The biggest public relations plum, so far, was a feature article in Newsweek, March 25, page 61. This included a photo of yours truly and profiled our efforts to promote post-abortion healing and reemphasize the fact that pro-lifers are also pro-woman. We are also pleased that Making Abortion Rare was chosen as a selection for the Conservative Book Club.

Of the half dozen or so printed reviews published so far, all have been positive. I hope there will be many more reviews to come. If you have ever published a book review, or would like to, consider writing one about Making Abortion Rare. Even a letter to the editor about the book's proposals will help to increase awareness of post-abortion issues. If you are still waiting to get a copy, you can order it through your bookstores, or call 1-800-BOOKLOG. Proceeds support the Elliot Institute.

The Republican Platform
On March 20, I sent a letter to the Republican National Committee. I encouraged the Republican Party to retain the goal of protecting unborn children in the 1996 party platform. In addition, I suggested, the platform should include a promise to protect the right of women to full disclosure and their right to redress against abortionists who lie to them, injure them, or otherwise exploit them for profit.

Such a move, I suggested, is necessary if Republicans want to help the nation "move beyond the notion that one political party represents women and the other represents unborn children. People of goodwill should be concerned about both.... The time has come for the Republican Party to develop a political position on abortion which is authentically both pro-life and pro-woman."

Specifically, I have asked Republican leaders to work toward passage of the Abortion Choice Act, which I have previously proposed in The Post-Abortion Review. It reads as follows:

Women have a civil right to full disclosure of all risks, alternatives, or other information which a patient might reasonably consider relevant to a decision to refuse a recommendation for abortion. Full disclosure must be given to the woman, or in the case of a minor, to the parents or legal guardian. The State may not limit a woman's right to seek recovery in civil court for any injuries related to induced abortion.

I have invited several pro-life groups to join me in this effort, with some successes and several snubs. In any event, please write or call Congressman Henry Hyde (2110 RHOB, Washington, DC, 20515-1306, (202) 225-4561), chairman of the platform committee, and ask him to support a pro-life/pro-woman platform along these suggested lines. You may also want to lobby your own district or precinct representatives to the national convention.

Double Issue Accounting
I had originally thought I could fit a review of the Bobbitt case into a normal eight page issue of The Post-Abortion Review. Unfortunately, it turned out to take twice as much space and four times the work I had anticipated.

Rather than try to split the material into two separate issues, I decided it was best presented as a single issue. Because this double issue is twice the size, it is being counted as two issues against your normal subscription count. I hope you will agree this is fair. If not, I won't argue with you. Just send me a note and I will credit an extra issue to your subscription.

The Jericho Plan
Our book for clergy is still moving forward. The text has been completed for several months, but we have run into some unavoidable production delays. I am now anticipating having printed copies available by mid-August. At that time, orders can be placed at 1-800-BOOKLOG.

Backlogged
I don't have room or time to tell you about all the exiting projects I have in the works. Besides, I usually like to announce our research projects after they are done. This allows me to give you the results, and avoids giving our opposition advance notice. Just let me say that 1997 will be our best year yet.

With no support staff, it is extremely difficult to keep all these projects moving forward. But amazingly they do get done, bit by bit. Mostly I just neglect my mail. (Please excuse me if one of the letters is yours.)

Please pray that we will soon have some volunteers, or better yet, the financial resources to hire full time support staff. If you are in a position to volunteer to work, even from your home in another state, in the areas of public relations, grantsmanship, membership development, or fund raising, please let me know.

Finally, since I don't have the time to bug you with donation requests every sixty days (like fund raising experts say I should), a spontaneous donation is always appreciated. Just don't be surprised if the check isn't deposited for as much as six weeks. It's not that we don't need or appreciate your support--we do! It's just that I have to squeeze bookkeeping and mail days in between major projects.

-- David C. Reardon