October 2007 Archives

A local TV news report regards a Denver Public School proposal to distribute birth control and the morning after pill to high school students:

Denver's CBS affiliate News 4 reporter Raj Chohan: Not everyone agrees. Groups like Colorado Right to Life strongly oppose the plan, and believe it will send a wrong message to kids in high risk communities.

Bob Enyart, CRTL: A Denver Public School is a good place to send your daughter to become sexually active. Now, the task force wants to make it more efficient, condoms to the boys, abortion pills to your daughter, get her ready for the next guy to use her. It's called godless education.

http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=35991@kcnc.dayport.com

I recently got my hands on two lawsuits filed this year by former employees against Planned Parenthood Chicago Area and its CEO, Steve Trombley (Pelta v. Planned Parenthood and Chesis v. Planned Parenthood) .

One of those employees, Dr. Murray Pelta, was an abortionist for PP/CA from 1992-2007, its medical director from 1997-2007. The stories he must have to tell, and he indeed tells a couple in his complaint....

Trombley fired Pelta on Feb. 28, 2007, which triggered his complaint. He began by alleging a pharmaceutical quid pro quo:

Dr. Pelta and Trombley maintained a positive personal relationship for several years after Trombley's appointment. Trombley even occasionally asked Dr. Pelta for favors, such as discreet medical prescriptions for Trombley's personal use. Dr. Pelta wrote these prescriptions for Trombley and, in accordance with Trombley's requests, did not record or report the issuance of the prescriptions.

Pelta's complaint did not list the prescriptions dispensed, but the term "personal use" certainly broadens the speculative range.

Pelta listed the following revelation as the reason for his termination, a fitting term:

In January 2007, a pregnant former PP/CA board member and current PP/CA employee asked Dr. Pelta to perform a confidential abortion upon her....

Continue reading my column today, "Inside Planned Parenthood," on WorldNetDaily.com.

By Leticia Velasquez

Bella takes place on a typical weekday in New York City, where everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, oblivious to the troubled woman who doesn't make it to work on time. Nina (Tammy Blanchard), a waitress in an upscale Mexican restaurant, is overwhelmed by the discovery that she is pregnant, and stares at the test in disbelief, as the clock ticks. Arriving late to work the second day in a row, she gets into an argument with Manny (Manny Perez), the restaurant owner, and is fired. Jose (Eduardo Verastegui), Manny's brother, who works as the restaurant's chef, goes outside to see what the trouble is, and impulsively follows Nina into the subway, abandoning the lunch shift and offering to help her find a job.

At first, things are awkward between Nina and Jose, who despite working together, are virtual strangers, but soon their journey takes on a life of its' own.

Jose, whose eyes are haunted by tragedy, begins to see the beauty in life -- which he, in his grief, has missed -- thanks to an outspoken blind man who asks Nina to describe in detail what she sees. The conversation between the couple deepens as they leave the city and Jose finds himself admitting the source of shame he has carried for four years, the tragic mistake which cut short his promising career as a professional soccer player. This searing disclosure stuns Nina and challenges her assumptions about where her own life is going. She discovers there is more than one tragedy stalking the residents of New York and risks becoming hurt in another relationship.

Eduardo Verastegui, popular Mexican pop-star and television novella actor, breaks free of the playboy stereotype of his first Hollywood film, Chasing Papi, by playing the reclusive, vulnerable Jose. Tammy Blanchard is compelling as Nina, the hardened New Yorker. The pair's riveting chemistry is one reason why Bella won the coveted People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival. The emotional complexity of Bella far surpasses the formulaic plots which have lately stunted romantic drama in Hollywood, and which, light on plot, tend to rely too heavily on body heat and star power for interest. The audience is challenged to reconcile recurrent flashbacks, discerning between fantasy and reality, piecing together events in a demanding intellectual style reminiscent of a Bergman film.

The lighthearted interaction of veteran actors Angelica Aragon and Jaime Terelli as Jose and Manny's parents presents an engaging view of Latino families rarely depicted in Hollywood, where family dysfunction, violence, and juvenile delinquency are seen as the norm. Bella was awarded the Legacy Award for emerging talent by the Smithsonian Institute Latino Center for contribution to Latino culture, and won high praise by Latino icon Edward James Olmos at this year's Miami International Film Festival.

Visually impressionistic, with edgy cinematography, and jarring cross-cutting camera technique, Bella is interwoven with evocative ethnic imagery, which, supported by a powerful score, insures that the impact of the film will remain with the audience long afterwards.

Bella is the first feature film of director Alejandro Monteverde, a childhood friend of Verastegui, who, with former Fox business manager, Leo Severino, formed an independent film company called Metanoia Films. Their aim was to create films which have a positive impact on society.

In their first attempt at a film together, the three amigos have achieved cinematic gold. Look for future productions of Metanoia Films, and don't be surprised if Bella follows in the footsteps of Life is Beautiful, another Toronto Film Festival award winner, and gets in line at this year's Oscars.

Leticia Velasquez is a homeschooling mother of three, part time college professor of English as a Second Language and writes in her spare time.

Credit: reprinted with permission from MercatorNet

George F. Will's column "Abortion's 'So-What' Factor" in this past Sunday's The Washington Post makes sense regarding The U.S. Supreme Court's power to affect policy on abortion.

Abortion policy is almost entirely in the custody of the U.S. Supreme Court and will remain so unless or until the court decides to restore moral federalism regarding the issue.

Many, perhaps most, Americans, foggy about the workings of their government, think that overturning Roewould make abortion, one of the nation's most common surgical procedures, illegal everywhere. All it actually would do is restore abortion as a practice subject to state regulation.

It is not irrational for voters to care deeply about a candidate's stance regarding abortion because that stance is accurately considered an important signifier of the candidate's sensibilities and sympathies, and of his or her notion of sound constitutional reasoning. But regarding abortion itself, what a candidate thinks about abortion rights is not especially important.

My heart won't allow it.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

From my Inbox via CitizenLink:

Focus and its Allies Ask Congress to Pull Planned Parenthood Funding
Kansas affiliate faces 107 charges over late-term abortions.
by Jennifer Mesko, 10/25/07

Focus on the Family and about 60 other pro-life organizations are asking the U.S. House and Senate to suspend Planned Parenthood funding following a 107-count indictment against the group's Kansas affiliate last week.

