Let Your Voice Be Heard

Update

2009-10-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Please be patient with me. I have not been to this site in quite a while. I do intend on returning at some point to update information and start posting, but currently that is not possible.

Media Release: Takecaredownthere.org

2008-09-24T06:29:00.001-07:00

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 September 2008
CONTACT: Katie Walker
540.659.4942| kwalker@all.org

PRO-LIFE VICTORY! DISGUSTING TAKECAREDOWNTHERE.COM VIDEOS TAKEN OFF SITE

Washington, D.C. (23 September 2008) – American Life League supporters Tuesday celebrated the news that Planned Parenthood Columbia-Willamette took down the videos on the lewd TakeCareDownThere.com web site that was first launched in July.

The video site, which Planned Parenthood marketed as "sex education," included skits of two teenage boys engaged in oral sex, girls and boys examining each other's reproductive organs, couples talking about participating in orgies and masturbation among others.

When American Life League alerted the pro-life movement to the site, the story made national headlines.

A.L.L. president Judie Brown issued the following statement.

"Praise God!" said Judie Brown, "after months of pro-life outcry against this site, we can finally rest knowing this site will no longer threaten our kids. Planned Parenthood finally pushed the envelope past the point of tolerance. Every person concerned with the health and wellbeing of our children should have been outraged by this blatant attempt to sexualize kids. It appears the roar of just anger over this Planned Parenthood filth was so great, Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion chain had to shut it down. This is truly a great day."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

American Life League: Planned Parenthood's Latest Outrage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NLUfVWpCKo

ABC News: Edgy Sex-Ed Videos Spark Debate (3 September 2008)
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/health&id=6367291

Jill Stanek: Take Care Down There (7 August 2008)
http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2008/08/take_care_down.html
# # #

_______________________________
Katie Walker
Director of Communication
American Life League
1179 Courthouse Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540.659.4942
kwalker@all.org
http://www.all.org/

The ALL Report

2008-09-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

Arson

2008-09-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Arson fire set at crisis pregnancy center
http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2008/09/20/news/local/3aaa01_pregnancycenter.txt
Albany Democrat Herald
The building which housed the Pregnancy Alternatives Center will have to be torn down, Executive Director Debbie Tracy said Thursday. The Sept. 10 arson fire that burned much of the building’s interior has left the structure virtually unusable. The FBI announced Thursday a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the fire. Tracy said workers have spent the last week salvaging what they could from the charred remains, but not much is usable.

ALL Feature Story

2008-09-17T06:36:00.001-07:00

FEATURE STORY

STOOPING TO HONOR STOPES
By Judie Brown

Something has definitely gone awry at Britain's Royal Mail headquarters. Though this news may be old to some, I just learned that one of its new postage stamps will bear a picture of the racist/eugenicist Marie Stopes.

Perhaps you have never heard of her before, but she was at the forefront of spreading the culture of death in the United Kingdom. She was a huge fan of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, the women's rights pioneer who endeared herself to every aficionado of sexual perversion throughout the United States. From what I know of Stopes, she imitated Maggie right down the line.

Christopher Howse, a columnist for the British newspaper, the Telegraph, commented on the release of the Stopes stamp by telling his readers,

"Worse is the 50p stamp, which celebrates the absurd Marie Stopes, under the banner of "family planning". It is hard to think the postage stamp committee was fully aware of the craziness of Miss Stopes's life and ideas. She believed that coal fires gave off beneficial rays and so she would sit naked before the fire, a practice she enjoined on the nation."

She "imagined conspiracies everywhere" according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, "even in the court order to destroy her beloved chow, Wuffles, for attacking other dogs".

As for family planning, when her only son Harry announced his engagement to the daughter of the inventor Barnes Wallis, Marie Stopes reacted furiously, claiming that because the girl was short-sighted and had to wear spectacles, she must suffer from a hereditary defect.

According to another article, Stopes, clearly of the eugenics mindset, wrote a loving letter to Hitler, sent him a book of her sentimental poetry and was, in more ways than one, his ardent admirer. In fact, the writer, Gerald Warner, explains,

This keen advocate of eugenics and subverter of family life had a long career of activity in the politics of human reproduction. In 1919 she urged the National Birth Rate Commission to support mandatory sterilization of parents who were diseased, prone to drunkenness or of bad character. In 1920, in her book Radiant Motherhood, she demanded "the sterilization of those totally unfit for parenthood be made an immediate possibility, indeed made compulsory". Her 1921 slogan was: "Joyful and Deliberate Motherhood, A Safe Light in our Racial Darkness."

And finally, British pro-life leader Anthony Ozimic is quoted as follows: "Praising Marie Stopes as a woman of distinction should be as unacceptable as praising Adolf Hitler as a great leader."

So, the appropriate question to ask is simple: Why did Britain's Royal Mail choose to issue this stamp? Are they ignorant of this woman's notorious history, or are they attempting to rehabilitate her image by honoring her in a way that might invite people to study what she said?

Legitimizing a wayward, if not evil human being seems a rather strange way to acquaint postage stamp users with Britain's history and heroes. If you ask me, something is rotten somewhere, and it behooves us, at the very least, to register our concern. One way the Brits are being asked to protest is to follow the lead of Father Ray Blake, who announced on his internet blog, "I am afraid any items of post arriving here with this stamp on it will be returned to the sender. I hope other bloggers take this up, especially amongst the Jewish community." And well they should.

Americans can express their concern over this stamp by contacting the British Embassy:

Public Enquiries

Public Affairs Team
The British Embassy
Washington D.C.
3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington D.C. 20008-3600
202-588-6500
e-mail: pat@britainusa.com
web site: http://www.britainusa.com

A final piece of news about Marie Stopes' namesake organization, Marie Stopes International: This organization is one of Britain's chief promoters of abortion. However, it seems that its campaign to push for "full access to legal, voluntary, safe and affordable abortions as part of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care around the world" has had little success thus far.

After a full year of signature collection, the best the Stopes operation could do was approximately 500 signatures, and according to LifeSiteNews.com, "A detailed look at the list of campaign supporters reveal that nearly 20% of the signatures are from employees of the three sponsoring organizations."

We hope this is a sign of things to come. Perhaps when the Stopes stamp becomes sufficiently controversial, it will simply be taken off the market.

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2340

Quote of the day

2008-09-12T08:01:00.001-07:00

Carl Sagan - "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."

October 6th Reminder

2008-09-11T07:05:00.001-07:00

PRO-LIFE MEMORIAL DAY: OCTOBER 6, 2008

49,640,766 preborn children have been murdered by abortion since Roe v. Wade. Join us in remembering these lost children by holding a vigil and spread the word in your community.

Visit www.prolifememorialday.com to find out what you can do.

The Pill

2008-09-09T12:34:00.001-07:00

The Birth Control Pill Contaminates Relationships

By Marie Hahnenberg

At a young age, many women start imagining who their Prince Charming will be: what he’ll look like, what interests he’ll have, if he’ll have a sense of humor and so forth. However, it’s very unlikely that Prince Charming will literally come galloping in on a horse and sweep us off our feet. In fact, ladies, listen up, or chances are fairly good that you could end up with someone who is a complete loser and not your type at all … that is, if you're on the birth control pill.

As you may have experienced yourself, when you first meet someone, there may be an immediate attraction. In fact, when people speak of “love at first sight,” what they really mean is that they feel an immediate surge of emotion when they meet a person of the opposite sex. A chemical attraction can occur between a male and a female as a result of hormones called pheromones, which are exchanged through the olfactory nerves – that is, our sense of smell. The more a male and female are biologically compatible (able to reproduce with each other), the more likely they will be attracted to each other. Couples with different genes are usually more biologically compatible (more likely to have healthy children and less likely to experience infertility and miscarriages).

In August, scientists at the University of Liverpool published a new study showing that the birth control pill can dramatically affect this natural phenomenon. The study found that "when the women started taking the Pill, their preferences shifted towards the scent of men with more similar genes to their own."

What does this mean? It means that there is mounting evidence that the pill can seriously disturb a woman’s healthy, natural tendency to be drawn toward a mate with different immune system genes. This, in turn, can lead to having a genetically similar mate, which increases the risk of infertility and miscarriages. It also means that the pill can change a woman’s love interest so much that she could end up in a relationship with someone to whom she normally wouldn’t be attracted. The study concludes, "If odour plays a significant role in actual human mate choice… our results indicate that use of the contraceptive pill could lead to choice of an otherwise less preferred partner.”

This leads to yet another very serious problem. Since a woman taking the pill is thus more likely to end up with a husband she wouldn’t naturally have chosen, when she decides to go off the pill, she may find she is not attracted to her husband any longer. Craig Roberts, the Liverpool study's lead researcher, said, “It could ultimately lead to the breakdown of relationships when women stop using the contraceptive pill, as odour perception plays a significant role in maintaining attraction to partners.”

A similar study was conducted in 1995 by a German researcher, Claus Wedekind, at the University of Bern in Switzerland. Lionel Tiger, Ph.D., an author and the Charles Darwin Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University, discussed Wedekind’s research in his book The Decline of Males. The women who were not on the birth control pill “preferred the scents of men socially regarded as desirable potential mates… However, women using oral contraceptives reversed [italics in the original] their preferences and chose inappropriate partners.”

The growing amount of scientific evidence should be a wake-up call for women who are on the birth control pill. This drug can seriously harm a woman’s system in so many ways. You may have heard of the pill's possible side effects, such as weight gain and depression. But the pill can also increase a woman’s chances of getting a blood clot or breast cancer. And thanks to pro-life doctors and pro-life organizations such as Pharmacists for Life International and American Life League, many women are finally learning that the pill can kill (visit www.thepillkills.com). It can actually cause early chemical abortions. But if that isn’t enough, the pill can also radically change women's perceptions about whom they should date and marry.

So, if you’re a woman seeking the man of your dreams, you probably won’t find him if you’re taking the birth control pill. You might find someone to settle down with, but once you go off the pill, the veil of tainted fascination will be lifted and you might realize that the choices you made while on the pill were not in your best interest. In fact, you might actually meet your perfect match, your Prince Charming, but since you are on the pill, you may not even recognize him. Instead, you may well find yourself in one failed relationship after another.

The birth control pill, which burst onto the scene in the 1960s, may represent sexual freedom to some, but in reality, it causes far more problems than the average American realizes. The University of Liverpool study is just the latest evidence of the havoc wreaked by the contraceptive culture.

Marie Hahnenberg is researcher for American Life League and project manager of The Pill Kills project. (www.thepillkills.com).

# # #

1) Janet E. Smith, "The Social Footprints of Contraception," Mosaic, Summer 2008, http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0169.htm (accessed September 4, 2008).

2) S. Craig Roberts et al., "MHC-correlated odour preferences in humans and the use of oral contraceptives," Proceedings of the Royal Society, doi.10.1098/rspb.2008.0825, http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/f542428772r96x64/fulltext.pdf (accessed September 4, 2008).

3) Mark Henderson, "The Pill may put you off smell of your man and ruin your relationship," The Times, August 13, 2008, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4516566.ece (accessed September 4, 2008).

4) Lionel Tiger, The Decline of Males: The First Look at an Unexpected New World for Men and Women (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999), 42-43.

Media Release 9-9-08

2008-09-09T10:15:00.001-07:00

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9 September 2008
CONTACT: Katie Walker
540.659.4942| kwalker@all.org

JUDIE BROWN ASKS PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE TO POSTPONE DEBATE ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

Washington, D.C. (9 September 2008) – Judie Brown, president of American Life League and member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, is requesting the Academy postpone a November conference on the ethics of organ transplantation entitled "A Gift for Life."

Also cosponsoring the event is the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations and the Italian National Transplant Center.

"I joined with Professor Joseph Seifer in asking the leadership of the Academy to reconsider the subject matter of the conference," Brown said in a Sep. 9 column. "Perhaps the conference could be postponed until the members of the Academy discuss concerns privately within the context of a closed-door meeting."

Noted philosopher Joseph Seifer has questioned the validity of 'brain death' as acceptable criteria for death and therefore for organ donating. Organ donation often requires the organ donor be alive in order to be removed, even though the brain is considered 'dead.'

"The new question is whether functions of the brain are the only thing that keeps body and soul together, that bind the soul to the body, or that are the source of the incarnated presence of the soul. That, I think, is extremely doubtful. . . . The mystery of how body and soul are united exceeds just brain function. It's not just an isolated presence in a single organ," Seifer said in an interview with the Catholic Education Resource Center.

Other voices questioning 'brain death' include Dr. Paul Byrnes, prominent columnist, neonatologist and past president of the Catholic Medical Association, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Nebraska and Bishop Robert Vas of Oregon.

"The official magisterium of the Catholic Church has not spoken definitively on the particular question of brain death. So why is the Pontifical Academy for Life cohosting this conference?" Brown asked, "According to the program the subject of organ donations will be high on the agenda and discussions will clearly include a discussion of brain death. At the same time, the insights and experiences of men like Dr. Paul Byrne, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz and Professor Joseph Seifer, among others, will be neglected by the program."

American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. For more information or media inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

American Life League: Judie Brown Asks Pontifical Academy for Life to Postpone Debate (9 September 2008)
http://www.all.org/article.php?id=11580

A Gift for Life 2008:
http://www.agiftforlife2008.org/presentation.htm com

Catholic Education Resouce Center: Not Quite Dead Yet?
http://catholiceducation.org/articles/medical_ethics/me0054.html

Catholic World News: Are Organ Transplants Ever Morally Licit? (1 May 2001)
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=20515

Feature Story from Judie Brown

2008-09-09T07:45:00.000-07:00

FEATURE STORY

PEDIATRIC HEART TRANSPLANT … ETHICAL?
By Judie Brown

I don’t know how this nation continues to move forward when so many grisly things are occurring right under our noses and are being paid for with taxpayer dollars. A recent report is perhaps the most ghoulish I have read in a long time.

Picture this: The federal government is funding a research program that enables pediatric surgeons to take the hearts from severely brain-damaged newborns and transplant them into other diseased infants.

