Dr. Jack Wilke 5 April 1925-20 February 2015
The Pro-life movement lost a truly great man last Friday, Dr. Jack Wilke. Originally an obstetrician, he became the father of the Pro-life movement. He began travelling across country with his wife Barbara in the 60s. In 1988 he retired from his practice to devote himself full time to pro-life work.
In 1971 he published his 1st book, Handbook on Abortion, co-written with his wife Barbara. Over the years the book was revised & expanded in 1975 & 1979. It went through 24 printings. It was also translated into 10 languages. It was the handbook, or bible for the Pro-life movement
In 1985 it was replaced with Abortion: Question & Answers. It used the most up to date information & soon achieved the same status of its predecessor. It was revised in 1985, 1989 & 1991. It was translated into 20 languages.
In 1997 they came out with a new book that retained part of its predecessor's name but also added new emphasis. It was called Abortion Questions & Answers: Why Not Love Them Both. That book has also been revised over the years & was again translated into many other languages. It proved a worthy successor to the earlier books.
From 1984 to 1991 he was the president of the National Right to Life Committee. He was also a founding member & president emeritus of the International Right to Life. In 1991 he co-founded Life Issues Institute with Bradley Mattes. It was started to provide updated information as well as the latest & best ways to provide people with the information & the Pro-life message as a whole. Dr. Wilke continued working, speaking & appearing on radio & TV to spread the Pro-life message. His wife passed away in April 203.
Lest this sound just like an impersonal obituary, I have to add something about the effect his work has had on me.
I 1st read his book Handbook on Abortion in the 80s. At the time I wasn't that familiar with Planned Parenthood & how they operated, let alone its founder Margaret Sanger. What I read was a real eye opener. What I read made me all the more determined to fight for life & to get out the truth about Sanger & her organization.
The book talked about Sanger's eugenics views & her work to eliminate those whom she saw as unfit mainly through eugenic sterilization. Who did she consider unfit? "Black people, Jews, Southern European immigrants (especially Italians*), but also others of 'low I.Q.' These 'feebleminded' people where a menace to the race.'"
What stopped me in my tracks was what she said about Southern European immigrants & those from Italia in particular. My maternal grandparents & one pair of my maternal great-grandparents were from Southern Italy. I realized that if Sanger had gotten her way, I would never have been born. At that point the battle became very personal. Over the years, especially through this blog & more recently via Facebook & Twitter, I have done my best to get the information about the real, racist goals of the abortion industry out.
Over the years, his writings & work through the Life Issues Institute have provided me with many tools to use in my Pro-life work.
Dr. Wilke has done much to save the lifes of the unborn & spread the entire Pro-life message. But now his work is done & he has entered into his rest.
Thank Dr. Wilke for a job well done.
*Emphasis mine
Sources: Father of the pro-life movement Dr. Jack Willke passed away Friday
In 1971 he published his 1st book, Handbook on Abortion, co-written with his wife Barbara. Over the years the book was revised & expanded in 1975 & 1979. It went through 24 printings. It was also translated into 10 languages. It was the handbook, or bible for the Pro-life movement
In 1985 it was replaced with Abortion: Question & Answers. It used the most up to date information & soon achieved the same status of its predecessor. It was revised in 1985, 1989 & 1991. It was translated into 20 languages.
In 1997 they came out with a new book that retained part of its predecessor's name but also added new emphasis. It was called Abortion Questions & Answers: Why Not Love Them Both. That book has also been revised over the years & was again translated into many other languages. It proved a worthy successor to the earlier books.
From 1984 to 1991 he was the president of the National Right to Life Committee. He was also a founding member & president emeritus of the International Right to Life. In 1991 he co-founded Life Issues Institute with Bradley Mattes. It was started to provide updated information as well as the latest & best ways to provide people with the information & the Pro-life message as a whole. Dr. Wilke continued working, speaking & appearing on radio & TV to spread the Pro-life message. His wife passed away in April 203.
Lest this sound just like an impersonal obituary, I have to add something about the effect his work has had on me.
I 1st read his book Handbook on Abortion in the 80s. At the time I wasn't that familiar with Planned Parenthood & how they operated, let alone its founder Margaret Sanger. What I read was a real eye opener. What I read made me all the more determined to fight for life & to get out the truth about Sanger & her organization.
The book talked about Sanger's eugenics views & her work to eliminate those whom she saw as unfit mainly through eugenic sterilization. Who did she consider unfit? "Black people, Jews, Southern European immigrants (especially Italians*), but also others of 'low I.Q.' These 'feebleminded' people where a menace to the race.'"
What stopped me in my tracks was what she said about Southern European immigrants & those from Italia in particular. My maternal grandparents & one pair of my maternal great-grandparents were from Southern Italy. I realized that if Sanger had gotten her way, I would never have been born. At that point the battle became very personal. Over the years, especially through this blog & more recently via Facebook & Twitter, I have done my best to get the information about the real, racist goals of the abortion industry out.
Over the years, his writings & work through the Life Issues Institute have provided me with many tools to use in my Pro-life work.
Dr. Wilke has done much to save the lifes of the unborn & spread the entire Pro-life message. But now his work is done & he has entered into his rest.
Thank Dr. Wilke for a job well done.
*Emphasis mine
Sources: Father of the pro-life movement Dr. Jack Willke passed away Friday
Dr. Jack Willke, Father of the Modern Pro-Life Movement, Passes Away
Labels: Planned Parenthood
posted by Al @ 9:38 PM
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