Planned Parenthood is charged with performing illegal late-term abortions by ignoring viability testing laws and regulations, as well as falsifying documents to cover up those facts. The first hearing is set for Nov. 16.

The letter, which was sent to every senator and representative Wednesday, states: "Planned Parenthood operates around 860 facilities around the country, and there are approximately 40 states with laws banning late-term abortions. This conduct may be happening all over the country.

"We urge you to act to ensure that our tax dollars are not subsidizing abortion clinics that perform possibly illegal late-term abortions."

Other groups that signed the letter include: Concerned Women for America, Operation Rescue, Pro-Life Action League, Americans For Truth, Americans United for Life and several of the state family policy councils associated with Focus on the Family.

Carrie Gordon Earll, senior analyst for bioethics at Focus on the Family Action, said the 107 charges may just be the beginning.

"When an organization that receives hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars is charged with illegal late-term abortions, a congressional inquiry is necessary," she said. "At the very least, a freeze on funding is warranted as criminal investigations continue."

Unfortunately, thanks to our biased mainstream media, many good and conscientious people still operate under the illusion that Planned Parenthood is a well-intentioned organization providing a service. The truth is that they are a huge profit-making venture getting away with corrupt and even criminal activity because the media would rather attack those who try to reveal the truth about PP.

Think about it. PP is the primary abortion provider in the US - probably the world. And since we are currently at 1.5 million abortions per year just in our country (that's 4000 per business day), at the going rate for abortions ($350-700 in the first trimester), we're talking Big Bucks at stake.

And PP is not a charitable organization. Though a number of abortions are "free" - they are only free to the moms terminating their babies' lives. PP bills the government for these and so we as taxpayers are paying for them.

PP receives millions of dollars above and beyond that in government funding - as well as millions from politically correct corporations. There's definitely a reason why PP wants to keep the abortion momentum going - follow the money. This is why PP hates abstinence education -t hey have a vested interest in teens being sexually active.

Most people are unaware that in many states their fourteen year old daughters could get an abortion - or may already have - without their parents ever knowing it. PP supports predatory men who knock up younger girls and then take them for abortions. This has been documented many places, but for starters, go to ChildPredators.com and Child Sex Abuse: CoverUp at Planned Parenthood, where you can hear actual tapes of calls made to PP clinics by someone posing as a 13 year old pregnant with the child of an adult man.

While in Aurora last week covering the story of the largest PP clinic in the world - which crept in under a phony corporation name and sidestepped proper zoning codes so that it is smack dab in a residential neighborhood next to a grocery store - I interviewed on of the city aldermen, who's been galvanized into action simply on this issue - because he has two young daughters and never knew his parental rights had been subverted by this predatory organization.

Why is PP above the rules? Why are they not regulated and subject to the same kind of scrutiny and accountability as even a place that pierces your daughter's ears? Why, if a public school cannot even give a child an aspirin and your student may be sent home for having a cough drop in her possession - the why, oh why can a child receive an abortion during school hours aided and abetted by school personnel who take them off campus?

You know, this stuff has been going on now for a couple of decades while the MSM ignored it - and where is that guy on TV who did the stings with Internet predators? Let's get him on the trail here! - but it's time for the new generation of parents to stop believing the lies they grew uyp with about "pro-choice," abortion, and Planned Parenthood. As you all are having children and trying to raise stronger families, you will probably want to take back control - and to know that if your child is in jeopardy, she would come to you for help and support.

PP has been one of the agencies working hardest to destroy families and the trust between parent and child. They are not an organization to respect or trust, but one that needs to be closely investigated and reined in from causing further damage and breaking more laws.

For more on

Grand Illusions: The Legacy of Planned Parenthood by George Grant
and
Politically Correct Death: Answering the Arguments for Abortion Rights by Francis Beckwith.

For where I'm coming from personally, having been on the other side of this issue, see Roe v Wade: Slippery Slopes Revisited or google "abortion" at MommyLife.

posted at TheMizReport

Imagine my surprise when I found out that the Supreme Court recently upheld the "Federal Abortion Ban"! Having never heard of this piece of legislation (and as a rabid anti-choicer I think I do a good job at following abortion-related news) I did a quick search for it on Wikipedia. Nothing. So I did a news search for it. No recent stories, and only two with that actual term, one of which is capitalized to give the air of being an actual thing. I then decide to do a regular Google search and I came up with a hypothesis that the NARAL blog, BushvChoice, is in fact talking about the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, which was upheld in Gonzales v. Carhart. I actually called my local NARAL affiliate and confirmed that, yes, this is what the blog was talking about.

Here's what the blog said, in order to pump up support for their Freedom of Choice Act:

The anti-choice movement has been slowly but surely chipping away at a woman's right to choose. In fact, more than 500 anti-choice measures have been enacted in the states since 1995. The most recent and devastating of these attacks on choice was the Supreme Court's closely divided and bitter decision upholding the Federal Abortion Ban.

News about Republican presidential wannabe Rudy Giuliani's loyalty to a pal, an accused pedophile monsignor who was removed from his priestly duties, has moved from the web to network TV.

The story of Giuliani's longtime friendship with and employment of Catholic Monsignor Alan Placa first broke back in June, here, on Salon.com. This week ABC News covered it, here.

Placa gave Giuliani an annulment from his first marriage, officiated at his second marriage, baptised his children and eulogized at the funeral of the former NYC mayor's father and mother. Salon also notes that Placa's remarks can be found in many of the high profile stories that have been written about Giuliani.

In a Suffolk County, N.Y., 2002 grand jury report, Placa has been identified as "Priest F," according to Salon. Amidst descriptions of various perverted behaviors, the report notes that "Priest F was cautious, but relentless in his pursuit of victims." ("Because the alleged criminal acts had occurred more than five years ago, however, the statute of limitations meant no charges could be filed against any of the accused," per Salon.)

Here's what the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests' (SNAP) National Director David Clohessy had to say about the grand jury hearings, testimony against Placa and Giuliani's attitude toward the serving of justice in comments posted on ABC News' website.

