Monday, March 31, 2008  --  In remembrance of Terri Schiavo

Today has been declared as "Terri's Day" in memory of the tragic death by starvation and dehydration of Terri Schindler Schiavo on March 31, 2005.  The complete official designation is "International Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Terri Schindler Schiavo, and All of Our Vulnerable Brothers and Sisters." 

This title points to the purpose of this observance -- to use Terri's case as a means to prevent future abuses that trample on the right to life of persons with disabilities.   Primary contributors to this observance are Priests for Life and the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation.  Because of the efforts of these and other defenders of life, some similar tragedies have been averted, but the hidden toll is still occurring all too frequently when all family members agree to "end the suffering" of a relative.

The secular media took Terri's case as a giant promotion for living wills.  They proclaimed, "You would not want to end up like Terri.  Sign a living will."   Of course, if you take that advice, you could be signing your death warrant.   You should never sign a living will.  Instead, use of durable power of attorney for health care(DPAHC), but not just any generic version.  Get a carefully worded DPAHC from a Pro-Life source.  For example, IRLC provides a DPAHC called the Patient Self-Protection Document.   Regardless of what document you select, make sure that you choose as your agent for health care decisions someone who will defend your right to life.

Friday, March 28, 2008  --  Assisted Suicide's slippery slope to Euthanasia

Bart Tommelein, leader of Belgium Liberals, made news on LifeNews.com and LifeSiteNews.com Wednesday.  Tommelein said his party would seek approval for measures to extend euthanasia to teens and elderly disabled with dementia, and thus unable to decide for themselves to be euthanized.  Apparently, the mainstream media did not think this situation was worthy of their attention.

Such a development was predicted as part of the slippery slope from assisted suicide to euthanasia. LifeSiteNews quotes Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition regarding this latest development in Belgium:

"Once a society has accepted the killing of one group of people for a set of circumstances then what will stop that society from accepting the killing of all groups of people for similar circumstances."

"The only factors that will hold the Belgium government back from making euthanasia more widely available is the ability of a person to consent to their death, and how far do they wish to extend the concept of suffering? But when did euthanasia or assisted suicide have anything to do with consent? It is about having the right to 'choose' to end your life, or giving someone else the right to kill you when you would have "rationally chosen" to do so."

"If people with a certain condition have the right to end 'suffering' through euthanasia, then why would it be wrong to end the suffering for someone in a similar condition who cannot consent?  In fact consent only stands in the way of providing 'release of suffering' that may someday be seen as a human right."

Thursday, March 27, 2008  --  Another modern maxim fails the reality test

Secular logic considers living together before marriage a good way to determine compatibility for marriage.  A new book by Mike and Harriet McManus, "Living Together: Myths, Risks & Answers" (Howard Books),  reveals the real impact of living together before marriage. 

Harriet McManus discounted the notion that couples can go through a "trial marriage."  "[I]t’s really more like a trial divorce," she said at a press conference at the Family Research Council.   "The only question is whether you break up before the wedding or after the wedding in a legal divorce.  As one of our marriage educator friends says, you can’t practice permanence.  Of 100 cohabiting couples, 85 break up before or after the wedding, leaving only 15 couples in a lasting marriage after 10 years, and who knows how many more divorce after 10 years."

Couples who cohabitate are nearly as likely as married couples to have children -- meaning that the failed relationship has an impact beyond the man and woman.   "The children feel abandoned when one parent moves out," Harriet McManus said.  "That causes a great deal of trauma for the children, tripling the odds that the child will be expelled from school [compared to] those raised in an intact family."

What is the solution?  Churches should mentor engaged couples as a way to strengthen relationships, stop cohabitation and prevent divorces, the McManuses believe.  Statistics back them up.  Of 288 couples who were mentored at their church between 1992 and 2000, only seven divorced or separated.  Fifty-five of the couples (19 percent) broke up before marrying.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008  --  More special treatment for abortionists?

Yesterday, I questioned whether Kansas would enforce their abortion laws or give Planned Parenthood a pass.  Today, we learn about weak enforcement activity in Michigan. 

