The Beatitudes rank high on the list of all-time favorite Bible passages. But what is beatitude, anyway? In the bible, a “blessed” person is someone who has received gifts of the greatest value, gifts that lead to true fulfillment and lasting happiness.
If I were to ask you to name the first beatitude, you’d probably say “blessed be the poor in Spirit.” According to Matthew you’d be right, but not according to Luke. At the very beginning of his gospel, Luke reveals that the very first beatitude is uttered by a woman filled with the Spirit, speaking of another woman overshadowed by the Spirit. Elizabeth says, “Blessed is she who has believed.” (Luke 1: 45).
Is Marian devotion important in Christian life? This has been a bone of contention between Catholics and Protestants for nearly 500 years.
Let’s look at the evidence in just the first chapter of Luke. First, the Angel Gabriel honors her with the greeting “Hail, full of grace” (Luke 1:29). Then Elizabeth prophesies “blessed are you among women.” Next the prophet John leaps for joy in his mother’s womb at the sound of Mary’s voice. Then, in her response to Elizabeth, Mary prophesies “all generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1:48).
But it is Elizabeth’s final words to Mary that hold the key to understanding why she is she is to honored, namely, her faith.
One of the battle-cries of the Protestant Reformation was “Faith Alone!” One key conviction that united the many disparate strands of the Reformation was that it is impossible to earn God’s favor by our good works, but rather we receive his love as a pure gift, a grace, through faith.
Now consider Mary. Did she criss-cross the Mediterranean planting Churches like Paul? Did she give eloquent sermons like Stephen (Acts 7). Did she govern the Church like Peter? No. Her claim to fame is that she simply said yes to God. She believed He could do as he said and would do as He said.
But true faith is not just intellectual conviction that God exists or that He can do thus and such. Faith involves entrusting oneself, abandoning oneself to God, willing to submit to his will. That’s why Paul talks about “the obedience of faith” (Romans 16:26). She surrendered her plan for her life, and yielded to God’s plan. And she did this not once, but again and again, even when he left her to begin his public ministry. And when that ministry led to the horror of Calvary, her faith stood its ground at the foot of the cross.
So Catholics honor Mary for being the perfect example of the greatest Protestant virtue. Ironic isn’t it? And the deepest meaning of that disputed doctrine, the Immaculate Conception, is that it was the grace of God working mysteriously from the moment of conception that made possible Mary’s exemplary life of faith. Even her faith is a gift of His grace. It’s all grace, according to Catholic doctrine.
Mary, of course, knew this. That’s why she responded to Elizabeth’s praise with the humble, exuberant prayer known as the Magnificat: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She is like the crystal-clear pool that reflects the suns rays back to the heavens. So no one needs to fear that honor given her will detract from the majesty of Her divine Son. She deflects all the praise given her right back to God, the source of her greatness.
So the answer is that Marian devotion is necessary in Christian life. But what is true devotion to Mary according to the fathers of the Second Vatican Council? Not sentimental piety or gullible preoccupation with every rumored apparition. But rather, imitation of her virtues, particularly her faith (Lumen Gentium 67).
Another Ugly Truth Comes Out About Planned Parenthood - They Push Sex Selection Abortions
On 26 April 2012 I reported that it looked like a new Live Action investigation was in the works & this time it would look at how Planned Parenthood approves of & abets in sex-selection abortions. At that time I pointed out how the lies & spin by the Pro-aborts had begun in a preemtive strike to try & reduce the damage. I also pointed out how there was already evidence Planned Parenthood was on board with the idea of sex selection abortions & opposed any legistation banning them.
This morning Live Action went public with a new undercover vide. This one showed a "Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Austin, TX encouraging a woman to obtain a late-term abortion because she was purportedly carrying a girl and wanted to have a boy." According to Live Action "The video is first in a new series titled “Gendercide: Sex-Selection in America,” exposing the practice of sex-selective abortion in the United States and how Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry facilitate the selective elimination of baby girls in the womb."
So what was Planned Parenthood's response to the truth getting out? It fires the woman in the video & all but admits it does sex selection abortions. In a statement issued by Planned Parenthood they claim the whole thing is another hoax by Live Action & that they have only released "edited videotapes to promote false claims about our organization and patient
services. In highly unusual and scripted scenarios, hoax patients sought
services related to sex selection." The big problem with this claim is that Live Action has released the complete, unedited video as well as a transcript that can be viewed at www.ProtectOurGirls.com. They are a hub of research & information on sex-selective abortions.
Additionally PP claims that it fired the woman in the video. Just like in the past, they fired the worker & supposedly scheduled retraining for the rest of the staff. (IMHO the retraining is how to avoid being caught.) A Planned Parenthood spokeswoman told The Huffington Post on Tuesday the entry level staffer in the video “did not follow our protocol” for dealing with “a highly unusual patient scenario.” This raises an interesting question, what is the proper protocol for providing a sex selection abortion? Apparently there is one if she violated it. & the fact that more videos are to come from Live Action shows that this isn't an "highly unusual patient scenario" like Planned Parenthood claims.
The PP statement goes on to show it's willingness to lie & present themselves as something totally different then they really are. The statement is another of their smoke & mirror attempts to make it look like women, not profits from abortion, are what motivates Planned Parenthood. They statement takes 2 paragraphs to attack gender bias & racism (another lie since it has been proven time & time again that PP supports sangar's racist, eugenics agenda).