A few facts:1) The three victims testified under oath to a grand jury.2) Had they told falsehoods, they could have faced prosecution.3) The grand jury was an unbiased a panel of citizens chosen by veteran prosecutors precisely because they had no connections to any parties involved.4) There are no civil lawsuits, so the notion of some financial gain by someone here is ridiculous.5) All of this happened long before Giuliani declared or even discussed his presidential bid, so any claim that there's some kind of partisan bias here is ridiculous.6) Even the priest's own bishop suspended him and won't reinstate him after five years. The bottom line is that Giuliani's saying "I don't care what the three victims, the prosecutor's office, the journalists, the grand jury or the Long Island bishop know or say. I'm sticking by my pal."

Posted by: snapclohessy Oct-23

Lost childhood, like children missing to abortion, means nothing to I-do-it-my-way-Giuliani. If those of us who care about the birth and well-being of youngsters settle for this candidate, God help us.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan

Michael Medved on Guiliani being more pro-life than Democrat Presidential candidates:

Personally, I disagree with Giuliani on abortion. I am unhesitatingly pro-life, and I yearn for the Supreme Court to overturn the monstrous abomination of Roe v. Wade. Even so, whatever our distance from Giuliani on specific policies, we ought to recognize that he's far closer to the GOP mainstream than Clinton, Obama or any other Democrat, and that his mixed position -- anti-abortion and pro-choice -- actually correlates with the American majority.

(Who knows? Maybe it will come down to ???)

Washington Post op-ed columnist, Michael Gerson has a very profound column today. He expresses very articulately the slippery slope of abortion, child-screening and selective breeding causing society to focus on the temptation of eugenics.

Gerson begins his column discussing the recent racist remarks of Nobel-prize winning scientist, James Watson. He highlights a series of previous remarks made by Watson that demonstrates a more vicious and narrow views.

In 2003, Watson spoke in favor of genetic selection to eliminate ugly women: "People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty. I think it would be great." In 2000, he suggested that people with darker skin have stronger libidos. In 1997, Watson contended that parents should be allowed to abort fetuses they found to be gay: "If you could find the gene which determines sexuality and a woman decides she doesn't want a homosexual child, well, let her." In the same interview, he said, "We already accept that most couples don't want a Down child. You would have to be crazy to say you wanted one, because that child has no future."

"If you really are stupid," Watson once contended, "I would call that a disease." What is the name for the disease of a missing conscience?

Saturday I attended a private meeting of conservative leaders during the Family Research Council Washington Briefing, a Salt Lake City II if you will, to discuss dilemmas we face with the 2008 presidential candidates.

Instructions were given not to speak to the media, and since I am the media, I took that to mean details discussed were off-the-record and, of course, I'll honor that.

But speaking in generalities, two dilemmas were hashed:

Which Republican primary candidate should pro-lifers rally behind?

What if Rudy Giuliani ends up the nominee?

Generalized outcomes of the meeting:

Most in the room supported Mike Huckabee. A few important figures supported
Duncan Hunter.

For many well-researched reasons, third-party chatter was laid to rest.

It doesn't seem Mitt Romney will be able to surmount the Mormon and flip-flop obstacles among pro-life leaders, at least in the primary.

Giuliani was still anathema to everyone, despite his commendable attempt to reach out by speaking at the Briefing....

But what if conservatives cannot rally around one candidate, therefore dividing their vote, and winning Giuliani the primary? What if pro-lifers are faced with choosing between him or Hillary in the general?...

Continue reading my column today, "Behind the scenes at FRC Briefing," on WorldNetDaily.com.

There's a push in the Massachusetts Senate to move anti-abortion activists farther away from abortion clinics in that state.

Legislators are considering moving the "fixed buffer zone" to "a hard 35-foot perimeter around a clinic's entrances and driveways," reports the Associated Press.

Presently, according to the AP:

The existing law prohibits anyone within 18 feet of the entrance or driveway to an abortion clinic from approaching another person within 6 feet to hand out a leaflet or counsel that person without their consent.

Still, those who spend time outside of abortion clinics trying to dissuade women from aborting their unborn infants are a resilent bunch. If this legislation passes, these right-to-lifers will adapt and adopt new methods of communicating their message.

Abortion advocates and their legislative partners will never chase folks who are totally committed to a child's right to be born away from abortion clinics, no matter how many ways they try. Never.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with: http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

Dr. Bob Jones, III, chancellor of Bob Jones University, and Dr. Robert Taylor, Dean of the university's College of Arts and Sciences, received much criticism for their recent personal endorsement of Mitt Romney. Political conservatives criticized their endorsement because of Romney's recent (and politically expedient) conversion to conservatism. Some Fundamental Christians criticized their endorsement because of Romney's Mormon faith.

As a conservative Christian, a politically-involved pro-life activist, and a recent graduate of Bob Jones University, I understand their endorsement of Romney, but I think their trust is misplaced.

Planned Parenthood, NARAL and Sex Toys Welcome on "Catholic" College Campus

SIDENOTE by Annie of After Abortion:
I'm sorry to say I'm not surprised and this is really not "news."

Coverage of this mess is found here, on the Holy Cross Alumni website.

Kristan Hawkins, of Students for Life of America, began this post, having alerted us, over at After Abortion blog, to this development and she's asked our help, folks, so I'm finishing the post and publishing it for her (hope that is ok, Kristan). Please sign the petition or send an email or make a call.

Stand True, Christ-Centered Pro-life, will hold its fourth annual Pro-life Day of Silent Solidarity on Tuesday, Oct. 23. As of this morning tens of thousands of students from over 4,000 campuses world wide have registered to take part in this groundbreaking event. Stand True expects more than 100,000 students to stand in solidarity with each other to bring attention to the holocaust that is killing almost 4,000 babies every day in the United States alone.

"The students are speaking loud and clear, they want an end to legalized child killing" said Bryan Kemper, president of Stand True Ministries. "We are getting thousands of e-mails, comments and internet messages from students thanking us for giving them a peaceful way to stand up and be counted."

Here are just a few of the comments we have received from the students.
"I was almost aborted! So I am standing for all the babies who weren't as lucky as me."

"I'd just like to say that abortion is just utterly wrong. My mom had two abortions before me and she suffers from the emotional scares everyday. I always wondered what it would be like to have an older brother or sister and I'll never know."

"This is one of the most powerful and influential stands I've ever been called to be a part of, awesome guys."

"All I want to say is I once was pregnant and didn't even think about what I was doing when I had an abortion. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but then I realized what I had done and felt so horrible. I just couldn't help it, I started crying. Then I heard about this and wanted to be a part of it. I want to give a voice to the child I didn't have, so I really take this to the heart and will do this with much amore!"