On August 14, the first report on this research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The research team, led by Dr. Mark Boucek at Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, performed three heart transplants from 2004 to 2007. In a recent interview, Boucek said, "It seemed like there was an unmet need in two situations. Recipients were dying while awaiting donor organs. And we had children dying whose family wanted to donate, and we weren't able to do it."

The NEJM also printed three commentaries and a panel discussion that sharply criticized this highly controversial research. Dr. Robert Veatch, a Georgetown University medical ethics professor, wrote the following:

It is impossible to transplant a heart successfully after irreversible stoppage: if a heart is restarted, the person from whom it was taken cannot have been dead according to cardiac criteria. Removing organs from a patient whose heart not only can be restarted, but also has been or will be restarted in another body, is ending a life by organ removal… The whole issue is whether the infants from whom the hearts were taken were dead. It seems very clear to me that they were not. I think it's illegal, and if it's illegal, what we're talking about is the physicians causing the death of the three patients, and that would be homicide. It's immoral. I think it should be stopped.

Some might argue that the doctors were attempting to do what was in the best interests of all concerned, and in the process, the fact that they actually killed one baby to treat another is a just by-product of what can be considered as double effect. However, such an argument is fatally flawed. One can never intentionally do evil, even if good might come from it.

As the eminent moral theologian, Father John Hardon, SJ, wrote in the widely read Modern Catholic Dictionary, in order for an action to satisfy the "double effect" standard,

1. the act to be done must be good in itself or at least morally indifferent; by the act to be done is meant the dead itself taken independently of its consequences;

2. the good effect must not be obtained by means of the evil effect; the evil must be only an incidental by-product and not an actual factor in the accomplishment of the good;

3. the evil effect must not be intended for itself but only permitted; all bad will must be excluded from the act;

4. there must be a proportionately grave reason for permitting the evil effect. At least the good and the evil effects should be nearly equivalent.

All four conditions must be fulfilled. If any one of them is not satisfied, the act is morally wrong.

Death is definitely not an incidental by-product when a doctor determines that he can remove the heart from a child who is ill in order to treat a child who is also ill but not dying. The physicians involved in the research project acted against life and, in fact, took the lives of three newborn children because their lives were deemed not worthy to be lived.

In case that phrase sounds familiar to you, perhaps you will recall the Nazi experiments that were documented in the 1920 book, The Release of the Destruction of Life Devoid of Value.

Doctors Binding and Hoche wrote,

By death with dignity, we don’t mean only the right to death with dignity, but much more, the legally acknowledged right to the complete relief of an unbearable life . . .

Realizing that there is indeed human life whose continuation is of no interest to any reasonably thinking person, then it [sic] up to the legislature to ask this fateful question: ‘Is it our duty to continually defend this unsocial life by giving it full protection of the law or is it our duty to release it for euthanasia?’ You could also pose this question from a legal point of view: Shall we prefer to see the continued support for this kind of life as an example of the sacredness of life or shall we consider the legalization of the mercy killing, so relieving for all those involved, as the smaller evil. .

One of the reasons why American Life League tries so hard to explain to people why the very definition of "brain death" is an invitation to disaster could not be better explained than it has been in this report.

Respect for the dignity of the human person should not end when illness or severe brain damage occur, any more than it should when a mother wants to exercise a "choice" that would result in her baby's death.

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2331

Media Release from ALL

2008-09-09T07:43:00.000-07:00

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9 September 2008
CONTACT: Katie Walker
540.659.4942| kwalker@all.org

ROCK FOR LIFE DEMANDS APOLOGY AFTER MTV HOST TRASHES PURITY, CALLS PALIN PREGNANCY A "P.R. STUNT"

Washington, D.C. (9 September 2008) – Rock for Life, a national pro-life music and advocacy movement that promotes 832 bands, is demanding an apology from MTV Music Video Awards host Russell Brand for his sexist, judgmental and intolerant remarks.

Brand, a British comedian infamous for dressing up as Osama Bin Laden the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, hosted the 25th annual awards ceremony Sep. 7.

Brand opened the show with a monologue that attacked the chastity promise of a Christian band, "The Jonas Brothers," and called Bristol Palin's pregnancy a "P.R. stunt".

"Brand is a sexist pig who has been arrested 11 times, once for indecent exposure,” said Erik Whittington, director of Rock for Life. “He appears to care more about making crude jokes to gain attention than he does offending who choose to live a lifestyle different from his own lascivious past.”

The comedian spent much of his airtime advocating for candidates and making crude remarks about those who live chaste lives.

Brand on the Jonas Brother's abstinence until marriage promise: "A little sex once and awhile never hurt anybody."

Brand on Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol's pregnancy: "I do feel a little bit sorry for her daughter, getting pregnant, poor kid. Is it a boy? Is it a girl? It's a P.R. stunt. Come on. Be honest."

"We demand Brand apologizes to the individuals and groups he purposefully offended," Whittington said.

Rock for Life, a project of American Life League, is directed by Erik Whittington and works with hundreds of bands and thousands of pro-life youth who advocate for life using music to engage, educate and equip our culture. LIFE. Not for judgement, not for control, for a better world.

American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to natural death. For more information or media inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Michelle Malkin: MTV Piles on the Palin Family (8 September 2008)
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/07/mtv-piles-on-the-palin-family/

The Telegraph: Russell Brand Upsets MTV Audience with Sex and Politics (8 September 2008)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/2704186/Russell-Brand-upsets-MTV-audience-with-sex-and-politics.html

The Guardian: This Charming Man (16 June 2006)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jun/18/broadcasting.arts

YouTube Censorship

2008-09-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

Dear Pro-Life Friends:
Well, YouTube is at it again! As most of you are aware, earlier this year, YouTube yanked one of our ALL Reports criticizing Planned Parenthood. In June, YouTube pulled one of PRI's pro-life videos, and now, the very popular video done by Lila Rose that exposes Planned Parenthood's racist attitude has been pulled as well. When YouTube tried to censor us in February, you bloggers raised a firestorm of support for us and called YouTube out on the mat. The result? YouTube caved in.

It's time to do it again!

I am attaching a press release from Lila Rose and a press release from American Life League to this e-mail so you can have the full story. Please write about YouTube's constant attempts to censor the Pro-Life cause on your blogs and call on your readers to contact Google and YouTube, demanding that they stop trying to silence the Truth!

To contact YouTube, please call the following phone numbers and send an e-mail to register your disgust at YouTube's blatent attempt to silence the Truth about Planned Parenthood and abortion:
To call: (650) 343-2960‎; (650) 253-0000
To e-mail go to the following website and click "contact us" : http://help.youtube.com/support/youtube/bin/static.py?page=troubleshooter.cs&problem=general&selected=removed_video&ctx=general_removed_video_57401

Thanks for everything you do for the babies!
--Michael

YouTube Censors Investigative Videos Critical of Planned Parenthood

LOS ANGELES, September 2 –YouTube, the popular Internet-video website,
blocked four videos from the pro-life student organization Live Action
over the past two weeks, saying that the videos contained
"inappropriate content". YouTube gave neither advance warning nor
specific reasons for why the videos were removed, and has not
responded to Live Action's request to cease censorship and to unblock
the videos for public viewing.

The videos include phone recordings of Planned Parenthood employees
agreeing to process donations from a caller with a racist agenda
(http://www.liveactionfilms.org/youtube). Earlier this year, the
YouTube videos sparked national media interest, with TV, print and
radio outlets reporting on the content, and some networks, like Fox
News, broadcasting parts of the videos. Live Action Media Director
David Schmidt said, "These four videos have received over 160,000
YouTube views with the oldest video having been public on YouTube for
over seven months. Why are these videos being removed now?"

YouTube has censored videos from pro-life organizations in the past,
as recently as this year. In February, an American Life League video
criticizing a Planned Parenthood TV advertisement was removed from the
site due to its "inappropriate nature," though the original Planned
Parenthood advertisement remained on YouTube. In July, a short film by
the pro-life Population Research Institute highlighting dishonest
reporting from a pro-choice filmmaker was censored. YouTube eventually
responded to criticism and restored both videos.

"It is discriminatory for YouTube to selectively censor material that
clearly does not contain inappropriate content," states Live Action
President Lila Rose. "We will continue to apply pressure on YouTube
until it restores the videos."

She points out that Live Action has compiled a compelling case of
evidence on its website, LiveActionFilms.org, documenting how YouTube
has selectively censored conservative groups. People can also view the
banned videos on Live Action's website and learn how to help petition
YouTube to restore the videos.

To learn more, visit: http://www.liveactionfilms.org/youtube

A.L.L. TO GOOGLE, YOUTUBE: WHY ARE YOU PROTECTING RACISTS?

Washington, D.C. (3 September 2008) – American Life League called on Google and YouTube to explain and end their pattern of protecting bigoted organizations. YouTube recently pulled videos exposing Planned Parenthood's acceptance of donations earmarked to abort black babies.

In February, the video sharing web site pulled American Life League's ALL Report and in July, the site removed a video by Population Research Institute that was critical of a pro-abortion journalist.

"Why is YouTube covering for these racists again?" asked Judie Brown, president of American Life League. "Planned Parenthood has time and again remained true to the identity of its founder, the infamously racist Margaret Sanger. Planned Parenthood was founded to help eliminate the black population and it still is working to reduce the black population. Does YouTube, and its parent company Google, really think this is a good idea?"

Most recently, YouTube took down videos produced by Live Action Films, a pro-life media movement. The videos chronicled Planned Parenthood's willing and eager acceptance of race-motivated donations earmarked for the abortion of black babies.

The documented racism caught media attention and sparked a national movement demanding accountability from Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

Live Action President Lila Rose said YouTube is discriminating against pro-life and conservative films. Her organization is determined to end the censorship.

"We will continue to apply pressure on YouTube until it restores the videos," Rose said.

Brown finds this unfair treatment of a pro-life organization appalling.

"It's time for Google and YouTube to stop supporting Planned Parenthood's prejudiced agenda," she said. "The censorship of pro-life media must stop."

California Catholic Daily: Silencing the Opposition (2 Sept. 2008)
http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=74f56e2e-95e7-4859-9c3d-0e63f404db38

World Net Daily: YouTube Censors Criticism of Planned Parenthood (2 Sept.2008)
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=74176

Catholic News Agency: American Life League Video Yanked by YouTube: (12 Feb. 2008)
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11758

Catholic Exchange: YouTube Censors Pro-Life Video: (4 July 2008)
http://www.catholicexchange.com/2008/07/04/113097/

ACTION ALERT!!!

2008-08-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

ACTION ALERT!!! Pro-Life Grandma Faces Prison For Refusing To Return Kid-Geared Porn To Library

We need your help as time is running out for American Life League supporter JoAn Karkos! The Maine woman has until 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29 to return the Planned Parenthood endorsed, sexually explicit children's book “It's Perfectly Normal” to a public library in Lewiston.

If she does not, the 64-year-old grandmother may face jail time.

Please call Judge Valerie Stanfill at 207-795-4884 and ask her to not let JoAn Karkos go to jail for protecting the children of Lewiston against porn in their libraries.

Please call the Lewiston Library at 207-513-3004 and tell them to get “It’s Perfectly Normal” out of the public libraries. Kids should never be exposed to cartoons of naked men and women in various sexual poses, long-winded descriptions of masturbation and homosexuality as depictions of 'perfectly normal' behavior.

For the full story, go to http://www.all.org/article.php?id=11565.

Reminder: October 6th

2008-08-25T13:38:00.001-07:00

October 6, 2008 is Pro-Life Memorial Day!!!

On the first Monday in October, the U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term. This is a day on which pro-lifers across the nation will mourn the victims of America's hidden holocaust: abortion. At ProLifeMemorialDay.com you can register to participate, purchase the armband and shirt, post your stories and event photos, and do so much more to remember the preborn children none of us ever got the chance to meet.

Click the image or copy and paste this link http://www.prolifememorialday.com/ in your url to find out more!

OCT 6TH

2008-08-21T09:58:00.001-07:00

October 6, 2008 is Pro-Life Memorial Day!!!

On the first Monday in October, the U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term. This is a day on which pro-lifers across the nation will mourn the victims of America's hidden holocaust: abortion. At prolifememorialday.com you can register to participate, purchase the armband and shirt, post your stories and event photos, and do so much more to remember the preborn children none of us ever got the chance to meet.

Click the image or copy and paste this link http://www.prolifememorialday.com/ in your url to find out more!

Msg from Judie Brown

2008-08-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

DOCTRINALLY CHALLENGED STEINFELS DOES IT AGAIN
By Judie Brown

Peter Steinfels has been making incredibly inane comments about Catholic teaching for many years. He is well liked at the New York Times, probably because of his nasty natter about all things Catholic, and his most recent diatribe against Humanae Vitae is just another workday event for him, I am sure. But it is also a source of concern because in his effort to denigrate the Church he is, perhaps unwittingly, misleading many Times readers into thinking that infallible Church teachings are somehow subject to debate and modification based on majority opinion.

He is misguided, of course, but Steinfels never gives up once he starts a rant. His persistence may irritate someone like me, but his free ride at the Times is another matter. I have never seen a response to one of his attacks on the Church, at least not one bearing the weight of a Church leader, but I am convinced that is also by design.

At any rate, examining his recent column "After 40 Years, a Debate Reverberates" may give you a glimpse into the twisted viewpoint of one of America's premier Catholic bashers.

For example, he writes, "Critics of the encyclical predictably point to data showing its overwhelming rejection by Catholics, including regular churchgoers and the young. Critics talk about the 'sense of the faithful'; a crucial measure of any church [sic] teaching, they argue, is whether it is eventually 'received' throughout the church [sic]."

To my mind, it is an extremely dangerous game one plays when he compares a truth, regardless of its source, with current public opinion, even if that opinion is shared by those impacted by that truth at a high level. The fact that "regular churchgoers" and "the young" are not in sync with the teachings of Humanae Vitae is not so much a sign of dissent as one of failure of the shepherds to teach. As I have often experienced during my years as a public speaker on Catholic teachings relating to the human person, too many Catholics do not understand what the Church teaches because they have never heard of such teaching.

