Is Anybody There?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says Yahweh Sabaoth" Zach 4:6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dio di Signore, nella Sua volontà è nostra pace!" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin 1759

Monday, May 31, 2010

The Feast of the Visitation


"Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'" Luke 1:39-45



Memorial Day 2010

Who Are the Violent Ones?

As a part of the preperation for the visit of Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood head honcho, to CR to attend the Planned Parenthood of ECI 30th Anniversary gathering, Joe Lock, president and CEO or PPECI called in the FBI out of fear of violence from those of us there to protest. (Planned Parenthood Plays the “Violence” Card—Again) Cecile Richards once called the pro-lifers who were opposing the opening of the huge Aurora, Illinois abortuary “some of the ugliest anti-choice protesters we’ve ever seen.” (Protesting Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards in Iowa May 20)
Time after time, abortion supporters raise the spector that we are the violent ones. Yet when you look at the facts, the truth is, it isn't the pro-lifers who are the violent ones.
Here are some pictures of those PP calls violent:

(Jim Poullon, for those of you who don't remember was shot down & killed as he was peacably protesting last September.)




Not exactly resorting to violence against those supporting abortion.
On the other hand look at this video of what was supposed to be a peaceful Pro-life prayer gathering @ Neuquen, Argentina, on 17 Aug 2008:


It is the abortion supporters who are resulting to violence. This is something I have personally experienced myself.
But it should be no surprize abortion supporters reosrt to violence since violence is what the abortion industry does to over 3200 unborn babies every day here in the USA, Planned Parenthood alone kills 305,310 of those unborn babies each year. (CAUTION - Graphic pictures of the ugly reality of abortion & the violence it does to babies) :





Now tell me again, Joe Lock & Cecile Richards, who are the violent ones?????

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Sunday, May 30, 2010

Life Under ObamaCare????

Dilbert.com

Dilbert.com

Dilbert.com

Dilbert.com

Dilbert.com

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Teach Your Children Well

"It should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and virtue. If we suffer their minds to grovel and creep in infancy, they will grovel all their lives." --John Adams, Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law, 1756

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Telling Lies to Get Rid of Crisis Pregnancy Centers

I came across this after reading Jill Stanek's post Weekend question: Is Mississippi's last standing abortion mill on the brink of closing? & deciding to check out the group (Feminist Majority Foundation) behind the fundraiser to keep it open.
When I was on their site I noticed that 1 of their campaigns was to take the attack on crisis pregnancy centers currently going on in places like Baltimore & Austin nation-wide.
Here are some of the lies they are spreading & my responses with the truth:
" Crisis Pregnancy Centers, often advertising under “abortion services” in the yellow pages, A bold faced lie, all of the crisis centers appear under abortion alternatives in the yellow pages with the following statement "For businesses that provide alternatives to abortion and primarily engage in counclining against abortion". pose as full-service women’s health clinics and lure women in with promises of free pregnancy tests and “counseling” for unintended pregnancies. Contrary to what they want you to believe, these fake clinics repeatedly make false medical claims They know these places are telling the truth about the unborn child, unlike the abortion clinics who tell a variety of lies that have been documented by Live Action's Rose Acuna project. Many of these places have ultrasounds that require extensive training to use. to dissuade and delay women from obtaining comprehensive medical services, particularly abortion and birth control." In other words, horror of horrors, they actually provide women with alternatives to abortions, thus taking money out of the pockets of the abortionists. Remember the Time magazine report that backed this up? It said that pregnancy centers are playing an important role in why abortion rates have lowered in recent years: “That would seem to be evidence that the quiet campaign for women’s hearts and minds, conducted in thousands of crisis pregnancy centers around the country, on billboards, phone banks and websites, is having an effect…” (Jan. 21, 2008) So naturally abortion proponants are going to attack them.
This line also gives away their attitude towards pregnancy, it is something that must be ended. They see abortion as the only medical service needed. & then to be followed by chemical birth control. In the abortion gangs minds, any other medical care that crisis centers provides or directs women to, like pre-natal care, is surperfluous, not needed or actually harmful because it enables the woman to carry the baby to term, not abort the child.
& things like Parenting classes; material assistance, including diapers, maternity clothes, strollers, cribs, carseats, etc; job & housing assistance as well as referrals are not services in the abortion gang mindset.
Then there is this form letter they want you to sign as well:
"Dear Congressional Leader:
I am outraged that tens of millions of federal dollars are used to fund failed abstinence-only programs and so-called crisis pregnancy centers each year. Since when have federal funds gone to crisis pregnancy centers like Care Net & Birthright????? Never as far as I know. Plenty has gone to abortion clinics on the other hand. I support comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual health education, despite the fact that comprehensive sex ed has been proven to be a failure & that abstinance based education has been proven a success and I support comprehensive and accurate women’s health services. Again, letting abortion clinics lie about what is really going on during pregnancy, & providing abortion as the only option.
Some of the most egregious abstinence only funds sustain fake clinics that target young women and low-income communities. They are there because that is where the racist orginizations like Planned Parenthood operate. The need is there to provide the alternatives to those women who otherwise fall prey to PP & other abortion groups. Through deceptive advertising practices and offers to provide free pregnancy tests, which they actually do provide, along with ultrasounds many of these so-called health centers pose as comprehensive women’s clinics. Most of these fake clinics do not provide accurate medical information See above link to Rose Acuna project for who does provide the inaccurate medical information. and are opposed to abortion and birth control. Again, the only 2 alternatives that pro-aborts would allow.
I urge you to support federal legislation to stop fake clinics’ deceptive advertising practices and eliminate funding for abstinence-only education and fake clinics that endanger women’s lives." In other words, help us silence those places that provide a true alternantive & save the lives of both the women & the unborn children. The only thing these crisis pregnancy centers endanger is the bottom line of the abortion clinics.
Over the last few days I have put up several posts showing how readily those promoting abortion lie. But why should that be a surprize. The pro-abortion "culture of death" is demonic in its origin. As Scripture reminds us, Satan IS a murderer and the father of lies ("You are from your father, the devil, and you prefer to do what your father wants. He was a murderer from the start; he was never grounded in the truth; there is no truth in him at all. When he lies he is speaking true to his nature, because he is a liar, and the father of lies." John 8:44).
These lies & attacks will only increase as we get the truth out. Again, this is why we must keep ourselves rooted in prayer & in conection with Jesus who is the "Truth".

