not let our guard down; the war for the pro-life community wages on.… Continue Reading

Last week the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a number of rulings reaffirming an originalist interpretation of America’s Constitution and its federalist assumptions. Perhaps the most important of these was the decision to rescind Roe v. Wade and return the issue of abortion to the people and their respective states, where it belonged in the first place. This was a tremendous victory for millions of faithful Christians who have fought for decades to see this day.… Continue Reading

One of the central justifications for the Left’s proposed court-packing scheme is to claim that the reversal of Roe v. Wade is so radically out of step with the American public that it is an undemocratic, minoritarian power grab. Not only is the argument based on the unconstitutional notion that justices should weigh the vagaries of public opinion before ruling but it also relies on the irreconcilable claim that empowering the public to vote on an issue unmentioned in the U.S.… Continue Reading

Lost in all of the news last week, you may have missed the reports about JB Pritzker’s appearance at a convention of New Hampshire Democrats on Saturday, June 18, 2022. Making the most of the opportunity to float his POTUS balloon, he endorsed New Hampshire U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan and governor candidate Tom Sherman, both of whom are facing tough fights this fall.

Pritzker was well-received by east coast Democrats, even getting a standing ovation after telling a story bashing Trump.… Continue Reading

As we enter the last couple weeks of June, officially designated as “Pride Month” on our national calendar, I have a couple of questions.

The most basic of which is this: Is pride a good thing? Is it a virtue, and is it wise for an entire culture to celebrate something traditionally considered the quintessential vice and one of the seven deadly sins?

Now in answering this, dare I suggest we consider the lessons of history?… Continue Reading

The gap is growing wider by the day in the culture war. In fact, it is heating up.

The White House “Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month, 2022” should help clarify what’s at stake.

This is no small matter. It’s at the heart of the left’s strategy to turn America into a place where no one dares espouse traditional morality. Their ultimate aim is to criminalize Christianity, not usher in tolerance.… Continue Reading

Roe v. Wade and so-called “abortion rights” are facing challenges unlike any time before. The chances of abortion being sent back to the states are higher than ever. As that prospect looms, pro-lifers are being treated to a tragic spectacle: “pro-choice” leaders nationwide are stepping forward to do everything within their power to protect unrestricted abortion.

Leading the charge at the state-level are the likes of New York’s new pro-choice governor, Kathy Hochul, who succeeded New York’s old pro-choice governor, Andrew Cuomo, and Governor Gavin Newsom of California.… Continue Reading

Recent news is filled with the debate over Roe v Wade and the abortion agenda. There is no doubt that the upcoming mid-term elections will be profoundly affected by the dispute. Conservative Christians must show their support for life now and at the ballot box. U.S. Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-Oakland) has shown her support for life and is now fighting the evil industry of abortion and the leftist that supports it.

Miller issued a press release that states that Governor J.B.… Continue Reading

Americans’ attitudes about abortion, brought to the forefront of public attention by the recently leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe V. Wade, significantly correlate with their personal characteristics and identities. One of the most important of these variables is religion. This reflects the fact that many opponents of abortion make their arguments based on religious grounds, and many religious organizations have made their positions on abortion a significant part of their tenets, beliefs and principles.… Continue Reading

We’re in another season of orchestrated, obsessive hysteria.

This time, thanks to the unprecedented leak of a U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion, it’s about abortion.

Earlier obsessions were the Russian collusion hoax, the Trump phone call to Ukraine’s president asking about Biden family corruption (the shocking scale of which is still media-suppressed), the Trump impeachments, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A couple of other stories have made it through the media’s lockstep coverage.… Continue Reading

Do we still believe in science? Do we believe in biology? Do we believe in the objective reality of the human being, or do we believe that those in power have the right to subjectively impose their definition of human life on the powerless?

These are the fundamental questions that are before the supreme court as we await its imminent decision concerning Dobbs v. Jackson.

The answers to all these questions serve as the necessary predicate for everything else.… Continue Reading

In one of the most unprecedented bombshells in political history, an apparent draft of Justice Sam Alito’s unreleased majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked to Politico Monday night. While this opinion will dredge up endless commentary stemming from legacy moral divisions on the issue, most of the political prognosticating will miss the mark. Moreover, as welcoming as this news is for any pro-life conservative, it does come with some potential pitfalls long-term unless we build on the momentum for other issues as well.… Continue Reading

The confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson have been a relatively peaceful affair. In comparison to the ruthless attacks on Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, there has been relative civility surrounding the D.C Court of Appeals judge. While it is likely that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be confirmed, it is good to take a dive into her actual rulings and responses to questioning, not just her resume.… Continue Reading

“40 Days for Life, now more than ever.” So declares Catherine Walker, a leader with 40 Days for Life Aurora. The 2022 spring campaign ends April 10 – that means there is still time for pro-life supporters to make a life-saving difference with their non-confrontational presence and peaceful prayers at Planned Parenthood abortoriums and other abortion mills throughout Illinois.

In speaking with IFI’s Monte Larrick, Catherine Walker describes what one can expect when taking the first step in pro-life activism by participating in a 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.… Continue Reading

Written by John Lopez

The day after the United States Senate successfully filibustered the pro-abortion-on-demand H.R. 3755, the Texas primary kicked off the 2022 primary season which could have some ramifications to Illinois.

With H.R. 3755’s filibuster as a backdrop and Congressman Henry Cuellar’s lone Democrat vote in the U.S. House last September making him a target of the pro-abortion zealots, Cuellar won the most votes in the March 1 primary.… Continue Reading

When lawyer Sarah Weddington stood up in the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 11, 1972, to present the pro-abortion argument in the case of Roe v. Wade, she was legalistically careful in the language she used to describe whom exactly an abortion aborted.

She avoided normal human terms like “unborn child” or “baby” — and, most importantly, “person.” She preferred “fetus.”

Presumably, this was because the Fourteenth Amendment states,

“nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

Illinois Review reported Monday, February 28, former congressional candidate Kathy Salvi of unincorporated Fremont Township in Lake County, is circulating petitions to run for U.S. Senate in 2022. 

Click HERE to download Salvi’s nomination petition. Collect as many signatures as you can in the next few days and mail them to her no later than Monday, March 7th. Petitions do not have to have every line filled and every signature will help!… Continue Reading

Of the seventeen Democrats who have announced their intention to run to fill retiring Congressman Bobby Rush’s first congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Chris Butler is the only pro-life candidate. He joins David Smith, Monte Larrick, and Pastor Ceasar LeFlore for a lively and informative conversation on this week’s Spotlight.

In his interactions with the constituents of the new 1^st congressional district, Butler has discovered that the people are ready for something different.… Continue Reading

The first primary in 2022 is Texas on March 1, and in-person early voting began on Monday, February 14.

Like Illinois, Texas has an open primary election, and voter registration in Texas does not require the declaration of a political party for a registered voter, meaning any registered voter can vote in the primary of their choice on primary election day.

But unlike Illinois, Texas’ nominating primary is not winner-take-all. The winner of the primary must earn 50%+1 of the vote. … Continue Reading

Amy Gehrke, Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life, strongly states that “at its heart, Illinois is a pro-life state, that our politicians don’t speak for the will of the people, and, as we say around the Illinois Right to Life office, ‘we firmly believe we can and we will win Illinois for life.’”

On this episode of Spotlight, Amy joins IFI’s David Smith and Monte Larrick to detail the three specific ways Illinois Right to Life is working to change hearts and minds on the issue of abortion.… Continue Reading

Could the Fourteenth Amendment, specifically the Equal Protection Clause, be the means by which Roe v. Wade is overturned? Dr. Steve Jacobs, program director of Illinois Right to Life, joins IFI’s Monte Larrick and Jenna Smith to explain why he is confident the U. S. Supreme Court will overturn this landmark decision. Beginning with the question of what “pro-life” really means, Dr. Jacobs discusses his reservations about basing law on states’ rights and shares why he feels the issue of equality ought to be the essence of the pro-life movement.… Continue Reading

To the great sorrow of pro-life, pro-family citizens of Illinois, on December 17, 2021,  Governor JB Pritzker signed into law House Bill 370, thereby repealing the Parental Notice of Abortion Act and eliminating the right for parents to be made aware of a minor daughter’s pregnancy and impending abortion.