If you examine the current crisis in faith among Catholics on questions like birth control and abortion, you will soon find out that never in their lives have they heard, at least for the most part, the precise teaching of the Church, coupled with a total explanation of why the Church teaching is relevant to their lives. And if I take that a step further and tell you that most of these Catholics have no idea that in fact, Catholic teaching on human sexuality is among the most foolproof methods for remaining disease-free and happy, you will perhaps understand my frustration when the likes of Steinfels get a free ride in the pages of the New York Times.

Here is another quote from his latest commentary:

The central point of Humanae Vitae was that each and every act of sexual intercourse had to be free of any deliberate effort to prevent conception.

It was here that Pope Paul VI rejected the recommendation of his own papal commission. After extended study and debate, the commission, though heavily weighted with conservative churchmen, concluded that the inseparability of the bonding and procreating aspects of human sexuality had to be respected over the course of a marriage but not necessarily in every instance of sexual intimacy.

Steinfels appears to be totally disengaged from the fullness of what Humanae Vitae teaches and why the Holy Spirit led Pope Paul VI to the conclusion that in fact, his birth control commission was out of sync with the profound message of human procreation. The majority of people on the papal birth control commission wanted to see a change in Church teaching; they wanted to witness a Catholic advocacy of birth control rather than the consistent teaching that had been universal throughout Christianity until 1930. There was a minority view as well, brilliantly represented by Father John Sasaki.

The papal birth control commission majority did not appreciate the Christian ethic of welcoming children as a gift from God, surrendering the procreative marital act to God and trusting in His will or acknowledging that though the couple might not want a child at a given point in their marriage, they would welcome that child, if indeed God so blessed them.

Steinfels doesn't get this message in much the same way the papal birth control commission did not get it. It is at its core a hard message, but a relevant one to this discussion because today, among Catholics and the population at large, sexual satisfaction requires an allegiance to child-free sex regardless of the consequences. And that, my friends, is precisely where the problem resides even now.

Steinfels tells us that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) explained Humanae Vitae as having three objectives:

First, "to insist on the value of the child";

Second, not to "lose sight of the inner connection" between sexuality and procreation that keeps children from becoming "products" rather than the outcome of a relationship;

Third, to resist the illusion that humanity can resolve "great moral problems simply with techniques" rather than "morally, with a lifestyle."

Steinfels insists that the papal birth control commission had the same objectives, which is not, of course, precisely correct, for if it were, the Holy Father would have adopted their recommendations wholeheartedly. Steinfels is, at his best, clever. His writing is designed to appeal to the middle ground rather than appealing to the heart of the matter which is, I repeat, surrender to the will of God within the sanctity of marriage.

I suppose you could give him an "A" for effort, but by the same token Steinfels deserves an "F" for accuracy.

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2298

Blog Worth Reading

2008-08-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Tory Bowen has long been on my prayer list. I've tried to follow her case. I've listed her on my list of visited places in this blog. I went today to catch up and read the blog she posted July 11, 2008. Here's the link to it. Please go visit. Read.

Feature Story: A Nurse With A Mission

2008-08-07T12:12:00.001-07:00

A NURSE WITH A MISSION
By Judie Brown

Lolita Hanks, R.N. is one of the most delightful people I have ever met. She is dedicated to the principles that affirm human beings as persons; these are the same principles that make supporters of the culture of death shudder. Lolita is, at her core, a living example of what it means to take your confidence in the dignity of the human person into the public square where good can and does overcome evil.

Recently Lolita launched a new outreach to help people choose how they want themselves and their loved ones to be treated when facing serious illness or death. Describing herself as a consumer healthcare consultant, she sets forth a few points she believes will be of great benefit to families. Once you have reviewed them, you are certainly welcome to contact her for further information or if you have questions. Her e-mail address is firstdonoharmllc@gmail.com

How to Prevent the Euthanasia of a Loved One in a Medical Setting

Pray, pray and pray. Pray for wisdom and guidance in making medical decisions for your loved one.

Contact your pastor for spiritual support and your church family so they can also be praying.

Be there for your loved one, no matter how hard their condition and/or suffering is for you to experience. Seriously ill and/or dying people are often the most neglected and lonely people. Also, you want to be a presence at the facility to prevent any foul play by staff who may believe they have good intentions, but whose misguided intentions could have deadly consequences.

Ingratiate yourself with the staff; make them your allies with your kindness. Ask information about them. This will give you insight into their worldview/belief system. Be helpful in providing care for your loved one and learn how to provide care.

Ask a lot of questions.

Use the hospital library, which will have a computer, and also ask a librarian questions in order to learn more about medical terms, conditions and/or medications that you do not know about.

Keep detailed documentation by using a spiral notebook for each day.

DO NOT leave your loved one unattended for any time period, especially at night.

Have a log of questions ready when the doctor makes rounds; be aware that they show up whenever they want to.

American Life League is grateful to Lolita for this forthright checklist that we should all become familiar with.

I also recommend the following helpful material. These documents will educate you and familiarize you with certain terms such ordinary versus extraordinary methods of treatment. Your willingness to learn about these matters now could save someone’s life or at the very least provide you with peace of mind.

What should I ask my local hospice?

Life, Life Support and Death

Vatican Declaration on Euthanasia

As the nation appears to become increasingly more concerned about dollar bills than human lives, it is crucial that we focus attention on the inestimable value of a person regardless of age, health or specific condition. The “cost” of caring for a loved one should never be measured in dollars and cents. When we understand this within the context of our own family, the leadership provided by people like Lolita Hanks, R.N. becomes invaluable. Each of us can be eternally grateful to her for her courage.

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2297

June 6th

2008-06-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

June 6th, 2008:

Krispy Kreme's
National Donut Day

Sisters of Life by Judie Brown

2008-05-21T13:55:00.001-07:00

SISTERS OF LIFE
By Judie Brown

My goodness, I said to myself, it is about time that I actually blogged about something totally and in every respect POSITIVE! I know you will agree, and so I want to introduce you to one of the most powerful pro-life apostolates in the entire world: the Sisters of Life.

When I first heard of this remarkable vocational program, it was from my dearest and most eloquent pro-life compadre, Cardinal John J. O'Connor. He had just instituted the vocational effort and had discovered Mother Mary Agnes, who is the superior of the order and one of the most dynamic Catholic nuns I have ever met since my unforgettable eighth-grade teacher, Sister Laurentine.

Mother Mary Agnes exudes Christ's love from every pore of her wonderfully holy being; her smile lights up a room and her words teach an entire Biblical message. Of course, her presence reminds me of the Lord Himself, though I am a bit prejudiced since Cardinal O'Connor told me of his "find" in Mother Mary Agnes long before the world knew of her mission in life.

"What is the mission of the Sisters of Life?" you might ask. Well, it is simply this:

The Sisters of Life is a contemplative/active religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O'Connor for the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life. Like all religious communities, we take the three traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. We also are consecrated under a special, fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. Reverence and gratitude for the unique and unrepeatable gift of each human life made in the image and likeness of God fuels the prayer of each Sister, our first mission in building the Kingdom of God and the "Culture of Life." It also provides the starting point for our interactions with others and especially relationships in community between our 60 Sisters (who come from across the United States, Canada and Great Britain) and in our apostolates. Inspired by the love of Christ our Spouse, the author of Life, we desire to pour out all our gifts of nature and grace in the apostolate, that nothing of the gift of life and no one to whom it has been given, should be lost. Our missions are carried out with the heart of the Church and with the hope of revealing to those we serve the inherent goodness and beauty of their own lives, so that each person may see and experience the truth that they are an unrepeatable creation of the Master. We welcome pregnant guests to live with us in the Holy Respite of one of our convents, assist pregnant women in need of practical assistance through our Visitation mission, invite those who have suffered abortion to hope and healing through day and weekend Entering Canaan retreats, operate the Dr. Joseph Stanton Human Life Issues Library, direct the New York Archdiocesan Family Life/ Respect Life Office and host retreats at Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat Center.

We at American Life League have a special interest in the work behind the goals established for the Dr. Joseph Stanton Human Life Issues Library and are working on a long-range plan for archiving the history of the pro-life movement and, in particular, the history of American Life League. We have shared our materials, our goals and our love of Christ with these sisters and never been less than totally inspired by each of them and all of them as a collective powerhouse of God's prayerful presence in our world.

If you think I am prejudiced toward their work, you are absolutely correct! From the very beginning of this order of nuns, we at American Life League have been totally on board with Cardinal O'Connor's vision and, if you don't mind, I have to say that Mother Mary Agnes has been on point as well and if the cardinal were here with us today, he would be the first to agree!

As a matter of fact, among the many profound writings and speeches His Eminence gave to the world, there are these unforgettable words, said in praise of his Sisters of Life and vocations to the loving service of God http://sistersoflife.org/history.htm: "The process of formation and development in the religious life has to be the process of the clay in the hands of the potter, the Divine Potter, Who shapes us uniquely to be filled with His Son and yet each of us in a different way... If God wanted every religious to be exactly alike, then God would have created every human being exactly alike."

John Cardinal O'Connor was a living saint, one of my most incredible friends and, in case you have not guessed, a man of great vision and love. If not for those gifts, he never would have conceived of the idea behind the Sisters of Life!

Please join me in a prayer of thanks to God for this unbelievable man, a genuine prince of the Catholic Church, John Cardinal O'Connor, his vision and the legacy he has given the world in the Sisters of Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2126

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Article by Judie Brown: Personal Dignity Denied

2008-05-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

PERSONAL DIGNITY DENIED
By Judie Brown

What happens in a culture of death when the focus of attention becomes the value of an individual human being? As we have seen in much of the recent news reports, we need not move beyond our own borders to discover the answer. Let’s see why this is so.

Last week a symposium was hosted at Princeton University, the home of eugenicist Professor Peter Singer. During the conference, which was entitled "Is It Wrong to End Early Human Life?" Princeton’s own philosophy professor, Elizabeth Harman, told the audience:

Look, when we think about ending an early human life, this is something that is really bad for the embryo or early fetus that dies, it’s losing out tremendously—I agree with that as I already said. And then you said that it’s one of the things that we should care about. And, um, I think that I should have said before that I think it’s really dangerous to slide from noticing that something is bad for something, to thinking that that gives us a moral reason. And just to prove that that doesn’t follow, think about plants. So lots of things are bad for trees, and plants, and flowers, and often that gives us no reasons whatsoever, certainly no moral reasons. In my view, fetuses that die before they’re ever conscious really are a lot like plants: They’re living things, but there’s nothing about them that would make us think that they count morally in the way that people do.

It is profoundly disturbing that a professor of philosophy would take it upon herself to explain away the unique value of a human being at any stage of his or her life by merely equating him to a plant. However, Harman’s remark appears to be representative of a growing attitude in America that human beings who do not measure up or are inconvenient are better off dead because their "value" is not up to par in the first place.

Recent research reports from Cornell University appear to confirm that sad reality beyond the shadow of a doubt. It seems that these scientists have created what could be the first genetically modified human embryo.

The lead scientist, Dr. Zev Rosenwaks, claims that the research was done on "an embryo that was never going to be viable" but one has to challenge that statement from the get go. After all, if the human embryo was never viable, which would mean it was dead, what type of research could have been done in the first place? But the article goes on to explain:

The Cornell scientists put a gene for a fluorescent protein into the single-celled human embryo. The embryo had three sets of chromosomes instead of two.

After the embryo divided for three days, all the cells in the embryo glowed, Dr. Rosenwaks said. He said the goal of the work was to see if the fluorescent marker would carry into the daughter cells, allowing genetic changes to be traced as cells divided.

In other words, the manipulation and intentional creation of a genetically doomed human embryo was the entire goal of the research. The mere fact that scientists would even consider doing this is another confirmation of my original premise in this blog – the dignity of the individual person is being denied with greater frequency and for reasons that become more macabre with the passing of each day.

The Cornell researchers are moving toward the goal of making it possible for potential parents to select designer babies in advance. Of course, the point was made in the article that the human embryo in question and others like him, are not protected under any sort of gene therapy regulations because "a test-tube embryo is not considered a person."

When such news reports come to our attention we have to wonder if in fact the entire nation has been lulled into such a deep state of apathy that even the most heinous of abuse goes undetected and unreported!

Even blatant eugenics-motivated comments by elected officials are being ignored. When Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson expressed his concern that, “If we do away with abortion then we will be overrun by black babies,” nary a word was noted in the media. This is why Georgia Right to Life was put in the position of eventually having to report this in a news release – which I might add has never been covered anywhere until this blog was written. Why?

Dan Becker, president of Georgia Right to Life, got it right when he said:

When a leader ceases to see humans as unique, beautiful and precious, when he forgets in his heart that each human being has a name, then he has crossed a historically frightening line.

To paraphrase Becker, I would point out it is clear that when a nation ceases to recognize human beings as unique and ignores their fundamental dignity which is a gift bestowed on each one of them by God, the future of that nation is in doubt.

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Respond to Judie
http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2112

Pro-life Spot

2008-04-22T12:03:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon, Pro-Life Bloggers:

Many of you have been following our effort to have Bill Maher removed from the airwaves. What you may not have noticed is that Blip TV decided to yank our video for an unspecified reason, 2 hours before Judie Brown was scheduled to go on Fox Business Network's "Cavuto."

You can see Judie's interview by going here:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&singleClipReferralObject=5994c3e4-5397-4ac9-8ca3-fdb6b1c0a989&referrer=copylink

As it turns out, Blip TV has a very lucritive contract with CNN, and if you believe Wikipedia, they really don’t like to talk about where their “venture capital” comes from:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/bliptv_translates_ireports_for_cnn_41929.asp

http://blog.blip.tv/blog/2006/08/01/bliptv-deal-with-cnn-others/

http://www.lostremote.com/2006/08/13/bliptv-thriving-on-cnn-deal/

The last link is the most interesting. Who owns CNN? The same guys who own HBO. Time Warner….