Part of the statement says "The world’s leading women’s health and rights organizations, including the
World Health Organization, do not believe that curtailing access to abortion
services is a legitimate means of addressing sex selection, and have made clear
that gender bias can only be resolved by addressing the underlying conditions
that lead to it." & that PP supports this. Given that WHO supports abortion like PP, that it would decry sex selection while allowing it to go on under the guise of it limiting access to abortion services shows that it really doesn't disapprove of them. After all, how does banning sex selection abortions limit access to those who they claim need them for legitimate reasons? Only if sex selection is a legitimate reasion in their minds would they oppose access.
Meanwhile The House of Representatives is scheduled to debate the "Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act.", H.R. 3541, on
Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at about 2:30 PM EDT, and to vote on the bill at about
7:00 PM EDT. National Right to Life is urging people to call their representative in the House in support of the Bill.
I can't say that I was very surprized by the news today that Bishop Sam Aquila will be leaving the Fargo Diocese & returning home to the Archdiocese of Denver as the new Archbishop. I knew that Bishop Aquila would probably end up in a larger diocese, based on his strong stands on the Pro-life issues as well as his strong defense of orthodox Catholic teaching. While I hadn't considered it, in retrospect, Denver seems a logical choice for my paisan. The only heartbreak is that I was kind of hoping he would be coming to DBQ when Archbishop Hanus retired in 3 years. But God's ways are not mine.
I am sure that he will be missed by his flock in Fargo. & that he will continue to be a strong voice defending the unborn in his new role as shepherd of Denver.
Veni Sancte Spiritus et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium. Veni pater pauperum, veni dator munerum, veni lumen cordium. Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium. In labore requies, in aestu temperies, in fletu solacium. O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. Sine tuo numine nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium. Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium. Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium. Da tuis fidelibus in te confidentibus sacrum septenarium. Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium. Amen. Alleluia.
Come, Holy Spirit, And send out from heaven Your radiant light.
Come, thou Father of the poor, Come, with treasures which endure; Come, thou Light of all that live!
Thou, of all consolers best, Thou, the soul's delightful guest, Dost refreshing peace bestow.
Thou in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe.
Light immortal, Light divine, Visit thou these hearts of thine, And our inmost being fill.
If thou take thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay; All his good is turned to ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour thy dew, Wash the stains of guilt away.
Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray.
Thou, on us who evermore Thee confess and thee adore, With thy sevenfold gifts descend.
Give us comfort when we die; Give us life with thee on high; Give us joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia.
Yesterday in a post I talked about how I suspected the Main Stream Media (MSM), especially the reviewers would handle For Greater Glory. In part I said "watch the reviews be positive about the Hispanic actors & how they played their roles, while attacking the movie."
Well The HuffPo has fired one of the 1st shots. I wasn't too far off in my prediction. After a short desription of the movie, the writer says "For Catholics enraged by the Obama administration's proposed contraception mandate, the film about the Mexican church's fight in 1920s is a heartening and timely cinematic boost in the American church's battle to preserve "religious freedom" in 2012.
For other Catholics and non-Catholics, the film is, more simply, action, suspense and a good cast. Besides Garcia and Blades, there's "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria and the legendary actor Peter O'Toole." (emphasis mine)
The article then goes on to make it sound like those opposing the mandate are out of touch & not really representative of the Catholic Church, including Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, & the USCCB.
" While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is working hard to stop the Obama administration's birth control mandate, their campaign has not attracted a broad base of Catholics. A March study by the Public Religion Research Institute found that most American Catholics are generally supportive of the mandate. And 57 percent of Catholics (and 56 percent of Americans in general) reject the idea that religious liberty is under siege in the U.S." (emphasis mine)
In short, because a so called majority of Catholics doesn't see that their rights are under attack, the author is trying to make it seem that they must be right. & the US Bishops who, for once, is actually exercising their prophetic office, are wrong. I know this will raise the ire of those who don't like to learn from history, but may I remind them that:
a) Only 1/3 of those living in the USA supported the American fight for independence. The other 2/3rds didn't see what King George & Parliament were doing was wrong. Yet, as the Declaration so clearly put it, Americans rights were being attacked by the Mother Country.
b) In the 30s, before he consolodated power, most in Germans felt Hitler was making things better, not about to take away the rights of huge numbers of people, Jewish Catholic & others.. & many people in the USA did as well. Once again, Pope Pius XI (with the help of Cardinal Roncalli, later Pius XII) was the one speaking out propheticly about the dangers of Hitler & Nazi-ism. (& please don't give me that BS that he didn't do anything to help the Jews during the war. There is plenty of evidence to the contrary that the anti-Catholic MSM has ignored. More proof of what I said yesterday.) He also propheticly warned people about the dangers of Fascism & communism as well.
So a majority doesn't determine the truth.
& of course, she didgs out a Catholic priest, & (not surprizing), a Jesuit to boot, to support her attempt to undermine the message.
" For the Rev. Jim McDermott, a Jesuit priest in Los Angeles and occasional screenwriter, connecting the Cristero War with modern-day politics makes little sense, from either a Catholic or artistic perspective.
'As much as I personally find some of Obama's policies problematic, it seems ridiculous to compare that issue with the wholesale demolition of the Catholic Church in Mexico depicted in 'For Greater Glory,' he said.
