Maryland Orders Dangerous Abortionist To Stop Practicing Illegally :Operation Rescue: Troubled abortionist Steven Chase Brigham has been issued a cease and desist order by the Maryland State Board of Physicians ordering him to stop the illegal practice of medicine, including abortions, at five locations throughout Maryland because he does not and never has been licensed in that state. The order, dated August 25, 2010, indicates that Brigham has been practicing illegally in Maryland since January, 2010.
The Maryland locations involved are located in Baltimore, Cheverly, Fredrick, College Park, and Elkton. Currently, all the clinics remain open and staffed by other abortionists. He operates a number of abortion mills in several states under the name American Women’s Services.
Brigham has been under investigation and discipline throughout his entire 20-year career. He voluntarily retired his medical license in Pennsylvania while under investigation just six years after graduating from medical school. Since then, Brigham had medical licenses revoked in New York and Florida, and received disciplinary action in California and New Jersey. He served 120 days in jail in 1998 for Medicaid fraud. A judge once ordered him to stop advertising his abortions as “painless” and “safe.”
Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue: A man was arrested Saturday, August 28, outside Southwestern Women’s Options, a late-term abortion clinic operated by Curtis Boyd in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after he threatened to shoot two pro-life women who were offering help to abortion-bound women.
The unidentified man and his wife were escorting their daughter into the abortion clinic when the wife and daughter walked over to the pro-life women to discuss alternatives to abortion. The man became angry and ushered his family toward the clinic.
“When we come out, I’m going to put a bullet in your head if you talk to her,” the man told the pro-life women. Witnesses said the man then lifted his shirt to show the women a dark object partially tucked into his trousers. The women recognized the object as a gun and called the police.
The unidentified man and his wife were escorting their daughter into the abortion clinic when the wife and daughter walked over to the pro-life women to discuss alternatives to abortion. The man became angry and ushered his family toward the clinic.
“When we come out, I’m going to put a bullet in your head if you talk to her,” the man told the pro-life women. Witnesses said the man then lifted his shirt to show the women a dark object partially tucked into his trousers. The women recognized the object as a gun and called the police.
Inside a failed PP affiliate
Planned Parenthood Clinics Are Stripped of Affiliation After Complaints - NYTimes.com : A financial and administrative meltdown in recent years has led to the end of one of the largest Planned Parenthood affiliates in the United States. Patients visiting Planned Parenthood’s eight clinics in San Francisco and four other Bay Area counties often encountered wait times exceeding two-and-a-half hours. Shortages of critical supplies, including intrauterine devices, meant some patients were turned away. Doctors, nurses, midwives and physician’s assistants complained to the national organization about low morale and a hostile work environment at Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, the local affiliate that owned and operated the clinics.
Interviews with current and former staff members and executives of Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, as well as documents obtained by The Bay Citizen, show a health organization that was unraveling under the strain of financial distress, even as it portrayed itself as a robust institution that attracted high-profile supporters. Planned Parenthood Golden Gate’s leaders said the organization was undermined by a poor economy and lack of support from the national organization.
More than 100 local affiliates pay dues to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which operates an (800) number and a Web site connecting patients to the clinics in their area. Affiliates use the Planned Parenthood name, as well as the organization’s medical standards, guidelines and educational materials; they get discounts on supplies, like contraceptives, and support with fund-raising.
CEO Harrison won the admiration of wealthy donors and board members, who praised her as an innovative leader whose vision for social justice extended far beyond the Bay Area, even leading her to forge a partnership in Ethiopia to try to improve reproductive health care there. Yet many staff members saw Ms. Harrison and her team as out of touch with their daily realities, creating a dysfunctional corporate culture. Some former employees still hold occasional get-togethers dubbed the “P.P.G.G. P.T.S.D. Support Group.”
Financially, Planned Parenthood Golden Gate did not measure up to its public profile. According to a 2007 internal report by the national organization, its finances were the worst among the top 10 largest affiliates in the country. Planned Parenthood Golden Gate failed to meet four out of nine indicators of financial health that year, the report said. Some of those benchmarks — like maintaining 60 days of cash on hand — had not been met for years.
Interviews with current and former staff members and executives of Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, as well as documents obtained by The Bay Citizen, show a health organization that was unraveling under the strain of financial distress, even as it portrayed itself as a robust institution that attracted high-profile supporters. Planned Parenthood Golden Gate’s leaders said the organization was undermined by a poor economy and lack of support from the national organization.
More than 100 local affiliates pay dues to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which operates an (800) number and a Web site connecting patients to the clinics in their area. Affiliates use the Planned Parenthood name, as well as the organization’s medical standards, guidelines and educational materials; they get discounts on supplies, like contraceptives, and support with fund-raising.
CEO Harrison won the admiration of wealthy donors and board members, who praised her as an innovative leader whose vision for social justice extended far beyond the Bay Area, even leading her to forge a partnership in Ethiopia to try to improve reproductive health care there. Yet many staff members saw Ms. Harrison and her team as out of touch with their daily realities, creating a dysfunctional corporate culture. Some former employees still hold occasional get-togethers dubbed the “P.P.G.G. P.T.S.D. Support Group.”
Financially, Planned Parenthood Golden Gate did not measure up to its public profile. According to a 2007 internal report by the national organization, its finances were the worst among the top 10 largest affiliates in the country. Planned Parenthood Golden Gate failed to meet four out of nine indicators of financial health that year, the report said. Some of those benchmarks — like maintaining 60 days of cash on hand — had not been met for years.
Planned Parenthood Blocks Release of Papers on Telemed Abortion Practitioner
Planned Parenthood Blocks Release of Papers on Telemed Abortion Practitioner: The Iowa-based Planned Parenthood affiliate that has the nation's first abortion practitioner overseeing the new telemed abortion concept has filed a lawsuit to block Operation Rescue's request for papers on the abortion practitioner's medical license. OR is also concerned that the Iowa Board of Medicine tipped off Planned Parenthood officials to its request for the documents. The latest developments come after the IBM announced it would create a committee that would possibly study telemed abortions.
Study on Later Abortions
Study on Later Abortions: A study of women who had abortions has found that women undergoing later abortions face increased psychological risks, are more likely to be ambivalent about having an abortion and are more likely to need counseling and support.
The results came from an online survey of 374 women who answered a detailed questionnaire about the circumstances leading to their abortions, their previous mental health history, history or physical or sexual abuse and emotional state following abortion. The small study, published in the Journal of Pregnancy, is the first to compare the experiences of women having early abortions compared to women having later abortions (in the second or third trimester).
My Friend is Pregnant. What do I Say? Should I Say Anything?