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White Liberal Elite Racism = Population Control = Human Rights Abuse

Saturday, May 29, 2010

200 or Less Than 100? Planned Parenthood Caught in Another Lie

When I was doing some research for my last post on Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa (PPECI) & their denial that they were adding abortion (You Spin Me Right Round) I came across a picture that confirmed the suspicions that the attendance at their recent gathering in CR with Cecile Richards was a lot less than the 200 they claimed in the Iowa Independent article. & I quote: "Inside the hotel, however, 200 people wiped tears from their eyes."
The picture I came across was on PPECI's Facebook page & it showed the nametag table.


If you look at the picture you will see about 40-45 nametags on a table that could hold no more than 100. Definitely a lot less than the 200 the claimed. & also more proof that the real reason they didn't allow pictures wasn't because of the claimed threat of violence. Rather it was because of the poor turn out.

In fact if you take a look at the entire set of pictures for the event (PPECI's 30th Anniversary) you will notice that none of the pictures show the whole room or the whole crowd. they are very careful to be closeups. & in fact, most of them seem to be of the same people

I find it interesting to compare them to the pictures of DBQ Co Right to Life's Life Dinner 2010. DCRTL made sure you got an idea of the large crowd of 600.

When Jill Stanek posted about the PPECI event & the protest ( Pro-lifers rain on Planned Parenthood's dismally attended "celebration") she pointed out that " a pro-life spy reported, "A girl was sitting at the table that was covered with name tags - it wasn't all that big a table, so there must have been fewer than 100 attendees." She got a shaky photo of that table". I was very happy to find out that I could confirm that spy's report. & even happy that i could use evidence provided by PPECI itself to do it.

Like Jill said about the real attendance: "Paltry and pathetic."

PPECI knew that we would have a larger number of people at the protest than they had at their "celebration". & they knew that if they allowed any pictures taken that they couldn't control, the truth of how poorly attended their banquet was they would come off looking bad.

PPECI said in pre-event interviews that they were calling people to claim that those attending wouldn't have to worry about their safety. I am beginning to wonder if those calls weren't to beg people to come so they wouldn't have the poor attendance they knew they would have.

Once again we see how PP lies to make itself look good. Yes, this is only a small lie. But then what is a small lie to a group that will cover up incest & rape as well as lie about the unborn child's development?

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(Added 29 May 2010 @ 8:08 am) 1 other question, if they were so concerned about violence that they banned outside pictures, wouldn't that same concern apply to pictures they took?

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You Spin Me Right Round

The last few days have seen some interesting fallout from some statements made by Planned Parenthood to Iowa Public Radio last week about expanding the Telemed abortion scheme throughout Iowa & eventually across the nation.
Iowa Public Radio ran a report where they said that Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa had signed on (they run the DBQ site) & went on to play a quote from Barbara Chadwick, Director of Patient Services. In it she said that Planned Parenthood had as a goal initiating abortion services as a core service at all Planned Parenthoods as a part of its Strategic Plan for 2015.
After hearing about this interview Steve Brody, director of DBQ Co Right to Life issued a press release repeating the report claim that PPECI "has agreed to sign on to the program, thus bringing abortions to Dubuque."
Naturally, once the press release got out PPECI went into spin mode. The TH reported that PPECI denied that there are plans to offer the "telemedicine program" (a teleconference-based delivery of drugs to end a pregnancy) in Dubuque.
The TH went on to say: "(Barbara) Chadwick misspoke when she said that telemedicine abortion would be available in the Dubuque and Cedar Rapids health centers," said Jenifer Vick, director of development and communications for Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa. "She was speaking broadly, that telemedicine is the way medical care is moving in the country." Vick went on to say "PPECI has never been abortion providers in our 30-year history and PPECI has no plans at this time to provide abortion services."
Note carefully how Jenifer Vick worded what she said. As I wrote of DCRTL's Facebook page: "Key Words "At this time". You will notice she doesn't say anything about what lies down the road. The truth accidently got out, they got caught & are now trying to spin things to cover up their future plans. & for them future could be next week."
Vick didn't deny that there were plans to provide abortion services at some point, just not at this time. I agree with what Steve told the TH "I still believe it's coming. Whether next month or in six months, they're going to bring abortions to Dubuque and we need to prepare the community for it." It is coming. & Vick knows it.
It is coming. Vick is claiming Chadwick mispoke & that "She was speaking broadly, that telemedicine is the way medical care is moving in the country." The problem is, that when you listen to Chadwick's statement it is clear that she was talking about PP's long range plan, not the way the country was going generally. When Chadwick said the plan was for abortion to be a "core service at all Planned Parenthoods" she meant all, including the PPECI sites.
That PP is trying to deny & cover up should come as no surprize. PPECI mocked DCRTL's warnings about abortion eventually coming to DBQ when they opened their DBQ site. As I reported the other day, they lied about how we forced a woman to "to walk through protesters in order to enter the clinic", etc. (Note, just got a confirmation about another of their lies in that Iowa Independent article. The article claims 200 people attended, yet PPECI's Facebook page has a picture that shows the sign in table. No way that table held more than 100 nametags. So much for another of their claims.) & as I have reported time & time again it has been well documented that PP lies about rape, incest etc as well.
It is just a matter of time before PPECI tries to add abortion as a service here in DBQ. & it likely will be the Telemed scheme, unless the Iowa Board of Medicine rules against them. & if it doed you can bet they will go to court to get a judge to allow them to do it. Their DBQ plans may be delayed for a bit because of DCRTL's actions. But they have only been delayed. PPECI knows that adding abortion is not an option, it is a requirement of all PP affiliates.
I honestly think that how it will happen is that PPECI & PP-Heartland (who currently does the Telemed abortions) will announce a merger. & it will be PP-Heartland who will take over & do them. Why do I see the merger? Because that is the trend with PP so that they can eliminate expenses & increase profits. But even without the merger, if an PP clinic remains in DBQ, it will eventually be required to offer abortions. & it will gladly do so.

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A View to a Womb

Ray Stevens - Come to the USA

By the Light of the Sapphire Blue Earth

"Yahweh has leaned down from the heights of his sanctuary, has looked down from heaven to earth." Psalm 102:19
A sliver of the crescent Earth shines in bright blue in this ultraviolet view of the planet taken May 21, 2010 by Japan's Akatsuki probe headed for Venus. Full Story. Credit: JAXA

Friday, May 28, 2010

What Happens to Chiquita Banana Rejects


Source: Bananas!


This Is What Abortionists Mean By Choice

IMHO Hodari is a prime example of the sick & twisted "culture of death" mentality that makes up the abortion industry. He is just out to make a buck, he tries to pass the blame when caught, & he knows that most of the time he doesn't have to worry as he has supporters in the regulators & investigators.