'The attempt to equate these two situations,' he continued, 'strikes me as indicative of the deeper problem our church faces today, the fierce and often willful bolstering of animosities at the expense of our national community.'
Besides, he added, 'As a writer, I think sermons are best left for the pulpit.' " (emphasis mine)
Has Fr. McDermott been paying attention to what the Obama administration has been doing over the past few years? & let's not forget the attacks as well in many states, like Illinois, that have driven the Catholic Church out of providing adoptions or foster care. Wholesale demolition of the Catholic Church in the USA would be an understatement.
As for his version of "Can't we all get along" is aperfect example of misdirection & using lies. Obama has been the one playing the "race card", promoting "class warefare" & out & out declared war on our freedoms, religious & others. & when those who want to defend their rights speak up, they are the ones falsely accused of trying to divide, not unite our country. Well I have news for him, we have never had that "kumbaya" spirit he is claiming exists in the USA. I would suggest this screenwriter watch 1776 for a start. Pay attention especially to the debate scenes. Notice the violence that occasionally broke out. & continued later on in the US Congress for at least a good part of the 1800s. Also pay attention to John Adams when he says "Benefits, what benifits? *" & the play goes on to list those rights & beifits taken away.
Personally, I agree with what Mexican real estate developer Pablo Jose Barroso, the devout Catholic who produced the film, said when asked by the National Catholic Reporter if the film's release -- coinciding with the current activism on religious freedom -- was "God's timing."
"This is the perfect time for this film," he said.
I will close by saying that this is only a preview of what lies ahead in the MSM as the relase of For Greater Glory draws near. Be ready to see more of the same, & worse, on the part of the MSM to ensure that people ignore the truth that we are heading down the same path.
________________
* (Corrected on 29 May 2012 @ 1:57 pm) Over the Memorial Day weekend I dug out my copy of 1776 & watched it again. I noticed I had made a slight mistake & changed the word from rights to what you now read benifits. My point still remains valid. Our rights our being taken away, just as Franklin notes in his joke about the bull & ox.
Let us preach Jesus Christ with all the energy of our lives. And let us support each other - whatever the cost - so that when we make our accounting to the Lord, we will be numbered among the faithful and courageous, and not the cowardly or the evasive, or those who compromised until there was nothing left of their convictions; or those who were silent when they should have spoken the right word at the right time. (Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. CAP.)
With genuine authority, the Archbishop of Philadelphia reminds us that in an age that has lost its moral compass and seems content to drift aimlessly upon the waves of indifference, complacency and apathy, the teachings of Our Lord and His Gospel call us back to the solid ground of authentic Truth.
Sacred Scripture testifies that Jesus spoke with an authority like no one else (Luke 4:32). What is it about the authority of Jesus that so powerfully attracted some, and threatened others?
Jesus' unique authority is found in His unity with the Father, and His conviction to do the will of the Father. His words and actions were united in a single act of love. Is this not what Archbishop Chaput is alluding to? Many today speak of the qualities of good leadership but rarely speak of sound authority as lived by Jesus, His Apostles and the Saints.
In speaking of the Jewish leaders of His day, Jesus tells the people to follow their teachings but not to follow their examples. (Matthew 23:3) In other words, they had a certain legitimate authority by virtue of their position, but they lacked the full authority that comes from unity with God. What attracted (or repulsed) people was Jesus' love, conviction and willingness to endure the consequences of telling the truth.
Is this not the kind of authority we need today, and should we not demand this of our leaders?
Two examples of genuine authority are found in the witness of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and Prince Alois of Lichtenstein. Both of these men give clear examples of conviction and courage, and thus, of genuine authority. Unyielding, they both testify with love to the Gospel of Life.
Prince Alois courageously proclaimed that if the majority of voters attempted to legalize abortion via a referendum in the first 12 weeks of a woman's pregnancy and in the case of fetal deformity, that he would veto this clear attack on life. Taking such a clear and potentially unpopular stand has consequences - he has placed himself at odds with some of the so-called leaders of Lichtenstein. Their decision, in light of the Prince's stance, was to push another referendum aimed at limiting his veto power, an authority given to the Monarchy since 1806.
In his stand for the Law of God, in his clear conviction and courage, Prince Alois speaks with genuine authority. He has stated that the Royal Family, if not allowed to exercise its historical prerogative to veto legislation that is against the law of God and of his nation, will "completely withdraw from political life." This is conviction and witness at work. This is authority!
We have another example of authentic authority in Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, whose convictions are echoed in his powerful words:
They forget that Chile has a more than one hundred year tradition of protecting fundamental rights, that we were one of the first countries in the world to establish liberty for the children of slaves and prohibit slavery. And precisely the way that a society treats its weakest members -- senior citizens, the sick, the most poor, those who suffer some sort of handicap, and unborn children -- says [much]much about the level of its civilization than its material wealth, the height of its buildings, the quality of its infrastructure, or its military might. (March 21, 2012)
Those holding political power ought to consider the examples of these two leaders. They stand in the midst of conflict, confusion and blatant rejection of truth, and with authority, lead. They are not moved by the political winds or ideological agendas of their constituents, but by objective truth. Instead of seeking the politically correct position, those in leadership ought to consider they are potentially leading their people and countries to destruction. A watered down conviction eventually leads to no conviction.
Thank you President Pinera and Prince Alois for your courage, conviction and witness to authentic authority.
Random Thoughts - 24 May 2012 - Rush Limbaugh Edition
I labeled this the Rush Limbaugh edition because, as you will see, they all have a connection to him.