A Pro-Life activist retrieved the evidence from dumpsters so abortionist Alberto Hodari might be charged with improper disposal of aborted babies and patient records.   This activist was billed $1,100 by the state of Michigan for having the Department of Environmental Quality remove this evidence from her property. 

In contrast, the abortionist was not even fined, but rather given the assignment to retrain his staff about proper disposal techniques and subject to an additional inspection to determine compliance.

Why do abortionists so often get special treatment?  Apparently, pro-abortion government officials have no problem bending the rules for them, or just looking the other way.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008  --  Will abortion laws be enforced in Kansas?

News appeared last week that Planned Parenthood will finally face a court hearing on the 107 criminal charges brought against them in Kansas.  The felony charges will be examined at preliminary hearings set for April 7 and 8 in Johnson County District Court in Olathe, Kansas.  The charges were filed in October 2007, but the investigation began in 2003.

The charges include 23 felony counts of falsifying medical documents, 26 misdemeanor counts of unlawful failure to maintain records, 29 counts of unlawful failure to determine viability for a late-term abortion, and 29 counts of unlawful late-term abortion.

Phill Kline, district attorney in Johnson County, said successful prosecution of Planned Parenthood in this case could have repercussions across the country.  "Planned Parenthood is required for the receipt of federal funds to comply with state laws," Kline said.  "It could jeopardize their federal funding."

March 25th is a good day to consider the need to end Planned Parenthood's $305 million of Federal funding.  They declared this day "Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign Day of Action."  They are pushing the Plan B "morning-after" pill as the solution to prevent unplanned pregnancies.  If it works, and its effectiveness is suspect, Plan B is just as likely to cause an early abortion as it is to prevent a pregnancy.

NARAL Pro-Choice America has the same agenda.  Why would abortion providers/promoters like Planned Parenthood and NARAL push a product the reduces the need for abortions?   They must know Plan B does not work, because reducing demand for abortions would be bad for business.

Thursday, March 20, 2008  --  Humans do not have mastery over life and death

As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I have found some examples that I feel provide good evidence that human beings do not have any mastery over life and death.  As reflected in the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has mastery over life and death.  Humans mess things up every time they try to take such matters into their own hands. 

Avery Milne was informed that her unborn child was afflicted with a rare combination of Turner syndrome and hypoplastic left-heart syndrome. Of course, abortion was pushed because the child was not expected to live. Fortunately, the parents refused to consider abortion.  Now daughter Bela has received a new procedure that is minimally invasive, allowing doctors to correct Bela's heart problems without stopping it.  Even if this procedure were not available, or not successful, why should Bela be denied her right to life for whatever time she is able to live?  Consider Zeke's case.

A recent Oprah show featured children of sperm donation. While adults demand the "right" to have children under any living arrangement, there was no denying the brokenheartedness of the three young women sitting on Oprah's stage that day.  On that show, 19-year-old Katrina said she feels like a “product” made by a “de-humanizing industry.”  Susan expressed feelings of betrayal, and  Kathleen feels like a stranger.  The longing for community and family is strongly present inside each of us.  It's part of what makes us human.  Seeking children by unnatural means outside the marriage bond comes at a tremendous cost to the wellbeing of the children created to satisfy the selfishness of adults.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008  --  Protecting doctors who refuse to commit abortion

The Weldon Amendment is a Federal law that prohibits state and local governments from receiving certain federal aid if they are found to be discriminating against medical professionals who refuse to perform or refer for abortions.  This amendment has been held up in Federal court in case filed by the state of California, fearing the loss of Federal funds since they do attempt to force doctors to be involved in abortion. 

Yesterday U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White issued a decision saying the lawsuit was premature because the potential conflict raised by the state of California hasn't arisen and may never occur.  Another challenge to the Weldon Amendment has already been rejected in Federal court so it may now be possible for the law to take effect, depending on whether California decides to appeal. 

Tuesday, March 18, 2008  --  Caught in the act

Family Planning Associates has three abortion locations in Chicago.  I have acquired a copy of a yellow pages ad found in at least two Northwest Indiana phone books for Family Planning Associates (FPA).