Abortionist under Investigation for Forced Abortion Says he “Lies” to Patients

By Peter J. Smith
DETROIT, Michigan, May 25, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Michigan abortionist is under renewed scrutiny over comments he made over two years ago, in which he said that doctors have a license to “lie” to their patients.
The comments were made by Dr. Abraham Alberto Hodari to medical students at Wayne University. Hodari currently is facing a lawsuit for allegedly forcing a woman to submit to an abortion after she had changed her mind, killing the unborn baby that she had decided she wanted.
“My wife says we doctors have a license to lie, and it’s true, it’s absolutely true. Sometimes you need to lie to a patient about things that they want to do or no,” Hodari told a gathering at Wayne State University on November 9, 2007.
He said it was not so much the case today, saying that the reason is that women “are more educated, between CNN and the internet, the patients are more educated about what we do.”
He then added, “I have great satisfaction about what I do, and I never feel bad or worried about doing abortions.”
Hodari’s remarks have only added more ammunition to the lawsuit pending against him in Genessee County Circuit Court.
NBC25 reported on the comments and asked for an explanation from the abortionist. Hodari claimed that he was only referring to situations where the woman’s life would be in danger, and said that a doctor must “never” tell a patient “you’re going to die.”
“And in that respect, yes, we lie,” insisted Hodari.
However, the context of Hodari’s remarks, in which he mentioned how proud he was to be an abortionist, had nothing to do with telling women that they were dying.
Caitlin Bruce is one ex-client of Hodari, who claims he did exactly to her what he told the Wayne medical students: lied to her, and forced her to abort a baby she wanted. Bruce that Hodari and his assistant forcibly held her down to the operating table and "ripped the life out of me that day."
Bruce’s alleged forced abortion happened at Hodari’s Flint abortion center, the Feminine Health Care Clinic.
Tom R. Pabst, Bruce’s attorney, told NBC25 that Hodari violated Bruce’s right to back out of a medical procedure and the video will serve as evidence against him.
"Whether it's a sexual advance or a medical procedure, if she says, ‘No, stop,’ that's the end of it," Pabst told the local news station.
"What he’s saying is that he knows what’s better for your body than you do, and he’s going to go ahead and do what he thinks is best for a woman’s body, not the woman. To me he’s got it flipped."
Bruce's story aligns with testimonies from other women who have described similar horror stories of coerced abortions at Hodari's hands. A report by Operation Rescue shows Hodari has a record of 49 documented lawsuits over a span of decades.
Hodari's practice has also been implicated in the deaths of at least four women from abortion-related complications. In June 2009, the Disciplinary Subcommittee of Michigan's Board of Medicine fined Hodari $10,000 for negligence in connection with the botched abortion death of Regina Johnson.
Numerous complaints have been filed against the abortionist for improper disposal of human remains and abortion records found in Hodari's dumpster. Hodari received a sentence of six months' probation on one such count in February.
In November, Hodari put his abortion clinics on the market along with his collection of expensive classic cars and hastily filed for divorce from his wife of 29 years. Local activists told Operation Rescue that it appeared that he was attempting to liquidate his assets so he could flee the country, possibly to his former home in Argentina.
See related coverage by LifeSiteNews.com:
Abortionist Hodari Officially Under Investigation for Forced Abortions
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10020106.html
Alleged Forced Abortion Victim Says Abortionist "Ripped the Life" Out of Her
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/nov/09112412.html
Forced Abortion, Rape Victim Comes Forward After Abortionist Given Slap on the Wrist
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021102.html



Caution Graphic Images in this next video

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Stopping Violence or Free Speech?

The other day I shared my experiences on the trip to CR to protest Cecile Richards appearance at Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa's 30th Anniversary celebration. (Not that PP is ever anything to celebrate.) Yesterday Eric Scheidler shared the rest of the story on the Pro-Life Action League website.
1 of the things I mentioned in the post was the way PP painted us a violent threat that required the FBI etc. They knew full well we weren't. But that claim enabled them to justify their hassling us & attempting to silence us, stopping us from exercising our 1st amendment free speech rights.
That speech was the real threat. They knew that we were going to present the truth about who really perpetrated violence. & against whom that violence ws being perpetrating. & that was a truth that PP doesn't want out there, that they are mass murderers.
As a part of his post Eric Scheidler shares what he had to go through in order to place the signs where they were needed to be. Here is that part of his post, follow the link for the rest of the post.
Planned Parenthood Exposed as “Abortion, Inc.” in Cedar Rapids
Posted by Eric Scheidler (May 27, 2010 at 1:58 pm)