Joining me for an important Spotlight conversation are IFI contributors Kenna Rose and Alyssa. Please listen as we discuss the impact of the repeal of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act and the repercussions of HB 370, the disingenuously named Illinois Youth Health and Safety Act.… Continue Reading

A “temporary” COVID pandemic regulation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now been made permanent and allows women across the country to purchase their own chemical abortion kit without ever seeing a doctor. The FDA announced last week that it is lifting the requirement that the first pill (mifepristone) in the two-part abortion drug regimen be dispensed in-person. Now, women nationwide can obtain abortion pills through the mail and then perform their own private abortions at home.… Continue Reading

Over the past few days, we’ve seen a setback in the cause for sanctity of life. In their pursuit of women’s so-called “autonomy,” abortion cheerleaders have successfully secured some dangerous policy victories.

On Friday afternoon, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law the euphemistically titled “Youth Health and Safety Act” (HB 370), which repeals the Parental Notice of Abortion Act. By adding his signature to this repeal, Governor Pritzker—and the 94 Democrats who voted for it—usurp parental rights to be involved in major health decisions of their minor daughters by removing the last major abortion restriction in the state of Illinois.… Continue Reading

Rachel Maddow is one of America’s most popular proponents of socialism. Government is never big enough for Maddow. Bernie Sanders has a friend in Maddow. But when the subject is abortion, you will not find a more enthusiastic libertarian.

After the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Nov. 30 on Mississippi’s law banning the termination of unborn children after 15 weeks, Maddow championed lawyer Julie Rikelman for the Center for Reproductive Rights for arguing this is “about American women being forced by the government to give birth against their will.”… Continue Reading

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week on whether to overturn its Roe v. Wade decision of 48 years ago that legalized abortion.

It is considering a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks – well before the established point of fetal “viability” at around 24 weeks. Many pro-life leaders hope the nation’s highest court will use this opportunity to reverse Roe v. Wade to protect unborn children.

Roe v.… Continue Reading

In the midst of what she describes as “the most exciting time since 1973,” Ann Scheidler, president of Pro-Life Action League and chair of the pro-life coalition known as SpeakOut Illinois , is feeling hopeful. Mrs. Scheidler joins Monte Larrick to discuss the ramifications of Dobbs v. Jackson, a crucial pro-life case that will be heard by the United States Supreme Court on December 1, 2021.

Keeping with the mission of Pro-Life Action League, Mrs.… Continue Reading

Amid all the trillion-dollar spending bill talk, it’s been largely overlooked that the Nancy Pelosi-led U.S. House of Representatives passed historic legislation last week – a bill that would permit the intentional killing of all infants in the womb through all 9 months of pregnancy, up to the moment of birth.

It’s truly difficult for me to surmise who would have been more euphoric at the galling news: the Planned Parenthood abortion cabal or Satan himself.… Continue Reading

In this edition of Spotlight, Eric Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League joins Monte Larrick to discuss the dangers of what is coming down the legislative pike, and what you can do.

Ever since the Texas heartbeat law has gone into effect, abortion cheerleaders have been furious. In the U.S. Capitol, these seething snollygosters have introduced legislation that will, in their cruelly ironic words, “protect the reproductive rights of women.”

Eric and Monte not only discuss the federal legislative attacks on pre-born human life, but the pending action in Springfield that abortion cheerleaders promise to pass.… Continue Reading

The staff and boards of directors of IFI and IFA want to encourage Christians everywhere to prayerfully consider taking part in the peaceful campaign known as 40 Days for Life. It is an important pro-life effort to save lives and share truth. By partnering with 40 Days for Life we can live out Ephesians 6:13-18: “your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace…. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”… Continue Reading

In May of 2018, a nurse at the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) was called into the operating room to assist with a “surgery.” Upon arrival, she discovered that the “surgery” she had been called in to help with was in fact an abortion and that she had been lied to. Although she was on the hospital’s list of conscientious objectors who had made clear to the hospital that they were morally opposed to abortion and there were other nurses available who were not on the list, UVMMC staff refused to call in a replacement and she was faced with losing her job and possibly her license if she refused to participate.… Continue Reading

In May, the U.S. Supreme Court put abortion on the docket for its upcoming session by agreeing to hear Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

The high court’s decision to hear this case registered on the seismometer of every American that carefully follows the abortion issue. It means that Roe v. Wade, which has defined abortion reality in the country since 1973, is open to review and could be overturned.… Continue Reading

Watch out whenever a politician says, “I’m a devout Catholic, but…” Whatever follows the “but” shows where their true allegiance lies. So it is with President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who are out of step with their Church’s teaching. Both have expressed a desire to see abortion rights extended, even up to the moment of birth—which is infanticide.

Now they even want to repeal the Hyde Amendment, a 40-year old congressional measure that blocks federal funding for abortions.… Continue Reading

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, both nominated by Republican presidents, have both written absurd opinions on abortion laws.

The case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which the U.S. Supreme Court will hear this year, could give them an opportunity to redeem themselves.

At issue in this case is a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after a baby’s 15th gestational week. The question: Can a state prohibit doctors from killing unborn babies who are not yet old enough to survive outside the womb?… Continue Reading

For better or worse, the Illinois General Assembly is back in session and a plethora of controversial, radical, and just plain ridiculous bills are scheduled for consideration. Monte Larrick and David Smith are joined by Jenna Smith, David’s oldest daughter, as they discuss the compelling reasons to retain the Parental Notice of Abortion Act. Jenna shares her perspective as an older teen and articulates the devastating mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences that could impact young girls (17-years and younger) if parental notification is repealed.… Continue Reading

One of the great blessings of the United States is that written into our national birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence, is the acknowledgment that we are endowed by our Creator with the right to life.

But the right to life is under assault today through the widespread practice of abortion – and has been for decades.

Amazingly, through the years, there have been a few that actually survived an abortion attempt.… Continue Reading

Legislation has consequences. Good legislation can bring about beneficial improvements and protections, but unwise legislation can have harmful, devastating effects on the people who must abide by it. With that dichotomy in mind, this edition of Spotlight takes an in-depth look at the ramifications of repealing Illinois’ Parental Notice of Abortion Act by considering its impact on the unborn child, the underage mother-to-be and her parents, compassionate and helpful pregnancy center workers, and Planned Parenthood’s bottom line.… Continue Reading

Parents for the Protection of Girls – a grassroots movement to uphold and defend parental notice – recently hosted an online news conference in defense of Illinois’s Parental Notice of Abortion Act. This edition of Spotlight provides especially timely information from the event and highlights numerous reasons why the Parental Notice of Abortion Act must be upheld. Following is a list of conference participants:

Mary Hallan FioRito, a fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center and moderator of the forum.… Continue Reading

This past week while the nation was distracted by Joe Biden’s dementia-ridden incompetence and Andrew Cuomo’s predatory misogyny, The Satanic Temple of Texas filed suit to defend its religious right to engage in child sacrifice as a spiritual ritual.

The Dallas Observer reports as follows.

“[On Feb. 23, 2021] The Satanic Temple [of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston] filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas alleging certain state-mandated abortion regulations violate the religious liberty of its members … [and] violate the temple’s religious teachings.

“Any country that accepts abortion,
is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants.”
~Mother Teresa 

On Ash Wednesday, it is not unusual to see politicians walking around government buildings with a cross marked on their foreheads from ashes. In fact, as a devout Catholic, President Joe Biden has attend many an Ash Wednesday service and has had the cross marked on his forehead to commemorate the beginning of Lent, which is the journey to the most sacred and Holy Day in the Church calendar – Easter.… Continue Reading

“In the world you will have tribulation,” states John 16:33. “But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Those who take heart in Christ are promised trouble but are also promised the ultimate victory. How do we maintain the proper focus through the days in which trouble seems more prominent? I write this not as a Bible study, but as an encouragement to seek out those things in which we can rejoice.… Continue Reading

Another anniversary of Roe v. Wade has come and gone. And in recent days, the pro-life movement has suffered some serious political setbacks.

Outgoing President Donald Trump was surprisingly pro-life. In contrast, incoming President Joe Biden, although he is a Catholic, has become so pro-abortion that he believes in abortion for any reason up to the very moment of birth—and that you and I should pay for it.