My Friend is Pregnant and Considering Abortion, What do I Say to Her? Should I Say Anything to Her? � Social Justice Begins in the Womb – Daily Pro-life Updates from the BK Lounge: I have received a lot of e-mails and facebook messages recently asking me how to talk to a friend who is considering abortion, or if they should say anyting at all. This is probably one of the hardest questions I have to answer, and unfortunately it is asked too often.
5-day pill moves emergency contraception back to doctor's office :: Aug. 30, 2010 ... American Medical News
amednews: 5-day pill moves emergency contraception back to doctor's office :: Aug. 30, 2010 ... American Medical News: When the Food and Drug Administration approved Plan B in 1999, some doctors objected on moral grounds to prescribing the emergency contraceptive. Much of the controversy faded when Plan B went to over-the-counter status in 2006. Today, the drug is available OTC for women 17 and older, but younger patients still need a prescription.
Now that the FDA has approved ella (ulipristal acetate), a prescription-only emergency contraceptive, the debate about whether to prescribe such drugs is moving back to the doctor's office. With it comes ethical and legal questions for physicians, particularly those who object to emergency contraception for various reasons.
Now that the FDA has approved ella (ulipristal acetate), a prescription-only emergency contraceptive, the debate about whether to prescribe such drugs is moving back to the doctor's office. With it comes ethical and legal questions for physicians, particularly those who object to emergency contraception for various reasons.
Some employed physicians were pressured by their employers to offer Plan B when it was a prescription-only drug. Doctors may take issue with the similarities between ella and RU-486. Most ethicists agree that physicians who consider contraception immoral do not need to provide emergency contraceptives. Instead, they can refer patients to physicians who will prescribe such drugs. If a patient requests ella during an office visit, he said a physician should tell her, with compassion and sensitivity, "This is something I can't participate in."
Professor Acknowledges Induced Abortion-Preterm Birth Associaton
Prolife OBGYNS – AAPLOG – American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians & Gynecologists � OSU MFM Professor Acknowledges Induced Abortion-Preterm Birth Associaton: This is an extremely informative article on preterm birth, an issue that complicates 1 in 8 pregnancies in the U.S.A. Because of associated morbidity and expense, preterm birth is of intense interest to the medical community.
What Would America Look Like Without Abortions?
Illegal Abortion Myths: What Would America Look Like Without Abortions?: Just imagine the victim impact statements that would be read at the court proceedings. Women would talk about how they ached for the children that they lost and how they had been robbed of the priceless gift of motherhood. They would speak of infections, hemorrhaging, perforations of the uterus, convulsions, and endotoxic shock. They would talk of their thoughts of suicide, and the endless agony that propelled them into drug and alcohol abuse.
Half of Russians oppose abortion ban
According to 54% of Russians, an ideal family should have two children. Also, the number of abortion ban opponents in Russia has reduced to 48% from 57% in 2007. A quarter of Russians believe that overall abortions should be banned and allowed only by medical referrals (20% in 2007). At the same time, another 16% want a total ban on abortions (15%). Kyiv Post
International Bible Givers
. . . gives Bibles to PCCs. "Helping save the lives of the next generation while preventing despair and grief in peoples lives for uninformed decisions." International Bible Givers
Sexual infections reach a record high in the UK
Sexual infections reach a record high in the UK | News | The Christian Institute: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have reached historic levels, and the number of teenage pregnancies is also on the rise. Experts have expressed alarm at the resurgence of infections such as gonorrhoea, which increased by six per cent, after having previously been in decline.
Editor: Safe sex is clearly not working.
Coalition to focus more on abstinence in drugs policy
Coalition to focus more on abstinence in drugs policy | News | The Christian Institute: The UK says a “new approach” is needed on drug abuse, one which focuses on helping addicts to get completely drug-free. Home Office minister James Brokenshire has set out the strategy, also saying that heroin substitute drug methadone would be used less widely than previously.
Editor: So, "safe drug use" doesn't work, but "safe sex" does?
Pro-Life Feminism is Not a Tactic
Pro-Life Feminism is Not a Tactic, No Mere Strategy - Feminists for Life of America: Rather than using pro-life feminism as a weapon, FFL rolls out the red carpet and welcomes all those who Refuse to Choose between women and children and instead wish to focus on holistic, woman-centered solutions.
Book review - Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
InspireLifeNow: Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide: The title comes from an ancient Chinese proverb that states “Women hold up half the sky.” The book travels the globe bringing to light areas where women are being oppressed, abused, tortured and killed. Heartbreaking and ungodly topics like genital cutting, honor killings, rape of virgins, sexual slavery, forced early marriages, sky rocketing maternal mortality rates, denied education for girls and international poverty pepper the pages. The authors search to find solutions and interview victims and community workers that are making a difference in each of these areas. Sadly, the authors do not see abortion as a form of oppression but see worldwide access to abortion as a way out of oppression for women.
Great words promoting good causes
Nonprofit Tagline Awards and Report Overview | Nonprofit Marketing | Getting Attention: A strong tagline does double-duty — working to extend your organization’s name and mission, while delivering a focused, memorable and repeatable message to your base. It’s one of your most effective marketing tools, but a GettingAttention.org survey showed that 72% of nonprofit organizations don’t have a tagline or rate theirs as performing poorly.
Focus on the Family Donates 500th Ultrasound
Focus on the Family Donates 500th Ultrasound, Saving 81K Babies From Abortion: Focus on the Family recently donated its 500th ultrasound machine to a pregnancy center. The program is credited with saving as many as 81,000 children from abortions across the United States. Focus on the Family's research shows that the combined provision of counseling and ultrasound services result in nearly 60 percent more stated decisions for life than counseling alone.
Funding to be Cut for 176 Abstinence Programs
Obama, Congress Cut Funding for 176 Abstinence Programs Despite New Study: More than 176 abstinence education programs will lose funding for their outreaches to youth and young adults on September 30 because Congress and the Obama Administration canceled all grants going to abstinence-centered programming in their FY2010 budget.
The funding cuts will come even though the Obama administration was forced to reveal the results of a new study on Monday showing the effectiveness of abstinence education programs and the support parents have for them.
The funding cuts will come even though the Obama administration was forced to reveal the results of a new study on Monday showing the effectiveness of abstinence education programs and the support parents have for them.
MA abortionist faces trial
Operation Rescue: Abortionist Rapin Osathanondh faces trial for manslaughter on September 7, 2010, in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, nearly 3 years to the day after he killed Laura Hope Smith during a botched abortion. Osathanondh’s Hyannis abortion mill was understaffed and ill-equipped for emergencies when Ms. Smith suffered complications to the powerful anesthesia that the abortionist improperly used. She died at the clinic.