Police and FBI Descend on Protest Preparations
We placed our first two Warning signs with such dispatch that we found ourselves a few minutes ahead of schedule by the time we pulled up to the Cedar Rapids Marriott, where Richards was speaking, to unload a stockpile of signs with my son Nate. He was to wait there during the rally several blocks away and begin deploying the signs as volunteers arrived.
We were going to need those extra minutes to readjust. After placing the third Warning sign down the block, we began dropping more signs off at another corner of the Marriott when several police vans descended on Nate’s position a block away. He called me to say the police were threatening to arrest him if he didn’t move his signs off the Marriott property.
Before I could advise Nate, a police van backed down the block to where I was and two officers got out. One of them came up to my window and said she was with the FBI. She said that all the surrounding businesses had “issued trespass warnings” and that the police would be observing a “zero tolerance” policy: anyone on private property would be warned once, then arrested.
I didn’t mention that this sounded more like a “one tolerance” policy, but said I didn’t think we’d have a problem with that and I’d disseminate the information. I was also ordered by a Lieutenant to stay off of Park Place Lane, which he said was a private road.
League Team Quickly Adjusts as Police Impede Protest Plans
This would be a significant hindrance to our plans. Not only had I been intending to line Park Place Lane with signs, but it was the artery connecting the north and south sides of the Marriott protest.
What’s more, the police had been apprised by letter a week in advance exactly where we intended to hold signs—ample time to inform us of any problems. I do not know why they chose to ignore that letter.
However, this was not the time to get into an argument with the police, who were behaving with unusual aggression. I assured them we were there to protest peacefully and would be able to work within their guidelines.
The rest of the team was unloading signs during this exchange, as the police could plainly see. Despite my cooperation, the moment I was finished talking to the officers, warning came over the loud speaker of one of the police vehicles that I must get off Park Place Lane immediately or get a citation. I managed to get the rest of the crew—minus Jerry, who was staying with the signs—back in the van before they followed through on this threat.
In my absence, Nate dealt expertly with the officers down at his end of the block, moving the signs a few feet to an acceptable location in the public right-of-way. Meanwhile, Matt and I drove off to place the final warning sign and quickly revised our plans for the protest to factor out the forbidden road.
. . . . . .
Group Splits for March to Protest Site
Thanks to our being banned from setting foot on Park Place Lane, we had no choice but to split the protest group in two, with half walking around the block to the protest site on the north side of the Marriott and the other half walking through the park to the south side of the hotel. This meant splitting the staff, too—which in turn compromised safety as Ann Scheidler, leading the north-side group, had to deal with an extremely short walk signal crossing the very busy Collins Road. Police did not help in any way. All too true. They were busy telling us we couldn't cross at other corners that didn't have a signal light. As well as being sure we knew exactly where we could or couldn't stand.
As the two-pronged march got underway, I jumped in my van to drive around the protest site. I was pleased to see League staff—Nate with the north group, Matt with the south—quickly deploying signs as volunteers began to arrive. The protest was proceeding beautifully, despite all the disruption caused by the police and FBI.
While driving around the protest area, I discovered that one of our Warning signs had been placed face-down on the parkway. It clearly hadn’t blown down, because the sandbag had been put on top of it. I decided it would be best to take that sign down.
I have no problem with the police being there. & if a business wants to keep potential customers off their property, well, that is their right. It is their property. But, PP clearly knew we were no violent threat. As I already said, the real threat we posed was to their false veneer that they present to the world. Never doubt that this was all an attempt to harrass us & silence us.
I thank God for the fact that this protest was organized by the able hands of Eric Scheidler & his family. Their years of experience enabled them to adapt & ensure that we were able to get the message out despite all the attempts to stop us.
If you haven't figured out by now, the Pro-Life Action League is truly a family affair. It is a labor of love that extends over 3 generations. Their efforts over the years have earned them the emnity of PP because they have done all they can to stop PP from spreading their lies.
The day after coming to CR they won a major court victory in Illinois. (Court Victory Moves Aurora Planned Parenthood Zoning Lawsuit Forward) "The suit involves the building of the “Abortion Fortress” of Aurora in 2007 when Planned Parenthood entered the city under a cloud of deception.
Planned Parenthood presented itself to the city as a general use medical facility under the name Gemini Office Development and told the city council point blank that they didn’t know what tenants would be occupying the building. They represented the project as a general use, for-profit medical building that might house dentists or family doctors. (Big Victory in Aurora, Illinois Planned Parenthood Zoning Case
)
What the final outcome will be is yet to be determined. But you can be sure PP isn't too happy that their shady dealings won't be allowed to go unexamined. So you can see why PP is doing all it can to smear, libel & slander those who dare to try & get the truth out. & esp why they see the Scheidlers as a huge threat to their plans.

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What Really Qualifies A Person for the Supreme Court

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Dubuque County Right to Life 1st Ever Pro-Life Conference

I stopped in at DBQ Co Right to Life Wednesday afternoon. In the midst of my discussion with Colleen Pasnik, Executive Assistant about other things next week's conference came up. She told me that they are hoping for about 100 people but only have 25 so far. If you are interested, or know someone call the DCRTL phone number below for more info or to register.
In light of the recently passed ObamaCare we need to be even more prepared & armed to battle Planned Parenthood & the other promoters of the culture of death. There are more details below about the speakers. I personally know 2 of them. Dr. Jack Dolehide & I attended Loras College at the same time. I have worked with Connie Hardie at DCRTL & have been through the Speaker Training program under her leadership.
For those who may say that this is just too far to come for 1 day, DBQ has plenty to offer for the whole family, including a world class River Museum. (& no I do not get paid for plugging it. I am trying to answer your objections for not coming.) & if that isn't enough, you will get the chance to meet me as I will be attending. (Don't let that keep you away either.)
PRO-LIFE CONFERENCE

SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010
8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
PRESENTATION HALL
ST. COLUMBKILLE CHURCH
1240 RUSH STREET, DUBUQUE, IA
PRO-LIFE CONFERENCE
Mark your calendars!
Bring your friends & family members. There is always more to learn.

Dubuque County Right to Life, Inc. is sponsoring our first Pro-Life Conference. You will hear
dynamic presentations on life topics that are in today's headlines. Bring your questions and be
ready for an educational day!
Conference talks:
“ProLife 101” by Connie Hardie
“Stem Cell Research” by Dr. John Dolehide
“Charitable Donations & Boycotting” by Patricia Bainbridge
“Pro-Life Lobbying” by Norm Pawlewski
Registration forms are available on our website: www.dcrtl.org or by calling 563-556-5960.
Speaker Info:

Pro-Life 101”
Connie Hardie has been active in the pro-life movement for over 20 years. She currently is coordinator of Speaker Training for Dubuque County Right to Life. Connie is a Registered Nurse who lives in Dubuque, Iowa with her husband Steve. They have three adult children.

“Stem Cell Research”
Dr. John Dolehide has been active in pro-life efforts since Roe V Wade. He is a Board Certified physician, who practices urology in Dubuque, Iowa. Dr. Dolehide is a member of the Catholic Medical Society and the American Urological Association. He is married to Laura and they have nine children.

“Charitable Donations & Boycotting”
Patricia Pitkus Bainbridge
currently serves as director of the Respect Life Office for the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois. She is co-founder and executive director emeritus of Life Decisions International and presently serves as chairman of the board of directors of Human Life International. Patricia is best known for her expertise on Planned Parenthood, the refutation of the arguments typically offered to justify abortion, and her spiritual journey.

“Pro-Life Lobbying”
Norm Pawlewski
is a retired Iowa state official and
current lobbyist for the Iowa Christian Alliance. He has worked in the heal th industry and been active in the pro-life movement for many years. He is married to Rose Marie and they have two children.