1) The other day when I posted about the upcoming release of For Greater Glory, I mentioned that they were advertising on the Rush Limbaugh Show. What I didn't mention then was what the ad said at the end. They said that they were a "proud sponsor of the Rush Limbaugh Show." That fact got me thinking about how the Illiberal left that makes up a huge number of the movie reviewers will react to the movie's release.
I say that because of the fact that the movie is hispanic in its subject matter. & for the PC crowd, they have to be supportive of anything hispanic since otherwise they will appear racist.
On the other hand, this movie is very Pro-Catholic Church. & even more Pro-upholding the authentic magestrium of the Catholic Church. & supporting what the Catholic Church actually stands for is anathema to the PC left. Especially when it comes to what the Catholic Church teaches on the Life issues, which Obama's HHS mandate is a blatent attack on.
Even worse, this movie can be seen as a veiled reference to the attack of the Catholic Church here in the USA by Obama. & we know how important it is that nothing make the beloved leader appear in a bad light, especially if what is shown is true.
I suspect that the honest reviewers will look on it at its merits & give it a fair review, which based on what I have seen, should be positive. For the rest, watch the reviews be positive about the Hispanic actors & how they played their roles, while attacking the movie in a similar way to how they attacked October Baby because of that movie's Pro-life message.
2) Recently, LifeNews reported that Michael J. Fox admitted to Diane Sawyer that the embryonic stem cell research that he had been so passionate about wasn't producing the results he hoped. If you remember, he had been hyping how the best way to find a therapy for Parkinson’s Disease from which he suffers would come from embryonic stem cells Instead he was forced to admit that there have been have been “problems along the way,” & that new drug therapies are showing real promise and are “closer today” to providing a cure. So now his foundation will focus on other ways to treat Parkinson’s.
Of course, he cannot admit the truth, that embryonic stem cells will always be a failure. Additionally he continues to conflate together all stem cells in order to continue the myth that those opposed to embryonic stem cell research are opposed to all stem cell research.
In the interview he said “Stem cells are an avenue of research that we’ve pursued and continue to pursue but it’s part of a broad portfolio of things that we look at. There have been some issues with stem cells, some problems along the way.” (emphais mine) Notice that he doesn't clarify the fact that the only problems have been with embryonic stem cells. A good example is the 2006 experiment where researchers reported that they had injected rats with Parkinson’s with embryonic stem cells directly into the brain. & while the symptoms of Parkinson’s were greatly improved, the rats had the formations of tumors in their brains that showed signs of developing into cancer if the study had continued. This report came out at the time Fox was pushing his embryonic stem cell agenda & releasing an ad supporting Claire McCaskill, Missouri Democratic candidate for United States Senate. McCaskill is a huge supporter of embryonic stem cell research & another dissident Catholic when it comes to the life issues. But not only that, he goes on to compound the lie. “It’s not so much that [stem cell research has] diminished in its prospects for breakthroughs as much as it’s the other avenues of research have grown and multiplied and become as much or more promising. So, an answer may come from stem cell research but it’s more than likely to come from another area.” (emphasis mine) The problem is one of huge misdirection. He is failing to acknowledge that adult stem cell research has shown real hope for a cure, without the problems that are connected to virtually every use of embryonic stem cells. He is carefully wording it so that if confronted, he can plausably deny downplaying adult stem cell research. Meanwhile he is trying to direct the attention elsewhere in the hopes that people don't notice the truth.
On his show today, Rush Limbaugh referenced to the Life News article from the 18th that riginally broke this story. He did so for 2 reasons. The 1st was to remind people of how he was attacked in 2006 for criticizing Fox & what he called the "whole phony embryonic stem cell debate." The article mentions that "When asked about earlier criticism he received from conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh about his advocacy, Fox said it only 'sharpens your resolve.'”
The 2nd was to remind people what he said then & now "Embryonic stem cells are not going to cure -- remember, embryonic stem cells, that was like the magic elixir, embryonic stem cells were gonna cure and fix everything, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, everything. And there hasn't ever been anything and there's not going to be, not in the near future. Adult stem cells are a different ball of wax. But embryonic, zilch, zero, nada, all of which you in this audience were informed of back during the heat of the debate." (emphasis mine) Notice how Rush makes the difference clear between embryonic & adult stem cells & which one does offer hope for cures, now.
We are seeing another example of Main Stream Media bias in how they are covering this story to avoid admitting the "culture of death" agenda bias, that includes embryonic stem cell reasearch supported by them & the dear leader Obama. Instead, they do all they can to appear unbiased while being just the opposite.
Which leads me to my 3rd thought.
3) My post yesterday about media bias that icluded what Brent Bozell said in a column was inspired by hearing Bozell's column read on Rush Limbaugh's show yesterday. & if you look at the 1st 2 thoughts, you will see that they both back up my point I made yesterday. The media attacks on October Baby were mostly based on its Pro-life message. & it is likely they will do their best to undermine For Greater Glory for the reasons I pointed out. As I just said, the MSM will do all it can to promote its "culture of death" agenda & dear leader Obama. & the way the MSM has done so with Fox's latest, letting him get away with lies, half truths & misdirection, is another example.