Minnesota Positive Alternatives Program Helps 13,000 Women Avoid Abortions
Minnesota Positive Alternatives Program Helps 13,000 Women Avoid Abortions: The Minnesota Department of Health shows 13,037 women received services from the Positive Alternatives grant during the second grant cycle of the program, running from July 2008 through June 2010.
Positive Alternatives was passed by the state legislature in 2005 with the support of MN Citizens Concerned for Life and signed into law by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Grants are given to life-affirming organizations offering essential services in the following areas: medical attention for the woman and the unborn child, nutritional services, housing assistance, adoption services, education and employment assistance, child care assistance, and parenting education and support services. A total of 37 organizations received $4.75 million in two-year grants in 2006. The second round of grants totaling $4.7 million was awarded to 31 agencies in July 2008.
Crusader with a checkbook helps women fund abortions
Crusader with a checkbook: Anne Nicol Gaylor helps women fund abortions: At all hours, strangers phone Anne Nicol Gaylor's Madison home, always desperate. The caller one recent morning was a middle-aged woman with a 14-year-old pregnant daughter.
'What clinic will she be using?' asked Gaylor, 83, jotting down the response and the cost of a second-trimester abortion ($875). 'If we helped with $300, do you think you could find the rest?'
'What clinic will she be using?' asked Gaylor, 83, jotting down the response and the cost of a second-trimester abortion ($875). 'If we helped with $300, do you think you could find the rest?'
After the call, Gaylor opened a checkbook for the Women's Medical Fund, a Madison nonprofit that has helped pay for abortions for 34 years. Gaylor has written every check for every abortion. This was No. 18,986.
‘Abortion’ Googled more in conservative areas
‘Abortion’ Googled more in conservative areas - BostonHerald.com: Dr. Ben Reis and Dr. John Brownstein of Children’s Hospital Boston Infomatics Program reviewed the abortion rates and policies in 50 states and 37 countries and compared the information against the number of Internet searches for the word “abortion.” They found more searches in states and countries with more restrictive policies or less access to abortion and lower abortion rates.
Editor: Seems they're making a huge assumption about the searchers' motives.
California City Drops Charges Against Sidewalk Counselor
California City Drops Charges Against Pro-Life Abortion Sidewalk Counselor: San Marcos City has dismissed all criminal charges against a pro-life sidewalk counselor that arose out of a loitering citation she received in May 2010. Elena Di Ventra had been issued a citation for loitering after she walked into a parking lot adjacent to an abortion center to speak with a pregnant girl and offer her life-saving information about her baby.
Baby photo contest wins attention at the fair
Judges gave 1st prize honors to this caption: "Where has this sugar stuff been all my life?" Andrea Kinney won an mp3 player preloaded with a thousand songs for it.
2nd place: "Wow! So that is the taste of lemon!"
3rd place: "You're going to stick that where?"
U.S. sues West Palm abortion protester
U.S. sues West Palm abortion protester: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is seeking an injunction preventing Mary Susan Pine from allegedly blocking women from entering the center where abortions are performed. If he is successful, the 58-year-old West Palm Beach woman also could face a $10,000 fine. The lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court marks the first time anyone in Florida has been charged under the 16-year-old Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.
Her attorney contends she doesn't remember ever physically blocking a car outside the clinic, as Holder is charging. Further, she told him she doesn't stand where Holder alleges the confrontation took place, but prefers to stand by the exit driveway because the entrance also leads to a Wendy's and she doesn't want to waste her time talking to people stopping for burgers.
Virginia can regulate abortion clinics
Virginia Politics Blog - Updated: Cuccinelli: State can regulate abortion clinics: Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, who is anti-abortion, has issued a legal opinion allowing greater restrictions on abortion clinics, drawing swift criticism from providers who say it could cause some of the facilities to close.
Gov't releases abstinence report
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has now released the full results of a government study that will give behavioral scientists insight into how parental attitudes and social norms are key to promoting abstinence before marriage, rather than sex ed programs. Until now, HHS had been criticized for its delayed release of the full results of the study, as only an executive summary of the study’s final conclusions were available. LifeSiteNews
The 196-page report entitled National Survey of Adolescents and Their Parents: Attitudes and Opinions About Sex and Abstinence had several findings that appeared to controvert conventional wisdom on teen attitudes and sex education. For example, the report found that “adolescents and parents generally oppose pre-marital sex,” adding that adolescents have slightly more permissive views than their parents. Approximately 70 percent of parents were morally opposed to their teens having premarital sex, while just over 60 percent of teens agreed that only married persons should have sex. Parental and social attitudes toward sex and abstinence were far more influential than classroom education, even when abstinence-based. HHS report
With Birth Control Pills, New Isn't Always Better
The latest generation of birth control pills has been marketed as doing much more than prevent pregnancy. They claim to clear the skin, make menstrual periods more benign, even prevent mood swings. But some critics suggest these benefits don't outweigh the health risks known to accompany oral contraceptives. NPR
AAPLOG on ella: "An embryocidal drug"
The American Association of Pro-Life Ob/Gyns has posted their letter to the FDA on the dangers to women and unborn babies of the new "emergency contraceptive" ella.
China: Abortion, infanticide, suicide
Life Issues Institute asks, "Is it any wonder that in a country that practices forced abortion, sterilization and infanticide that China also has the highest female suicide rate in the world?" China Profile
Binge drinking fueling abortions and promiscuity
Binge drinking is fuelling abortions and promiscuity | News | The Christian Institute: Women who binge drink are more likely to have an abortion or take the morning-after pill, according to new research. Research by University College London has revealed that binge-drinking women were 40 per cent more likely to have had at least one abortion over the past year.
Editor: Actually, it would be "promiscuity and abortions."
RN charged with performing unlawful abortion (Ark. Dept. of Health)
RN charged with performing unlawful abortion (Ark. Dept. of Health): A registered nurse employed by the El Dorado office of the Arkansas Department of Health has been charged with performing an unlawful abortion on a 20-year-old El Dorado resident. Tracye Summerville is also being charged with first-degree attempted criminal battery, possessing medication without proper documentation and performing an abortion without a license.
The El Dorado Police Department said that Summerville provided a female with five Cytotec pills, which are used to abort a fetus during the first trimester of pregnancy, on May 13 under the pretense that the medication was to be used for symptoms of nausea. The victim took two pills, then visited the Arkansas Health Education Center the next day complaining of “heavy spotting and bleeding.” The victim was said to be between eight and 10 weeks pregnant at the time she lost the fetus.
