Lifebeat

In this LifeBeat episode, Brian Cusack, RLM Development Director takes a deep into his family life and why parental consent is so important to him as a father and grandfather. We discuss the recent attacks on parental consent by Governor Whitmer and her allies even though 70% of Michigan voters are in favor of parental consent (Marketing Resource Group 2023 poll). We end the episode by discussing why parents should be on alert and ready to protect parental consent, the law that in turn, protects their children.

In this Faith in Life LifeBeat feature, Ken Stults sits down with Terri Marcroft to discuss adoption and supporting women in unplanned pregnancies. Terri Marcroft is the adoptive mom of a 23-year old young woman who is the love of her life. Terri·s all-time favorite action hero is her daughter·s birthmother, who made an adoption plan while she was a senior in high school. In 2008 Terri identified the need to more actively suggest adoption: today <1% of young US women facing unplanned pregnancy choose adoption for their babies, while there are about two million couples in the US hoping to adopt. After ten years of parenting, and 25 in high tech marketing, she founded UnplannedGood.org in 2010. Terri leads the Unplanned Good efforts to encourage people to consider making an adoption plan when facing an unwanted pregnancy. She hopes to spread the word that adoption can be a blessing for all involved.

In this LifeBeat feature, we discuss how parental consent is on the chopping block. We take a deep dive into the history of Michigan's parental consent law, how proposal 3 impacted it and how it is currently being threatened by the governor and her allies. We also provide an overview on the ACLU's recent report "In Harm·s Way" which outlines why they are in favor of parental consent being repealed in the legislature. For more information and resources on parental consent, check out our website www.rtl.org.

In this Faith in Life LifeBeat feature, Ken Stults, our Faith Outreach Coordinator, joins Tina, a mother who experienced unconditional love and support from her family, church community and Bethany Christian Services after an unplanned pregnancy. Tina describes how her church rallied around her and how God spoke to her, leading her to release her baby to a loving family. For more information on help services and adoption, check out our website https://rtl.org/pregnancy-help/.

In this LifeBeat episode, we sit down with Emily Kroll for a get-to-know Emily Kroll, our PAC director. Emily discusses why it's important for Michigan voters to get involved in this year's election and how prolife votes could make a difference in the laws that are passed/protected. For more information on voting in Michigan and volunteering for get-out-the-vote activities, check out www.rtl.org/elections.

*This is a repost of a previous episode recorded in 2022. The information provided in the episode is relevant for Michigan voters today due to the repeal of several longstanding protections for women including health and safety regulations for abortion facilities. Informed consent and parental consent for abortions are also in jeopardy and are currently being challenged in the Michigan courts. This feature illustrates what it would look like for a woman to get an abortion without regulations.

In this month's LifeBeat feature, host, Anna Pluymert, and guest co-host, Jazlyn Bailey, take a deep dive into Women's History Month by highlighting two prolife women from history that have and will continue to inspire the prolife movement for generations to come. We highlight Mildred Jefferson and Ellen McCormack who were both influential in the 1970's. We also discuss why it's important to empower women and care for their health and safety. We explain how pro-abortion legislators have failed women in Michigan by repealing health and safety regulations for abortion facilities. For more information and a statement from our President, Amber Roseboom, on Women's History Month, check out our website. https://rtl.org/president-womens-history-month/

In this month's Faith in Life LifeBeat feature, Right to Life of Michigan Faith Outreach Coordinator, Ken Stults, sits down with Monica Sparks to discuss what it's like being a prolife Democrat. Ken and Monica also touched on why it·s so important for the faith community to be involved in the prolife movement. Monica Sparks is an elected prolife Democrat serving her third term as a Kent County Commissioner. She and her twin sister were adopted at the age of eight from foster care, which informs her work as an outspoken pro-life advocate. Monica is President of the Board for Democrats for Life of America and serves on the Advisory Group of Former Board Members for the Michigan Democrats for Life.

*This is a repost of a previous episode recorded last year. The information provided in the episode is relevant today as the U.S. Supreme Court will be ruling on the future of abortion pill in March of this year (2024). For a refresher on this topic and previous relating court cases from 2023, listen to this feature. In this month's feature, we take a deep dive into the history of the abortion pill leading up to the most recent ruling out of Texas. We discuss each court ruling involving mifepristone and how each case is impacting the status of the drug.