Media Bias Against Catholic Church Comes Front & Center This Week
If you were only watching the nightly news on ABC, NBC, or CBS this week you might not know that 43 Catholic institutions – including major archdioceses, dioceses, universities, & publishing houses affiliated with the Church in the United States – filed a dozen lawsuits against the HHS Mandate that forces Catholic institutions to pay for contraception & even abortafacient drugs. Not to plug FoxNews, but from what I can see, they have done a much better job of it.
About the only onther media that has covered it in any depth, besides LifeNews, LifeSiteNews & Newsbusters/Media Research Center havs been talk radio.
Up until now, I haven't had a chance to say much either. I want to start by applauding all those who have stood up & said we are not going to let the Obama administration steamroll us & take away our Constitutionally protected right to religious freedom. Among those who filed are the Archdioceses of New York, Washington, D.C., & St. Louis; the Dioceses of Dallas, Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ft. Worth, the Michigan Catholic Conference, Pittsburgh, & Rockville Centre; the University of Notre Dame, Catholic University of America, the Franciscan University of Steubenville; & Our Sunday Visitor.
Hopefully, more Archdioceses & Dioceses, as well as many other Catholic schools & publications will file suits as well. Some organizations, like EWTN & Priests for Life have already filed suits, but this is the largest group so far.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, stated that the step was necessary “to protect our religious liberties from unwarranted and unprecedented government intrusion.”
The Archdiocese of Washington has put up a website dedicated to the new lawsuit. Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. didn't mince any words as to what the mandate was about He called it a “government attempt to force the Church out of the public square.”
& while the Diocese of LaCrosse hasn't joined in with any suits, Bishop William P. Callahan said "this is not a political issue; it is a legal issue – a Constitutional issue. This is a matter of us standing firm in understanding that the very basic understanding of our Constitution and our country is so that we may practice our faith, practice our belief with freedom and without reservation, intimidation and government interference."
He added "Due to the many lawsuits across the country, we are beginning to see a visceral understanding of the fact that people know that religious liberty is important with regard to our lives as Americans and certainly important to our lives of faith."
Our Sunday Visitor looked back to the legacy of its founder, Fr. John Noll. Fr. Noll fought the political clout of the Ku Klux Klan as that organization attempted to impose anti-Catholic policies at the turn of the 20th century.
Bill Donahue, head of The Catholic League had the following to say: "This is a great day for those who believe in religious liberty. Suing the Obama administration for seeking to trash the First Amendment rights of Catholics are 43 Catholic dioceses and institutions from all over the nation."
So you would think this would be headline coverage by the Main Stream Media. But like I already pointed out, for the most part the MSM has either ignored it, or tried to paint it as another attack on women's right to birth control rather than the attack on religious freedom it really is. Among those spreading the media lies are Maureen O'Dowd of the New York Times & Chris Matthews of MSNBC. Both of them claim to be Catholic but have proven time & time again they are anything but faithful Catholics.*
They either don't get it (I think they do) or they are intentionally working to destroy the Catholic Church & aid Obama's attempts to destroy religious freedom (I think they are).
Brent Bozell, founder of Media Research Center (which launched Newsbusters in 2005) wrote an excellent column commenting on the media's coverage (or lack thereof) of this lawsuit. As he points out "You’d think the largest legal action in American history in defense of religious liberty would be a major news story. But ABC, CBS, and NBC don’t judge news events by their inherent importance as relates to the future of our freedoms. They deliver the news according to a simple formula: Does it, or doesn’t it, advance the re-election of Barack Obama?
If it doesn’t, it isn’t news.
On May 21, 43 Catholic dioceses and organizations sued the Obama administration over its ridiculously narrow idea of how a “religious institution” can be defined under their ObamaCare law. Never has the Catholic Church – or any order, for that matter – undertaken something of this magnitude. It’s truly jaw-dropping that ABC and NBC completely ignored this action on their evening newscasts, while “CBS Evening News” devoted just 19 seconds to this historic event.
No, let’s be blunt: They spiked the news.
This is the worst example of shameless bias by omission I have seen in the quarter-century history of the Media Research Center. We recall the Chinese communists withholding from its citizenry for 20 years the news that the U.S. had landed on the moon, because it reflected poorly on their government. Never, never would the U.S. “news” media behave thusly.
They just did."
Later he says "This was a deliberate and insidious withholding of national news to protect the “Chosen One” who ABC, CBS and NBC have worked so hard to elect and for whom they are now abusing their journalistic influence."
"This should be seen as a very dark cloud on Obama’s political horizon. The Catholic Church, with 60 million Americans describing themselves as Catholic, has unleashed legal Armageddon on the administration, promising “we will not comply” with a health law that strips Catholics of their religious liberty. If this isn't “news,” then there's no such thing as news."
He also points out how National Public Radio ignored this as well. I highly recommend reading the entire article.
The other day I shamelessly plugged the movie For Greater Glory. In it I said "The message of the movie is 1 of religious freedom. As we have seen by
the various actions taken by the Obama administration, (the HHS madate forcing
Catholic organizations, schools etc to cover contraception; the attempts to
silence the priests in the military form speaking out about it, as well as many
other attacks) our religious freedom in the USA is under attack as well. Obama
has clearly shown his anti-Catholic bias. & while things are not yet as bad
here, they could very well end up there."