"Thousands of American babies are permanently silenced every day by the violent act of abortion," said Bryan Kemper, President of Stand True Ministries. "This day is in honor of those children, and we will stay silent as an act of solidarity with these innocent victims."

Students will not only remain silent but will also wear red armbands and/or red duct tape on their mouths, and distribute educational flyers to anyone who asks why they are silent. Many home-schooled students will also participate in the event by visiting local malls and other public areas to distribute flyers.

Candidate Name	Total Votes	Percentage
1. Mitt Romney	1,595	27.62 %
2. Mike Huckabee	1,565	27.10 %
3. Ron Paul	865	14.98 %
4. Fred Thompson	564	9.77 %
5. Sam Brownback	297	5.14 %
6. Duncan Hunter	140	2.42 %
7. Tom Tancredo	133	2.30 %
8. Rudy Giuliani	107	1.85 %
9. John McCain	81	1.40 %

* The full results can be accessed at www.frcaction.org

The straw poll voting process is constructed so that each member of FRC Action will only be able to vote one time regardless of how the voting occurs (i.e. US mail, email alert or at the event). Every member of FRC Action has a unique identifier which must be used in order to vote electronically.

For more information on The Washington Briefing 2007: Values Voter Summit, log onto www.frcactionwashingtonbriefing.org

Eduardo Verastegui just spoke about Bella

The afternoon session is on at the Washington Briefing. Laura Ingraham just got done speaking.

Click here to go to ProLifeNews.tv where you can view the live feed on the Internet, as well as see more photographs of the participants.

The morning session of the Washington Briefing has ended. Click here for photos of the speakers, courtesty of ProLifeNews.tv

Gov Mike Huckabee - "Life begins at the moment of conception"

The Corner calls it a Great and Important and Effective Line. Bryan Preston calls it the quote of the day.

"I am pro-life because I know what it is like to live without human rights..."

See Video here

I also think it was a great line, a good message, and a well played one. However...while he claims to be the only "major" candidate that can claim always being pro-life..... He isn't the only candidate.

I thought this would be a good follow-up to the McCain Pro-Life post. McCain definitely got the quote of the day. Even before I established all of my political standpoints....back in highschool when I thought I was a hippy and for the most part a liberal...I've always been pro-life. This is a very important issue in my decision for President. Of course, I think Roe Vs. Wade is bad law and a mistake from our Supreme Court. I also believe this should be a matter for the States to decide. This is a big issue for me. So, here is what Romney says now.

See Video here

However, one thing that consistently bothers me with Romney is his inconsistency in his past positions. How does he really feel?

See a video of his past positions here."

I hope he has really changed to pro-life, but as pointed out in the video above...it really isn't clear.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest from the Family Research Council speaking at the Washington Briefing.

We will broadcasting live video from the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. throughout the day. Rudy Giulliani, followed by Michael Steele and now Michael Levin.

Of course the topic of abortions and morality come up frequently.

There will be many more speakers, even presidential candidates, today, so stay tuned.

Click here to go to ProLifeNews.tv and watch the live broadcast and more from the Washington Briefing 2007.

As the radio news report buzzed in the background of my parents' kitchen around lunchtime today, two items struck me as audacious.

My folks were tuned into WHYY, Philadelphia's public radio station.

The report of the Portland [Maine] School Committee's decision to make birth control pills and contraceptive patches available to 11 through 13-year-olds in the King Middle School raised my eyebrows and appalled my 82-year-old mother.

Here are the details from the Associated Press.

As if that was not enough...

Later in the broadcast a cheery voice announced that "Planned Parenthood is a proud supporter of WHYY." The voice added that Planned Parenthood offers a program for parents so that they can learn how to talk to to their children about contraceptives.

So the nation's busiest abortion provider supports WHYY public radio. Good. Because WHYY will never get another dime from me.

How about you?

Does Planned Parenthood support your local public radio, too?

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn

Senator Sam Brownback spoke at the Washington Briefing today in Washington D.C. at the Hilton Hotel. Speculation is that he is going to drop out of the race for President of the United States.

True or False?

ProLifeNews.tv got the scoop.

Watch the video & see for yourself

Click here to see some of the pictures from the Washington Briefing, courtesy and copyright ProLifeNews.tv 2007

Congressman Duncan Hunter kicked off the afternoon session of the Washington Briefing. Congressman Hunter is the sponsor of HR 618, the Federal Right to Life Bill, which was created to end abortion by giving the human being inside the womb the right to live.

Click here to go to ProLifeNews.tv for video & photos.

I'm filming, photographing & writing about the Washington Briefing in Washington D.C., at the Hilton. In addition to the snide comments about Republicans who are speaking, one of our own (media that is) decided to walk off with one of my cameras. Talk about bold, it was right behind me, underneath my camera bag!

Should I be surprised?

ProLifeNews.tv is broadcasting live video throughout the day from Washington D.C., where the Washington Briefing 2007 is being held. The Briefing, an annual event sponsored by the Family Research Council in Washington D.C., is largest gathering of Values Voters from across the nation.

Personalities include, all the Republican Presidential candidates, Laura Ingraham, James Dobson, Sean Hannity Tony Perkins & many many more.

All the speeches are including discussions about abortion, embryonic stem cell research, family values, religion in America and many other topics important to conservatives in America.

Click here to go to ProLifeNews.tv to watch the live video

David Bereit spoke in Bethesda, MD tonight about the 40 Days For Life project, one which encourages people to participate in prayer and fasting at local abortion mills. The event is taking America by storm and has been responsible for many confirmed "saves".

Click here to continue reading at ProLifeNews.tv

It is time to stop trying to please those who oppose life. We try to blend in or not make waves to appeal to the masses in so many different ways. To name a few:

> We try to not be too "Christian"
> We try to not be so "conservative"
> We try to appeal to Democrats
> We are constantly arguing with people who disagree with us
> We try to skirt around the health of the mother, life of the mother issue

We don't have to defend our position. People who are for abortion or do nothing to help end it are turning their backs on the killing of human beings. We don't choose to do that. It's that simple!

Click here to continue reading at ProLifeUnity.com

British filmmaker Tony Kaye's film "Lake of Fire" might be the ultimate statement on the issue of abortion in the United States.