In the ad, the copy reads, "No Parental Consent Required; No 24 Hr Waiting Period." In other words, the ad encourages Indiana citizens, especially teenagers, to violate Indiana law by coming to Chicago to obtain an abortion. Since the advocates for abortionists usually tell the media and Illinois legislators that most teenagers notify their parents and that Illinois abortion providers have very few customers from out-of-state, why would FPA be spending big bucks for quarter page ads in multiple editions of Northwest Indiana yellow pages? The evidence demonstrates these claims are misleading.  FPA must be finding customers who are willing to cross state lines to avoid telling their parents about getting an abortion.

Monday, March 17, 2008  --  Brinksmanship on Illinois parental notice of abortion

The deadline for appeal of Judge David Coar's ruling that maintained the injunction preventing enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act was March 13th.  Given the uncertainty on whether Attorney General Lisa Madigan would initiate an appeal by the deadline, an effort was made last week to get one or more state's attorneys to get involved. 

Apparently due to that effort, Attorney General Madigan ultimately did file a Notice of Appeal in the case on the deadline day.  Since her office had not responded to repeated requests for assurances that the Parental Notice Act would be vigorously defended, it would appear that the public pressure had an impact. 

Also, on March 13th, Thomas More Society attorneys filed motions asking Judge Coar to reconsider his recent decision that the Parental Notice Act is unconstitutional.  The battle to activate a reasonable law to protect teenage girls in Illinois will continue.  

Friday, March 14, 2008  --  Charges against Tinley Park mother were dropped

This issue may not be described as Pro-Life, but the implications place an unjust burden on parents and threaten parents rights.  A Tinley Park mother was arrested 12/18/07 when she left her sleeping two-year-old in a locked car to go two car-lengths with her two older children so they could donate coins to the Salvation Army in front of a Wal-Mart in Crestwood, IL.  Treffly Coyne was charged with child endangerment and resisting arrest.  Fortunately, a surveillance video confirmed that she was only away from the car for four minutes with it always in her view.  After 97 days of being charged with a criminal offense, this overwhelming evidence forced the state's attorney to drop these outrageous charges.

The overlooked part of this situation is what happened to the other children when the Crestwood officer arrested Coyne.  They were left abandoned in front of Wal-Mart until later when their father managed to rescue them.  If anyone should be charged with child endangerment, it should be the arresting police officer.  No wonder Coyne might have appeared to be resisting arrest.  She was just trying to protect her children from being abandoned in front of Wal-Mart.  Where is justice, and sanity, in this case?

Thursday, March 13, 2008  --  HB 5615 appears to be stopped

The radical bill in the Illinois legislature called the Reproductive Justice and Access Act (HB 5615) was scheduled to be heard in committee yesterday, but it was not called.   HB 5615 combined many radical provisions desired by abortion advocates into one bill, including overturning/preventing any reasonable regulation of abortion,   mandating pornographic "comprehensive sex education," denying medical professions any conscience rights, and public funding of abortion.  Since the deadline for approval of bills in committee has now passed, it appears that HB 5615 is dead for 2008.  Thanks to all who expressed their concerns about this bill to their state representatives.  Praise the Lord for its demise!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008  --  CDC reports 25% of teenage girls have an STD

The media made a big splash about STDs among teenage girls after a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report became public on March 11th.  The headlines read, “One in 4 teenage girls has at least one sexually transmitted disease.”  The data for this study came from information collected from 838 teenagers who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey performed in 2003 and 2004.  We are assured that these 838 teens are “a nationally representative sample.”  Get more details.

Planned Parenthood immediately blamed abstinence education.  Of course, the so-called comprehensive sex education that they advocate should be considered blameless!  Never mind that "comprehenisve sex ed" encourages casual sexual activity, including the use of pornography to make the point.  Even though it could not be reflected in statistics gathered back in 2003-04, the STD rate is likely to be going up.  It was not until 2006 that the FDA approved over-the-counter sales of Plan B, the so-called morning-after pill.  In other nations, once such access was approved for the morning-after pill, there was a substantial increase in STDs among teenagers, even described as an epidemic.  Planned Parenthood was a strong advocate for making Plan B available over-the-counter.  They make money when teens contract STDs.  Their expressed concern about the teenage STD rate is not credible. 

Tuesday, March 11, 2008  --  Ask State's Attorneys to intervene on parental notice

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