The El Dorado Police Department said that Summerville provided a female with five Cytotec pills, which are used to abort a fetus during the first trimester of pregnancy, on May 13 under the pretense that the medication was to be used for symptoms of nausea. The victim took two pills, then visited the Arkansas Health Education Center the next day complaining of “heavy spotting and bleeding.” The victim was said to be between eight and 10 weeks pregnant at the time she lost the fetus.
Editor: So, she was aborted against her will?
How to Create Your Three Word Testimony
How to Create Your Three Word Testimony | Evangelism.net: What makes your testimony an effective way to share the gospel? It’s YOUR story. This blog post tells how you can craft your personal testimony beginning with only three words. It’s easy.
Editor: My three words would be: Afraid. Prayed. Assured. What are yours?
Obama Administration Blocks Release of Pivotal HHS Abstinence Study
Obama Administration Blocks Release of Pivotal HHS Abstinence Study | CitizenLink: The Administration for Children and Families, a division of HHS, funded a survey of 1,000 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 and their parents, in order to measure parent-adolescent communication and adolescent attitudes toward sex and abstinence. During an APHA conference, researcher Lisa Rue, Ph.D., who specializes in adolescent behavior, was intrigued by the study and requested the full report. She was summarily denied access.
Keeping it real
Like a store clerk or banker trained to detect counterfeit bills by focusing on real money, Colleen Tronson (Metro Women's Center in Crystal, MN) decided to put herself on a week-long "fast" from reading anything related to "them" and "their agenda" and to focus on the LORD's provision for us in this battle. "In this work sometimes I get bogged down in making sure I am up to date on the latest information from the pro-death side so I am prepared to counter it with truth, but wading through all the junk can become very depressing.
"They don't have anything new to say, only lies repeated a different way. God's Word is truth, Psalm 73 reminds me to focus on it and not get caught up in thinking that they are winning. They may be winning the culture war, but they can never defeat TRUTH--the real thing!" Amen?
"They don't have anything new to say, only lies repeated a different way. God's Word is truth, Psalm 73 reminds me to focus on it and not get caught up in thinking that they are winning. They may be winning the culture war, but they can never defeat TRUTH--the real thing!" Amen?
ella - Women Deserve to Know the Truth
InspireLifeNow: ella - Women Deserve to Know the Truth: Worried about pregnancy? Forgot to use a condom? No problem: prevent that pregnancy with “emergency” contraception, better known as the morning-after pill, right? Well, it’s not that simple…
Pro-Choice Groups Question CPC Tactics
Pro-Choice Groups Question Crisis Pregnancy Center Tactics - TIME: Recent estimates indicate there are now more than five times as many CPCs in the U.S. as there are abortion clinics. And many are in close proximity: one Kansas City, Missouri, abortion clinic even shares a wall with a CPC. Both types of clinics are often vaguely named, and women setting out to go to an abortion provider sometimes mistakenly walk into a CPC. Many CPCs offer comprehensive adoption counseling and financial aid or supplies to help a woman raise a baby she decides to keep.
While the documentary 12th and Delaware refrains from taking a position on CPCs, it shows what some view as manipulative practices to influence prospective mothers. The film coincides with accelerated efforts this summer to monitor pro-life centers' advertising.
While the documentary 12th and Delaware refrains from taking a position on CPCs, it shows what some view as manipulative practices to influence prospective mothers. The film coincides with accelerated efforts this summer to monitor pro-life centers' advertising.
Crisis-Pregnancy Centers: ‘A Way to Shut Us Down’
Crisis-Pregnancy Centers: ‘A Way to Shut Us Down’ | Register Exclusives | NCRegister.com: Legislation to require federal oversight of nonprofit crisis-pregnancy centers for the first time has seen little movement since it was first introduced several years ago. But such a measure could quickly pass during a so-called “lame duck” session of Congress after the November midterm elections, according to congressional supporters.
Such federal oversight could add massive legal costs to defend pregnancy centers from even baseless claims, according to supporters of the centers, and could limit the volunteer-run programs’ resources available to help pregnant women and new mothers.
Such federal oversight could add massive legal costs to defend pregnancy centers from even baseless claims, according to supporters of the centers, and could limit the volunteer-run programs’ resources available to help pregnant women and new mothers.
Most Women Say Abortion 'Too Easy' to Obtain in U.S.: Rasmussen Poll
Most Women Say Abortion 'Too Easy' to Obtain in U.S.: Rasmussen Poll: Nearly half of U.S. voters say it's too easy to obtain an abortion in America, while only a fraction say it is too difficult, according to a Rassmussen Reports survey released Monday. In addition, the pollster reported that twice as many pro-life voters as pro-abort voters surveyed said they considered abortion an important factor in casting their ballot.
Attacks on PCCs spreading
California pro-life pregnancy centers fight moves to regulate speech - Catholic Sentinel - Portland, OR: Pro-life groups are expressing concern about calls by NARAL Pro-Choice California for state legislation requiring pro-life crisis pregnancy centers to post signs announcing they do not refer clients for abortion or birth control.
Patients win, abortionist loses
Patients win, abortionist loses (OneNewsNow.com): An abortionist's challenge against the Patient Safety Ordinance in Allen County, Indiana, has failed. A federal judge has ruled that Allen County can regulate itinerate medical providers, including an abortion clinic in Fort Wayne.
Teen sex doesn't cause bad grades
Teen sex doesn't cause bad grades - Health - Kids and parenting - msnbc.com: A provocative new study has found that teens in committed relationships do no better or worse in school than those don't have sex. The same isn't true for teens who 'hook up.' Researchers found that those who have casual flings get lower grades and have more school-related problems compared with those who abstain.
In a statement, the Family Research Council said the study confirms what the group has long advocated about the negative consequences of casual sex. But the council said it "would not interpret less severe educational impacts on students involved in 'committed' sexual relationships as a green light for comprehensive" sex education.
New ACOG Guidelines Encourage VBAC
New ACOG Guidelines Encourage VBAC: Attempting vaginal birth after cesarean is appropriate for the majority of women who have had a prior cesarean and for many women who have had two prior cesareans, according to new guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. While many physicians have long believed “once a cesarean, always cesarean,” this attitude began to change in the 1970s. At that time, evidence started to accumulate supporting trial of labor after previous cesarean delivery (TOLAC) and vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC).