The various Catholic Archdioceses, Dioceses, etc that have launched these lawsuits have made it clear that, like the faithful Catholics in Mexico in the 20s, they are not going to remain silent, nor are they going to lie down & let the government just take away their God-given rights. How this will end, I have no idea. If the Supreme Court rules against ObamaCare then these suits will be moot. But even so, that doesn't mean we can relax. It is clear that there is a concerted effort to attack the Catholic Church in the USA & in other parts of the world as well. We may well be on the verge of a new era of public persecution. We may be facing violent attacks, arrests, & even death. I hope not, but we may. What we must be about is living our faith & boldly proclaiming it. We need to follow the example held up by St Paul "I have kept back nothing that was profitable to you, but have preached it to you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and Gentiles penance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:20-21) Now, more than ever, we cannot shirk our responsibility to be the witnesses Jesus said we are to be. If we don't proclaim the Gospel, who will? Clearly not the Main Stream Media.
___________________
* They, along with Pelosi & all the others who try to justify their dissent might want to read this bit from the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council (Lumen Gentium) "The whole company of the faithful, who have an anointing by the Holy Spirit, cannot err in faith. They manifest this distinctive characteristic of theirs in the supernatural instinct of faith (‘sensus fidei’) of the whole people when, from the bishops to the most ordinary lay person among the faithful, they display a universal agreement on matters of faith and morals.
This instinct of faith is awakened and kept in being by the Spirit of truth. Through it the people of God hold indefectibly to the faith once delivered to the saints, penetrate it more deeply by means of right judgement, and apply it more perfectly in their lives. They do all this under the guidance of the sacred teaching office: by faithful obedience to it they receive, not the word of men but in truth the word of God." (emphasis mine) In short, instead of attacking what they don't like they are supposed to obediently receive it. In sort, what they claim is the ‘sensus fidei’ to justify their claims is anything but. In fact, I wonder how many of those who claim to be following the "Spirit of Vatican II" have actually bothered to read what the Holy Spirit (the real Spirit of Vatican II) actually said.
Just As True Today as When Servant of God Fulton J Sheen Said It
"There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance. Tolerance is always supposed to be desirable because it is taken to be synonymous with broadmindedness. Intolerance is always supposed to be undesirable, because it is taken to be synonymous with narrow-mindedness. This is not true, for tolerance and intolerance apply to two totall...y different things. Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to principles. Intolerance applies only to principles, but never to persons. We must be tolerant to persons because they are human; we must be intolerant about principles because they are divine. We must be tolerant to the erring, because ignorance may have led them astray; but we must be intolerant to the error, because Truth is not our making, but God's."
"The remedy for this broadmindedness is intolerance, not intolerance of persons, for of them we must be tolerant regardless of views they may hold, but intolerance of principles."
+ Fulton J. Sheen, 1931, The Curse of Broadmindedness.
Something tells me that the so-called tolerant left would be loudly & intolerantly attacking the future said (God willing) for this if he were alive today.
We now have 1 more proof, as if we needed it, of why the abortion industry is afraid of the truth when it comes to what abortion really is, murder of an innocent unborn child.
Washington DC-based abortionist Willie Parker recently told The Washington Post‘s Sarah Kliff that a Congressional measure banning abortion on children older than 20 weeks in the District of Columbia would jeopardize late-term abortionists & stigmatize them as “callous.”
Parker said that "These laws put providers in a position where they have to turn away patients who have great need. I also think they create this impression that abortion providers are callous and allow people to conflate murder and abortion.”
Yes, it would jeopardize them, it would put them out of business. But I suspect he is also trying to hint at something more ominous, he is subtlely implying that their lives would be in danger because Pro-lifers would go after them with violence, even though he knows that violence is usually aimed at Pro-lifers by mainstream pro-aborts, while the rare violence towards abortion providres is done by those outside of the mainstream Pro-life movement. In fact, the Pro-life movement has consistantly rejected violence as a means to end abortion. Later in the interview he does more than asubtlely imply it, he all but says it. That quote will be used later so I won't repeat it here.
& he is abetted in this by the Post. The intro to the artilce includes the following: Many late-term abortion providers do not identify themselves because of safety concerns. (One doctor, George Tiller, was murdered in 2010). If that isn't trying to falsely paint the Pro-life movement as violent, I don't know what does. It isn't as if these aboprtionists rely only on word of mouth. The public does know who they are & where they are because they advertise. So this "safety concern" claim is smoke & mirrors aimed at painted a false picture of the danger they claim they are in.
As for the claim of "callous", well let us look at the facts that prove they are callous. I'll start with 1 prime example that just happenned recently. As reported by Life SiteNews in March of 2012, Ohio late-term abortionist Martin Haskell made a 911 call on 28 March 2012 after one of his patients suffered life-threatening seizures following an abortion. The audio recording of the call shows Haskell’s unhurried tone. Speaking as someone who spent many years dealing with having to call the police &/or ambulance there is a difference between been unhurried & being concerned. That he didn't seem to care about how fast help got there implies callousness. Then there is the laughter when the dispatcher offered additional emergency instructions. “We’ve been pushing IV Valium, so, and it’s just not controlling it. Alright?” he said. Like I said, callous. (FYI, this isn't the 1st incident involving Haskell. You can read more here.)
Then there is this testimony in 2011 by abortionist Randall Whitney at the trial of an associate of his, abortionist James Pendergraft. The testimony came out during a civil suit against Pendergraft by his former patient, Carol Howard. As reported by Michele Herzog of Pro-Life Action Ministries, a witness in the courtroom, jurors listened as abortionist Randall Whitney, one of Pendergrast’s accomplices, “cavalierly stated that yes, babies are delivered in the toilet all the time and many times are still alive, wiggling around in the toilet.”