Vice President Kamala Harris is just a heartbeat away from the presidency.… Continue Reading

A hero on the front lines of the abortion war has passed on. Joseph Scheidler, the founder and national director of the Pro-Life Action League, has died at the age of 93. Mr. Scheidler’s impact on the battle for the life of unborn generations is incalculable. Besides his personal influence on pastors and other leaders, Mr. Scheidler was a street warrior, a relentlessly active presence at hundreds of protests and demonstrations at Chicago area abortion mills.… Continue Reading

The year 2021 is hardly out of diapers, and the words of the Old Testament prophet echo through our streets:

“Woe to those who draw iniquity with the cords of falsehood … who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight …  Woe unto those who take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!”

Ann Scheidler has a better grasp on the religious nature of the pro-life movement than most activists and supporters. Currently serving as vice president of Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, Ann knows that embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ, Him crucified and resurrected, is the only way we will see an end to abortion. On this edition of Spotlight, she and Monte Larrick discuss the future of the Hyde Amendment and the significant challenges facing the pro-life movement, especially as the radically pro-abortion Biden-Harris administration prepares to take office.… Continue Reading

We shine our Spotlight this week on an informative, post-election conversation between Monte Larrick and Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action League. They discuss our newest U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Amy Coney Barrett; the likelihood of repealing Roe v. Wade; bubble zones; and various issues that might be revisited by SCOTUS.

After the break, Eric details the Pro-Life Action League’s efforts amidst the pandemic. He also addresses probable and possible goals of a Joe Biden administration: reinstatement of Planned Parenthood’s Title X funding, repeal of the Hyde Amendment, a federal abortion law, and more.… Continue Reading

Over the past several weeks, millions of Americans took part in the 2020 General Election which determines our president for the next four years. During this election cycle, citizens voted for candidates for Congress, state legislatures and various other local offices. In the U.S. House of Representatives, notable (and extremist) Congress-critters were re-elected to their seats, such as Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Eric Swallwell (D-CA), and Sandy “AOC” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

Yes, Alexandria Occasional Cortex (hat tip Andrew Klavan) easily won re-election in her overwhelmingly left-leaning district in New York City.… Continue Reading

Soon after his release from Walter Reed Military Hospital where he received treatment for the coronavirus, President Donald Trump prioritized communicating the importance of pro-life legislation. Yesterday, President Trump posted a series of tweets concerning his pro-life convictions by reiterating his stance on the abortion issue and drawing attention to Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s position.

Trump’s first tweet drew attention to comments made by Joe Biden during a town hall meeting last night in Miami, Florida.… Continue Reading

In my years as a seminary professor of ethics (Knox Theological Seminary, 2000–2008), I saw few things more sinister and devious than the seemingly innocuous statement, “a biblically shaped commitment to the sanctity of human life compels us to a consistent ethic of life that affirms the sanctity of human life from beginning to end.”

That’s not because life isn’t sacred from beginning to end, but because those who use it do so consistently to hide serious ethical confusion.… Continue Reading

Over the past couple of months, while the world has been distracted by all-things-COVID-19, a very important bit of news slipped under our radar and went virtually unnoticed. The contemporary church sold its soul to the Devil for a pot of political porridge.

Consider the evidence.

Last week “pro-life” evangelicals across the land started stumbling over themselves to endorse a political party and a candidate who is openly against life and against evangelicals.… Continue Reading

When I was invited to meet my local state legislator, State Representative Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville), I never  imagined that a woman, a former teacher, and a mother of four could hold such callous views of precious babies almost born. Rep. Edly-Allen laughed when she was confronted with the reality that abortion dismembers even viable babies in Illinois at  taxpayers’ expense. She stated it “wasn’t her job” as an elected leader to protect babies.… Continue Reading

The adage is true – actions do speak louder than words. Catherine Walker, co-leader of 40 Days for Life Aurora, explains to Monte Larrick that the simple act of taking part in a peaceful prayer vigil outside of an abortion facility can have a profound impact on the lives of women and their unborn babies. Ms. Walker provides helpful information about participating in a local vigil and she relates how lives have been changed through the prayerful presence of pro-life believers.… Continue Reading

Two weeks ago, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced his choice for vice president, and Kamala Harris is the winner. If you were lucky enough to miss the Democratic presidential debates prior to 2020, and before they nominated Joe Biden, you might be wondering, who in the wide wicked world of politics is that, and why would I care that she has been nominated for potential VP?

Kamala Harris served as the California attorney general between 2010 and 2016 before running for the U.S.… Continue Reading

Even as front-line medical workers valiantly attempt to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, the lives of thousands of unborn babies are callously and violently ended every day in abortion clinics throughout the United States. Longtime pro-life activist Joseph Scheidler isn’t letting the pandemic stop his mission to save unborn lives! Monte Larrick caught up with him at a recent Face the Truth tour near the Planned Parenthood abortorium in Flossmoor, Illinois.… Continue Reading

During the coronavirus pandemic, when surgical procedures to alleviate suffering and correct serious medical conditions were deemed non-essential and disallowed, the “essential” dismemberment and murder of babies in the womb continued unabated at abortion clinics throughout Illinois, including Planned Parenthood’s newest abortorium in Waukegan.

Monte Larrick and Eric Scheidler recently met to discuss Pro-Life Action League’s response to the opening of the 18^th Planned Feticide center in Illinois. Eric details how PP has exploited weaknesses in local government in order to open their facilities with virtually no opportunity for public input or opposition, and he explains how PP decides where to place their “health” centers for maximum traffic and profitability.… Continue Reading

Every life unjustly killed deserves justice. In the cause to make things right, I will not join a movement that has nearly everything wrong. More innocent lives have now been killed (#BlueLivesMatter, too) since these predominantly violent protests began over George Floyd’s horrific death. What about the black lives killed in this nationwide chaos? Do they matter?

“Well, you don’t have to agree with everything. Just pick out the good things in the #BlackLivesMatter movement,” I’m told.… Continue Reading

“What you have just seen is the difference between those who voted on the basis of religion versus those who voted on the basis of science.” ~Ron Reagan, 2004

This quote comes from the son of former President Ronald Reagan. It was on the night of the 2004 presidential election, and the younger Reagan was serving as a political commentator for CNN.

As the polls closed and the nation’s votes were being counted, a major news flash was developing.… Continue Reading

On April 14, 2020, former President Barack Obama endorsed his former Vice President and presidential candidate Joe Biden. In his video announcement, he says of Biden, “Through all his trials, he’s never once forgotten the values or the moral fiber that his parents passed on to him and that made him who he is.” But Obama is incorrect.

When it comes to the issue of abortion, Biden has evolved from the moderate he claimed to be into a radical supporter of abortion rights.… Continue Reading

Right to Life issues have been under attack for quite some time in our state, so it should come as no surprise that Illinois’ “progressive” legislators have their sights trained on yet another pro-life, pro-female protective measure. In a conversation at the SpeakOut Illinois conference in February, Mary Louise Hengesbaugh, director of Illinois Citizens for Ethics PAC, and Monte Larrick discuss the crucial benefits and protections afforded minors by the Parental Notice of Abortion Act.… Continue Reading

Yes, the outlook is decidedly bleak in Illinois when it comes to pro-life issues, but the Rev. Ceasar LeFlore declares that pro-life Illinoisans don’t have the option of silence. In accepting the Henry Hyde Life Leadership Award at the recent SpeakOut Illinois conference, Pastor LeFlore thanks the many men and women who encouraged and discipled him as he answered God’s call to the abortion ministry. Likewise, he encourages and challenges the conference attendees and us to stand up and speak out for the sanctity of the unborn.… Continue Reading

Amid the shutdown of all “non-essential” businesses and activities as doctors scramble to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the slaughter of unborn children at six Planned Parenthood clinics and other abortion mills in Illinois will go on. Apparently killing pre-born babies is considered an “essential” service in the Prairie State.