By all accounts, Kaye's black and white documentary addresses the abortion issue from both sides with balance. What makes "Lake of Fire" most compelling, though, is the filmaker's choice to show abortion, blood, body parts and more, reports Breitbart.com.

"Lake of Fire" finished its run at the Film Forum of New York City today. Here's what critics in the Big Apple had to say about the documentary. The film is currently on a limited U.S. release.

To see if "Lake of Fire" is playing in your state, try here.

If the film is not showing locally, you might want to approach the appropriate venue in your area and request it.

Personally, I cannot wait to see it.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

I received this e-mail from Eric Scheidler over at the Pro-Life Action League...
...
This is an URGENT message for all pro-lifers in Wisconsin. If you
know anyone in Wisconsin who's pro-life, please forward this message.

The Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly could be voting TODAY on
whether to allocate $15 MILLION to a program that would hand out
birth control to girls as young as 15 WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.

Planned Parenthood already receives $6 million from the State of
Wisconsin annually, and this new budget could significantly increase
the tax dollars they receive every year.

Here's how to get contact information for Wisconsin's Elected Officials:

Legislative Hotline: 1-800-362-9472
Info Online: http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/

Again, please forward this information to everyone pro-lifer you know
in Wisconsin, right away.
...

by Fredi D'Alessio

Here we go again.

Yet another report (Induced abortion: estimated rates and trends worldwide) crafted to promote "reproductive health" (a term that is frequently used by UN agencies to promote legal abortion) and tying that goal to Millennium Development Goal #5, Improve Maternal Health.

Although it is true that the MDGs do not include the controversial issue of "reproductive health", after having done research for my commentary on the Millennium Development Goals, I am no less concerned about the underlying goal of many UN agencies and NGOs. I believe the pro-life community should be made fully aware of their agenda and their perspective of MDG #5. If you haven't yet read my exposé and all of the documents referenced therein, I urge you to do so. As an addendum to the commentary I believe we need to advocate for a new MDG and renumber the others making the new one the first and fundamental goal. That MDG should emphatically charge the worldwide community to respect and protect every human being's right to life from conception to natural death. Let's face it, the agenda to promote legal abortion and contraception worldwide will not cease.

Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, said in the general debate of the recent 62nd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, "We must work to stop and reverse the culture of death embraced by some social and legal structures that try to make the suppression of life acceptable by disguising it as a medical or social service." Thus, the MDG I proposed above should be the foundation for all the others.

The Archbishop added, "In this sense, the abolition of the death penalty should also be seen as a consequence of full respect for the right to life." The proponents of population control desire to invoke the sentence of death upon all unwanted (by them) children in their mothers' wombs and suppress the lives of those as yet not conceived.

I implore you to read "The Millennium Development Goals and the Critical Next Step for the Catholic Church" and all of the resources referenced therein to learn for yourself how serious this issue is and share this information with others.

Below are four articles. Be sure to read the last one that exposes the fallacy of reports on the numbers of abortions. Regardless of what the actual numbers are, the consequences of this holocaust are immeasurable.

• Induced abortion: estimated rates and trends worldwide
• 1 in 5 Pregnancies Worldwide Ends in Abortion, Study Says
• One in five pregnancies ends in abortion: study
• Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute Said to Play "fast and loose" With Abortion Stats

A midpoint rally for the 40 Days for Life project will be held on October 16th at the Knights of Columbus Rock Creek Mansion in Bethesda, Maryland. All are invited to attend.

Click here to continue reading at ProLifeNews.tv

Conservative Christian leaders' willingness to support a third party candidate for U.S. president, if the Republicans nominate abortion-friendly Rudy Giuliani as their pick, is a rash and reckless move.

Think fairly recent past history and flashback to 1992.

Then remember how Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot's third party candidacy split the vote enough to help Bill Clinton win the presidential election.

If third party candidate history repeats itself, the country might be stuck with another member of that dynamic political duo out of Arkansas, former First Lady and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton.

I shudder at the thought.

Columnist Kathleen Parker offers a reasonable human solution to conservatives' dilemna over the chummy with the choice crowd Republican frontrunner Giuliani. The answer is Mitt Romney.

"Romney right for values party," reads the headline on one of Parker's columns that ran on Sunday in the Albany Times Union.

As Parker notes, and I agree, Romney supports traditional values and lives it in personal life. He has succeeded in private enterprise, politics and managed to clean up a major money mess as the CEO of the Organizing Committee for the 2002 U.S. Olympics. Plus, he is now unapologetically pro-life.

Some people accuse Romney of being too clean.

Mr. Clean works well for me. I'll take Romney anyday over a narcissitic former N.Y. City mayor or an overly ambitious carpetbagging U.S. Senator presidential-dynasty-wannabe.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

Monday night, Sean Hannity interviewed Dr. James Dobson on the recent news that many conservative leaders may support a third-party candidate if Rudy Giuliani is put forth as the GOP presidential candidate.

This third-party business is a huge deal.

Hannity makes no bones about supporting Giuliani (an issue for another day). So I was not surprised he took the "lessor of two evils" approach with Dobson, i.e., if we don't accept Giuliani, we'll certainly get Hillary.

Dobson responded not just with solid moral arguments but two solid political arguments:

1. It's way too early to try to force conservatives - again - to compromise.

2. Who says Giuliani can beat Hillary?

Good people I know are warning against a conservative split from the GOP, and Dobson
acknowledged the danger.

But for many reasons, I'm open to following conservative leaders like Dobson and Tony
Perkins down this path, if they so decide....

Continue reading my column today, "Why Dobson is right," on WorldNetDaily.com.

Click the graphic below to access the Hannity/Dobson interview. There are 3 segments, all worth watching:

Abortions up in Minnesota - Should they be proud?

Yep, that's something to be proud of, that's for sure.

For the first time in five years, the number of abortions has risen in Minnesota in 2006. This effectively stops the decline seen in previous years in Minnesota and the country as a whole. Although I suspect that this current trend will be seen across the country, I don't have those numbers yet. However, given the information at hand regarding Planned Parenthood's numbers for 2006 (check out Wake Up America for more details), I fear that my suspicions may not even come close to the reality or gravity of the situation.