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Killing Us Softly with "The Pill"

The last few days I have been hearing a lot of ads about the dangers of leftover, unused or expired medicines being improperly disposed of & the environmental damage they can do. But for the most part, the environmental damage done by the birth control pill has been ignored. Even when used properly.
Fortunately, there are those in the Pro-Life Movement who are doing their best to get the truth out there.
A few years ago American Life League launched a campaign called The Pill Kills to get the whole truth out about what the birth control pill really is & the physical harm it often does to the women who use them as well.(among other things) This year's theme is "The Pill Kills the Environment".
50 years of "The Pill" is nothing to celebrate. Once again we are seeing how right Pope Paul VI was when he reiterated the Church's teaching on artificial birth control in Humanae Vitae. He warned us of the dangers of using artificial birth control. & while he didn't specificly mention the environment, it still is a rotten fruit that he said would result.
Pro-Life Coalition to Launch "The Pill Kills" Day June 5

By Kathleen Gilbert

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 25, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A large coalition of pro-life groups has announced plans to protest the damage wreaked by the morning-after pill, the "hormonal bomb" whose effects on women, their unborn children, and the environment have gone largely unreported by the mainstream media.

"This year, birth control advocates are celebrating 50 years of decriminalized hormonal contraceptives," announced the coalition in a press release Tuesday. "American Life League and our co-sponsors don't think half a century of contaminating our waterways is something to celebrate." The release points out a number of studies that have found devastating effects of the high levels of estrogen released into water supplies thanks to the pill, which have been linked to declining male fertility and mutations in male fish.

In addition, while the morning-after pill is usually billed as a contraceptive, the drug can also cause abortion by changing a woman's uterine lining so that a newly-conceived unborn child cannot attach and receive nourishment from its mother. In addition, the pill has been linked to the deaths of otherwise healthy women, through fatal blood clots, heart attacks, strokes.

"The Pill Kills Day," the largest nationwide protest of its kind, will include activists, scientists and educators in planned protests all across the nation on June 5. They say that they will demand “honesty” from America's pharmaceutical companies and government about how birth control is hazardous to children, women's health and the environment.

One group will assemble at the Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington D.C. on 16th street at 11 a.m.

"How long will we stand by and ignore the fact that hormonal contraception wreaks havoc on our children, women's health and the planet?" said Judie Brown, president of American Life League.

Katie Walker, Communications Director for ALL, said that the protest represented a key front for pro-lifers striving to recapture the culture.

“Too often pro-lifers are silent on birth control, but the silence has to end if we’re serious about establishing human rights for all human beings," Walker told LifeSiteNews.com Tuesday. "The contraceptive mindset that was ushered in with the decriminalization of the birth control pill paved the way for a culture and society that degrades human sexuality, ignores human dignity and treats human beings’ lives as optional and disposable."

Walker noted that "birth control and abortion have gone hand in hand from the very beginning – perhaps because birth control can often act as an abortion."

The Pill Kills project, said Walker, is meant to educate both pro-lifers and others on the often hidden negative effects of the morning-after pill - including its impact on the ecosystem. "In a world obsessed with 'going green,' we hope to use this hypocritical acceptance of birth control – which is a notorious pollutant – to open up a conversation about the pill that you won’t hear anywhere else," she said.

The protest is co-sponsored by:

American Life League
Human Life International
Pro-Life Wisconsin
Pharmacists for Life International
Archdiocese of Mobile Respect Life
Operation Rescue
Jill Stanek
Generation Life/Brandi Swindell
Life Education Ministry
Pro-Life Unity
Movement for a Better America
AMEN (Abortion Must End Now)
Pro-Life Action of Oregon
Children of God for Life
Expectant Mother Care/Chris Slattery
Mother and Unborn Baby Care
Defenders of the Unborn
California Right to Life Education Fund
Delaware Pro-Life Coalition
Life Guard
Homeschoolers for Life
Focus Pregnancy Center
Central Texas Voices for Life
Dubuque County Right to Life

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

I Doubt the Vatican Had This In Mind When It Appointed Archbishop Gomez to His New Post. . . .

But I wouldn't put it past God to play a practical joke like this:

"British newspaper wildly mused that the appointment of José Gomez (as the new Archbishop of LA) was Rome's "revenge on Hollywood" for The DaVinci Code".
Remember Archbishop Gomez is the Mexican-born, Opus Dei-formed successor of Cardinal Mahony. & that The DaVinci Code was a blasphemouis swipe @ the Catholic Church & Opus Dei. (See Catholic Answers Cracking The Da Vinci Code for the truth about the movie.

Source:Welcome Eve

I Think There May Be a Few Holes In Their Theory

Interesting theory of how to save your marriage.

Playing God??????????

Frankenstein & The Island of Doctor Moreau on a collision course is how I would describe these 2 stories. Given Archbishop Rino Fisichella's recent controversy involving the Brazilian Abortion case (Head of Pontifical Academy for Life Should be Removed: Academy Members) his response in this case is not non-commital, it is too soon. My concern is this, at what point do we cross the line? & does this cross that line? If it does, then nothing good can come of it. & saying the end, in this case "to treat pathologies", for me rings way too close to saying that Nazi experiments could be justified as well. & the end never justifies the means.
I guess my concern is can this be used without crossing over into eugenics? & I really don't see how it won"t cross that line given the current state of things.
The 2nd story adds to my concerns about the direction artificial DNA could take. If we can create artificial DNA, & create human/animal hybrids, then where do we stop? In fact, that is exactly the direction opened up by what has been done by Craig Ventor. Albeit what he did only involve 2 different bacteria, what next? He artificially sequenced the DNA of 1 type of bacteria, added it to the cell of another type & the result? They reproduced daughter cells with both the natural & artificial DNA.
The fact that, as the article points out, Venter has been working for years to create artificial life forms, doesn't do anything to reduce my concerns either. & his response to criticisms that he is "playing God", doesn't help either. “I always reply that - so far at least - we are only reconstructing a diminished version of what is out there in nature.” "So far at least" implies that is is not adverse to "playing God" & that it could very well be his goal to do just that.
The comments by the head of the Italian’s bishops’ conference, Angelo Cardinal Bagnasco, were a lot better than Fisichella's. Bagnasco said that the invention is “further sign of intelligence, God's gift to understand creation and be able to better govern it.” True in so far as it goes. But he made sure that what he was saying wasn't a ringing endorsement & that he did have some concerns. “On the other hand, intelligence can never be without responsibility. Any form of intelligence and any scientific acquisition ... must always be measured against the ethical dimension, which has at its heart the true dignity of every person.”
I have no problem with better learning how DNA works. I do have problems with creating "artificial life forms" or human/whatever hybrids.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Memo to Rockford Abortion Mill: God Will NOT Be Mocked (Galatians 6:&)

I've put up a few posts about this place before. (including 3 Holy Innocents Saved From Rockford Equivalent of King Herod, This Really Is How They See the Pro-Life Movement, Is a Rockford Alderman In Bed With an Abortion Clinic in Her Ward) They have done all they can to mock God, to blaspheme, & to insult those who hve stood outside the cinic praying, witnessing & even saving the lives of several babies. & they continue to do so.
The latest is a mocking version of WWJD. Over @ Pro-Life Corner someone reminds them that it isn't "What Would Jesus Do?", but "What Will Jesus Do?" if they don't turn away from the path they are on.