According to a press release published in the far-left Chicago Sun-Times and other local media, at least six Planned Parenthood centers will remain open across the state despite asking victims (euphemistically dubbed “patients”) to re-schedule all “non-essential appointments.”… Continue Reading

At the recent SpeakOut Illinois conference, Monte Larrick had the opportunity to connect with Illinois State Senator Dan McConchie of the 26^th district. To begin this edition of Spotlight, Sen. McConchie described his approach to his senatorial responsibilities and gave detailed advice to constituents who want to have productive interactions with their elected officials in Springfield. Monte and Sen. McConchie considered how efforts to repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act, mandate HPV vaccinations for ALL Illinois youth, and eliminate any religious exemption for immunizations are trampling on parental rights.… Continue Reading

Federal lawmakers behind a bill to protect babies born alive after botched abortions had reason to believe that it was a relatively uncontroversial policy measure, but Democrats believed otherwise.

Inaccurately calling the legislation an “abortion” bill, the senior Illinois Democrat in the U.S. Senate and forty of his colleagues made clear that even protecting the lives of living children is no longer uncontroversial in America today — at least in Washington, D.C.… Continue Reading

It was no surprise to pro-lifers on February 11th when the pro-abortion, Democrat-controlled Colorado House Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs voted to postpone and essentially kill CO HB 1068, which would have provided legal protection for infants born alive after a failed abortion attempt. It just so happens that this occurred on the same day that pro-abortion Democrats were fighting against a similar bill at the federal level at a hearing entitled “The Infant Patient: Ensuring Appropriate Medical Care for Children Born Alive.”… Continue Reading

Prior to last fall’s IFI Faith, Family, and Freedom Banquet, the Reverend Franklin Graham spoke with Monte Larrick. We are pleased to feature that interview on this edition of Spotlight. Rev. Graham stresses that Christians must be engaged and involved in the political process, educated as to the candidates’ stand on the crucial issues of life and religious freedoms, and committed to prayer before entering the voter booth.

Some of the topics Rev.… Continue Reading

This is a tale of two candidates as far apart as night and day. Last week, President Donald J. Trump boldly spoke in defense of life to millions watching his State of the Union address. Using an example of a mother and daughter who were guests in the U.S. House chamber for his speech, the President said:

“Ellie reminds us that every child is a miracle of life. And thanks to modern medical wonders, 50 percent of very premature babies delivered at the hospital where Ellie was born now survive.

On Jan. 17, 2020, Kenneth Roth, the president of the purported human rights organization euphemistically known as the Human Rights Watch, testified before the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights.

The topic under discussion was abortion.

Mr. Roth was straightforward and to the point. “Abortion,” he contended, “is a fundamental right” for “anyone who wants or needs it.”

He then proceeded to tell the commission that the right to terminate a child is simply an assumed corollary to the right to health care.… Continue Reading

2019 found the Democratic party in the United States trying to out-do each other in terms of how radical and progressive they could sound. On the issue of abortion, it seems that many leading Democrats have never found an unborn baby they aren’t willing to have killed.

Radical Pro-Abortion Democrats

New York U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), a professing Roman Catholic, states: “And let us not forget the guiding principle of ‘the least among us’ found in Matthew: that we are compelled to care for the hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick and, yes—the imprisoned.”… Continue Reading

In today’s Democratic Party, anything goes—from applauding parents who encourage their children to reject their God-given identity and mutilate their young bodies, to bizarrely championing “abortion rights for trans-females,” to now happily supporting the dangerous do-it-yourself abortion method known as the abortion pill.

When the New York Times surveyed the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, all of them (unsurprisingly) vowed to defend abortion. However, when asked if they were in favor of lifting the restrictions on abortion pills and making them available over-the-counter (OTC), many of the candidates were unwilling to take a public position.… Continue Reading

Some issues transcend partisan politics. This is one of them.

In a special debate on climate change hosted by CNN in September, United States presidential candidate U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) suggested using taxpayer money to fund abortion in poor countries. He believes doing so would help fight climate change.

In the debate, an audience member said, “Human population growth has more than doubled in the past 50 years. The planet cannot sustain this growth….… Continue Reading

In this election season, one thing becomes more evident every day. If you value human life, you have no choice but to vote for Donald Trump.

“How can you say that,” you shout. “How can anyone claim that only one man or one party stands for human life and the dignity of the human being?

There is a one-word answer: Abortion.

Oh, I can hear the chorus of malcontents. “You conservatives are so myopic.… Continue Reading

Only a quarter of evangelicals in the United States believe abortion should be illegal in all cases, according to a new poll showing that a majority of self-identified Christians in the U.S. identify as “pro-choice” and less than half of evangelicals identify as “pro-life.”

Save the Storks, a pro-life organization that partners with pregnancy centers to provide women with free ultrasounds, released a new survey this week that it sponsored through the research firm Magid.… Continue Reading

When Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard publicly announced her compromising stance on abortion-on-demand, specifically saying that she favored an approach that kept abortion legal, but also worked to make it rare and “unnecessary,” she was pilloried amongst what has become mainstream liberalism.

Combine that reality with a spate of recent jaw-dropping events, and an extremely unnerving conclusion emerges: the driving ideology behind the Democratic Party in America has evolved from a tacit approval and defense of legalized child killing to a macabre celebration of the ritual.… Continue Reading

An ardent, prayerful, and moral Nancy Pelosi has been called from sitting for her holy-card portrait to lend her aid in getting the president impeached — and the nation torn apart in the process.

She’s been on TV constantly, lecturing America that it’s the moral burden of Democrats to undo the 2016 election by any means necessary.  The U.S. Constitution, she keeps saying, demands it.  She just never mentions where.

But even as she expends herself, Mother Teresa–like, for the good of humanity on the impeachment crusade, she can still serve other mission fields as well.  … Continue Reading

While the Life issue doesn’t seem to be winning in the Illinois legislature, we know it’s winning elsewhere.  This episode of Spotlight is an interview Monte Larrick conducted with Sue Thayer, the Director of Outreach for 40 Days for Life. She describes the results of a 40 day vigil outside an abortion clinic, and she takes us inside an abortion worker’s mindset.

They also discussed the advent of webcam and chemical take-home abortions, and tips and details for attending a 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.… Continue Reading

Earlier this year, the state of New York legalized abortion up until birth, and the governor and abortion activists then proceeded to celebrate this loss of life as a joyous occasion. Now, another crisis of human dignity was narrowly averted after New York came close to passing the first ever complete decriminalization of prostitution.

While Nevada is the only other state to legalize forms of prostitution, New York’s bill is the most extensive bill that has ever been introduced, and as these authors noted, “would only turn mostly women and girls into ‘commodities to be bought and sold.’”… Continue Reading

In the scope of modern history, population control as a means to reduce scarcity of resources is anything but a new idea, despite what socialists like Bernie Sanders would have you believe.

Bernie Sanders recently proposed that America should finance abortions in developing countries in order to save the planet from the coming scarcity of global resources that will occur as a result of overpopulation and “climate change.”  Another way for this to be understood, as it certainly would have been had a Republican uttered this policy prescription, is that the best way to save the planet is to keep poor people from being born, because they might sap vital resources that could be better used by the rest of us.… Continue Reading

Is the left once again embracing Malthusian population control in order to save the planet?

Of all the preposterous proposals put forward by the Democratic presidential candidates during the CNN climate change town hall meeting last week, the dumbest wasn’t outlawing plastic straws, incandescent light bulbs or air travel. It wasn’t the contention that climate change is the globe’s greatest threat since World War II. It wasn’t even the fantastical hypothesis that hurricanes are racist because they target “communities of color” more than white areas.… Continue Reading

This edition of Spotlight features Monte Larrick’s interview with Latasha Fields at the recent CURE Chicago Summit for Solutions II. Mrs. Fields shares her testimony – rising above the poverty of her childhood in Baton Rouge, LA, taking personal responsibility for her choices, embracing hard work, pursuing education, and ultimately, placing her faith in Jesus – a testimony she also shared in June with the U.S. House Budget Committee.

Larrick and Fields discuss the Democratic Party’s decades-old tactics that continue to perpetuate poverty and dependence in black communities, the importance of voter education at the local level, and the value of individual moral responsibility.… Continue Reading

One of the ugliest secrets about abortion is that, worldwide, girls are much more likely to be killed in the womb than are boys. This has resulted in an alarming male-to-female ratio in multiple countries. Even the George Soros-funded Human Rights Watch has recently declared that “You Should Be Worrying about the Woman Shortage.”