However, that much aside, let's just look at Minnesota, who's numbers were just released from the department of health:

• The number of Minnesota abortions rose 5% (703) from 2005 to 2006 -increasing the total number to 14,066. Of course, this is just the reported numbers.


• Not only did the total number go up, the total number of girls under the age of 18 increased by 16%.


• Planned parenthood averaged 272 abortions per month for the first 6 months of 2006 which then increased to 329 per month for the second half of the year.


• Planned parenthood saw an increase of 648 abortions last year, which makes up almost all of the increase seen last year


• 28% of the abortions performed were funded by the government


• of the 14,066 abortions, only 102 were due to incest or rape and only 162 were due to fetal anomalies. On the other hand, 9,598 just didn't want children


• 42% were on their second on more abortion.

The National Institute of Child Health & Human Development will launch a new $2.7 billion study of youngsters. (Hattip: The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Four federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will unite to conduct the National Children's Study, described below:

The National Children's Study will examine the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of more than 100,000 children across the United States, following them from before birth until age 21. The goal of the study is to improve the health and well-being of children.

Guess life does not begin at birth afterall! Somebody better tell abortion advocates.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

A team of stem cell researchers was recently awarded the 2007 Nobel prize for medicine.

Stem cell researchers Mario Capecchi, Martin Evans and Oliver Smithies won the 2007 Nobel prize for medicine or physiology for their work on gene changes in mice using embryonic cells, Sweden's Karolinska Institute said on Monday.

The prestigious 10 million Swedish crown ($1.54 million) prize recognized the international team's work, saying the benefits to mankind would increase in many years to come.

Adult stem cells, such as blood-forming stem cells in bone marrow (called hematopoietic stem cells, or HSCs), are currently the only type of stem cell commonly used to treat human diseases. Doctors have been transferring HSCs in bone marrow transplants for over 40 years. More advanced techniques of collecting, or "harvesting," HSCs are now used in order to treat leukemia, lymphoma and several inherited blood disorders.

Utterly and totally horrific that women abort up to 24 weeks.

My son, was born 5 weeks ago at 21 weeks and 5 days, he breathed alone for 2 1/2 hours. Two days later I registered his birth and death, and in three days time, I have his funeral.
I also miscarried in February at 10 weeks.

My nephew was born in July, at exactly 23 weeks, stillborn. And my niece 4 months earlier at 24 weeks and 3 days, she fought and struggled, but she has made it and is a miracle.

I'm lost for words right now, I would give the world for my son, my baby, and my nephew....how can a person choose to kill them? How can they sleep at night? I don't, it's been 5 weeks and I feel like my soul has been ripped away.....what sort of people are they?

Here's a great interview by Focus on the Family with our favorate pro-life blogger:

A life-changing event catapulted her into the pro-life movement, and now she's obsessed with it.

When Planned Parenthood tried to sneak an abortion clinic into suburban Chicago this year, it forgot to do its homework on local life advocate Jill Stanek. She, along with thousands of other pro-lifers, helped to delay the opening of the nation's largest abortion clinic for 14 days.

Eight years ago, Stanek was minding her own business, working as a nurse on the southwest side of Chicago. In a moment, her life changed, and she's been championing the life movement since. In January 2003, World magazine named her one of the 30 most prominent pro-life leaders of the past 30 years.

Stanek is a weekly columnist for WorldNetDaily and a public speaker on life issues. She told her story to CitizenLink.

more

On National Life Chain Sunday, October 7, prolifers in America and Canada will, for the 20th year, line sidewalks in over 1,300 cities and towns to seek God's forgiveness and His help to end abortion and related evils in our culture. Participants will hold signs that include Abortion Kills Children; Adoption: The Loving Option; Lord, Forgive Us and Our Nation; and Abortion Hurts Women. Frivolity and idle talk are not welcome.

Life Chain is a peaceful witness against a violent public enemy that has terrorized and killed probably well over 100 million preborn Americans and Canadians at surgical abortion clinics and through abortifacient birth controls that, tragically, few pastors will expose publicly. Said Life Chain director Royce Dunn, a Protestant, "God declared that 'My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge [Hosea 4:6].' That truth is for today, when we the church--the preborns' only hope for an advocate and defender--are disgraced by our casual response to their horror and loss."

Hillary's here. Hillary's there. Hillary's everywhere.

The press cannot get enough of former First Lady and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton and her quest to win the Democratic presidential nomination and the presidency.

This news junkie can safely say that I see, hear or read something about this woman with the scary smile everyday.

Since we don't agree on any issue, and I had enough of both Clintons during their White House years, I wish that Hillary would just go away. Beyond that impossible fancy, I'm hoping that people will grow weary of Hillary in much the same way that they tire of overexposed celebrities.

If someone did a poll on the top ten currently overexposed politicians -- much like one done by E-Poll Market Research about the most overexposed celebrities that Forbes.com describes here -- Hillary would lead the list.

Folks could only take so much of the top two overexposed celebrities Brittany and Paris after non-stop reporting on their whereabouts.

Likewise, perhaps people will be so weary of Hillary (if she wins the nomination as the press predicts) that they will decide they cannot tolerate a presidential term full of news about her when Election Day finally rolls around more than a year from now.

Stranger things have happened.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

A new ad aimed at discrediting Mitt Romney says more about its source than the targeted man who wants to be the Republican presidential nominee.

The homosexual advocacy group Log Cabin Republicans' campaign stresses Romney's past record in supporting abortion rights and opposing the gun lobby. It also suggests that the candidate is hostile towards "conservatives," people of faith and "Ronald Reagan."

Here's the Associated Press' report on the advertisement.

Better yet, see the 30-second ad on Log Cabin's website.

Oddly, the issue closest to Log Cabin Republicans' hearts -- gay rights -- is not mentioned by the ad's narrator.

Viewers learn that the ad was "Paid for by Log Cabin Republicans," but not that "Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest organization of Republicans who support fairness, freedom, and equality for gay and lesbian Americans."

Meanwhile, today Romney supports the right to life (As a convert to the pro-life movement myself, I'm willing to take him at his word.) and bear arms, is a person of faith and certainly has nothing against Ronald Reagan.

Romney also backs a constitutional amendment to affirm marriage between a man and a woman, another item missing from the Log Cabin Republicans' contrived ad.

LCR's strange reaction to Romney suggests there's growing concern that too many people are finding the candidate attractive!