To honor Black History Month, we sit down with Pastor Stan Parker on our podcast, LifeBeat. Pastor Stan Parker is the senior pastor of Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Lansing, Michigan. He is the Executive Director of the Eastside Community Action Center and is the campus minister for Just for Chris Ministry at Michigan State University. Pastor Stan also serves as the president and regional director for the Michigan African American Fellowship with the Southern Baptist Convention. He has been married for over 46 years and has four children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In this week's LifeBeat podcast, we share some details on upcoming events that Right to Life of Michigan is hosting and we also provide a reminder to vote in the presidential primary on February 27. We give a deep dive explanation into the newly filed lawsuit that threatens women by attempting to remove informed consent for abortions in Michigan. We end the episode by giving an update on the abortion pill case that has been making its way through the federal courts for the past year.

In this month's Faith in Life feature, Ken Stults, Right to Life of Michigan Faith Outreach Coordinator, and Amber Roseboom, Right to Life of Michigan President, sit down to discuss Amber's new role as RLM president and how she plans to continue the mission of encouraging women to make a choice for life. Ken and Amber also discuss why churches should get involved in this year's election. Ken discusses different ways churches can encourage their members to get out and vote. For those interested in getting their church or faith community involved, email Ken at kstults@rtl.org.

In this episode of LifeBeat, Jazlyn Bailey, MiGen Leads Coordinator, joins host, Anna Pluymert, to discuss MiGen Leads recent activities and outreach with Michigan youth and young adults. Jazlyn provides encouragement to young adults and right to life affiliates who are looking to get involved with Right to Life of Michigan young adult program. Information on our new/revamped youth scholarships and contests is also provided. We also discuss why it's so important for young adults to vote in this year·s election.

In this LifeBeat episode, we discuss why it's important that you vote and where you can find resources that explain where, when, how and who. We also discussed the importance of the National March for Life and how our fight on the national is not done yet.

In this LifeBeat feature, Ed Rivet, previous Right to Life of Michigan Legislative Director and expert in battling physician-assisted suicide joins us to discuss the history of assisted suicide in Michigan and how we can combat this dangerous practice by promoting prolife approaches to end-of-the-life care.

In this week's episode of LifeBeat, Genevieve Marnon, our Legislative Director, joins us to discuss assisted suicide. In December of 2023, a package of bills was introduced in the Michigan Senate that would legalize assisted suicide if passed. We discuss why Michiganders should oppose this dangerous practice and how it could impact people of color, disabled people and the elderly. We also discuss how other states that have legalized assisted suicide should be a cautionary tale to Michigan legislators.

In this month's Faith in Life LifeBeat feature, Ken Stults sits down with RLM President, Barbara Listing to discuss her retirement after 43 years of serving. During her time as President, Mrs. Listing directed RLM·s educational, legal and political priorities. As such, she has co-managed three successful statewide legislative initiative drives and two successful statewide referenda votes including ending taxpayer-funding of Medicaid abortions in Michigan, defeating the legalization of assisted suicide and preventing insurance coverage of abortion through health care reform. Beyond leading successful prolife efforts in Michigan, Mrs. Listing has provided ongoing counsel and guidance to her counterparts across the country. She is sought as a state and national expert on life issues and strategy and has been quoted by virtually every major statewide publication and a variety of national media outlets. Thank you, Barb, for your dedication to protecting life and leading Right to Life of Michigan.

In this LifeBeat episode, we discuss prolife news from Michigan, all the way to Texas. On December 11, Governor Whitmer signed the last bill in the Reproductive Health Act. Katie Cox, a lady from Texas sued her state so she could get an abortion at 20 weeks. Her baby was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. Thank you to the families who have chosen life when faced with a difficult diagnosis. We end the episode by discussing RLM President Barbara Listing announcing her retirement after 43 years! We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

In this month's LifeBeat feature, we sit down with Right to Life of Michigan PAC Director, Emily Kroll to discuss what voters need to know about 2024 election dates, endorsements and why it's so important to vote this coming year. Emily explains what voting laws have changed in the last year and what races we will see up for election in 2024.

In this episode of LifeBeat, we discuss the Michigan legislation we anticipate will see action in 2024. We discuss the Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy Parentage Act which was passed in the Michigan House before the 2023 session ended in early November. We also mentioned the package of bills that were introduced in the MI Senate and would legalize physician-assisted suicide. We end the episode by briefly discussing how parental consent for abortions could be pro-abortion legislators' next target.