The piece notes that in India and China alone, there’s “now an estimated 80 million extra men.” Surprisingly, the piece acknowledges that this gross disparity is due to the gross policy of sex-selective abortion.… Continue Reading

The intersection of Vollmer Rd. and Governors Hwy. in Flossmoor, Illinois was a stop on the 2019 “Face the Truth” Tour, and also the setting for this week’s Spotlight conversation between Monte Larrick and Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League and leader of the FTT Tour.

Scheidler explains the psychology behind the new focus of the “Face the Truth” Tour and speaks to the challenges pro-life proponents face in engaging with the radically pro-abortion, fetus-hating culture that has taken hold in Illinois and our nation.… Continue Reading

Less than two weeks ago, SB25 was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker, effectively making Illinois the most abortion-friendly state in the Midwest, if not the nation. In light of this action, it is fitting that we welcome Tim Moore, board president of Springfield Right to Life, to this edition of Spotlight.

Monte Larrick and Tim Moore discuss how pro-life Illinoisans must move forward in this age of “anything goes” abortion.… Continue Reading

We are awash in weasel words. That is, euphemisms meant to distract us from reality.  The most obvious ones are replacing homosexuality with “gay,” taxes with “revenue,” spending with “investments,” sexual confusion with “gender identity,” and abortion with “choice.” Actually, abortion has a whole set of weasel terms.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker drew “whoops and cheers” from onlookers on June 12 as he signed The Reproductive Health Act, which he called “a beacon of hope in the heart of this nation.”  … Continue Reading

Some of the most important words we will ever speak are words of truth. Please listen to this very important edition of Spotlight as the executive director of Illinois Right to Life, Mary Kate Knorr; attorney and senior counsel for the pro-life Thomas More Society, Peter Breen; neonatal ICU nurse, Emily Kelly; cardiologist, Dr. Nalini Rajmannan, and the executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, Eric Scheidler speak passionate, informed, reasoned and rational, scientifically-accurate words of truth about the realities of abortion and the devastating effects that unprecedented abortion expansion will bring to Illinois.… Continue Reading

In 1860, with the election of Abraham Lincoln as U.S. President, the newly-formed Republican Party controlled the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and presidency. As was the case with most every state in what would become the Confederacy, my home state of Georgia cited slavery, republicans, and the election of Lincoln as its reasons for seceding:

A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the federal government has been committed [the republicans] will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia [who voted to secede].

Yesterday afternoon, the Illinois House Democrat Caucus met for 2-3 hours to discuss, among other things, the grotesquely misnamed “Reproductive Health Act.” If passed into law, this legislation would dramatically expand abortion–including Medicaid abortions–and usurp parental rights. We expect that the original proposal will be amended and a new (shell) bill number assigned.

Personal PAC, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, the ACLU of Illinois, along with State Representatives Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) and Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) are pushing hard to revive this deadly measure before they adjourn for the summer on May 31st.… Continue Reading

Alabama’s mostly Republican lawmakers and governor passed a strong abortion ban this week, and liberals are fit to be tied.

“Today, I signed into law the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, a bill that was approved by overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the legislature,” said Gov. Kay Ivey. “To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God.”… Continue Reading

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill on May 14 protecting unborn babies from the slaughter of abortion. The vote wasn’t close in the state legislature: 74-3 in the House, 25-6 in the Senate.

One more state has come to its senses.

There’s a wave of pro-life bills being passed in the Southern states. First came the “heartbeat” bills stopping abortions after a baby’s heartbeat can be detected (around six weeks).… Continue Reading

Following the vote in Alabama to ban all abortions except in cases where pregnancies threaten the life of the mother, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)—the ideological leader of the Depraved Party—tweeted this:

Abortion bans aren’t just about controlling women’s bodies. They’re about controlling women’s sexuality. Owning women. From limiting birth control to banning comprehensive sex ed, US religious fundamentalists are working hard to outlaw sex that falls outside their theology.

Ultimately, this is about women’s power.

Monte Larrick and David Smith welcome Rev. Ceasar LeFlore, one of the founders of the Southland Coalition for Life, to this edition of Spotlight. Rev. LeFlore shares the genesis story of the Coalition and outlines three key ways they are taking a stand in the south suburbs against Planned Parenthood’s racist agenda of death.

After the break, Pastor LeFlore discusses the importance of serious prayer as well as the need for spiritual awakening in our land, revival in the church, renewed respect for the sanctity of human life, and the faith to believe that God can bring about a miraculous transformation – even in a state as depraved as Illinois.… Continue Reading

One of the most remarkable stories you’ll read is that of John Newton, author of the globally famous song Amazing Grace.  Newton was a slave ship captain who repented of his sins, became a minister, and whose personal testimonies of the horrors of the slave trade were used effectively by the great William Wilberforce to prosecute the practice before Parliament.

But here’s what few people realize about Newton’s life: his conversion to Christ did not lead to his immediate deliverance from the life of a slave trader. … Continue Reading

I’ve been surprised at the number of Christians who appear stunned that Mayor Pete Buttigieg made startlingly depraved remarks regarding the intentional murder of full-term babies in their mothers’ wombs.

If you missed it, it happened on Morning Joe when co-host Willie Geist explained that while religious conservatives were intrigued by Buttigieg, they could not get past his support for the heinous act of third-term abortion.  In response, Mayor Pete put together a word salad of heartlessness:

The way I explain this and it’s something that I think any pro-choice candidate from a conservative state faces, and that is I respect and understand where others are coming from.

I am a pastor and board member of Illinois Family Action (IFA). I am happy to serve with IFA because I believe that Christian principles have an application for politics and society. Man’s main problem is not political. All men and women enter the world as sinners and need a Savior and salvation. The main thrust of God’s Word is to show the only way of salvation that is found in Jesus Christ, but God’s Word also gives guidance and direction to families and civil governments.… Continue Reading

There has been a significant amount of howling among Democrats and even some Republicans since IFA posted an article written by Teri Paulson last week that had to be retitled, “Why is Legalized Abortion Called a Holocaust?” Briefly,  Illinois Family was accused of “hate speech,” “inappropriate behavior,” “trivializing the memory of Holocaust victims,” and “promoting violence,” to name a few.

No one who complained actually addressed the core issue of whether or not there really is a moral difference between killing people based on their ethnicity (e.g.,… Continue Reading

Why should anyone be surprised at the left’s careening into extremism on abortion? Leftists’ position has always been morally bankrupt and deceitful.

I am old enough to remember when Barack Obama, in the 2008 presidential campaign, vehemently denied that he had supported infanticide while in the Illinois Senate. Fact-checkers and other Obama defenders came out of the woodwork to defend Obama’s moral integrity. What were those facts?

Well, in 2001, Obama voted against Illinois’ Born-Alive Infants Protection Act in committee, which would have required immediate medical care for any child born as a result of a failed abortion.… Continue Reading

It’s one of the most curious approaches to a lopsided public policy battle I’ve seen, and yet it continues to work.  The propensity of pro-abortion advocates to play the underdog is so frighteningly effective, I have to ask if the portion of the general population that falls for it has taken complete leave of their senses.

I understand this approach meets the “speak truth to power” mantra that the political left has adopted.  … Continue Reading

“No one is pro-abortion.”  That’s what the commenter said in response to one of my stories last week about the sudden, unveiled, and frighteningly bold push by progressives to advocate for nothing short of legalizing infanticide.  It was nice to see that even with the left’s newfound stomach for abortion that is anything but “safe and rare,” they were still willing to fall back onto tired, worn-out semantical games to justify the gruesome ritual.… Continue Reading

When it comes to the most significant moral issues of our time, no one should be surprised by immoral actions of modern liberals. You can be saddened, shocked, angry, disgusted, and the like, but you should not be surprised.  This is certainly true when it comes to the issue of even infanticide.

For decades, Democrats have dehumanized the unborn and argued against protecting the most innocent and helpless among us, even when they escaped death in their mothers’ wombs.  … Continue Reading

In 2010 State Senator Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) lost the gubernatorial race to Pat Quinn by 31,834 votes–less than one percentage point. Brady took a pounding from the pro-abortion Personal PAC’s television ads starting in early August.