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

In every single press release NARAL puts out, they make sure to add some subtle reference to the will of the people, stating something like "Americans stated loud and clear that..." or "Americans will not stand for..." as if NARAL was nothing more than the National Will-of-the-People Action League rather than the National Abortion Rights Action League. Their somewhat recent name change from "NARAL" to "NARAL: Pro-Choice America" is another way in which they try to show people that they are simply standing up for what Americans really want.

I have gone over time and time again that "pro-choice" to the average pro-choicer is not the same as NARAL's definition. However insane the pro-choice position may be, most people who attach themselves to the label do not believe:

1) In abortion after the first trimester for any reason
2) In partial-birth abortion for any reason
3) In forcing hospitals that are religiously-based into performing abortions
4) In allowing 14 year-old girls to get abortions without their parents' notification/consent
5) In allowing organizations like Planned Parenthood to cross-state lines with minors without their parents knowledge/consent
6) In not reporting rapes of minor girls to 1) their parents or 2) the police
7) In not holding any type of clinical or medical standards for abortion clinics

Planned Parenthood, the organization who has pioneered legal and wide-spread abortion and contraception, has been in hot water lately. The organization has stooped to an all-time stupid by threatening a lawsuit on a college student who posed as a 15-year-old impregnated by her 23-year-old boyfriend. Parenthood's employees ignored the obvious-- that is statutory rape! They also encouraged her to lie about her age and his. They are suing her for taping the incident without their consent! Serious accusations were also made against PP for the same problems back in 2002 by a group called Life Dynamics. I'm so glad one of the biggest "health care" organizations in the country really cares.

Planned Parenthood's founder, Margaret Sanger, is the epitome of deception. Today, Planned Parenthood calls itself a "health care" organization and hopes to be one of the "10 best places to work and volunteer", but it hides an agenda that is both shocking and disturbing. From the very beginning PP has been an organization of malice, deceit, and ill-will. From Diane Dew:

Sanger believed: -for the purpose of racial "purification," couples should be rewarded who chose sterilization. (Birth Control in America, The Career of Margaret Sanger, by David Kennedy, p. 117, quoting a 1923 Sanger speech).

-the genetic makeup of the poor, and minorities, for example, was inferior. (Pivot of Civilization, by Margaret Sanger, 1922, p. 80)

-the purpose in promoting birth control was "to create a race of thoroughbreds," she wrote in The Birth Control Review, Nov. 1921 (p. 2)

-In Pivot of Civilization, Sanger referred to immigrants and poor folks as "human weeds," "reckless breeders," "spawning ... human beings who never should have been born."

-Sanger's ultimate intention was to do away with all blacks.

-"We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population," she said, "if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members." (Woman's Body, Woman's Right: A Social History of Birth Control in America, by Linda Gordon)

-In her "Plan for Peace," Sanger outlined her strategy for eradication of those she deemed "feebleminded." Among the steps included in her evil scheme were immigration restrictions; compulsory sterilization; segregation to a lifetime of farm work; etc. (Birth Control Review, April 1932, p. 107)

(That last one is laughable).

Planned Parenthood has also been accused time and time again of covering up the link between abortion and breast cancer. From as early as 1994 (thirteen years ago!) studies have revealed that an abortion causes great danger of breast cancer to the mother.

-National Cancer Institute study (1994): showed a clear link between having an abortion and the subsequent development of breast cancer. This NCI research disclosed that if the abortion was performed before age 18, the risk was increased by 150%. If the woman was over 30 and had a family history of mother, sister, grandmother, or aunt with breast cancer the risk went up by 270%.

Since then, studies have only confirmed the findings. Since then, Planned Parenthood continues to deny the link between abortion and breast cancer and does not even acknowledge the possibility on their website. "Abortion does not cause breast cancer or increase the risk of breast cancer." This is highly irresponsible for a "health care" organization.

They also claim,

"We know for sure that the embryo or fetus cannot perceive pain in the nearly 99 percent of all abortions that occur before the 20th week of pregnancy. It is even possible that a fetus is unable to perceive pain at any time during pregnancy. If, however, the ability to feel pain does develop before birth and consciousness, it is likely to happen only after the 28th week of pregnancy, when abortion is performed only for rare, unusual medical situations."

Planned Parenthood dispels worries about "long-lasting emotional problems, or 'post-abortion syndrome.' They reassure: "There is no scientific proof for these claims." Instead, they claim that emotional problems are based on:

• the pregnancy was wanted but the health of the fetus or the woman was in danger
• having an abortion is related to serious problems in a relationship or other disturbing life events
• a woman is depressed or has other emotional problems that predate her pregnancy

the risk of death from medication abortion -- about one out of 100,000 -- is

• about the same as it is from miscarriage -- about one out of 100,000
• higher than it is from early vacuum aspiration abortion -- about one out of one million
• lower than it is from carrying a pregnancy to term -- about 10 out of 100,000

Planned Parenthood is more than just a friendly organization seeking to help the poor, needy, and permiscuious. They rake in millions of dollars each year, from abortion sales, governement grants (tax money), and supporters.

For its 2002-2003 fiscal year, PPFA reported a total income of $766.6 million, which is an increase of 10.7 % over the previous year. Clinic income of $288.2 million accounted for 36% of the total income, while government grants and contracts ($254.4 million) accounted for 33%, and private contributions ($228.1 million) accounted for 30%. PPFA listed end of the year net assets of $688.0 million. Since 1987, PPFA has reported a total of $8,350,300,000 of income with $2,947,000,000 coming from clinic income (36%), $2,709,300,000 coming from government grants and contracts (32%), and 2,244,500,000 coming from private contributions (27%).

Friends of the unborn,

It's the first Friday of the month & it's time to call for life! We need to call our representatives on a regular basis and challenge them to oppose abortion and human killing research, like embryonic stem cell research and cloning.

Go to MonthlyCallForLife.com for everything you need to know and do, like who to call/Email and what you might want to say. Please forward this message to everyone you know who might participate in this Monthly Call for Life.

Thank you all for everything you do to help the unborn. Without us, they would die in silence and alone.

News & Info

Click here to continue reading at ProLifeUnity.com

From the New York Times:

"We have to be steered by values and morals," Mrs. Clinton said yesterday, and she pointed to guidelines drawn up by the National Institutes of Health during her husband's administration as a kind of "ethical framework" through which such work could advance.