Additionally, according to Howard’s attorney, Howard was given fifty times the standard dosage of Cyotec, a brand name for the labor-inducing drug misoprostol. Then, when Howard began undergoing violent contractions, she asked for pain medication, she was told by medical assistants to walk her labor off outside in the parking lot, or else leave. Meanwhile, there were reportedly no doctors or nurses present.
& this is only 2 of a huge number of examples that are out there.
But next we get to the heart of the matter, what abortion really is, murder. & that is why the abortion industry has been so vehiminatly opposed to any law that requires the truth about what an abortion is. Abortionists, especially late-term abortionists are millitantly opposed to the requirement of ultrasounds being required & the mother being shown the results. They know that if people do see them, they won't see the "blob of tissue" they present the baby as, but that it is a real life human being instead. This is why, in part, you have so many pro-abort ethicists trying to deny humanity even for children after they are born. They know that if a human being can be labeled an it with no rights after birth, then it is easier to do so before birth & nor call it murder either.
With the advances in technology, we have seen a huge number of videos that show the truth about "life in the womb". A good eample is Toby MacDonald's award winning documentary, Life Before Birth. Then there is National Geographic's In the Womb. The description for the video mentions that it includes "rare fetoscope operation, performed in utero with the hope of correcting life
threatening complications before birth." Hmm, using terms like "life", "life threatening"!!!! Sounds to me like if there is life, then taking it must be murder.
abortionist Willie Parker
Another disgusting thing is how Parker tries to make it sound like the law will make the woman, who is usually unaware that there are other options, will be painted as the bad guy by this law. Parker said such a measure “vilifies the women who might need an abortion the most.” Besides the fact that a woman never needs an abortion, more often than not, because of outside pressures as well as not being told the other options, the woman is just as much a victim of the abortionist as is the child.
But he sinks even lower & used Dr, Martin Luther King to justify his being an abortionist.
Parker said that he was inspired to begin performing abortions when he “thought a lot about what Dr. [Martin Luther] King has said about having concern for other people.” That is a concern that has been proven time & time again to be a lie. Abortion is about making big bucks, not caring for the women or the babies as I have already shown. He went on to add “I was more concerned about what might happen to them than what might happen to me. And I feel like that’s an appropriate value system to operate around.
When I decided to do it, it allowed me to think about it and not be oblivious to the risk. Logically, I have concerns about my safety, but I choose not to think about that too much. I’m mindful and I’m vigilant, but I choose to focus on the important service I’m providing to women.” (Remember what I said earlier about implying it is the Pro-lifers who are violent? Well, here is that quote I promised.)
As I already said, we have seen time & time again that there is more concern for the money than the woman. Look at all the coverups of rape, incest & white slavery that have been shown to be standard operation proceedure that I have regulary reported on.
No, the only value system he has is the almighty dollar. & that is what he is trying to protect.
As I said the Post, & Sarah Kliff are guilty of aiding & abetting him & the whole abortion industry. She raised no questions that would tell the truth about what happenned. & the questions she did ask were intentionally aimed at painting him as a hero & anyone who is opposed to abortion as the bad guys.
The truth is, & I repeat it, abortion is murder, they know it & they don't care. But no matter how much they try to deny it, the truth is getting out. They can't prevent it no matter how hard they try. & as people see the truth, these laws will pass. & eventually abortion will be abolished because it is the murder of a human being..
Last January in a post, I mentioned a movie coming out that would be telling the true story of the Cristero War (aka the Cristiada) of 1926 to 1929. That movie is called For Greater Glory & will be released on 1 June 2012. It was released earlier this year in Mexico under the title Cristiada.
On 4 May 2012,
Eduardo Verástegui, who plays Anacleto Gonzalez Flores in the movie, was on Laura Ingraham's show promoting it.
This afternoon I heard my 1st radio ad for the movie (on Rush Limbaugh's show). As aninteresting aside, that I do not think is a coincidence, today is the feast of St. Cristóbal Magallanes Jara (Christopher Magallanes) & companions. This group of 25 saints was canonized by Blessed John Paul II on 21 May 2000. Their martyrdom came about during the Cristero War. Fr. Magallanes wrote & preached against armed rebellion. Even so, he was falsely accused of promoting the Cristero Rebellion in the area. He was arrested on 21 May 1927, while en route to celebrate Mass at a farm. He gave away his few remaining possessions to his executioners, gave them absolution. Without a trial, he was martyred four days later with Saint Agustín Caloca in Colotlán, Jalisco. His last words to his executioners were "I die innocent, and ask God that my blood may serve to unite my Mexican brethren." (Note: any priests who took up arms & were killed were excluded from the canonization process.) 1 of those saints, Fr. José María Robles Hurtado, is depicted in the film.