The tech community seems to have wondered for awhile who was behind the BlipTV technology. They certainly have a very prominent ad for Media Matters on their frontpage… sounds like an interesting angle for an intrepid journalist (or blogger) to me!

We'll be putting together an ALL Report on this in the next week, and will be happy to highlight blogs who cover it as well.

Clearly, Time-Warner is feeling the heat and trying to hit back. Let's keep the pressure on! We won with YouTube, we can win here, too!

--Michael

Mental Health Problems & Armed Forces

2008-04-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an article that talks about our armed services and mental health problems when returning from war. Please read it here.

Reading isn't enough. Please remember them in prayer. Remember their families and loved ones as well.

ALL Today's Feature Article

2008-04-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

PRO-LIFE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL SAYS: PAY FOR AN ULTRASOUND THEN KILL THE BABY
By Judie Brown

The pro-abortion forces in the state of Florida have sunk to a new low. The Florida House passed legislation that would require expectant mothers to undergo ultrasound exams before going through with the abortion. I repeat, the bill is not designed to end abortion, but merely to require her to see an ultrasound of her baby before going through with the abortion.

A Sun-Sentinel news report states that, "any woman seeking to terminate pregnancy would be required to pay for an ultrasound."

The state representative who introduced the bill commented, "I cannot imagine any man having a surgical procedure without prior tests." Apparently she views killing a child through abortion to simply be a "surgical procedure" and letting the patient have a look at the child ahead of time is a good idea!

Even though the bill itself is problematic because it does little if anything to actually end abortion, the arguments against it are inane and expose the rabidly pro-abortion tenor of those who oppose it. One pro-abort described the measure as "little more than a government invasion into a private health matter."

In response to that I would say, pregnancy is a perfectly healthy state for any woman to be in—pregnancy is not a disease. There is nothing invasive at all about attempting to show the expectant mother her child before she makes a fatal decision that will destroy one life and possibly two.

Another pro-abort said, "This is not about protecting the rights of women. This is about eroding the rights of women."

In other words, an expectant mother should not have the right to receive enough information to help her think through a decision that is life-changing for her and life-ending for her child. Obviously it is the pro-abort agenda that is eroding rights.

Planned Parenthood is screaming about this bill, telling their followers, "HB 257 is misleading and anti-women—it claims to protect women's health, when it does nothing for the women of Florida."

If you cannot figure out what is anti-women about ultrasounds, join the club. The only conclusion I can come to is that Planned Parenthood doesn’t want to even suggest the possibility that a mother seeking to abort her child might change her mind.

While it is unclear whether or not this particular piece of legislation will even get passed, I think it is telling to listen to the manner in which pro-aborts argue when it comes to something as benign as ultrasound. After all, the ultrasound is not going to stop her from having her baby killed. If that is what the legislators had wanted, then they would have required that the ultrasound be followed by pro-life counseling designed to encourage the mother to carry her baby to term.

It is this point that forces me to state that the entire bill is fraught with moral hazards. The type of legislation being proposed in Florida is really lacking in basic because if you think about what the proposed law is telling the expectant mother, it is simply this: We are going to require the abortionist to show you an ultrasound prior to you making a final decision about whether or not to abort your child. So after you see the ultrasound, feel free to abort the baby!

Judie Brown

Every Woman...

2008-04-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect..but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

VOM: 3-28-08

2008-03-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

» AZERBAIJAN - Baptist Pastor Released From Prison

On March 19, Baptist pastor Zaur Balaev was released from prison in Azerbaijan. The release was part of a presidential amnesty on Novruz Bairam, a holiday marking the beginning of spring.

Pastor Balaev was met outside the prison by his son and Ilya Zenchenko, head of the Baptist Union. "When Balaev was released, journalists asked whether he was feeling grateful to Azerbaijan's president for his release, Zaur answered that he always in everything feels grateful to Jesus only and no one else. Journalists immediately quit shooting [footage] of him," VOM contacts said.

Pastor Zaur Balaev was arrested in May 2007, for "conducting an illegal religious meeting" in his home village in Aliabad, Azerbaijan. In August, he was sentenced to two years in prison under Article 315, Part 1, for violence against a state representative. The original charges accused him of holding "illegal" meetings under the guise of religious activity without concrete authority and registration. He was also accused of attracting young people to worship services and playing loud music at services. Azerbaijan's authorities later changed their accusations while Balaev was in custody, initially claiming that he set a dog on police during a raid on a Sunday service. After more than 50 people signed a written statement testifying to Balaev's innocence, the dog disappeared from the authorities' claims and Balaev was instead accused of attacking five policemen and damaging a police door.

The Voice of the Martyrs featured Pastor Balaev on the group's Christian prisoner Web site www.prisoneralert.com. Visitors to the site composed more than 3,300 letters of encouragement to Balaev. "We rejoice with Pastor Balaev and his family upon his release," said Todd Nettleton, spokesman for The Voice of the Martyrs. "We rejoice in his faithfulness, and we thank our readers who wrote letters of encouragement to him in prison. Our prayers and our letters do make a difference for persecuted Christians like Pastor Balaev!"

The Voice of the Martyrs encourages American Christians to continue praying for protection and wisdom for Pastor Balaev as he returns home to his family and congregation.

Read the full article here. » SRI LANKA - Wife of Martyred Pastor off Ventilator and Recovering

The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) reports the wife of martyred Pastor Edirisinghe is recovering from severe injuries sustained during an attack that killed her husband.

"The NCEASL chairman visited Shiromi yesterday. She is experiencing a great recovery, she speaks, breathes well and has been transferred to Kandy General for surgery to remove [footage] bullet," NCEASL reported. Mrs. Edirisinghe was critically injured on February 17, when two assailants gunned down her husband outside their home in Ampara, Sri Lanka. She sustained critical injuries to her stomach and their two-year-old son was also injured in the attack. Pray for her quick recovery from the remaining surgeries. Ask God to heal her emotions and to touch their son with the love of Christ. Pray God will give them supernatural ability to forgive the assailants and for their testimony to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Christ.

Read the full article here.

Thursday Quote

2008-03-27T13:56:00.003-07:00

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.

George Washington

Thursday Quote

2008-03-27T13:56:00.001-07:00

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.

George Washington

BREAKING NEWS

2008-03-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

BREAKING NEWS: Tory Bowen's case will be heard at a special session on March 27 in NE!

CLICK HERE FOR PAVE's 7 Step ActionPlan

From Mary Southerland's Devotional

2008-03-27T08:53:00.001-07:00

He examined every circumstance, understanding that it had already passed through His Father's hands with His permission! And God came through! To find real security and contentment we must learn to search for the handprints of God in the every day circumstances of life.

Prayer Request

2008-03-27T08:50:00.001-07:00

Please say a special prayer today for the Bryant family. Josh’s hemoglobin count is low & another count they did was very very low. He is going to a specialist today at 1:15 to see if they can figure out what is going on. Betty said that the doctor is not real concerned but thinks they need to find out because he could be bleeding internally. Josh doesn’t know this part; he was anointed last night at church. Betty is really afraid because of what they went thru when Jacob was 2. So please pray for them today.

Word of the Day

2008-03-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

This week's theme: Words from Yiddish.

meshuga or meshugga (muh-SHOOG-uh) adjective

Crazy; stupid.

[From Yiddish meshuge, from Hebrew meshugga.]

Knowing the Laws

2008-03-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

I truly feel that knowing the laws of your state is the best thing that you can do for yourself! You need to be aware of the laws because some people will try to "pull the wool over your eyes" if you don't know.

Two examples from today come to mind.

#1: My mom emailed me to inform me that the new gas station over charged her on gas again. She had previously had a conversation about this with people that are over the location. They apologized and promised to send her a gift card the first time. The second time, she has received no response of as yet. Why know your laws? I looked up the law stating that the price at the pump and on the billboard have to match.

#2: My friend stated that her employer said that she would refuse to pay for anything to do with an injury to her unless she had told her to climb a tree prior to the accident. (Crazy woman!!) Why know your laws? I found several articles of Chapter 97 stating that no agreement, rule, etc could stop an employer from paying for a worker's injury.

WHY KNOW YOUR LAWS? To protect YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, and those you know.

Tuesday Quote

2008-03-25T08:20:00.001-07:00

Quote of the Day - Walt Disney - "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

Quote

2008-03-24T12:48:00.001-07:00

Quote of the Day - Vince Lombardi - "Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."

Monday Quote

2008-03-24T11:26:00.001-07:00

Funny Quote of the Day - Fred Allen - "I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me."

Mood Menders

2008-03-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/18/o.emergency.mood/index.html

Following God

2008-03-24T08:53:00.001-07:00

I've known for a while that sometimes following what God wants us to do is harder than we expect, but it's never too hard for us to handle (especially with God). My reminder of this came to me this weekend. You see for a few weeks I've had this thought come to mind every Sunday. The thought? "Give your Bible to Christy." I wanted to pretend that this wasn't what I really heard. And because I had several Bibles that I could give her I thought, "God not my Bible".

Still it was the same thing over and over again. Yesterday, Christy sat in front of Matt and I. I had cleaned out all the papers and notes from my Bible (my thought was it was too heavy with stuff in it). Again, as loud as my heart could feel I heard "Give your Bible to Christy". I sat there trying to come up with the excuses why I shouldn't.

You see this Bible is very special to me. It was the second one that I've had in my Christian life. My mother gave it to me when I started going to church on a regular basis (because I wanted to soak in all the information that I could) by choice. It had been hers prior. She had marked several passages in it. She had actually used it for a few years, but when she got a new one, she felt that I needed that one more than she did.

That was 9 years ago. My Bible and I had been through many revivals, Bible Studies, personal devotions, and all kinds of things. I had lines on top of lines in it, dates of events, and notes in the margins. Still...God wanted me to give my Bible away. This must be a misunderstanding.

I sat in church beside Matt and prayed quietly about my Bible. I felt this amazing feeling come over me that couldn't be anything other than the Holy Spirit. And I knew. I knew I had to give my Bible away. I told Matt that I needed to talk to Christy after church.

So there I stood in church handing her my Bible with tears rolling down my face trying to explain to her that I was following what God said for me to do. She promised to use it well and with tears in her own eyes thanked me for the Bible.

Following God is sometimes very hard to do. It hurt me to give something away that I loved so dearly, but I know that Christy needs and wants that Bible just as much, if not more, than I do.

Just wanted to share with you.
Love,
Tabitha

PS No worries. I do still have a Bible. It's a new one that was given to me in November 2007.

Feature Story: Pro-life Today

2008-03-24T06:02:00.001-07:00

FEATURE STORY

By Judie Brown

HORRIBLE HODARI

Just one week ago courageous pro-life activists discovered the body parts of aborted children in dumpsters behind the facility operated by abortionist Alberto Hodari. In the aftermath it was noted that the "doctor" could face a fine of perhaps $2,500 for each violation, if indeed he is charged with a violation of any type. As I write this whether any charges will be brought still remains in question as authorities have been hesitant to make public statements on the matter.

However, the Detroit Free Press is following the story and it appears that Hodari is now claiming that he doubts anyone found tiny hands, rib cages and mutilated bodies of aborted children in his trash! The pictures were taken, the witnesses were there and yet this cruel, deceitful man is in denies any misconduct. But then why wouldn’t he be?

We live in a society that turns a blind eye to the grotesque nature of abortion, rarely, if ever, acknowledging that there is anything wrong with the act to begin with. In fact, when this story broke last week, unless I missed something, it was not on the nightly news nor was it widely reported anywhere! If it were not for pro-life bloggers like Jill Stanek perhaps nobody would have known about it. That’s just the way it is in the culture of death.

Imagine what would have happened if this grisly discovery had been made during a time when the media actually recognized brutality for what it is and identified those body parts as belonging to human beings rather than being mere garbage! For example, when Hodari commented to the reporters from the Detroit Free Press, he began by showing off brand new trash cans and said he had purchased shredders for documents that contain patient information, not directly addressing remains of children found in the dumpster at all.

>>READ MORE…

Pro-life Today Headlines

2008-03-24T06:01:00.001-07:00

Wisconsin Antiabortion Group Criticizes Three College Newspapers That Refused To Run Ad Against EC
Pro-Life Wisconsin recently criticized three college newspapers in the state for refusing to run an advertisement against emergency contraception, the La Crosse Tribune reports (Lang, La Crosse Tribune, 3/14). Virginia Zignego, communications director for PLW, on Monday said the group is frustrated, angry and confused by decisions not to run the quarter-page ad, which is part of a $2,000 media campaign (AP/Editor & Publisher, 3/18).

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/03/14/news/z05paper.txt

Pharmacists ask to stop forced 'morning-after' pill sales

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A group of pharmacists asked the Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday to throw out a rule that forces them to dispense emergency contraception despite moral objections, claiming it amounts to illegal coercion. Gov. Rod Blagojevich issued the rule in 2005, prohibiting pharmacies from turning away women seeking emergency contraception.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-18-morning-after-pill_N.htm?csp=34

40 Days for Life Campaign Reports Saved Lives, Heightened Awareness

Washington DC, Mar 17, 2008 (CNA).- Sunday concluded the 40 Days for Life campaign that took place in 59 cities and 31 states. The effort included 40 days of peaceful protest outside abortion facilities and Planned Parenthood clinics, and prayer and fasting to raise awareness of abortions taking place in local communities.