Unlike Bill Clinton in his 1992 contest against George Bush, Brady never responded when he was attacked. On the abortion issue, he stood there like a punching bag and took the blows.… Continue Reading

It’s horrifying that we are rapidly approaching the kind of culture that God ordered the Israelites to wipe out when he finally allowed them to enter the land he had promised them — a culture of rampant immorality, idolatry and child sacrifice.

For the longest time, the political left insisted that it was not pro-abortion but pro-choice, that it truly wanted to make abortion safe, legal and rare. I never could quite grasp why liberals would care about making it rare if they didn’t consider the unborn to be human lives.… Continue Reading

The Democrat Party in America has a real problem.  It’s been brewing for some time, but it’s bubbling over at this point and those who would continue shrouding, cloaking, downplaying, or veiling the issue are no longer able to do so.

The Democrat Party in America has become obsessed with abortion.  Not just attentive, not just involved, not just committed.  They are obsessed with the practice of killing infants in the womb. … Continue Reading

Does Planned Parenthood target blacks? That is what Dr. Martin Luther King’s niece thinks.

Recently, I spoke on my radio show with Evangelist Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She is the Director of Civil Rights for the Unborn with the organization Priests for Life. The focus was on Planned Parenthood and the African-American community.

Her comments are relevant all year round, especially around this time of MLK day and the anniversary of the U.S.… Continue Reading

Following on the heels of National Sanctity of Human Life Day, this week’s episode of Spotlight features Mary Kate Knorr, the executive director of Illinois Right to Life.

Ms. Knorr joins Monte Larrick for a thorough look at the anticipated attack on Illinois’ parental notification of abortion law and the devastating effects watering down this law – specifically by expanding the definition of the word “guardian” – will have on young girls in crisis.… Continue Reading

If you’ve been paying attention to the rhetoric coming from elected Democrats and progressive activists in recent weeks, you’ve probably noticed a calculated effort to frame issues in the vein of morality.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared to reporters that building a border wall would be an “immorality.” Abortion activist Amelia Bonow told children in a viral video that aborting her baby was “part of God’s plan.” Even social media superstar Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — who apparently works part-time as a Member of Congress — clumsily invoked morality to excuse her aversion to the truth, telling Anderson Cooper that it’s more important to be “morally right” than factually accurate.… Continue Reading

Whether Americans like it or not, abortion has become the defining issue of the two main parties.  A Democrat can be many things – a moderate; a corporatist; or a shrill, uninformed socialist – but he must be pro-choice, as shown in the recent move to repeal the pro-life Mexico City policy, which prevents foreign aid going to organizations that fund or encourage abortions.  The same applies to the Republicans, who range from government-friendly “moderates” to staunch say-no-to-all-spending libertarians but who all must try to uphold the rights of the unborn – except Gov.… Continue Reading

With January on the horizon, Monte Larrick and David Smith welcome Kevin Grillot to this edition of Spotlight. Mr. Grillot is the vice-president of March for Life Chicago and the executive director of weDignify, formerly Students for Life of Illinois.

Monte, David, and Kevin begin their time together with a discussion of the theme for March for Life Chicago 2019, “Unique from Day One: Pro-Life is Pro-Science.” They consider how a knowledge of science can help refute pro-abortionists’ arguments, which will hopefully lead to establishing a deeper connection on a heart level, and they stress the emotional importance of putting a face to the child in the womb.… Continue Reading

Tucker Carlson pointed out a few days ago how the already insufferable leader of the Congressional Democrats has recently been “ordained….an archbishop in the church of progressive sanctimony.”  For a while now, Nancy Pelosi’s been the country’s expert on morality (e.g., border wall: immoral; abortion on demand: moral).  She’s now taken to telling the country how much she prays, and she’s urging others to do it, too – at least that old sinner, Donald Trump.… Continue Reading

As the final weeks of the GOP-controlled Congress draw to a close, pro-life voters look on with great disappointment at the Republican politicians who failed to follow through on their most crucial promise: to defund Planned Parenthood. In about a month, Democrats will take over the U.S. House of Representatives and any hope of stripping the abortion giant of federal funding will pass away.

With precious little time left in the lame-duck session, GOP congressional leaders have chosen to ignore the persistent urgings of pro-life leaders.… Continue Reading

I know that abortion apologists have come to believe it is their strongest counterpoint to say, “You are pro-birth, not pro-life,” but it is not.  At all.

The bizarre statement is utterly false, of course, given the overwhelming numbers of Christian and pro-life adoption agencies, care centers, churches, missions, and foster homes that nurture hurting and abandoned children.  But to demonstrate how morally repugnant of an argument this is for the left, suppose for a second that it was a true statement.… Continue Reading

Written by Laurie Higgins

Fictional 21^st Century Woman at her “reveal” party:

Mom, Dad, Family, Friends, there’s something inside me!  Lol, no, it’s not a tumor. It’s a human. It’s got boy DNA (so, not me. lol). I just need to find out if he’s defective. Oh, and I’ll revisit my life goals and career path, check my bank account, and meditate on how I feel about him. If I choose to let him live, y’all can call him a baby! 

We start off our first Spotlight podcast of September with a timely conversation as Monte Larrick hosts Steve Karlen, North American Director of 40 Days for Life. This year’s 40 Days for Life campaign will run from September 26 through November 4.

The purpose of the campaign is “to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigils outside abortion centers to end abortion.” Steve stresses that prayer is the foundation of 40 Days for Life and the means by which God’s people are able to “overturn Roe v.… Continue Reading

Our nation was founded unlike any other nation in history. England embraced a feudal system, followed by a system of peerage and a (dead) state church whose head was the country’s sovereign and often tyrannical ruler.

France endured a godless revolution, resulting in a political system constrained by the motto: “liberté, égalité, fraternité.” (i.e. “liberty, equality, brotherhood”)

That sounds noble, but devoid of God and godly principles, only freedom and equality are left, both determined precariously by the whims of the masses rather than transcendent Truth.… Continue Reading

Senator Rand Paul’s recently introduced amendment that would defund Planned Parenthood in the Senate appropriations package for Defense, Health, Human Services, and Education is being blocked by Republicans, he claims.

“Planned Parenthood ends the lives of 320,000 babies each year,” Paul said on the Senate floor Thursday. “That’s about 900 babies every day. Planned Parenthood receives over $400,000,000 of taxpayer money.”

“The government with a wink and a nod tells us that Planned Parenthood doesn’t spend the money on abortions, but everybody knows that the taxpayers really are cross-subsidizing Planned Parenthood’s abortions bills,” he added.… Continue Reading

The progressive Left is in a panic over the U.S. Senate’s coming confirmation vote on President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

How do we know this? They keep telling us.

In a national conference call sponsored by People for the American Way (PFAW), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat, said, “We’re in the fight of our lives.”

PFAW’s Marge Baker echoed Ms. Warren by exclaiming that this is “a critical, critical, critical fight.”… Continue Reading

Ms. FioRito received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1993. Upon conferral of her degree, she was chosen by the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin to serve as Director of Pro-life Activities for the Archdiocese of Chicago. She subsequently served the Archdiocese as its first female Vice-Chancellor and then as Executive Assistant to the late Francis Cardinal George, until his death in 2015.… Continue Reading

During the most recent Face the Truth tour, Monte Larrick had a chance to interview Eric Shceidler, the executive director of the Pro Life Action League.  Their conversation takes place near the intersection of 159^th Street and LaGrange road in Orland Park, one of the many places where silent protesters held up posters of the victims of abortion.

During this episode, Monte and Eric cover the importance of showing the graphic and painful pictures of terminated babies to commuters.… Continue Reading

Much like King Nebuchadnezzar’s instructions to the three Hebrew boys, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has telegraphed to Judge Brett Kavanaugh a way out of the fiery furnace of confirmation.  Kavanaugh need not bow down to a golden image, but he must give obeisance to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark abortion case.  “The onus is on the nominee,” Schumer has declared, “to show where he or she might stand” on Roe.  … Continue Reading

I thought we had seen it all from radical feminists — and what we’ve seen is way, way more than anyone other than a gynecologist needs to see.