Botched Abortions Hurt Women More Frequently Than Believed
Documents Show Botched Abortions Hurt Women More Frequently Than Believed: A pro-life group released new documents today from a former abortion facility staffer showing two women injured medically by botched abortions in Columbus, Ohio in the last two months. The organization says it and other documents show women are injured more frequently than most people understand. See also Operation Rescue
Planned Parenthood Found Improperly Billing Medicaid in New Jersey
Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Found Improperly Billing Medicaid in New Jersey: The U.S. Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services has uncovered a consistent problem with New Jersey-based family planning clinics run by Planned Parenthood. They were found to be improperly billing Medicaid for services that did not qualify as family planning.
Claims of “Thousands” Travelling to Britain for Abortion Bogus
Claims of “Thousands” Travelling to Britain for Abortion Bogus, Statistics Show: Statistics from the UK’s Department of Health disprove claims made by a Polish abortion lobby group that 10,000 Polish women are coming to Britain to abort their children annually. In March, the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning came under heavy criticism in Britain when it ran an ad campaign in Poland encouraging women to seek abortions in the UK. The ads were intended to promote the idea that women are being unfairly treated by Poland’s laws restricting abortion to cases in which the mother’s “life or health” is threatened by pregnancy.
While no official estimate for the number of abortions committed on Polish women for the whole of the UK exists, Department of Health statistics show that only 20 Polish residents had abortions at public expense in England and Wales in 2009. This accounts for 0.3 per cent of all abortions on non-resident women.
Single Moms and Their Sons
Single Moms and Their Sons: At the CPC where I'm on staff, we place a great deal of emphasis not only on saving the unborn, but also on life change in our clients. Sometimes to encourage life change, we have to help our clients recognize their relationship patterns. We see many single mothers who enter into relationships with men who were raised without a father. This can mean disaster and greater difficulty for the single mothers and their children.
The Frontline of Fatherhood
At the Rural Center: The Frontline of Fatherhood: For most PCCs, the focus is on the mom and baby. That was the case with us. In the beginning, we offered pregnancy-related information and services, which insured that our clients were women. Then we introduced Earn While You Learn and an amazing thing happened — the dads started coming.
Canadians Don't Their Own Abortion Laws
Canadians Don't Know Abortions Legal Throughout Pregnancy, New Poll Finds: A new poll of Canadians finds they are very uninformed about abortion law in Canada and are unaware that abortions are allowed throughout pregnancy for any reason.
Argentina almost doubles US abortion rate | Spero News
Argentina almost doubles US abortion rate | Spero News: A report produced by Human Rights Watch, published this week, concludes that 40% of all pregnancies in Argentina end in abortion. This would place Argentina's abortion rate at about double the global average of 20%, according to the UN.
Editor: Pro-abortion groups have a vested interest in reporting/surmising high rates of illegal abortions.
Many Girls Now Begin Puberty at Age 7, 8
Many Girls Now Begin Puberty at Age 7, 8: The onset of puberty is continuing to drop among American girls, new research shows. Rising rates of childhood obesity -- long linked to earlier sexual development -- may be to blame, experts say. Early puberty, including younger ages at menarche, or first menstrual cycle, is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer throughout the life span.
In addition, developing early is associated with psychological and social pressures that young girls may be ill-equipped to handle, including sexual advances from older boys and men. Girls may look older than their age, but mentally, they are much the same as other 7-and 8-year old girls.
In addition, developing early is associated with psychological and social pressures that young girls may be ill-equipped to handle, including sexual advances from older boys and men. Girls may look older than their age, but mentally, they are much the same as other 7-and 8-year old girls.
The Shepherding Home Experience: What You Should Know Before You Begin
Years ago, Michael and Dianne (Dinah) Monahan wrote this valuable and insightful booklet out of their vast experience taking pregnant young women into their homes. It's no longer in print, but you can access it completely online. I referred someone to this "bible" of shepherding home experience earlier today, and thought it should go on the blog. The Shepherding Home Experience
FDA approves ella
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved Friday afternoon HRA Pharma’s “ella,” a new drug billed as an advanced form of "emergency contraception," for sale and distribution in the United States. However, pro-life advocates have raised the alarm on the drug’s safety and testing, and say ella is little more than a chemical abortion drug similar to RU-486, remarketed to the public as contraception. LifeSiteNews; ellaCausesAbortions.com
IUD works for emergency birth control
Reuters Health Information (2010-08-06): IUD works for emergency birth control: study: A copper intrauterine device was 100 percent effective at emergency contraception in a study of almost 2000 Chinese women who had the device implanted up to 5 days after unprotected sex. The device - called Copper T380A, or Copper T - continued to be effective at preventing pregnancy a year after it was inserted.
Editor: Does it prevent pregnancy or implantation?
Nigerian Doctors Unwilling to Commit Abortions
Study: Nigerian Doctors Unwilling to Commit Abortions: A new study has found that only 13.4% of doctors in Nigeria would be willing to do abortions, if Nigerian abortion law were liberalized. Abortion is currently illegal in Nigeria except to save the life of the mother.
Furthermore, doctors did not consider the liberalization of Nigerian abortion law to be a very effective strategy in reducing abortion-related maternal deaths. They instead viewed abstinence from pre-marital sex and contraceptive use as the most effective strategy for reducing abortion-related deaths. Physicians were equally divided, however, on whether the liberalization of abortion would significantly reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Furthermore, doctors did not consider the liberalization of Nigerian abortion law to be a very effective strategy in reducing abortion-related maternal deaths. They instead viewed abstinence from pre-marital sex and contraceptive use as the most effective strategy for reducing abortion-related deaths. Physicians were equally divided, however, on whether the liberalization of abortion would significantly reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Induced Abortion and Increased Risk of Substance Abuse: A Review of the Evidence
The experience of induced abortion may be associated with psychological discomfort in some women and substance use offers a convenient remedy for alleviating the negative emotions without the necessity of disclosing the source of the discomfort. On the other hand, many characteristics related to the choice to abort are also systematically related to the likelihood of using substances (e.g., relationship difficulties, pre-existing emotional problems, a tendency to engage in risk-taking behavior, etc.) and the correlations observed in the literature may be due to the presence of uncontrolled third variables. Current Women's Health Reviews
Men and Abortion: A Review of Empirical Reports Concerning the Impact of Abortion on Men
ISPUB - Men and Abortion: A Review of Empirical Reports Concerning the Impact of Abortion on Men: Common findings suggest ambivalent reactions including relief, grief, and sadness, a desire on the part of men to support their partners, and a need for counseling programs for the male partners of women undergoing abortion.
UNC changes health insurance over abortion
WLOS ABC13 :: Newsroom - Local News: The University of North Carolina will let students remove coverage for elective abortions from their university-sponsored health insurance after a Students for Life complained.