"We are seeing a tremendous change taking place across the nation as our second simultaneous coast-to-coast 40 Days for Life campaign draws to a close," said David Bereit, national campaign director of 40 Days for Life.

http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=86962

Doctors Required to Post Objections to Abortion and IVF says U.K. Rules

LONDON, March 18, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - British physicians will be required to post any "ethical objections" they may have to abortion according to a new document from the General Medical Council, the governing body for doctors in the UK.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08031808.html

Abortion rates in decline

YOUNG Australian women are as unlikely to have an abortion today as their grandmothers were half a century ago, according to new national data that shows a dramatic decline in the procedure. Researchers behind the major findings credit increasing condom use and the nation's newfound enthusiasm for having children for the remarkable new trend.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23402919-1702,00.html#

Vatican Official to U.N.: 'Protect the unborn and the seriously ill'

GENEVA (CNS) - A Vatican official urged government delegates to help protect the lives of the unborn and those suffering from serious and deadly illnesses.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, Vatican representative to U.N. agencies in Geneva, said "no compromise can be made with a person's right to life itself, from conception to natural death, nor with that person's ability to enjoy the dignity which flows from that right."
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=27185

Word of the Day

2008-03-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

Dictionary.com's Word of the Day - transmute: to change from one nature, form, substance, or state into another.

I can't forgive...

2008-03-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when
he had a job.

His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had, that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger,
resentment, and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in
his eyes, he prayed:

'Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot, I don't know
how. It is not fair Lord, I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray you teach me to do the one thing I cannot do: Teach me to forgive.'

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

'Have you ever told a lie?' He asked?

The man answered - 'Yes, Lord.'

'Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?'

The man answered - 'Yes. Lord.' And the man sobbed more and more.

'Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?' Jesus asked .

And the man answered, 'Yes, Lord.'

'Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?'

The man, crying now, answered - 'Yes, Lord.'

As Jesus asked many more times, 'Have you ever'? The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer - 'Yes, Lord'.

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a lo ok of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, 'I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you.'

It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in.

If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

Tuesday Quote

2008-03-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

Attitude is the mind's paintbrush. You can color any situation.

Pro-life Today's Headline Articles

2008-03-18T09:38:00.001-07:00

HEADLINES

HHS Secretary Calls on Certification Group to Protect Conscience Rights

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt expressed disappointment in a new policy put forth by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). He also called on the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) to reject this policy and protect the conscience rights of physicians.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/03/20080314a.html

Governor Doyle Forces Chemical Abortion on Wisconsin’s Hospitals

Governor Doyle signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 377, also known as the Chemical Abortion Hospital Mandate. The law mandates that all Wisconsin hospitals, regardless of religious affiliation, inform an alleged victim of sexual assault about “emergency contraception” and provide it upon her request.
http://www.prolifewisconsin.org/news_story.asp?id=221

Protesters at Aurora's abortion clinic have no plans to stop

Five months after Planned Parenthood opened its controversial Aurora clinic, anti-abortion activists are still manning their posts. Last weekend, about 80 men, women and children marched, prayed and spoke with anyone willing to stop their cars on their way into the clinic. "This morning, a couple in a blue van came in (to the entrance of the clinic) and talked to our counselors and then backed out again," said Eric Sheidler, communications specialist for the Pro Life Action League and organizer of the event. "It just goes to show you that being here makes a difference."

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/847914,2_1_AU18_CLINIC_S1.article

Planned Parenthood Attacks the Whistleblower after Student Group Reveals Racism

BOISE, March 17, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The underlying racism of Planned Parenthood's policies was revealed recently when an official was caught on tape agreeing, while laughing, to take a donation for abortions specifically targeted at reducing the black population. Now the Idaho branch of Planned Parenthood has claimed that the official's response was a "serious mistake" and has criticized the pro-life group that gathered the information.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08031713.html

French Woman Loses Case in Bid to be Euthanized

DIJON, France, March 17, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A mother of three who lives in the Bourgogne region of Eastern France has had her plea to be euthanized by her doctor rejected by a court in Dijon. The court ruled that French law does not permit a doctor to prescribe lethal drugs to patients.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08031705.html

Swiss Euthanasia Group Reopens "Clinic" Next to Country's Largest Brothel

March 17, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Dignitas euthanasia "clinic" has reopened its doors in a facility located next to Switzerland's largest brothel.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08031711.html

Pro-Life Today's Feature Story

2008-03-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

FEATURE STORY

By Judie Brown

When I read the recent news report from Britain, dealing with the mental illness that can follow a mother’s choice to abort her child, I was grateful beyond words. Finally, I thought, at least one mainstream media source has chosen to admit what so many of us have known for so very long. Abortion not only takes the life of an innocent child, it also wounds that child’s mother.

I will never forget the first time in my life that I met a mother who had aborted her own child. She was actor Anthony Quinn’s first wife, Katherine, who was Cecil B. DeMille’s adopted daughter. Katherine Quinn was a lovely lady who was in her late sixties when I met her. She told me almost immediately after I sat down with her that long ago, at the urging of Mr. Quinn, she had aborted their child. She said that she did not know why after all these years she had confided in me. However she went on to admit that she had been in agony over the death of that child and could never really face the fact that she had agreed to the abortion. She suffered terribly even though she and Quinn went on to have four children, one of whom drowned in a swimming pool at the age of four.

I will never forget the sadness in her eyes and the way she looked at me as she talked of the pain of this "secret" in her life. It was truly one of the most heart wrenching conversations I have ever had with anyone.

Years after that when I decided to attend a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in New Jersey I once again witnessed the pain and agony that mothers experience who have chosen, whether freely or under pressure, to abort a child of their own. The emotional reaction of these mothers is beyond any words I can ever put on paper.

So when I read the headlines in the British newspaper, the Sunday Times, I said a silent prayer of thanks. Finally, the secular world is beginning to admit the cruel truth that mothers who abort their babies do suffer in many ways. The Royal College of Psychiatrists is now stating that "women should not be allowed to have an abortion until they are counseled on the possible risk to their mental health."

>>READ MORE…

Meet the dogs....

2008-03-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Several months ago, I had written or told most of the people around me that we had "gone to the dogs". So here are some of the dogs that you get to meet. Not all of them live with me, but they are around me a great deal.

This is "Wolfe" our blue-eyed little girl.
This is "Scout".This is "Whoopie". She is 15 years old now. She spends most of her days resting. But in her prime, her favorite activity was to chance rocks. Yes, I said rocks.

That's not all of them, but the others will have to wait until another day.
Check back later to see Daddy Dog, LP, and Dudley.

Spring Photos

2008-03-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

It looks like Spring is here....

Manic Monday

2008-03-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Just another manic Monday? That's a song? Wow!

Feature Story from Pro-life Today

2008-03-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

FEATURE STORY

MUTILATED BODIES FOUND IN DUMPSTER
by Judie Brown

Normally I do not use my blog to quote an entire commentary from another source, but this is so tragic, so vile, so very evil, I have no choice other than to share the despicable acts of a single abortionist who was literally caught dumping bodies as though they were nothing more than soiled tissue paper. The following report comes from Rock for Life :

Dumpster dive at abortion clinic yields horrific find

Over the course of a month, pro-lifers involved with Citizens for a Pro-Life Society have run an organized campaign of snatching bags of trash from WomanCare clinic in Lathrup, Michigan. WomanCare is part of a chain of six abortion clinics run by abortionist Alberto Hodari. The CPLS investigation yielded a horrific find: unshredded medical records, improperly disposed biological waste and the remains of several aborted children! The group alerted the police, who raided the clinic dumpster on Monday, using hazardous materials gear to haul away the blood-soaked trash bags.

Dr. Monica Miller, who organized the CPLS dumpster investigation, says she has been digging through abortion clinic dumpsters for years to rescue the remains of aborted babies and ensure that they are given a proper burial. She has been given a guarantee by the local police that they will allow her to bury the aborted babies who were recently removed. Because no one told her to stay off the property, she will not be charged for going through the dumpsters on private property. Below is the report Dr. Miller made to the police, provided courtesy of the Catholic Pro-Life Committee:

Milissa and I began investigating the dumpster behind the WomanCare facility Friday, February 8, 2008.

What we found that Friday were patient records and open condom wrappers.

By looking through these documents we learned patients’ names, phone numbers, addresses, ages, how long their pregnancy had lasted, what they were being seen by the doctor for, insurance forms, methods of payment, and several lab reports. We also discovered in the trash used syringes, ultrasound pictures of the babies, dozens of used drug vials, several used IV bags with the sharps still attached, bloody absorbent paper, open condom wrappers, used condoms, and bloody used laminaria.

___________________________
Michael Hichborn
Director of Media Relations
American Life League
1179 Courthouse Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540.659.4171 (w)
540.226.9178 (c)
mhichborn@all.org
http://www.all.org/

ALD Foundation

2008-03-14T07:58:00.001-07:00

If you read the story about Dakota from yesterday's post, you might be seeking more information to better understand that situation. Here's a website called ALD Foundation. They have a great deal of information. Check it out if you want.

Feature Story: Pro-Life T-shirt Day

2008-03-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

FEATURE STORY

National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day is Right Around the Corner!

National Pro-life T-shirt Day (NPLTD) is aimed at raising public awareness of the deaths of over 3,000 babies killed every day by abortion. It is a key part in ending abortion as we work to have America recognize the personhood of all children, from the moment of fertilization. In doing so, we will extend to these children the basic rights that every American enjoys. In order to raise awareness, we need people to go out in public with this message—this is where the T-shirts come in.

Nearly 50 million babies have been killed since the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Accordingly, over 3,200 babies are killed each day. We do our work primarily for the babies. Truthfully, though, abortion does not just affect the babies who are killed, but their mothers, fathers, siblings and even the rest of us.

It doesn’t take a lot to stop it—we just have to stand up and announce that this tragedy cannot be allowed to continue. For some that may involve protesting in front of a Planned Parenthood or participating in a march.

This day, however, is about raising awareness through wearing a simple T-shirt and getting everyone to stop and think about it, if only for a moment. To really make an impact, we need as many people as possible to wear their shirts and stand up for the rights of the pre-born. It may seem like something small, but it will make a difference.

April 29, 2008–Will you be playing a part in changing history?

____________________________

Michael Hichborn
Director of Media Relations
American Life League
1179 Courthouse Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540.659.4171 (w)
540.226.9178 (c)
mhichborn@all.org
http://www.all.org/

Indonesia & India (VOM)

2008-03-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

» INDONESIA - Islamic Extremists' Protests Lead to Church Closures

Protests from Islamic extremists have stopped worship services at two churches in Sumatra and Java Island, Indonesia.

According to Compass Direct News, "Love Evangelical Bethel church, near Pekanbaru, Riau province on Sumatra Island ceased Sunday services after about 60 demonstrators from local mosques on February 15 demanded its closure." The Compass report added the protesters, led by Harry Cahyono and Victor Ramaddan, said they were protesting the church because it did not have a permit for expansion. Compass said, "They (the protesters) wrote, 'do not build without permit' in red paint on the church wall."

Rev. Alex Ritonga told Compass his church was the only church in a village of 14 mosques, none of which have permits. He added his church was registered with local Religious Affairs authorities and had been told he did not require permits to expand his building.

Meanwhile on February 8, Islamic youths protested a Christian social services house which also serves as a church, in Banten province on Java Island. They demanded the church be closed. These latest protests against churches in Indonesia are the latest in pressure against believers to stop worshipping. Several churches were closed in 2007, after attacks and pressure from Muslims. Pray God protects Christians in Indonesia. Ask God to give them creative ways to continue worshipping even though their churches have been closed. Pray believers will forgive their persecutors for the treatment they have received.

Read the full article here.

» INDIA - Hindu Extremists Assault New Christian Leader

On February 27, the newly-elected president of the Balaghat Christian Association was beaten for providing legal help to victims of an earlier Hindu extremist attack on February 22.

According to Compass Direct News, "Members of the Hindu extremist group, Bajrang Dal allegedly targeted Dr. Robin Singh, a medical doctor and Christian leader, because he had provided legal and administrative help to Tom George, Sunil Lal and others who had been dragged from a Lent meeting and beaten with bamboo poles, sticks, rods and other weapons. They struck him with their fists and wooden sticks, as well as kicked him, to deftly give him internal injuries."

Pray for believers injured in both attacks. Pray God gives Christians in India courage to stand for Him despite persecution. Also pray believers will forgive their persecutors.

Read the full article here.

Dakota - please read

2008-03-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

My Godson, Dakota, is 5 years old. He has had a termedously hard life. For the first bit of his life, he didn't breath! Then when he was 3 months old, he was hospitalized for failure to thrive. His birth mother wasn't feeding him at night.

Then...we found out that he has asthma, acid reflux, and several other things that hindered him from being so called "normal". Then he went through genetic testing to find out that he has ALD (Adrenoluekodystrophy). Big word, horrible illness...his body produces too much of the very long chain fatty acids and he's missing the part of his genes to allow his body to know what to do with them. So they attack and breakdown tissues in his body. As we all know, the brain is tissue!

He has been on an experiement drug called "Lorenzo's Oil" (There was a movie made by the same name that shows the effects of the illness). His recent tests show that he is in full blown ALD now. And his condition is deteriating quickly. Please pray for him. I love this little boy more than my own life...and I might lose him.

Spring Fever

2008-03-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again. First of all, my allergies are going bananas on me. I'm coughing and sneezing. I feel like my new name should be Sneezy.

My dad used to call this time of year "Spring Fever Season". The name has two meanings for me. First, it means that my heads going to hurt and I'm going to end up congested because of the budding plants. But it also means that I'm going to get the itch to be outside. I'm going to long to be outside, be at the lake, and so on. My camera will be strapped to my side. I'll make plans for hikes, walks, picnics, and camping trips.

It's a little early this year to be making plans, but it's been around 68 degrees most days for 2 weeks now here. The sun is shining. The birds are singing and I'm longing for Spring to really be here.

That's my thoughts for today.
Enjoy,
Tabbi aka Sneezy

Feature Story: 3-12-08

2008-03-12T09:54:00.001-07:00

FEATURE STORY

AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE CALLS FOR NATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Following California scandal, Planned Parenthood billing practices throughout the nation in question

WASHINGTON, D.C. (11 March 2008) — In the wake of fraud allegations against Planned Parenthood affiliates in California, American Life League calls on state attorneys general across the nation to investigate the possibility of fraud in other states.