Six years ago, Code Pink zealots traipsed across the fruited plain in giant female reproductive organ costumes demanding “respect” for women’s bodies and women’s abortion rights. They called themselves “dancing vaginas.”

Last January, militant femmes converged on the National Mall donning pink pussy hats, twirling nipple umbrellas, chanting, “Build a uterine wall!”… Continue Reading

Over the weekend, Tomi Lahren argued that conservatives should give up on the abortion fight and stop trying to overturn Roe. She said that it would be a “mistake” to “challenge a position” that “most Americans support.” We should focus on taxes, immigration, and foreign policy and “stop messing with social issues.” The government is incompetent, Lahren reasoned, and therefore it should stop trying to “regulate social issues.”

Although she personally wouldn’t get an abortion, she insists, she also believes the government has no right to “dictate” on the subject.… Continue Reading

This week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in NIFLA v. Becerra should drive a stake into the heart of an Illinois law that requires pro-life medical professionals to refer patients for medical procedures/services they find morally objectionable such as abortion, sterilization and certain end-of-life care protocols.

This tyrannical legislation (SB 1564) was signed by Republican impostor Bruce Rauner and sponsored by Chicago Democrats. In writing the majority opinion of the Court, Justice Anthony Kennedy offers some constructive criticism to totalitarian policy-makers:

[B]egin by reading the First Amendment as ratified in 1791; to understand the history of authoritarian government as the Founders then knew it; to confirm that history since then shows how relentless authoritarian regimes are in their attempts to stifle free speech; and to carry those lessons onward as we seek to preserve and teach the necessity of freedom of speech for the generations to come.

Leftists have a long history of exploiting children to advance the left’s political agenda.  The most recent case is the left’s screeching about the fact that when illegals are arrested for trying to sneak into the country, their children are separated from them.

We know that leftists don’t really care about this because it happened under Barack Obama, and they said nothing.  It even happened under George W. Bush, and they didn’t complain about it then, either, even though they hated Bush.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick interviewed John Stonestreet at Illinois Family Institute’s Fourth Annual Worldview Conference. Stonestreet is the president of the Chuck Colson Center and BreakPoint Radio co-host. They discuss why Christians should be concerned about the Culture when we have seemingly lost; the next major cultural shift after the Sexual Revolution; the continued attacks on religious freedom; and when it is right for Christians to engage in civil disobedience.

Monte and John also discuss the cost of following Jesus, and legalization of recreational marijuana.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick recently caught up with Elise Bouc, the State Chairwoman of Stop ERA Illinois. They discuss the push to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the United State’s Constitution, only requiring two more states to approve it before it becomes a federal amendment.

Background

When the ERA was stopped back in the 1970s, people understood that the wording of the Amendment was flawed, Bouc explains, and we need to remove the discussion of “equal opportunities” for women from this poorly worded proposal.… Continue Reading

The leaders of six pro-life organizations issued a public statement on Friday criticizing the 8 Republican state senators who joined the Democrats this past week to pass the “Equal Rights” Amendment (ERA).

In the letter, the pro-life leaders mention that left-wing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has admitted that the “intended scope of the ERA is to greatly increase the scrutiny of pro-life legislation.”

A vote for the ERA is a vote for overturning abortion restrictions and enshrining abortion rights in the U.S.… Continue Reading

Keeping a candidate’s policy positions straight isn’t easy when the candidate appears to come out on both sides of an issue. Sometimes it is due to a simple mistake, as people can misspeak without even realizing it.

When the issue is taxpayer funding of abortion, however, a person is either for it or against it. The same comes to religious liberty and conscience rights. There is no middle ground, even though some candidates would love for there to be some.… Continue Reading

Ann Scheidler, the Executive Vice President of the Pro-Life Action League, joins Monte Larrick to discuss the Sanctity of Life in Illinois.

Background

Since HB 40 (taxpayer funding for abortion) has been enacted,  a new Planned Parenthood has popped up in Flossmoor, with an abortion clinic in the works for Rockford, with rumors of three or four additional abortion mills surfacing throughout the state.

With Republican governor Bruce Rauner signing HB 40 and permitting taxpayer funded abortions, it is expected that the number of abortions will greatly expand in Illinois.… Continue Reading

The 2018 March for Life, the world’s largest pro-life event, will be held [today] — Friday, January 19, in Washington, DC.

Every year since 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court made its infamous decision in Roe v. Wade, pro-life activists have gathered in our nation’s capitol to mark the anniversary in a somber, peaceful demonstration. Over 20,000 attended the first March for Life in 1974 and now the number of participants reaches over 400,000.… Continue Reading

As conservative Christians continue to push for religious freedom protections in the wake of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, there might be lessons religious freedom advocates can take away from the successes of the pro-life movement.

Two pro-life leaders and a religious liberty scholar participated in a panel discussion on Saturday titled “What the Religious Liberty Movement Can Learn From the Victories of the Pro-Life Movement” at the Family Research Council’s Values Voters Summit.… Continue Reading

“Governor Rauner is done…he will not be governor in January 2019,” State Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) told Monte Larrick in this week’s bonus Illinois Family Spotlight podcast.

With Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signing of HB 40’s taxpayer funding of abortion, Breen said that Rauner can no longer make an effective case for his leadership. Breen explains that HB 40 is one of the worst bills ever to be signed into law in Illinois, and it happened even though Rauner looked Breen in the eye, shook his hand, and pledged to veto it.… Continue Reading

It hasn’t been a good couple of weeks for the pre-born in America. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed HB 40, allowing for taxpayer funding of abortions. In Washington, D.C., Republicans still haven’t gotten their act together regarding their promised defunding of Planned Parenthood.

Here is Dr. Susan Berry writing a rather simple sentence:

Republicans have presented themselves to Americans as a pro-life party, and promised to defund Planned Parenthood once they had control of the House, the Senate, and the White House.

The pro-life movement is thriving now more than ever before, while the abortion industry is getting crushed.

In this special edition of the Illinois Spotlight podcast, Monte Larrick interviews Shawn Carney, President of 40 Days for Life, to talk about recent pro-life efforts and the upcoming 40 Days For Life campaign.

40 Days for Life is a sustained prayer vigil held in 675 cities around the world with this year’s record turnout of 375 cities praying outside of abortion clinics!… Continue Reading

The deceitful media has talked a lot about electoral “collusion” on the national level, but there is a clear case of collusion here in Illinois and we haven’t heard a peep about it.

During the Spring session of the Illinois General Assembly, Democratic lawmakers passed  House Bill 40, on a party line vote (62-55 in the House on April 25th and 33 to 22 in the Senate on May 22nd).… Continue Reading

Politico recently reported that Governor Rauner’s “ongoing struggle with the politics of a controversial abortion bill hasn’t gone unnoticed by potential opponents.” A Democrat opponent in the 2018 gubernatorial race, J.B. Pritzker, has capitalized on “Rauner’s indecision with HB 40 by releasing a new statewide TV ad where the billionaire Democrat declares if he’s elected, HB 40 will be the first bill he signs.”

This comes on the heels of Pritzker, along with the bill’s sponsors, making a video about dropping off 4,000 postcards to Gov.… Continue Reading

In another recent blow to the Democratic Party’s overall opposition to pro life stances, California Governor Jerry Brown stated that pro life constituents should be welcome in the Democratic Party.

In an interview Sunday, August 6, with NBC’s “Meet the Press” the California Governor (who is himself a former Jesuit novice) said, “I’d say, look, even on the abortion issue, it wasn’t very long ago that a number of Catholic Democrats were opposed to abortion,” Mr.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick recently interviewed Vicki Thorn, the keynote speaker at the recent Lake County Right to Life banquet. Vicki founded Project Rachel in 1984, a ministry of the Catholic Church to post-abortive women. You can read more about this ministry here. Ms. Thorn is also the Executive Director of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing.

In this week’s Spotlight podcast, they discuss the healing process of post-abortive women, Project Rachel, some of the road-blocks to healing, the impact of abortion on men, post-abortive women in the church, and discuss whether churches are doing enough to help post-abortive men and women.… Continue Reading

At a recent Face the Truth Tour event, Monte Larrick interviewed Eric Scheidler, the Executive Director of the Pro Life Action League. They discuss why the Pro Life Action League does this tour where pro-baby activists and volunteers converge on a busy intersection displaying signs depicting aborted human beings.