WWJD

It's Not "What Would Jesus Do", but "What Will Jesus Do."

Rockford's abortion mill again attempts to mock God and again it fails miserably.

Rockford IL, May 18, 2010 - A sign in the window of the notorious Rockford abortion mill seems to be mocking the Christian saying "WWJD."
The mill sign has the initials "WTFWJD." This sign is in the same abortion mill window that has had a rubber chicken on a crucifix.
Most recently this window had a picture of Jesus giving the "finger" and another sign in this window was telling pro-lifers to "shut the F..... up."
This new message clearly seems to be a wretched attempt to say "What the F.... would Jesus do."
This abortion establishment has a long history of vicious attacks on Jesus Christ, Christianity, and Christian beliefs. This sign is another pathetic and contemptible attempt to connect Christianity and the name of our Lord to the foul language and displays for which this clinic is nationally known.

God Has Already Answered Their Question

Another sign attacking God from a place that has killed well over 50,000 human beings is not surprising.
But the question this clinic seems to be mocking is a question Jesus Christ has already answered.
It concerns the people who destroy innocent life and the people who attempt to protect the little lives that are annihilated behind the brick walls of this abortion mill.
This Is "What Jesus Will Do", And It Affects Us All - Eternally

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.

Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave Me food (children in the womb are hungering for life),
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink (babies taken to Rockford's abortion mill are thirsting for love),
a stranger and you welcomed Me (every child should be welcome into our human family),
naked and you clothed Me (every child should be clothed with human dignity),
ill and you cared for Me (every mother should be cared for - not pressured to kill her baby),
in prison and you visited Me.' (a child taken into the Rockford abortion mill may be in a prison that they never leave alive).
Then the righteous will answer Him and say, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? (anytime we pray for, work for, witness for, or love a child in the womb, we are loving Christ in the poorest and most defenseless among us)
When did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see You ill or in prison, and visit You?'
( whenever we help a mother in need, stranger though she may be, we are welcoming and clothing in love Christ Himself)
And the King will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least children of Mine, you did for Me.'
(children in the womb are truly the least of His people)
Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you accursed (no one is more accursed than those who kill children) into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, a stranger and you gave Me no welcome, naked and you gave Me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for Me.' (those who murder children in the womb no matter if they are abortionists, nurses, business men, supporters of abortion, or politicians participate in the murder of persons with whom Jesus Christ personally identifies)
Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to Your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for Me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Those who have mocked God and destroyed so many lives at Rockford's abortion mill will one day answer for what they have done.

Those who have sacrificed, prayed, fasted, worked for, and given of their time, energy, and most of all their love for children facing death and mothers in need at Rockford's abortion mill will one day hear the most beautiful words that may ever enter the human ear:
‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful, enter into the joy of your Master's house.’ Mt 25

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Yes, This Is a Faux Commerical, But It Contains More Truth Than Many A Real Commercial

(Source: GM Loan Payback Explained)

Just for balance, here is the original commercial:



Which is more accurate????

& St. Paul Would Probably Have Blogged

...has his very own podcast now and is making his "Against Heresies" available for listening.
H/T: Mark P. Shea

Being PC ON Gays Trumps Dealing With Gulf Oil Spill for Obama Administration

Imagine how loud the Dems would have screamed after Katrina if Bush had kicked a top expert out of FEMA because he or she was pro-gay. & the media would have crcified him. Not that Bush handled everything well, but this disaster is not being handled anywhere near as well. After Katrina the media ignored the fact that the people on the state & local level who were repsonsible for screw ups, like not using school buses to evacuate people before it hit, were Dems. They used it as a way to blast Bush at the expense of the Katrina victims. The media is giving Obama a pass even though he has bungled this disaster.


When the Katz Away, the Spill Will Stay
The U.S. government is desperate to clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill--just not desperate enough to let pro-family scientists help. One week after the Energy Department summoned Jonathan Katz to an elite crisis team, Secretary Steven Chu kicked him off the project for his objections to homosexuality. Katz, a Washington University physics professor, had written extensively on his blog about the health risks of same-sex behavior. According to an Energy Department statement, "Some of Professor Katz's controversial writings have become a distraction from the critical work of addressing the oil spill. Professor Katz will no longer be involved in [our] efforts."
And what are these "controversial views?" For starters, Katz explains that gay sex leads to AIDS. "The human body was not designed to... be promiscuous, and it was not designed to engage in homosexual acts. Engaging in such behavior is like riding a motorcycle on an icy road without a helmet. It may be possible to get away with it for awhile, and a few misguided souls may get a thrill out of doing so, but sooner or later (probably sooner) the consequences will be catastrophic. Lethal diseases spread rapidly among those who do such things," he wrote.
While we can't vouch for all of Katz's posts, it is shocking that the Department of Energy singled out this one. As unpopular as the facts may be, they're facts just the same. And while Katz's views may be incompatible with this administration's ultra-Left agenda, they don't justify workplace discrimination. People shouldn't be excluded from helping in a national crisis simply for holding views that a majority of the country shares. Look for private businesses to be forced into the same brand of political correctness if Congress passes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which you can read more about by clicking on FRC's new website.
____________
Meanwhile, now that there is a Republican in charge of Louisiana you will notice they are not talking about how Bobby Jindal IS acting to protect his state. More @ Louisana Gov. Jindal blasts Obama inaction, moves on sand booms by Michelle Malkin.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Responding to a Misguided Deacon's Wife

Now Italianos Are Getting "Tea"ed Off About Their Tasse (Taxes)