Former employees saw problems coming at Planned Parenthood Golden Gate
Former employees saw problems coming at Planned Parenthood Golden Gate | San Francisco Bay Guardian: A former PPGG employee with knowledge of the organization’s internal affairs described a longstanding pattern of financial mismanagement. There was widespread concern about spending on expensive marketing campaigns and lavish functions, the person said, and a high level of employee turnover and discontent.
Warning signs of financial difficulties surfaced at least a year ago. The Packard Foundation -- a major donor to PPGG -- awarded PPGG a 12-month, $30,000 “organizational effectiveness” grant to “allow an organization to select a talented, external provider to help them think through some of these challenges.” The Packard Foundation also awarded a 3-year grant for general operating support for $800,000, which will also expire next month.
Warning signs of financial difficulties surfaced at least a year ago. The Packard Foundation -- a major donor to PPGG -- awarded PPGG a 12-month, $30,000 “organizational effectiveness” grant to “allow an organization to select a talented, external provider to help them think through some of these challenges.” The Packard Foundation also awarded a 3-year grant for general operating support for $800,000, which will also expire next month.
Get to Know: Stand APART
The Alliance for Post-Abortion Research & Training (APART) is dedicated to standing apart from the political debate as we conduct rigorous research, disseminate accurate information, and serve as a forum for collaboration among scholars and professionals in the U.S. and internationally. The dual purpose of the Alliance for Post-Abortion Research and Training is to engage in the scientific study of the mental health risks of abortion and to disseminate accurate information concerning such risks to those who provide education about abortion and/or post-abortion counseling.
Editor: Take advantage of their resources and downloads.
Editor: Take advantage of their resources and downloads.
Psychiatric admissions of low-income women following abortion and childbirth -- Reardon et al. 168 (10): 1253 -- Canadian Medical Association Journal
Psychiatric admissions of low-income women following abortion and childbirth -- Reardon et al. 168 (10): 1253 -- Canadian Medical Association Journal Women who had had an abortion had a significantly higher relative risk of psychiatric admission compared with women who had delivered for every time period examined. Subsequent psychiatric admissions are more common
among low-income women who have an induced abortion than among those who carry a pregnancy to term, both in the short and longer term.
Induced Abortion and Child-Directed Aggression Among Mothers of Maltreated Children
ISPUB - Induced Abortion and Child-Directed Aggression Among Mothers of Maltreated Children: Abortion history was associated with more frequently maternal slapping, hitting, kicking or biting, beating, and use of physical punishment in general.
Abortionist Pendergraft Suspended For Fourth Time
Abortionist Pendergraft Suspended For Fourth Time :Operation Rescue: Abortionist James Pendergraft’s license was suspended for one year, to be followed by three years of probation. He was ordered to pay $10,000 fine and take a course on record keeping. The suspension order was given after the Board found that Pendergraft had allowed an unlicensed employee to order and administer drugs even though she was unqualified and had a known history of drug abuse. Pendergraft also was disciplined for prescribing steroids to her for unknown reasons.
Pendergraft faced previous suspensions, one as recently as January, 2010, for botched abortions, committing illegal late-term abortions, and dispensing drugs without a license. In 2004, he pled guilty to impeding justice while under investigation for extortion. The Board ruled on Saturday that Pendergraft’s two active suspensions would run concurrently.
Pendergraft faced previous suspensions, one as recently as January, 2010, for botched abortions, committing illegal late-term abortions, and dispensing drugs without a license. In 2004, he pled guilty to impeding justice while under investigation for extortion. The Board ruled on Saturday that Pendergraft’s two active suspensions would run concurrently.
Argentina Credited for Backing Down on Plan to Legalize Abortion
Argentina Faulted for Reproductive Policies - NYTimes.com: The government of Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, has reversed steps toward protecting women’s health and reproductive rights, and backtracked on its intention to guarantee access to legal abortions, according to Human Rights Watch. This assessment came despite what seems to be a liberal social wave sweeping through Argentina — including approval last month of same-sex marriages, the first in Latin America.
Editor: Note my spin on the NY Times' headline.
Pregnant Pause at the Pregnancy Resource Center Page all
Salt Lake City News - Cover Story: Pregnant Pause at the Pregnancy Resource Center Page all: Rather than offering women the means to terminate a pregnancy, the nonprofit PRC of Salt Lake City gives a free, self-administered pregnancy urine test—which Anderson acknowledges can be unreliable—counseling, an ultrasound to verify pregnancy, clothing and food for the baby up to one year after birth as well as post-abortion support.
Editor: This article gives the PRC an in-depth look.
Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named: Life Decisions International (LDI) has released a revised edition of The Boycott List identifying corporations that support of Planned Parenthood. New boycott targets include AOL, Darden Restaurants (Bahama Breeze, The Capital Grille, LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Season 52), Franchise Services (PIP, Signal Graphics, Sir Speedy), Hilton Worldwide (Conrad Hotels, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inns/Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Hotels, Homewood Suites), Ignite Restaurants (Brickhouse Tavern+Tap, Joe's Crab Shack), ING (financial services), Kohl's (department stores), Mrs. Fields (cookies), Staples (office/school supplies), Toys "R" Us, and Trader Joe's (markets/supermarkets).
Returning to The Boycott List are The Gap (apparel/accessories) and Freddie Mac (U.S. government-sponsored secondary mortgages). Corporations continuing as boycott targets include AlphaGraphics, Wells Fargo (including Wachovia), Nike, Time Warner, Bank of America, Walt Disney, Johnson & Johnson, Lost Arrow (Patagonia, etc.), Chevron, and Nationwide Insurance, among others.
LDI is critical of pro-life organizations that continue to use PayPal even though it has been a boycott target for several years now. PayPal is owned by boycott target eBay. "Most pro-life groups are aware that it is a boycott target because it has funded Planned Parenthood, but they have consciously chosen to continue doing business with the company. Doing so is indefensible." Alternatives to PayPal exist.
The new Boycott List includes a "Dishonorable Mention" section, which identifies charitable groups that are associated with Planned Parenthood and/or its agenda. Groups named in this section include Lions Clubs, the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boys & Girls Clubs, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Camp Fire, Girls Inc., Girl Scouts, Kiwanis Clubs, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Rotary Clubs, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Salvation Army, YWCA, America Gives Back (formerly [American] Idol Gives Back), and YMCA, among others.