"Every state's attorney general should be alarmed by Planned Parenthood's apparent $180 million fraud against California,” said Andrew Flusche, staff attorney for American Life League. “Attorneys general have the duty to protect their citizens from fraudulent practices by government contractors. Planned Parenthood's practices in California should prompt immediate nationwide investigations into the way it bills each state."

Earlier this week, a federal whistleblower lawsuit filed under the federal False Claims Act was unsealed following a review from the U.S. attorney’s office. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2005 by former vice-president of Planned Parenthood-Los Angeles Victor Gonzalez, alleges that nine Planned Parenthood affiliates in California defrauded state and federal taxpayers to the tune of at least $180 million.

"The lawsuit reveals a 2004 state audit where Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties over-billed California by $5.2 million in 2003,” continued Flusche. “During that same period, the entire Planned Parenthood Federation received $265.2 million of taxpayer money. How can the American taxpayers believe that the other 107 affiliates are following the law?"

Flusche announced that American Life League is monitoring the situation closely and requesting over 150 other groups fighting Planned Parenthood to call for investigations of Planned Parenthood affiliates in their own states.

"Planned Parenthood's activity is a slap in the face to all taxpayers in this country,” concluded Flusche. “Our attorneys general must demand accountability for Planned Parenthood's actions and ensure that the taxpayers are not being defrauded."

____________________________
Michael Hichborn
Director of Media Relations
American Life League
1179 Courthouse Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540.659.4171 (w)
540.226.9178 (c)
mhichborn@all.org
http://www.all.org/

April 29th

2008-03-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

April 29th is National Pro-life T-shirt Day. This is the 6th year. Wear your pro-life t-shirts on April 29th.

http://www.nationalprolifetshirtday.com/

Celebrate 3/16!

2008-03-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATE 3:16 SUNDAY! – 3/16/2008

Join Christians around the world as we lift up John 3:16 on this Palm Sunday, 3/16/08. Here are a few simple ways you can participate:

============================
- Encourage your body of believers to read or study John 3:16 this Sunday.
- Highlight John 3:16 on your church web site or marquee.
- Launch a multi-week bible study of the promises of John 3:16 in your church or neighborhood (visit ThreeSixteen.net for a listing of multiple resources).
- Share a 3:16 evangelism tool with a friend.
- Host a prayer time thanking God for loving this world and sending His Son.
============================

Pastor and author Max Lucado has called John 3:16 the most important verse in the Bible and with good reason. Within its 26 words are found the essential truths of the Christian faith. It's the Hope Diamond of Scripture, beginning with God, ending with life and urging us to do the same.

Be a part of our quest to acquaint 316 million people with the life giving message of John 3:16. After all, if we could share just one verse with the world, wouldn't it be this one?

He Loves.
He Gave.
We Believe.
We Live.

ALL Pro-life Today

2008-03-11T11:55:00.001-07:00

Pro Life Today | 11 March 2008

HEADLINES

Parts of aborted fetuses found in trash
Detroit Free Press, United States
State officials are investigating the alleged improper disposal of medical waste -- including body parts of aborted fetuses -- found in the Dumpster of a Lathrup Village clinic.

Thomas More Law Center Continues Quest to Pass State Personhood Amendments – This Time in Oregon
Thomas More Law Center
The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will present oral arguments to an Oregon Circuit Court judge in defense of a proposed amendment to the Oregon Constitution crafted by the Law Center that would protect human life from the moment of fertilization.

Planned Parenthood California affiliates defraud taxpayers of millions, former exec alleges
Catholic News Agency, CO
A federal whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former Planned Parenthood executive alleges that nine affiliates in California knowingly engaged in a criminal plot to defraud millions of dollars from state and federal taxpayers over a period of at least six years, the California Catholic Daily reports.

FEATURE STORY

BIRTH CONTROL HORMONES ARE FOR THE BIRDS!
by Judie Brown

When I saw the latest report on starlings and the dreadful damage that birth control hormones are doing to their ability to sing, I was amazed!

The thing that made me stop and take notice was not that additional research is showing that “gender-bender chemicals” are negatively affecting the environment, but rather that such scientific results do not get even a minimal amount of attention from the major media in America.

According to this most recent article, “scientists at Cardiff University have discovered that the brains of male starlings foraging for worms at a sewage treatment works in South-West England have been subtly changed by being contaminated by estrogen from the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.“

The report says that female hormones pass into the sewage by way of female urine and remain unaffected by the sewage itself. However the hormones do cause the part of the brain that controls the starling’s song to grow much bigger, causing them to sing at greater length and with more “virtuosity than usual.”

At UCLA researchers have found the same effect on female finches so that they are singing like the males do, though in the past female finches never sang.

Some researchers are even describing the hormones that enter the environment as a type of “pollution” and are concerned about the long range effects they will have on the environment as we know it. For example, in Florida during the 1980s alligators were failing to reproduce because males had been negatively affected by the estrogen in the streams and rivers. And in Britain another study found that, “a third of male roaches in rivers and streams have been producing eggs which are normally produced by female sex organs."

Some research suggests that these negative effects are having a deleterious impact on men as well, predicting that the “average man will be unable to father children within decades.”

The article does not represent some harebrained idea that was concocted in the back room of a pub! It is based on the scientific research of several environmental scientists from various parts of the world and their work should be taken seriously.

We already know that synthetic hormones can cause all sorts of problems for the women who ingest them. Add to that the problems that the residuals are causing for the environment and for the men in society and you have to wonder why there is not more effort to get the things off the market. Of course no sooner did I get that sentence onto my screen then the answer became obvious: money!

Pharmaceutical companies make billions on birth control chemicals and hormone replacement therapy, so why sound alarms when it is so easy to ignore these studies and keep the results from the public? While some would say that the health and wellbeing of the nation’s human beings should be the number one priority of the government, the media and big business, it has become painfully clear over the years that this is simply not the case when dealing with matters of sexual relations that involve birth control and abortion.

When you read about the impact these hormones is having on humans, you really have to wonder what in the world is wrong with people who are in positions to warn the public of the impending disaster that human beings will face. For instance:

Communities exposed to high levels of these and other gender-bender chemicals, from the Great Lakes of North America to the Russian Arctic, have been found to give birth to twice as many girls as boys.

Gender-bender chemicals are not just for the birds! Apparently they are going to negatively affect every aspect of society as we know it . . . unless something is done to correct the problems that have caused the imbalances reported in this article.

Don’t hold your breath!

Important message from Judie Brown

2008-03-11T07:33:00.001-07:00

We remain steadfast, but…

By Judie Brown

Over the last few weeks, something rather bizarre has occurred in the pro-life movement and it is difficult for me to get my arms around it. So, I have decided to share the puzzlement I am experiencing in the hopes that others, upon reading this, will join me in a fervent Lenten prayer for healing.

This past January 17, as a personhood proposal was being presented as a way to amend Georgia’s state constitution, the two bishops in that state made a public statement in opposition to it. They wrote, “As the Catholic bishops of Georgia we, along with our brother bishops throughout the world, have unceasingly advocated for the sanctity of human life and continually supported legislative efforts to increase protection of human life.”

They claim to agree with the “objectives” of the proposed state constitutional amendment but oppose the approach because it “does not provide a realistic opportunity for ending or reducing abortion in Georgia.”

A few weeks later, on February 26, the two Catholic bishops in Montana issued a statement expressing their views on a proposed personhood amendment to the Montana state constitution. They wrote, “We, the Catholic Bishops of Montana, remain steadfast in our commitment to defend human life in all of its stages, from conception to natural death.”

They went on to commend the “objective” of the efforts to amend the state’s constitution, but pointed out that they support efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution rather than the state’s. They wrote that they “do not believe that CI-100 is the most beneficial venue to pursue necessary change.” They listed several strategies which they deem appropriate at the state level, including funding pregnancy centers, providing support for expectant mothers and passing a law requiring parental notice with judicial bypass prior to a minor acquiring an abortion.

Two days later, the Colorado Catholic Conference issued a statement regarding the proposal by Colorado for Equal Rights to amend the Colorado state constitution with personhood language. In that statement, the Colorado Catholic Conference said, “We commend the goal of this effort to end abortion… but we do not believe that this year’s Colorado Personhood Amendment is the best means to pursue this issue at this time.”

The Colorado conference denied that any of the bishops had lent their support to the personhood initiative being promoted by Colorado for Equal Rights even though Bishop Tafoya, one of the three bishops in Colorado, had his picture taken with the campaign leader, Keith Mason, and had given every indication that he supported the effort.

The thread that ties these three separate actions together is the realization that even though these seven Catholic bishops in three states all share the goal of doing all they can to end the slaughter of the innocents, they also agree that personhood amendments to state constitutions are not realistic, timely or the best way to do things. Statements like those I have just excerpted are the source of my confusion.

For the record and, if I may say so, for the babies, allow me to point a few things out.

It was not anyone in the pro-life movement, but rather United States Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun who wrote in the Roe v. Wade decision, “If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant’s [abortion] case, of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment.”

In other words, if those who understand that a preborn child is a person from the point of his creation want to restore absolute legal protection to children, then personhood must be established in the law. Justice Blackmun did not tell us how personhood could be established, but he did give us a clue and this is why so many pro-life activists have chosen to do what they can to propose personhood amendments to the various state constitutions. The hope is that one of these proposals will be passed by the people and if it eventually arrives at the U.S. Supreme Court, the actual merits of personhood will be argued.

Further, on March 7, 1974, Cardinal Humberto Medeiros spoke at a United States Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for the entire National Conference of Catholic Bishops and told the senators that any proposed constitutional amendment “…should clearly establish that, from conception onward, the unborn child is a human person in the terms of the Constitution.”

In that same statement, Cardinal Medeiros also made it perfectly clear that every proposal should be “universal and without exceptions.”

So, a totally pro-abortion Supreme Court justice and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church both came to the same conclusion: Personhood is the key to ending the tyranny of the abortion empire in America. And yet when we have three actively dedicated pro-life organizations pursuing the very goal that Cardinal Medeiros encouraged, we also have Catholic bishops publicly distancing themselves from such efforts and opposing them in a variety of ways.

This is discouraging, but not surprising. In fact, it is a harbinger of things to come if those committed to pro-life principle do not press on rather than succumb to a spirit of despair.

Now is not the time to accept defeat simply because of the negative statements coming forth from Catholic conferences whether in the east, the west or anywhere in between. We cannot change the statements of those Church leaders who have chosen to oppose personhood efforts, but on the other hand, we cannot abandon the very principle that is foundational to all pro-life efforts not only in Montana, Georgia and Colorado – but everywhere else.

Among the many legal minds who have contributed to the fundamental strategy that underlies the necessary pro-life legal efforts in these three states is that of the wise Notre Dame law professor Charles Rice. In 35 years, he has never changed his perspective on personhood. What he said in 1973 he continues to say today. He teaches that it was the denial of personhood that was the foundation for everything that the Nazis did to the Jews, the Christians and others under their regime. The idea of relegating entire classes of people to subhuman status was the crux of the Nazi euthanasia program and all the gruesome acts that followed it.

Professor Rice ties that very attitude of annihilation by dehumanization directly to the abortion industry of today. And as he has written, the affirmation of the non-personhood of the preborn child means that the particular human beings who fall into this category are subject to all manner of cruelty and abuse, including death because they have no rights – they are not human beings according to the law.

This alone should give rise to a total advocacy of personhood on the part of every single pro-life American in our day and age. Whether a Catholic prelate or a man on the street, there is no denying that the culture of death now has a tragic grip on the thought process of those in authority in our nation and that must change.

As Professor Rice so eloquently wrote, “Roe applies precisely the principle that underlay the Nazi extermination of the Jews, that an innocent human being can be declared to be a non-person and subjected to death at the discretion of those who regard him as unfit or unwanted. The justices, who triggered the abortion avalanche by their own free decision, are no more defensible than the Nazi judges who acquiesced in the crimes of that regime and the functionaries who administered its decrees at Auschwitz and similar places.”

As if that were not enough, he concluded on this sober note, “The Court will allow states to enact marginal restrictions on surgical abortions, but those abortions are becoming obsolete because of early abortifacient drugs and devices.”

So, I am left bewildered and anguished by these questions: Why not personhood? How can one be steadfast and at the same time oppose such sensible strategies?

As Alan Keyes warned, “The evil that we fight is but a shadow of the evil that we do.”

Judie Brown is president of American Life League and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life. For three decades, she has advocated personhood declarations in law.

Quote

2008-03-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

"The more you can dream, the more you can do." - Michael Korda

Quote Thursday

2008-03-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

Getting past our past is a crucial step toward living a victorious life. - Mary Southerland

Tornado Warning

2008-03-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

We are under a tornado warning again! The crazy part about this one is that it's bright and sunny outside! The winds not blowing or anything!! I just don't understand this.

You are Special

2008-03-05T11:32:00.001-08:00

Happiness keeps You Sweet,

Trials keep You Strong,

Sorrows keep You Human,

Failures keep You Humble,

Success keeps You Glowing,

But Only God keeps You Going!

You are so special!

Is it Spring yet?

2008-03-05T11:30:00.001-08:00

I'm so tired of the winter blues! The sun is shining and I'm ready for Spring. Is it here yet??

Be Aware

2008-03-04T08:23:00.000-08:00

In my area of the country, someone has called to talk with a man about his refund from the IRS. Here's the story. Be aware and read it. Protect yourself!

Pastor Killed, Wife Injured

2008-02-29T13:43:00.001-08:00

» SRI LANKA - Pastor Killed, Wife Seriously Injured in Attack
On February 17, Pastor Neil Edirisinghe, of the House Church Foundation, was gunned down by two assailants outside his home in Ampara, Sri Lanka. According to a report by the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), "Pastor Edirisinghe was engaged in the Lord's ministry in Ampara for many years. The attackers also shot his wife in the stomach. At last report, she was in the hospital in critical condition. Their two-year-old son who received a minor injury in the attack is also suffering from trauma." NCEASL added the motive for the attacks was believed to be in response to Pastor Edirisinghe's ministry.
Read the full article here.