The Iowa Independent Anything BUT Independent

While looking up information about something else involving the Iowa GOP Primary I came across a website called the Iowa Independent. That had 2 articles about the Planned Parenthood event in CR last Thursday. & it was clear from the way they covered it that all they were doing was fawning over Cecile Richards & PP. It was also clear that they were willing to abet PP in their attempts to smear the Pro-Life movement.
& I quote; "Editor’s Note: Due to threats of violence, no photographs were allowed to be taken during the Planned Parenthood dinner or ceremony."* What a bunch of BS. There were absolutely no threats of violence other then those done by the PP abortionists to the unborn babies.
The real reason was simple, so they could cover up the poor attendance. It makes absolutely no sense to use violence as an excuse to deny photos being taken.
The fact that the Iowa Independent did an interview with Cecile Richards but only reported their slant on the Pro-Life protest. In fact, I sincerely think they hope no one followed the link they put up to Jill Stanek's blog that they claimed showed we were trying to keep people away out of fear. Jill ends her post with "I'm also wondering how many PP supporters will be no shows thanks to all the media attention and fear mongering." What the Independent & PP both know is that PP is the one who was doing the fear mongering, not us Pro-lifers.
If the Iowa Independent is truly independent then why didn't it cover the rally/press conference that was open to the public? Why did the just tell a story of a DBQ woman who claimed she had "to walk through protesters in order to enter the clinic" when that women herself knows that we do not block anyone or force them to walk through us & not tell the story of local Silent No More Awareness coordinator Jennifer Minnie ho shared the damage done by abortion?
& why did they lie in the caption of the 1 picture that showed us protesting on Collins Rd? They said "Along busy Collins Road in front of the hotel where Planned Parenthood supporters gathered, signs featuring pictures of living newborns and positive messages were shown. At the back of the hotel, the large signs were flipped to display bloody, graphic images." WRONG!!!!!! Those images were shown along Collins Rd & they know it. Joe Scheidler OF Pro-life Action League was holding 1 of them. I took plenty of pictures showing us holding them there as well.
& they clearly got the facts wrong about PPECI. They wrote "Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa operates clinics in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Monticello. The organization was founded in 1980 with a staff of two and under the name Planned Parenthood of Linn County, and has since expanded to a staff of 20. In 2009, the organization provided health care services to 4,500 people (4,000 women and 500 men), and provided medically accurate, age appropriate sex education to more than 5,000 adults and youth."
1st of all the Monticello office closed several weeks ago because nobody was going there. 2ndly their numbers here & those in their 2008-9 annual report do not match up. The report claims 283 men, yet here they have 500 & the report says 4160 women. The number in last line about sex ed is verbatum from the report. So did the number of women drop in the last half of 2009? Or did they cook the numbers from the annual report?
Of the 4500, about 700 were reported to have gone to the DBQ site, which was less than 14 people a week. & even if almost all of the remaining 3800 went to the CR site that is only about 70 a week. The CR Metro area has an estimated population of 255,452. The DBQ Metro area is about 92,359. Neither site is exactly getting that great of a turnout given the population base.
& of course they published unchallenged the lies that it is the Pro-lifers that are the violent ones. As for the claim that "The group’s negative focus on Richards is what prompted local authorities and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to increase security at the event", another lie. According to PPECI Prsident Joe Lock, the FBI was called in long before we knew they were coming.
& this is only a part of how the Iowa Independent covered the event. There is so much more could deal with but this gives you a good idea of what their anything but independent agenda really is.
Am I surprized at this? NO! I have seen enough of this to not be. Am I disgusted at their actions? YES!!!! These people are the ones who are spreading hate. Pro-aborts have been the ones who have instigated violence against us. They do it because that is how they operate. They have no respect for life before birth, nor do they have any qualms about terroizing the unborn & murdering them. They have been caught in lie after lie about what really happns in an abortion covering up rape & incest etc. So why should they have any qualms about attacking us with lies as well as violence?
Someday these people @ the Iowa Independent will have to answer to God for their aiding & abetting the abortion industry in the killing of 3200+ unborn babies each day. & not only that, for helping PP to slander, libel & smear the Pro-life movement as well. May God have more mercy on them then they have shown to the unborn. Or us in the Pro-Life movement.

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

30 Years of Pac-Man Fever

Believe it or not, Pac-Man turned 30 last week. (22 May) & he is still going strong



So, insert your quarter & away we go.



Angelina Steenstra - Silent No More About Lies That Abortion OK In Case of Rape

Angela Steenstra is 1 of those women that abortion providers like to claim doesn't exist, a woman who was hurt emotionally by an abortion. Even worse for pro-aborts, she shows that having an abortion because she was raped wasn't the right choice either. It didn't prevent emotional damage, it caused more. Thankfully more & more women are speaking out.


Woman Who Suffered Rape and Abortion as Teen: Thank You Cardinal Ouellet

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski and John Jalsevac
To sign a petition in support of Cardinal Ouellet, click here.
OTTAWA, May 21, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Angelina Steenstra may seem like one of the likeliest candidates on earth to be offended by Cardinal Marc Ouellet’s much-criticized statements, made earlier this week at a pro-life conference in Quebec City, that abortion is wrong in all cases, even in the case of rape.
As a teenager Steenstra was the victim of a traumatic date rape that resulted in an unwanted pregnancy – a situation that led her to choose an abortion.
But this week Steenstra told LifeSiteNews (LSN) that, far from joining those politicians and media who have blasted the cardinal (in the case of one journalist, even going so far as to wish a “long and painful” death on the cleric), she would like to express her gratitude to him.
Steenstra, who has come a long way since those dark days in her teenage years, is now the National Coordinator of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. She told LSN that the cardinal's remarks were a "wake-up call to women who are given the misinformation that abortion will solve their problems - even the problem of a child conceived by rape."
"I wish I had heard his message when I was a teen and was raped and then aborted my daughter,” she said. “I am deeply grateful to the Cardinal for proclaiming the truth that abortion, even in the case of rape, rather than helping the victim of rape, actually adds a second victim – the unborn child.”
Angelina said that her abortion as a teenager led to a consuming self-loathing, and that eventual healing only took place after she faced the truth that the killing of her child through abortion was wrong.
"I was told abortion was no big deal. That it would solve my problem,” she said. “Finally I caved into my fears and made the phone call that would end the life of my child and begin a lifetime of suffering and regret.
“The saleswoman on the other end of the phone skillfully confirmed all my fears. The fear of being ridiculed, rejected, a bad example to my siblings, of losing the love of my immediate and extended family, of being a single mother, of my inability to care for another, of not finishing school. She told me to find some friends to lend me 250 dollars and to drive me to the abortuary."
However, Angelina soon realized that what she had done had not solved her problems, but made them worse.
"Abortion did not fix anything. It killed my daughter Sarah Elizabeth and killed a part of me," she said. "Abortion did not liberate me. It enslaved me to a living hell.”
Healing began when she faced the truth about the death of her child. "Honesty is what brought me relief from the years of suffering," Steenstra said. "When I confessed my sin to a priest my journey of healing and integration began."
Angelina said, "I just want the Cardinal to know that he is truly being a shepherd and a herald of the truth, the truth given in love, because it is the truth that sets us free. I want Cardinal Ouelett to know just how healing it is when priests and religious speak the truth. It may be hard to take, but like a surgery, it hurts, but then it liberates, and then healing can come."
Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), Canada’s largest pro-life organization, has launched a petition in support of Cardinal Ouellet. The petition allows signers to include a message that they would like to send to the cardinal.
CLC is encouraging pro-lifers to pass on the link to the petition to as many of their friends and family as possible. The organization said that it will run the petition until it gathers a sizable number of signatures and messages, which it will then pass on to the cardinal.
To sign the petition in support of Cardinal Ouellet, click here.
Silent No More Awareness Campaign is an international organization that raises awareness about the aftermath of abortion, reaches out to people who are hurting after an abortion, and invites post-abortive men and women, who are ready to share personal testimony, to break their silence.
Please visit the Silent No More Awareness Campaign website here for more information.