For example, she said, the use of embryonic stem cells to create tissue whose DNA is identical to that of an ailing person, a process called therapeutic cloning, "is within the ethical framework."

Hillary is also misleading reporters about the NIH guidelines created under her husband. Those guidelines say the federal government should only fund research using stem cells from human embryos if those cells were harvested from frozen IVF embryos "in excess of clinical need."

Five Pro-Life people were arrested on the A-B Tech Campus grounds in Asheville, North Carolina. Why? Because of what is known as a "Face the Truth" type event, one where signs of aborted babies are shown to the public in order to get them to understand what abortion really is. Many officers were called in to arrest 5 people who were exercising their first amendment rights.

Click here to continue reading at ProLifeNews.tv

Earlier today I wrote about how Brother Joe Kamis has reversed himself and is allowing Catholic Schools in the diocese to donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

But I thought he could use some encouragement and information on this issue, and not just from me.

Please contact him and politely ask him to rethink his position based on some of the considerations listed below. Why? Well, first of all he appears to have made a ill informed decision. Second, his decision could start a trend in other dioceses. Lastly, the last thing we need is for the Church to help keep the lights on at PP by funding the Susan G. Komen foundation.

Brother Joe Kamis, the superintendent for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, reversed himself and is allowing Catholic Schools in the diocese to donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation:

Kamis stated that "The archdiocese reversed itself after foundation officials agreed in writing to use the money only for breast cancer research"

While this might sound ok on the surface, it simply frees up more of Komen's funding, which possibly means more, or at least sustained, funding for Planned Parenthood.

Interestingly enough, according to a statement released today by the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, a study released yesterday in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons suggests that abortion is the "best predictor of breast cancer".

What are the implications? Well, one implication is that keeping the lights on at the nation's biggest abortion provider's clinics isn't going to help reduce breast cancer.

Adding to this problem is that breast cancer has been tied to use of the pill. (On that note, studies vary on the length of OC usage and the risk of breast cancer).

Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest provider of oral contraceptives and abortion, and while abortions have been declining, the number of abortions performed by PP has increased.

Now, while Planned Parenthood uses the Komen funds "only" for mammograms, the money PP receives from Komen helps keep the lights on, and that only helps keep the money pouring in and bodies pouring out.

And the more fungible money PP has, the more resources it has to open new abortion clinics in areas like Aurora, Illinois and Denver, Colorado.

As Brother Kamis stated, things may not be "black and white" - but just look at the shades of grey here. Shoring up Komen's research funds frees funds for turning over to PP, which in turn shores up PP's funds for establishing more clinics, which only helps increase the amount of abortions they perform.

To me, this isn't about shades of grey, it's about shades of red - blood red. Brother Kamis, please reverse your well intended but faulty decision.

I've always thought that portrayals by pro-aborts of pro-lifers as violent abortion mill stalkers must hurt their recruitment drives for abortion mill workers. One reason for the shortage of abortionists has to be that the industry has conditioned the ignorant among them, which, come to think of it, is all of them, to be fearful of us.

But this past month the "pro-lifers are violent!" accusations have been ricocheting off the abortion industry's bulletproof glass back at it so wildly even I feel like ducking....

How many gazillion times have we heard that line, a key talking point abortion linchpins devised decades ago to indict hundreds of millions of pro-lifers for the .0001 percent who opt for vigilante justice....

But, hey, it's a label I've never minded. So what if the other side thinks I'm liable to draw out my six-shooter if they look at me funny? I would find that power amusing if I knew the ringleaders of the movement really thought that, which they don't.

Which brings me to three observations from the Aurora Planned Parenthood spectacle....

[T]o reinforce the "pro-lifers are violent" brand, PP built a fortress in Aurora with a security system worthy of Danny Ocean, complete with bulletproof windows, doors and walls, and maybe even snipers on the roof.

But in an ironic twist, this backfired....

Continue reading my column today, "Planned Parenthood's bulletproof glass," on WorldNetDaily.com.

Pro-lifers might want to look for silver linings, as they hope for minimal loss of life, in the disappointing turn of events in Planned Parenthood's opening today in Aurora, Ill.

Because of the clinic opening, consumers continue to hear the voices of pro-lifers and pro-life leadership in the mainstream media. And, those measured, often gentle, voices make sense.

Unlike the lunatics-for-life who regularly starred in news stories about anti-abortion advocates in bygone days, reasonable people are making their cases against abortion and Planned Parenthood, a.k.a. Gemini Office Development and Gemini Health System, in online, newspaper and television coverage of the controversy.

(Many thanks to Jill Stanek for tip after tip on news coverage [two stories mentioned below] of the ongoing Aurora story, and more, that you will find posted on her website.)

One voice heard in a Fox News Chicago report, Ana McCarthy states with simple clarity her disgust with Planned Parenthood for trying to sneak an abortion clinic in her Hispanic community without the permission of Hispanics like herself.

Anti-abortion's leading voice in Aurora, the Pro-Life Action League's Communication Director Eric Scheidler, addresses each turn of events there with an even-tempered intelligence that comes across on camera.

Scheidler's even-tempered intelligence is also evident in the Chicago Tribune's profile of the former college professor of English, "2nd-generation activists take lead in abortion battle," which compares him to Planned Parenthood's President Cecile Richards.

The Trib's reporter gives Cecile Richards the last word in that story. Planned Parenthood's president said:

"I think [the battle over the clinic] will be associated with increasingly desperate measures ... and that these tactics will backfire."

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
Crossposting with http://www.mothermayibeborn.com

A young friend, one of my 20-year-old daughter's dearest, had a baby boy yesterday. His name is Jack. Mother and baby were the subject of my April 26 post "Bittersweet Pregnancy Sweetened."

I visited the new mother, her mother, aunts and cousins and met precious little Jack in our local hospital's maternity ward today.

As I held this beautiful unplanned baby, I considered his good luck.

Jack is treasured by his college student mother and college student father and by their extended families. Many loving hands are prepared to help these unplanned parents manage their new roles.

If the contagious joy that Jack spread though a hospital room during my visit is any indication, this tiny surprise will be a source of much happiness for the fine people in his family.

Blessings often arrive unexpectedly.

(c) 2007 Marybeth T. Hagan
http://www.mothermayibeborn.com