RFL Report 2-28-08

2008-02-29T13:39:00.000-08:00

RFL Report 02.28.2008

Mention of a person or group or a person’s or group’s publication does not constitute an endorsement of all the work, publications and/or information of such person or group.

The high cost of birth control

We need your help now

YouTube videos to check out

Tell Your Pro-life Story

New pro-life bands

Upcoming events

The high cost of birth control

There have been campaigns on college campuses throughout this school year to raise awareness of the “high cost” of birth control. Next week, one will be held at the University of Kentucky during so-called Affordable Birth Control Week.

Unfortunately, birth control supporters are only focusing on the initial financial costs of purchasing a month’s supply of birth control pills. They are overlooking the many other costs associated with using birth control pills:

· bacterial infections, because the pill weakens the immune system

· increased susceptibility to the AIDS virus (HIV), because the pill weakens the immune system

· pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection of the fallopian tubes that can cause sickness or sterility)

· infertility (unable to bear children)

· cervical cancer

· ectopic pregnancy

· shrinking of the womb (endometrial atrophy)

· mood swings and depression

· breast cancer

· blood clots

· birth defects in children conceived while their mothers are on the pill

· stroke

· weight gain

· harm to the environment

· death to women

· early abortion

What I would suggest is this: If you are a college student, educate yourself and educate your campus, especially if a campaign like the one mentioned above is coming. Here are a couple of ideas:

· Make a flier and/or poster using the information above. Title it “The Cost of Birth Control Is Too High!” That should spark some interest. Hand these out and/or post these all over campus.

· Hand out our “Birth Control Pills: How They Work” brochure. You can order them here. If you can’t afford them, e-mail us here and maybe we can work something out. We also have them in Spanish!

If you end up initiating an educational campaign on your college campus, let us know. We’d like to know how it went.

We need your help now

Every summer, we pack up a van and a trailer full of volunteers, brochures and pro-life merchandise and hit as many Christian festivals as we can while praying at abortion mills, hosting pro-life visibility events and speaking at various youth events. We call this the Rock for Life Summer Tour.

While putting the plans together for this adventure, we’re starting to realize that this is a huge project with some big expenses, so we’re going to need your help to make this happen.

We need to fill out exhibit applications right now for 14 Christian music festivals. This is going to cost us $15,000. It averages out to about $555 per booth or about $1,110 for each festival. This sounds like a lot of money, but if everyone on this e-mail list donated $2 each, we could do this right now. That’s the price of a cheap latte! Is this something you could do for us? Could you do more and pitch in $10 or $20? Wouldn’t it be pretty sweet to say, “Hey, I helped send Rock for Life out for the summer”?

No matter what you can do financially, please pray especially that we get the needed funds real soon, to make this summer tour a reality. Also, if you could forward this request for financial help to your friends – maybe even to your parents, grandparents, youth pastor, pastor and/or priest – that would be fantastic. Thanks so much!

And, by the way, you can donate online by clicking here, you can donate over the phone at 540-659-7900 or you can send a check to: Rock for Life, P.O. Box 1350, Stafford, VA 22555.

YouTube videos to check out

Go to our blog and check out some YouTube videos we posted. The first is about Dylan and how abortion has affected him personally. The second shows the pro-life band Alakrity marching with us at the March for Life. The third is a music video by Sabu Jose called Mama. Check them out and let us know what you think.

Tell Your Pro-life Story

We’ve added several new submissions to “Tell Your Pro-life Story“ this past week, including:

“Doctors are not GOD!” by Tiffany Gonzalez

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was told during an ultrasound that something was wrong with the size of her brain. The doctors showed me right on the screen what was ... Read

“My Child I Never Knew” by Lewis E. Thomas

Would he have been tall and quick to give a hug? Did this child hold the cure for cancer or another deadly bug? Would he have become a Soldier ... Read

“My Unborn Child” by Amber Chapman

It all happened this past year in 2007 when I was only 18 years old. I had started dating this guy that I used to work with and for awhile everything was going well. In July 2007 ... Read

Tell us your pro-life story! Submit it on our website.

New pro-life bands

We’ve recently added several bands to the list of pro-life musicians, including Southbound Fearing, The Heartbreaks, Aim to Miss, handsfreemethod, Weeping Prophetic, Revelation 101, Leone, Infant and Redeeming River Band. If you or your band are pro-life, let us know and we’ll add you to the list.

Upcoming events

Feb. 29 – March 2

Pennsylvania Christian Teen Convention

Harrisburg, PA

Rock for Life will exhibit here.

April 29

National Pro-Life T-shirt Day

Where? Wherever you are! Get your pro-life T-shirt here. Only $6.50 plus shipping and handling!

*****Forward this issue of the RFL Report to all of your friends!*****

Much love,

Rock for Life
P.O. Box 1350
Stafford, VA 22555
www.RockForLife.org
Rock for Life’s MySpace, Facebook
YouTube, Podomatic and Xanga
AOL IM = RockForLifeUSA
Yahoo! IM = RockForLifeUSA

Pregnant? Don’t know what to do? Call 888-550-7577 or click here.
Had an abortion? Need help or healing? Call 877-HOPE-4-ME or click here.

Rock for Life is a project of American Life League.

March 20th

2008-02-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

March 20th is Sweater Day
It is in honor of Mr. Roger's and all that he did for American families over the years.
Simply wear a sweater to celebrate!

Micheal Hichborn's Article

2008-02-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

David's Stone: Personhood

By Michael Hichborn

The ongoing effort to save preborn babies from the culture of death is akin to the epic battle between David and Goliath. While the pro-life movement struggles just to maintain its grassroots support base, the massive and powerful culture of death has access to all of the money, political power and propaganda it could ever want.

At least David had the nerve to show up for the fight. Right now, in Colorado, a 20-year-old law student has taken up David's sling and is prepared to throw the deadly stone while some self-professed pro-life leaders, politicians and clergymen cower because they believe that "now is not the right time."

In November 2007, Kristi Burton, founder of Colorado for Equal Rights, won an important victory in the state supreme court allowing her to move forward with Proposed Initiative 36. The initiative simply states that "the terms 'person' or 'persons' shall include any human being from the moment of fertilization." This initiative is the lynchpin for restoring the right to life for all preborn babies, because in the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, Justice Harry Blackmun wrote, "If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [14^th] Amendment."

Over the past 35 years, nearly 50,000,000 preborn babies have been legally butchered in their own mothers' wombs. The most we have to show for our effort to stop this carnage is an alleged ban on the heinous practice of partially delivering a baby, stabbing him or her in the back of the head and then sucking his or her brains out. Hailed by some as a pro-life victory, the so-called ban on partial-birth abortion isn't truly a ban because the Supreme Court decision itself included instructions permitting doctors to circumvent the ban by injecting the baby with poison before completing the grisly procedure. What is so completely baffling, however, is that organizations like the National Right to Life Committee will pop a champagne cork for a ruling that won't stop a single abortion, but will not support or will even directly oppose the personhood initiative – which would directly end all abortions – because they claim that "now is not the right time."

Some may ask, "If now is not the right time to save babies, when is?" But it's more appropriate to ask, "Why not now?' What do pro-life leaders, politicians and clergymen have to lose by acting now instead of waiting for "the right time"? If the initiative fails, do we admit defeat, tell the babies we're sorry we couldn't do better, pack up and go home? How many amendments and legislative measures are voted upon only once before being passed? The answer is less than one percent! If the initiative fails, you start over and try again and you keep trying until it works. It is hard, tedious and frustrating work, but when compared with the suffering of innocent preborn children who face dismemberment and death, the decision is an easy one. Only those locked in their lofty ivory towers, comfortable with merely drawing a salary to do "pro-life" work, remain silent or oppose real pro-life measures while they wait for "the right time."

There is no "right time." David went into battle against Goliath without military or combat training and without a sword, shield or helmet. He carried only a sling and some rocks. He was a mere boy and the timing was as much against him as his size and strength. But his courage and faith in God led to victory. In truth, the victory over the culture of death will not be ours to claim, just as the timing is not ours to decide. Kristi Burton heard the call from God to defend human life and answered it without question, without waiting for "the right time" and without compromise. Her leadership brings to mind the words of a shepherd who slew a giant:

You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted. Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will leave your corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field; thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God. All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle is the LORD'S, and He shall deliver you into our hands. (1Samuel 17: 45-47)

When doing the work of God and calling on people to support the defense of babies, can timing really be an issue? While pro-life leaders, politicians and clergymen stand idly by, waiting for "the right time," Kristi Burton puts it all in God's hands, stands in the arena, takes careful aim and throws.

Michael Hichborn is American Life League's media relations director.

For 2008

2008-02-27T08:16:00.001-08:00

Valentine's Flowers

2008-02-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

I've been sick and didn't have time or energy to show off my Valentine flowers. Here they are:

Fake Spring?

2008-02-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

The plants and trees are starting to bloom. It's going to be cold again next week (according to the weather). So is this a fake spring?

Not much to say...

2008-02-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

Although I have been watching the news and reading the news...and there is a lot going on that I feel I need to put my two cents in there about, I don't have much to say. I haven't been feeling well. So I've taken some time off from Blogging. I will be more open to it soon, just not right now.

Quick Update

2008-02-15T09:33:00.000-08:00

My life seems to be running away from me and I spend all of my time chasing after it or something like that. It's been a busy week!

Sunday, I had a migraine and did NOTHING! I laid on the couch or in bed most of the day and loaded up on some sleep.

Monday, I went to work and when I came home I was so cranky that I sat in my favorite spot and read the final book of the Mitford Series. Loved them! Read 'em! They are great!

Tuesday, I went shopping for Valentines and did things around the house after work.

Wednesday, I swung by mom's house on the way home. I make that sound like it's on the way instead of 30 minutes in the opposite directions...but anyway! I took care of "Wolfe" and spent some time just relaxing after work.

Thursday, VALENTINE'S DAY...spent with Matt after work...

Today....well...that's yet to be seen, but I have a concert to go to tonight. I hope Matt gets to come too, but he'll have to get off work early to do so.

I know that doesn't look like much when I see it here, but that's not taking into account the things that I've done at work or how hard some of it has been. I'm exhausted by the time that I get out of work and then I just don't want to do anything else.

That's all for now folks. I'll check in next week...

Quirkyalone Day!

2008-02-13T08:32:00.001-08:00

February 14, 2008!

TEN WAYS TO CELEBRATE

Not in SF or in one of these other cities? Feeling like you'd prefer some alone time to a party? No worries, there are many ways to celebrate Quirkyalone Day! Choose from the list below, and let us know how you will be celebrate by posting a comment on the Quirkyalone.net blog!

1. Explore a new part of town — be a tourist in your own city.
2. Get yourself a lovely aqua Singelringen — Swedish for “the Single Ring” — as a visible reminder that you’re complete whether you’re in a relationship or not.
3. Buy yourself new underwear (throw out all the old ones from the 90s.)
4. Rearrange your furniture.
5. Be creative, doing whatever it is you like to do (write, paint, sew, upholster furniture, surf, make art of out dryer lint).
6. Be creative with friends. Have an arts and crafts party or cook a meal together.
7. Buy yourself or a friend a bunch of daisies. Daisies are the official flower of the quirkyalone movement.
9. Volunteer for a cause you believe in.
9. Get cozy in bed with a book. Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics would of course be a good choice.
10. Come to or host a quirkyalone party!

Yours in anticipation,
Sasha Cagen

Forgotten Joys

2008-02-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

We often forget that there are puppies, kitties, cats, and dogs out there that need and want a good home so much. Here is our local shelter. Please take a look at their site, volunteer, donate, or just keep them in prayers.

Puppy-sitting

2008-02-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today, I am puppy sitting for my aunt's dog, Scout. It's pretty outside and warm. Here he is basking in the sunlight.

Spring Fever

2008-02-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

When the bright colored birds appear, the sun get happier, the breeze feels good, the temps go up to about 70 degrees....all seems right in the world. And I get "Spring Fever". I don't want to be trapped inside at work, at home, or where ever. I want to be at the lake...the beach...in the mountains...cooking out...reading a book....something.

Is anyone else suffering from "Spring Fever" yet?

Technology

2008-02-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I can't decide if technology is a help or a hindrance. It seems like we rely so often on our computers, printers, cell phones, blackberries, laptops, fax machines, telephones, back up power supplies, and so on that we forget that they fail! This morning, I'm having trouble with my main printer in the office (the fax, copier, and printer combo). The whole office runs off of it and it's in "stuck" mode. It won't do anything. It won't turn off. It won't turn on. It will not do anything. It's beginning to REALLY bother me. It will print though -- an entire piece of BLACK paper! Nothing more...nothing less.

Journaling with Faith

2008-02-06T07:20:00.001-08:00

I found a website that has journal prompts and thoughts for those who are journaling through their faith. Please check it out. I will be doing the Journaling through Lent starting today.

Life's Two Choices

2008-02-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

In Life we have two choices....

To get a dog...

Or to have children...

** These are photos from an email that I received. I don't know who these photos belong to. If they are yours and you do not wish for them to be here please email me or leave a message and I will remove them. **

Obesity Bill in Mississippi

2008-02-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

Now, I don't find myself complaining much about or talking much about obesity here. But today, I am infuriated with John Read. He's a representative from Mississippi, and obviously a waster of time, resources, and energy. What must he be thinking to create a bill that would try to outlaw restaurants trying to serve people classified as obese?

I'm not making light of the situation of obesity in our nation. Please do not misconstrue what I am saying. I am simply ashamed of John Read. How dare he discriminate against anyone for anything! Especially considering the photos I've seen of him do not appear that he's in "top physical shape and weight" himself!

He says that it was never meant to go to the floor to be passed as a bill, so why create it in the first place. I doesn't help matters at all. Yes, it brings "dialogs" but it also makes him look like an ass and a hypocrite.