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I Can See Selling the Convent, But . . . .

I really don't know where to start with this 1. I have no idea what order lived in the convent, or why it is no longer needed. Did the school close, or the order die out because it turned modern like so many others.
That aside, I can understand the concerns of those who are upset. The pastor should clearly have known the negative reactions. Thus the secrecy & presenting this as a fait acompli is definitely not the way he should have gone. Among the questions I have is "How long has the convent been on the market?" If it hasn't been on the market long, then why the rush?
The fact that the Muslim American Society website shows they have a relationship with CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) does raise some concerns as well. My biggest problem with CAIR is that they seem to reject any criticism of Islamic groups, even if valid.

'Mystery sale' of convent riles residents of Midland Beach

Property at 555 Greeley Ave., a now-empty convent, is being sold by St. Margaret Mary R.C. Church


STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The impending sale of an empty, 2 ½ -story convent in Midland Beach owned by St. Margaret Mary’s R.C. Church has neighbors angry and afraid because the purchaser is an Islamic organization they know little about.
Several hundred concerned residents turned out last night for an emergency meeting called by the Midland Beach Civic Association at the Olympia Activity Center, two blocks from the convent site at 555 Greeley Ave.
The association’s president, Yasmin Ammirato, told the gathering that she first learned about the convent sale on May 12. She added that the Rev. Keith Fennessy, pastor, told her at a meeting on May 15 with four representatives of the nonprofit Muslim American Society (MAS), the group set to buy the property, that he had "signed off, and money has been exchanged."
She said that MAS agreed to pay $750,000 for the property, and its plan for the convent’s re-use includes a mosque and community center with after-school programs for children. "There’s a need for a mosque on the East Shore" from South Beach to Midland Beach, she said the representatives told her, citing Muslim Albanian and Turkish residents.
The convent occupies a 100-by-90-foot corner lot, with a current market value of $915,000, according to the city Department of Finance.
Residents in attendance last night were not happy about what they heard. One proposed a petition drive to remove Father Fennessy from his post, and the idea received sustained applause. Another suggested that the civic association consult with an attorney to explore legal options to fight the project. One woman raised a practical concern: "Parking here is already horrendous. How will another community center affect the neighborhood, whether it’s run by an Islamic group or not?"
"This hurts — it was done without even consulting us, on the sneak," said Eugene Reems, 42, a life-long resident whose three children attend the parish elementary school, where his wife, Erin, teaches third grade.
"September 11 left scars on this neighborhood that will last for the rest of our lives," he added, noting that part of the convent fronts Freeborn Street, which was renamed for FDNY Capt. Martin Egan, 36, who was killed in the terrorist attacks.
"We grew up together, and he was a very good friend. Marty was a hero in everyone’s eyes, and this a real slap in the face to his family and everyone who knew him."
"There's very little information, and I have more questions than answers," Councilman James Oddo told the Advance yesterday. "No one associated with the group reached out to me as a public official representing the area. The only way I know about this is from phone calls and e-mails from people in the community."
Midland Beach homeowners echoed those concerns.
"What kind of Islamic organization is this? What’s the purpose and history of this group?" asked Gerri Owens, the mother of four children who graduated from St. Margaret Mary’s School, as did she and many members of her family.
The answer to her question is as elusive as the people seeking to buy the property. Representatives of the group did not return repeated phone messages left yesterday by the Advance. The Muslim American Society’s Web site, www.masnet.org, includes no information about its board of directors, or the names, titles and contact information for staff members.
"This is our home — my husband’s family has lived here for 80 years. We need to feel safe in our neighborhood. You hate to paint everyone with the same brush, but it’s the unknown that we’re scared about," Mrs. Owens said.
Her husband, Bill, added that Father Fennessy "went about this the wrong way. It was all done in the dark. He only recently told us that the convent was being sold to an Islamic group, and gave us no other information. You should not have to fight your church."
"It’s a shame," said Deborah O’Keefe, a resident since 1964, who graduated from the parish school. "Every time someone speaks to Father Fennessy about this, he accuses them of being bigots or racists. The only intolerance being shown here is his intolerance to the sensitivities of the community. There are people here who pledged and gave money to build this convent 60 years ago."
"My parents made monthly pledges for the convent," said Doris Reddy, a resident for 50 years whose eight children are graduates of the school. "We’re not biased or prejudiced, but we were blindsided. This came out of the blue."
Residents believed until recently that the property was being sold to local builders Robert Buccellato and Robert Cucuzza, partners in the Olympia Development Corp. that has constructed more than a dozen homes in Midland Beach in the last two years.
"We were proceeding forward with the church to purchase the convent and build four homes on the site," Buccellato told the Advance yesterday. "There were also some negotiations between us and the Archdiocese, but only after six months because the Archdiocese did not return our calls until then. Then they kept notifying us that they had buyers willing to pay more money."
"Finally they stopped the negotiations, and told us that they had deals with various religious organizations," he said.
Two days ago, Buccellato came up with an alternative plan that he believes will satisfy the community and help the financially struggling church.
"I live in Midland Beach, and my partner was born and raised here. I love this community and am looking to help it. So I thought of an alternative scenario that will benefit everyone, especially the parish. Rather than us buying the land and building the homes, we will build for the church. That way, St. Margaret Mary’s will make money from the sale of the homes. It’s a win-win for everybody," he said.
Buccellato attempted to discuss the plan with Father Fennessy yesterday but did not receive a return call, he said. He told the Advance that he also separately described the new idea yesterday to civic association president Ms. Ammirato.

Source: Priest sells convent to Muslims for a mosque on a street named for 9-11 hero

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