The Playground of Your Mind
The Playground of Your Mind : Girls Gone Wise: At the core of the issue of habitual lust is probably a deeper issue of the heart. May I lovingly suggest to you that, for women, the problem with our thoughts is often a problem with our God? Now we all struggle to submit our desires under the authority of Christ. But if retreating to a fantasy world is where you go when you’re tired, fed up and frustrated or feeling alone and unloved, what you are saying to your Creator – whether or not you consciously think this – is that He has somehow disappointed you.
North Carolina Forces Students to Buy Abortion Healthcare
North Carolina Forces Students to Buy Abortion Healthcare � Students for Life: Students enrolled in a University of North Carolina public institution who do not already have private health insurance are required to buy a state selected policy from Pearce & Pearce, Inc. This mandated policy covers up to $500 toward elective abortions and has 80% PPO coverage for elective abortions.
Choosing to deceive one's self about abortion
Pro-life news and information from American Life League: The current issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a fascinating study regarding the various causes of premature birth. Among those causes, Professor Jay D. Iams of Ohio State reports that “elective terminations [abortions] in the first and second trimesters are associated with a very small but apparently real increase in the risk of subsequent spontaneous preterm birth (PTB).”
English-Speaking Hispanics More Likely Pro-Abortion Than Spanish Speakers
English-Speaking Hispanics More Likely Pro-Abortion Than Spanish Speakers: A new poll reveals some concerns for the pro-life movement about an ethnic group that has been relied on for solid opposition to abortion. 'Americanized' Hispanics are losing the cultural and religious values that prompt Latinos in Central and South America to oppose abortion in large numbers.
Patricia Neal, Hollywood Actress and Pro-Life Advocate
Patricia Neal, Hollywood Actress and Pro-Life Advocate, Dies at 84: Patricia Neal, an actress whose long career began during the “Golden Age of Hollywood,” passed away Sunday in her home at the age of 84. But for the pro-life community, Neal is remembered as a strong advocate who turned grief from her own abortion into positive pro-life example for others. “If I had only one thing to do over in my life,” she wrote, “I would have that baby.”
Delivering the big news
SecularProLife.org created a home movie style video that packs a punch without being preachy. See what you think.
Related: She’s having a fetus
MTV's 'Teen Mom' Makes For Teaching Moments
MTV's 'Teen Mom' Makes For Teaching Moments : NPR: 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom follow a small group of high school girls and their often feckless boyfriends as they go from being teens to being teen parents. The point of the shows is to have teens demonstrate to their peers how hard it is to become responsible for a baby before you're really responsible for yourself."
Australian doctor to unveil online do-it-yourself home abortion guide
Australian doctor to unveil online do-it-yourself home abortion guide - Health - DNA: Obstetrician Adrienne Freeman says her website Safe Home Abortions features 'how to' videos and a range of information and research papers that spell out the benefits of abortion drug misoprostol.
Planned Parenthood Golden Gate Loses Affiliation - The Bay Citizen
Planned Parenthood Golden Gate Loses Affiliation - The Bay Citizen: Planned Parenthood Golden Gate will be a Planned Parenthood no more as of Sept. 3. A week ago, the board of Planned Parenthood Federation of America voted to revoke the trademark. “They were not meeting our standards for administrative and fiscal management,” said Karen Ruffato, vice president of affiliate services for the national organization.
The California state budget quagmire is adding to the pain, since, starting this month, PPGG will not get reimbursements from the state for Medi-Cal until a state budget is approved, which could take weeks or months. Some of the current crisis has been of PPGG's own making. Over the past three to four years Planned Parenthood was not as attentive to its financial situation as it should have been. The result is the organization now finds itself in a desperate financial circumstance.
Editor: Hmmmm. I thought PP was so solvent. This also shows how important the bottom line is to PP.
Story continues: Without the Planned Parenthood affiliation, PPGG currently plans to keep running its clinics in Hayward, Oakland, San Francisco, San Rafael, Rohnert Park and San Mateo. The service is now holding a contest among its staff to come up with a new name.
Baltimore sued over ordinance attacking PCCs
U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis held a hearing yesterday on the city's request to approve a motion dismissing the lawsuit. The law impeding PCCs was to take effect in January and it has already been put on hold until December for the legal case to proceed. Attorney David Kinkopf for the Archdiocese said the pregnancy centers should not be required to promote abortion because it violates their religious beliefs. He also said the pregnancy centers, and it runs three of the ones in town, should not be targeted while abortion centers are not. "It's only about abortion," Kinkopf said, according to the Baltimore Sun. "And it's only about who is opposed to abortion." LifeNews
Abortion and Reenacting Sexual Abuse
Abortion and Reenacting Sexual Abuse: It has been my experience that a high proportion of women suffering post-abortion trauma also have histories of molestation, sexual abuse, or incest. Most other post-abortion counselors with whom I deal have reported a similar observation. In a survey of women in post-abortion counseling groups, 21 percent reported a history of childhood physical abuse and 24 percent reported childhood sexual abuse. And in a random sample survey of the general population, Dianne Russell reports that approximately one in three [33%] girls is sexually abused before age 18 and one in four [25%] is abused by age 14. These alarming statistics have a good deal to do with patterns of abuse and crisis.
Editor: I'm sorry, but comparing the post-abortion group to the general population (percentages in brackets), I don't see the "high proportion" or "alarming" trend.
Study Shows Link Between Abortion and Physical, Sexual Abuse by Women's Partners
New Study Shows Link Between Abortion and Physical, Sexual Abuse by Women's Partners: A new study shows the link between abortion and the physical and sexual abuse women may be subjected to in the relationship by their husband or boyfriend following the abortion. University of Iowa researchers led the study, which shows women seeking abortions have experienced a high rate of violence and abuse from their partners. It was published online June 17 in the American Journal of Public Health.
Old Abortion Clinic Now Center For Pregnant Teens
Old Abortion Clinic Now Center For Pregnant Teens - Greenville News Story - WYFF Greenville: Little Steps is a center for pregnant teenagers and young parents. When the organization took over the building in March it was a dilapidated, moldy mess. But with the help of volunteers from Newspring Church, they have turned the dingy space into a playroom for children and classrooms for their parents.
Late-term Abortionists Dump Kansas Licenses, Will Avoid Discipline :Operation Rescue
Late-term Abortionists Dump Kansas Licenses, Will Avoid Discipline :Operation Rescue: Two Albuquerque late-term abortionists who worked for George Tiller’s Women’s Health Care Services in Wichita, Kansas, before it permanently closed last year have dumped their Kansas medical licenses, placing them outside the disciplinary jurisdiction of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts.