It's a complete waste of time to try to create a bill or a law for something that you know would never pass, simply for the reason to get people to talk about it. I don't know about you, but I can look on television, in movies, in the newspaper, and online and see all kinds of "talk" about obesity. No one had to waste taxpayer money, government time, or anyone resources or energy to tell me that obesity is a problem that needs to be fixed.

I can think of so many things to say to him, but instead...now I would rather address the people. The people who put this man into office, I seriously hope that when it comes to re-election time you will remember what he's spent his time in office doing.

If we want to stop the obesity problem or make things better...there are other ways besides this to address the problem.

Besides, shouldn't he be more worried about sexual offenders, rapists, murderers, and such!?

Here's the article to read.

Journaling

2008-02-04T11:47:00.000-08:00

I journal almost daily. I could write 3 sentences or 30 pages at a time. It depends on the things that are going on in life, my ideas, my day, my mood, and the time I have to devote to journaling.

I found this very interesting. You should check it out. It's called "100 Benefits of Journaling".

A Survivor's Journey

2008-02-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

As you know, we all survive something. Some of us survive worse things than others. Some of us just simply move from day to day trying to make it through one day at a time.

I am a member of several online groups. And the tales of survival that I hear often touch me on the deepest levels. Here is one of those, please read it.

Christians Killed for their Faith

2008-02-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, or may not know, I receive an email from Voice of the Martyrs. In this newsletter, they discuss events in the world where Christians are still being killed for the faith. And they suggest things to pray for.

I believe that it is our Christian duty to pray for these people who have gone to the far ends of the earth to share the Good News of Jesus with others, only to die for that cause. Please read this article and take a minute or two of your day and pray for them.

I'm Wearing Red!

2008-02-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

Well...today I'm wearing RED! It's a reminder to me about women's heart health. This year I plan to work on getting the word out and working on myself and my own heart. There are things that I need to do to get heart healthy. How about you?

Be Calm - wikiHow

2008-01-31T13:22:00.000-08:00

How to Be Calm

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Every human being can name at least one person who has stood out to them as utterly, amazingly, wonderfully, almost inhumanly, calm at all times. It is the person who is never fazed by life's petty ordeals- the person who is able to deal with larger problems with maturity, grace, and venerable wisdom. What is it they know that everyone else seems to be missing?

Steps

Find a peaceful zone. To gain this level of calmness and serenity, you must first be free of any distraction. This moment in time is set aside for deep inner reflection. Find somewhere quiet, preferably somewhere natural (e.g. Sit in the grass in a park on a nice day, take a slow walk in the forest in late fall, sit on the edge of a mountain after a hike and gaze over the scenery) If you have no time to travel, simply sit on a couch or on your bed, anywhere will do.
Reflect on the fact that as a human being you are immersed in billions upon billions of chemical reactions at every second of your life. (e.g. the exchange of carbon and oxygen in your breathing, the unfelt rotation/revolution of the earth, the dying and renewing of cells in your skin, etc.)
Reflect on the uncanny scale of the universe, and your size within it. (e.g. you are a towering monster to an ant, and a universe to a cell, yet you're but a spec to the earth, and the earth but one millionth of our sun, which is but a cell to the galaxy which is but a stain in the universe...)
Take time to respect and appreciate the mystery of living and all that comes with it. (Why is it that you are here now in this moment in time? Why are you human and not a rock or a bird or a waterfall? Could you have even been anything else? Do things happen for a reason? What is time? Does it exist? Do mathematical equations build the universe? What is thought? Why are humans the only creatures with such advanced civilization? Will the universe ever end? Is infinity real? Is anything I believe real? What is reality?...) Ask yourself all the questions you have ever wondered but have never asked. Consider answers and debate yourself, chances are you will come up with theories no one has ever conceived before. Even if they are ludicrous, you have expanded your mind to possibility. Remember that other people in the world might feel just like you do now!
Just be. After such explosion of thought, your mind will be restless but somewhat tired. Take a moment just to breathe and exist, feel yourself taking up space in the enormity of the universe and consider the importance you have as a being. You are here, a human, a mind, with all the possibility in the world. Feel the amazing power of opportunity fill you. You can do anything. You can change the world. You can help those in need.
Seize the moment. If you have felt this sensation captivate you, indeed you have achieved a revelation, for this moment in time you have been enlightened. Whenever petty problems seem to storm you, recall these amazing feelings and ideas and all insignificant ordeals will melt in such obscurity you may laugh at them with a sincere humor that others puzzle over and long to obtain. Most will change forever, always in state of wonder and respect for life and the world. This is the state of mind of the calm, the caring, the wise, and the respected.

Tips

Keep an open mind. Closed, calculating minds are the root of ignorance and static. Nothing changes if all minds are certain.
Pertaining to religion: Do not dismiss your beliefs, but always consider you are not correct. With thousands of religions in the world, at least a few are guaranteed to be untrue. Sometimes letting go welcomes a spectrum of new and exciting ideas.
Never impose on other people. Though you may feel uplifted and enlightened by your new realizations, most others are stuck in the cycle of the mainstream working/family/business life and have not yet or will never have the chance to see above it.
Leaving the mind to settle on its own is the best way...effortless effort

Warnings

As ignorance is bliss, enlightenment is sometimes a burden.
Remember to keep a balance. Just as it is poisonous to become a slave to material life you can lose grounding in the realities of survival in modern times (Rent isn't the philosophy of sages but it provides your shelter). Do not become lost in fantasy.

Things You'll Need

Open mind
Maturity
Intelligence

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be Calm. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Be Calm - wikiHow

Nightmares!

2008-01-31T11:40:00.000-08:00

Personally, I used to be unable to count the number of nightmares I had. When I was a kid, I had nightmares almost every night. They were a common reassurance. We tried everything. No scary TV before bed. No TV at all before bed. Night light on. Night light off. Door closed. Door opened. You name it, we tried it. Finally, randomly, my mom decided we couldn't have milk at night. And the nightmares lessened. I was shocked (even as a kid).

Then I grew up a bit more and life's adventures and disappointments brought forth MORE nightmares. This time the only thing that really helped was to get it all off my chest before bed. I would talk to people I trusted about things that were on my mind or journal them. And the nightmares eased up a bit.

For the passed 3 nights, I've had nightmares. Things that seem so real and so vivid in detail that I try to decide if they really happened. I don't know what brought them on or how to stop them. So any suggestions?

10 Reasons for Bloggers to...

2008-01-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

10 Reasons For Bloggers To Get Involved With a Non-Profit

via ProBlogger Blog Tips by Darren Rowse on 1/31/08

This post exploring reasons for getting involved with Non Profit organizations was written by Dr Mani Sivasubramanian from Money Power Wisdom.

Having my blogging structured around a charitable purpose has helped bring unique advantages, give greater visibility and made it deeply satisfying and enjoyable.

Here’s why you, as a blogger, might want to get involved with a non-profit too.

1. Karma. It’s the abstract, universal law that dictates that you reap what you sow - in the long run.

2. Prospects. Many people enjoy doing business with an organization that supports causes close to their heart.

3. Branding. Countless blogs and bloggers have enjoyed a ‘brand boost’ by being aligned with non-profit causes.

4. Inspiration. By seeing a bigger benefit from your blogging success, you’ll be inspired to work harder and push ahead to grow profits.

5. Purpose. While profits are ‘worthy’, a deeper meaning to what you do is a powerful driving force that guarantees sustainability and longevity.

6. Visibility. You get to leverage promotional activities the non-profit runs across multiple channels.

7. Taxes. In many cases, your expenses towards helping a non-profit will qualify for tax-breaks (but check with your accountant before you do anything).

8. Network. When you get behind a non-profit mission, you’ll quickly find yourself a part of a wide, caring network of like-minded people - with many benefits.

9. Sales. Yes, working with a non-profit can explode your sales, particularly when you tie it in with a promotion where your extra profits go to charity.

10. Happiness. In a deeply personal sense, peace, joy and contentment come from helping people less fortunate than ourselves.

These 10 reasons - and more - are what keep me involved in blogging, ezine publishing, website building and all my other online activities… because they all support my work at raising awareness and funds for congenital heart defects.

About the author:

Dr.Mani Sivasubramanian is a heart surgeon using his Internet marketing business to fund heart surgery for under-privileged children in India. On February 14th, in a worldwide event called “A DAY FOR HEARTS : Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Day”, he hopes to reach at least 500,000 people with the message of CHD awareness. You can help spread the word too.

Wear Red Day!

2008-01-30T07:42:00.000-08:00

Feb. 1 is National Wear Red Day. This is a day when Americans nationwide should take women's health to heart by wearing red to show their support for women's heart disease awareness.

There are some shocking facts and information here. Read it. Everyone woman should read this and be aware.

Saosin align with RAINN

2008-01-30T07:06:00.001-08:00

Saosin--which also includes bassist Chris Sorenson, drummer Alex Rodriguez and guitarists Justin Shekoski and Beau Burchell--has striven to make music that has a positive impact on those who listen. They recently aligned with the nonprofit organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) to promote a message of hope to victims of abuse, as well as to spread the word that there are resources available for those in need.

Januray soon ends

2008-01-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of another month...the first month of 2008 ends tomorrow. It seems like time keeps zooming by and I feel caught in a running race that I never knew I entered.

As a kid, I can remember that it seemed to take forever to get from one Christmas to the next. The older I get, the faster that time seems to fly by. I just barely recover from one before the next is here.

The countdown has started to the month of April and the Sexual Assault Awareness month. It's time to start making the plans and putting them in action. It's time to get our voices out there for all to hear. It's time to get informed and inform others. What are your plans for April?

This has already been a busy month (and year) for sexual assaults, murders, and injustices. As you can tell, this blog has covered a variety of subjects, cases, events, and much more. In one month there have actually been more posts than all the posts of any month toward the end of 2007. I don't know if that's because more is happening or because I, myself, have become more aware of my surroundings and what's going on in our country. Keep standing up. Keep speaking out.

If you need to talk to me, have a subject you would like me to look into, need a RAINN speaker for an event, more information, or anything of that nature, please feel free to post a message here or email me at tabitha.ashley@gmail.com. I'll be here to help if you need something.

Hope you have a great February.

A Step in the Right Direction?

2008-01-29T13:37:00.001-08:00

Read this article on the approval of a bill that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions that would cause an abortion or assist suicide. Read it and decide what you think about it. Is it a step in the right direction or the wrong direction?

Rape Suspect kills Female Cop!

2008-01-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Here's a story of a New Orleans female cop being shot with her own gun by a rape suspect that she was trying to handcuff. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this female cop and to the entire community. Please do the same.

Magic 98.9

2008-01-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

I listen to 98.9 and 106.3 all of the time. Especially when I'm at work or in my car. Today I sent a message to one of my favorite DJ's and she played "How Long" by the Eagles for me! She said my name 2 times on the radio. I feel special today!

FBI Wanted Poster

2008-01-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

Please click this link. Take a look at this photo. Help find him today!

Bush Joins the Pro-life Debate

2008-01-28T09:10:00.000-08:00

I was reading this story and I was amazed that it comments that he invited 200 of them in the White House for coffee and donuts. Read this story.

Man Raped

2008-01-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

Some people think that this is completely impossible. I, on the other hand, do think that it is possible. Rape is rape. No is no! Male, Female, Young, Old...none of the matters. No means no!

Read this story before you make a judgment.

Death by Microwave?

2008-01-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Here's a news story from CNN about a mother being on trial for her 1-month-old baby's death. She is accused of putting the infant in the microwave which caused severe damage internally. Please read about it here.

Every time a child's murder ends up on the news, my heart is saddened even more. What has this world come to? People all around us have trouble having a babies. There are people who want nothing more than to have a baby. And then there are these people who do stupid things and their child ends up dead. My heart is sad. My heart aches.

When are WE all going to wake up and stand up for those with no voices to express themselves yet. It's time to start putting our children in the world before the "rights" of a murderer.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

Update

Media Release: Takecaredownthere.org

The ALL Report

Arson

ALL Feature Story

Quote of the day

October 6th Reminder

The Pill

Media Release 9-9-08

Feature Story from Judie Brown

Media Release from ALL

YouTube Censorship

ACTION ALERT!!!

Reminder: October 6th

OCT 6TH

Msg from Judie Brown

Blog Worth Reading

Feature Story: A Nurse With A Mission

June 6th

Sisters of Life by Judie Brown

Article by Judie Brown: Personal Dignity Denied

Pro-life Spot

Mental Health Problems & Armed Forces

ALL Today's Feature Article

Every Woman...

VOM: 3-28-08

Thursday Quote

Thursday Quote

**BREAKING NEWS**

From Mary Southerland's Devotional

Prayer Request

Word of the Day

Knowing the Laws

Tuesday Quote

Quote

Monday Quote

Mood Menders

Following God

Feature Story: Pro-life Today

Pro-life Today Headlines

Word of the Day

I can't forgive...

Tuesday Quote

Pro-life Today's Headline Articles

HEADLINES

HHS Secretary Calls on Certification Group to Protect Conscience Rights

Protesters at Aurora's abortion clinic have no plans to stop

Planned Parenthood Attacks the Whistleblower after Student Group Reveals Racism

Swiss Euthanasia Group Reopens "Clinic" Next to Country's Largest Brothel

Pro-Life Today's Feature Story

Meet the dogs....

Spring Photos

Manic Monday

More Pro-life Today News Articles...

Feature Story from Pro-life Today

ALD Foundation

Feature Story: Pro-Life T-shirt Day

Indonesia & India (VOM)

Dakota - please read

Spring Fever

Feature Story: 3-12-08

April 29th

Celebrate 3/16!

ALL Pro-life Today

Important message from Judie Brown

Quote

Quote Thursday

Tornado Warning

You are Special

Is it Spring yet?

Be Aware

Pastor Killed, Wife Injured

RFL Report 2-28-08

March 20th

Micheal Hichborn's Article

For 2008

Valentine's Flowers

Fake Spring?

Not much to say...

BREAKING NEWS