Monte and Eric also discuss pending legislation for taxpayer funded abortion (HB 40) in Illinois, and the possibility of overturning of Roe v.… Continue Reading

Christmas is months away but U.S. Senator John McCain is already on the naughty list for pro-life Americans.

U.S. Senator McCain joined two probation Republicans to defeat the Senate bill that would defund Planned Parenthood. Called the skinny Bill to repeal portions of Obamacare, pro-life organizations and Senate Republican leaders hoped the bill would get enough votes to be able to land a repeal and defund measure on President Donald Trump’s desk.… Continue Reading

There was a time (as hard as it may be to believe today) when liberals actually had the mental capacity to reason.  During the Enlightenment, liberals (specifically, people with principles that were then described as liberal) understood the difference between facts and ideology.  They understood that life is not an ideology, liberty is not an ideology, and property is not an ideology.  Moreover, they understood that life, liberty, and property exist naturally, even if a nation does not exist and even if a government does not exist.… Continue Reading

On this edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, Joe and Ann Scheidler join us to discuss some of their experiences during their 44 years of pro-life activism. Joe and Ann touch upon life issues before the courts and legislatures in Springfield and Washington D.C. and discuss the overall progress of communicating the pro-life message.

At the time of this podcast recording, Joe was just shy of turning 90 years old. He is the Founder and National Director of the Pro-Life Action League, and his wife Ann is the Vice President.… Continue Reading

Sanctuary city jurisdictions are local governments that seek to trample upon and undermine the federal government’s constitutional role in enforcing immigration law by offering cover to illegal aliens. However, another sort of “sanctuary” legislation in the U.S. seeks to continually and legally trample the human conscience to protect abortion.

Religious groups in Missouri are now suing to overturn a St. Louis “abortion sanctuary” city ordinance that would have disastrous effects on the freedoms of religion, speech, and association.… Continue Reading

The anti-baby forces are already out in full force as they stake a claim to your tax dollars to pay for their abortions. Using the dishonest and tired rhetoric of a “war on women,” the death industry seeks to punish legislators who voted against HB 40, a bill that would remove all restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortion.

One case in point is that of State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), who was featured in one ad, asking people to call his office to ask him why he didn’t “stand up for women’s rights.”… Continue Reading

Elise Bouc is the State Chairwoman of Stop ERA Illinois. She joins Monte and Dave on this week’s podcast to discuss the extensive negative consequences of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the state of Illinois and the nation.

Phyllis Schlafly, Beverly LaHaye, and former state representative Penny Pullen were champions of battling and exposing the ERA because of the harm to women. And one unlikely woman confirmed their grave concerns.… Continue Reading

Democrats have become obstructionists in the American democratic republic. They routinely oppose legislation designed to protect national security and the sanctity of human life. Also, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other moderate to liberal Republicans have participated to a great degree in this obstruction. How so?

Take for example the omnibus, Continuing Resolution (CR) spending bill that just passed the U.S. House and U.S.… Continue Reading

In 2015, something unexpected and unusual happened to the United States. For the first time since 1993, life expectancy in the United States declined. The decline was significant and extensive. Life expectancy is one of the most basic indicators of human health and the United States is one of the most advanced nations in the world. The decline should be causing a careful consideration of its causes and potential solutions. This is largely being ignored by our intellectual leadership for a rather obvious reason: the Affordable Care Act that promised to make health insurance more affordable and available for Americans.… Continue Reading

Charmaine Yoest, an outspoken pro-life leader and former president of Americans United for Life (AUL), has been chosen by the Trump administration to serve as assistant secretary for public affairs in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Yoest will serve under another pro-life champion, former U.S. Representative Tom Price (R-Ga.), who was confirmed as HHS secretary in February. As a congressman Price had a perfect pro-life voting record and, like Yoest, has been a vocal proponent of cutting all federal funding to abortion giant Planned Parenthood, whose funding is funneled through HHS.… Continue Reading

We’re flooding U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger’s office in Washington D.C. with calls urging him to vote YES on the AHCA!

Call U.S. Representative Kinzinger at (202) 225-3635 and say:

“I want to urge Representative Kinzinger to vote YES on the AHCA!”

The AHCA will defund Planned Parenthood for one year, cutting 33 percent of their revenue! It can only defund the abortion clinic chain for one year due to Senate rules. This will be a major pro-life victory, but there are a handful of Republicans who have not committed to voting yes yet.… Continue Reading

Written by Benjamin Smith

In this edition of our weekly podcast, Monte Larrick interviews Eric Scheidler, the Executive Director of the Pro-Life Action League. Eric provides assistance to local pro-life leaders throughout the country in organizing public pro-life witness, earning media coverage, working with police, and confronting abortion providers.

Monte and Eric discuss 2 pieces of legislation in Springfield (see below) as well as a few other pro-life issues, including the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).… Continue Reading

Written by Benjamin Smith

On this special edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, Monte Larrick is joined by pro-life hero Joseph Scheidler, the founder and national president of the Pro-Life Action League.

Joe has fought for the unborn since the U.S. Supreme Court manufactured privacy and abortion rights with its 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton rulings. He was the target of a lawsuit brought by the National Organization for Women under federal racketeering laws.… Continue Reading

Written by Michael Haverluck

With Democratic National Committee Chair (DNC) Tom Perez now leading the Democratic Party in a new Trump era after suffering severe losses in the November election, former DNC Chair Howard Dean stressed that his party must purge itself of pro-life advocates in order to stage a comeback.

When Dean spoke with Joe Scarborough of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the co-host brought up a previous interview he had with former Gov. Steve Beshear (D-Ky.),… Continue Reading

Written by Tom Neven

Written by Peter Skurkiss

One of the ways this 2016 election is unlike others in the recent past is the muting of social issues. This is due in large part to the way that Donald Trump has burst onto the scene and turned over the applecart of the political establishment. Not only do the Democrats hate him, which is to be expected, but so do the Republican elites.

Trump’s very presence in the campaign has sucked much of the oxygen out of the room for social matters like abortion.… Continue Reading

Written by Samuel Smith

In response to Hillary Clinton‘s defense of partial-birth and late-term abortions at [last week’s] debate, a California obstetrician-gynecologist has reportedly taken to Facebook to decry the claim that third-trimester abortion is necessary to help save the life of the mother.

The Democratic presidential nominee defended her opposition to bans on late-term and partial-birth abortions by arguing that there are cases in which mothers and families are forced to make “the most heartbreaking, painful decisions” because they get news that the woman’s health may be in jeopardy.

Written by Michael Gryboski

Written by Heather Clark

Some Americans are stating this election that they do not believe that the inauguration of Mitt Romney and the appointment of Republican judges to the bench will result in overturning Supreme Court decisions such as Roe v. Wade and other critical rulings.

“Most Christians don’t have a clue that Republican-appointed judges are making bad rulings that destroy our Christian institutions in our nation,” Pastor Matt Trewhella of Mercy Seat Christian Church near Milwaukee, Wisconsin told Christian News Network.… Continue Reading

Written by J. Matt Barber

Moral clarity alert. The kid gloves are off. Time for some serious soul searching.

You proponents of the torturous live-dismemberment of children in the womb, just knock it off already. Your pro-abortion euphemisms – “pro-choice,” “reproductive freedom,” “women’s rights” and other such propagandist nonsense – have run their shameful course. As you regressive “progressives” like to say, “The science is settled.” Pre-born babies are objectively and empirically distinct persons with emotions, autonomy (though in a dependent stage of human development, not unlike post-birth babies) and the unalienable human rights intrinsic to all human beings.… Continue Reading

Written by Samuel Smith

Written by Jim Finnegan

No surprise when the left leaning media try’s to sell Irish “catholic” Tim Kaine as a devout Catholic. You gotta be kidding me!  An oxymoron calling one who supports the evil of abortion “Pro Life.”

U.S. Senator Kaine with plenty of chutzpah, joins with the media by calling himself Pro-Life while supporting abortion on demand. You do not get a 100 percent approval rating from Planned Parenthood while being Pro-Life.

Kaine falls back on the tired old canard “I am not in favor of abortion, but would never tell another what to do.… Continue Reading