Medics Dump Abortion Victim in Forest
Medics Dump Abortion Victim in Forest after Bad Surgery - Pravda.Ru: Three medics from a private clinic in the Moscow region may find themselves on criminal negligence trial. A female national of Uzbekistan died in the clinic during abortion surgery. The doctors took the dead body out of the clinic and dumped it in Losyny Ostrov National Park in the Moscow region. The decomposing body was found in the park by local residents. One of the doctors, Elena Oleinikova, an obstetrician, has been charged with criminal negligence.
Breast Milk Sugars Give Infants a Protective Coat
Breast Milk Sugars Give Infants a Protective Coat - NYTimes.com: A large part of human milk cannot be digested by babies and seems to have a purpose quite different from infant nutrition — that of influencing the composition of the bacteria in the infant’s gut. The details of this three-way relationship between mother, child and gut microbes are being worked out by researchers.
Pro-life, Comprehensive Sex Ed Initiative Launched
A non-sectarian pro-life group has launched an online quiz game where teens can test of their knowledge of sex, pregnancy, contraception, relationships, sexually transmitted diseases, and related topics. It can be accessed at GrowYourKnowledge.com. Its backers believe the project will address a gap in sex education practices.
Pro-lifers cannot get behind materials that encourage students to go to abortion clinics for their sexual health needs, that deny or ignore the facts of prenatal development, or that sugarcoat the risks of abortion. SecularProLife.org set out to provide comprehensive sex education that did not present these problems.
"Prenatal development is strongly incorporated into Grow Your Knowledge," said Kelsey Hazzard, president of SecularProLife.org. An undercover video by Live Action Films, which showed a Planned Parenthood counselor falsely stating that an 8-week-old has no limbs, heart, or brain, inspired the project. "When we saw that video, we knew that we had to reach teens with the truth about how babies develop, and we had to reach them before they ever stepped foot in a Planned Parenthood or other abortion center. The Grow Your Knowledge quiz does not encourage abstinent teens to become sexually active. To the contrary, we affirm abstinence as the healthiest option for young people, and the questions reflect that. At the same time, we aim to reduce rates of STDs and unplanned pregnancy among those teens who do not abstain."
Over 200 Military Physicians Protest Amendment to Use Military Facilities for Abortions - Christian Newswire
Christian Medical Association: Over 200 Military Physicians Protest Amendment to Use Military Facilities for Abortions - Christian Newswire: The 16,000-member Christian Medical Association organized the letter and today sent it to the senators urging them to vote no on a National Defense Authorization Act amendment by Sen. Roland Burris that would remove restrictions on performing abortions in military facilities.
Webinar Wednesday on New Abstinence Funding Announcements
Register today for The National Campaign’s webinar on the new federal funding announcements for the State Personal Responsibility Education Program and the Title V Abstinence Education Grant Program. Register here for the webinar, which will take place this Wednesday, August 4 from 4 – 5pm.
When will we learn?
A Facebook friend likes "IF YOU WANT TO BURN OUR AMERICAN FLAG, PLEASE WRAP YOURSELF UP IN IT FIRST." Really? Is that what a pro-life person says? Does a person expressing an objectionable opinion deserve death? Should we ever advocate suicide, or any kind of violence? Please, let's think about what we're saying.
This is just one more example of of hate speech that I am determined to fight. (See earlier comments on With 'pro-lifers' like these, who needs pro-choicers?') Quite often, when I speak up, I'm told I should learn how to take a joke, as when I rebuked another person on Facebook who advocated a French Revolution-style purging of political opponents.
But consider Proverbs 26:18-19: "Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, 'I was only joking.'" When we loosely express hateful thoughts -- even when we don't mean to advocate violence -- we deceive our neighbors and risk setting a wildfire or destroying people. Take care with what you say!
This is just one more example of of hate speech that I am determined to fight. (See earlier comments on With 'pro-lifers' like these, who needs pro-choicers?') Quite often, when I speak up, I'm told I should learn how to take a joke, as when I rebuked another person on Facebook who advocated a French Revolution-style purging of political opponents.
But consider Proverbs 26:18-19: "Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, is the man who deceives his neighbor, and says, 'I was only joking.'" When we loosely express hateful thoughts -- even when we don't mean to advocate violence -- we deceive our neighbors and risk setting a wildfire or destroying people. Take care with what you say!
Another Pill That Could Change Women’s Lives
Op-Ed Columnist - Another Pill That Could Change Women’s Lives - NYTimes.com: Researchers are finding that if women take misoprostol alone, [abortion] effectiveness drops to 80 to 85 percent. Medical abortion causes a miscarriage that is indistinguishable from a natural one. One serious downside is that misoprostol is suspected of causing birth defects, perhaps 1 percent of the time, but only if it fails and the pregnancy continues to term.
In the United States, only about one abortion in eight is done with pills. Partly that’s because by law, mifepristone must be taken in a clinic. But worldwide, the number of medical abortions is surging, accounting for nearly 70 percent of all abortions in Scotland, according to Marie Stopes International.
It’s not clear how late in pregnancy medical abortion is feasible. In the United States, the pills can be taken up to nine weeks’ gestation. In Britain, inpatient use of the pills is permitted up to 24 weeks.
Use of graphic images
The August 9, 2010 issue of TIME Magazine defends the use of graphic images in showing the brutality of the Taliban in their treatment of women. Interestingly, TIME makes a case for children seeing these images as well.
The Center for Bioethical Reform makes the case that photos of abortion also need to be seen to understand the brutality of abortion. "Why does TIME or any other mainstream magazine have a double standard when it comes to showing abortion in their publications? Americans are not complicit in, or complacent towards the mangling of women, but they are responsible for millions of abortion deaths. Few Americans will defend the type of injustice visited on Afghan women by the Taliban, but millions of Americans are killing their children and TIME doesn’t want to offend that portion of their readership who support abortion."
With "pro-lifers" like these, who needs pro-choicers?
I am appalled. I just read the comments following an article on George Soros over at FoxNation.com. Five new members of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a political action committee, have ties to Soros. Here's some of the venom the report engendered: "Too bad his mother wasn't pro-choice." "When is a liberal a viable fetus? Never they should have been aborted at conception." "Soros is 80 years old. How much longer can he be around??" "Soros should be the guest of honor at a necktie party."
Hate is not a pro-life virtue. Jesus said, "Love your enemies . . . do good . . . pray for them." I'm certain you can't pray for someone that you've just wished dead. Come on, everybody! It's time to take the pro-life pledge.
Hate is not a pro-life virtue. Jesus said, "Love your enemies . . . do good . . . pray for them." I'm certain you can't pray for someone that you've just wished dead. Come on, everybody! It's time to take the pro-life pledge.
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