Additionally, The Knights of Columbus are promoting the movie. This is understandable for several reasons. Many of those persecuted in the Cristero War were Knights. Some even gave their lives, like Fr. Hurtado. Additionally, the KCs in the USA spoke out. At the 1926 Supreme Convention in Philadelphia, Supreme Knight James A. Flaherty denounced the Mexican government’s persecution as well as condemned the U.S. government’s silence on the issue. Additionally, they gave whatever help they could to those who fled to the US from Mexico as well as what help they could to those still in Mexico. The KCs also printed articles about what was going on in Mexico in Columbia magazine. As a result Columbia was banned from the mail in Mexico by the Calles regime. (The Voice for Religious Freedom Knows No Border)
But there is a second reason why they are promoting this movie, 1 that hits much closer to home. The message of the movie is 1 of religious freedom. As we have seen by the various actions taken by the Obama administration, (the HHS madate forcing Catholic organizations, schools etc to cover contraception; the attempts to silence the priests in the military form speaking out about it, as well as many other attacks) our religious freedom in the USA is under attack as well. Obama has clearly shown his anti-Catholic bias. & while things are not yet as bad here, they could very well end up there.
I am looking forward to seeing this movie when it comes out on 1 June. The message in it must be promoted. As I said, we are heading the same way in the USA & now is the time to speak up.
An additional resource for information on what happenned in Mexico in the 20s is a CD by Patrick Madrid, Battle for the Faith in Mexico. Viva Cristo Rey!. In it he tells what happenned, sometimes with a personal slant since that is where his family came from. He looks at the connections between the persecution & freemasonry.
Rita Diller - Planned Parenthood Can Be Defeated, Here's How
A few days ago I put up a post promoting a presentation by Rita Diller, National Director of STOP Planned Parenthood here in DBQ. That presentation was last nite & was attended by about 80-100 people, including a couple of plants by Planned Parenthood*.
Rita Diller
The presentation ran for about a little over an hour & was followed by a Q & A period that lasted until 8 pm. I will share some of what Rita said, but it would be impossible to share every detail. But I will try & do justice to it as best I can. At times I will also add a few comments based on my own experiences that support what she said.
The 1st part of the presntation was a bit of her background. She was originally a feminist, member of NOW & pro-abortion. After her marriage she decided to join the Catholic Church. After she joined her pastor put her in charge of a middle grade CCD class. 1 day he told her to bring in a a Pro-life speaker to the class. That presentation showed her the truth about abortion. After that she began working with the local Birthright. She began to learn how to fight Planned Parenthood & abortion. She shared that the most important lesson she learned was "Faith is central to winning this battle. Put Our Lady in the forefront."
In the early-mid 80s Operation Rescue came to town. At this time they would block the entrances while praying. Often then Bishop of Corpus Christi, René Henry Gracida, would join them. As laws changed & fines began being impossed for blocking the doors, they prayed being careful not to block the doors.
In 1997 her family moved to Amarillo. At the same time Bishop John Yanta came to head the Amarillo Diocese. At the time there were 19 Planned Parenthood offices in the diocese. 1 day, Bishop Yanta called Rita into his office & asked her to take over as Respect Life Director. After 11 years all the existing Planned Parenthood clinics either shut down, or disaffiliated with PP. Of those that disaffiliated only 1 is still open. & it has changed its name 3 times in the post PP era.
Rita went on the share why it is critical to shut down Planned Parenthood. In the past 5 years PP has killed about 1.5 million preborn babies. It pocketed $743 million from those abortions. It gets about $1.3 million of government money (our tax money) from government sources. 1 very interesting fact she pointed out, & 1 that helps to disprove PP's claim they need this money for programs to decrease the need for abortions, was the relation between government funding & the number of abortions Planned Parenthood does. The increase in government funding & the increase in the number of abortions Planned Parenthood does have risen almost in lockstep. This is something to remember the next time you hear PP claim their other programs are successful & needed to decrease the number of abortions. If those programs did what they claimed, the PP would be doing fewer not more abortions.
Rita reminded us of a fact revealed by Abby Johnson, the goal of Planned Parenthood is to turn every facility into an abortion center.
Rita described her approach as a 2 pronged attack to stop Planned Parenthood, the 2 des
- De bunking
-De funding
Often debunking is enough to get the job done. Once the truth gets out the defuning naturally follows. & since almost 1/2 of Planned Parenthood's income is from government grants & programs, cutting off those funds will result in PP shutting down.
She went on to share 11 points about what was done in Amarillo that are important in the battle everywhere.
1. Diocesan Pro-life Masses/Consecration to Our Lady of the efforts. (Note: this is a key point. Without seeking God's help we will not suceed. Without Our Lady's intercession our efforts won't be as successful. As I have said so many times, prayer prayer prayer.)
2. Leave room for the Holy Spirit to work. (Another key point, we can make plans, but we must be open to the Holy Spirit as He will guide us in the best ways to go. & sometimes in ways that we, in our human weakness, may miss.)
3. Enlist key players. - Clergy for example.
4. Get someone on the local Planned Parenthood's mailing list. - These days it is usually via e-mail Be sure it is someone that the PP people won't recognize as they will probably take that person off.
5. Go inside the Planned Parenthood facilities - Again someone not known to the staff, ie someone who regularly is praying outside. This helps you to actually know what is going on there.
6. Research is essential. - Know the facts, have accurate data, numbers etc that can back up what you are saying. American Life League, who started STOPP, requires that everything STOPP puts out is accurate.
7. Expose Planned Parenthood's sexualization of children. - STOPP has a new video, Hooking Kids on Sex that has plenty of shocking info. STOPP's website is loaded with much more. 1 of the examples Rita shared was a book PP puts out called "It's Absolutely Normal." Since it uses drawings not pictures, it can avoid charges of pornography while claiming to be educational.
8. Prayer vigils at the Planned Parenthood Center. (This is something we have done here in DBQ from day 1. The site went from being open 40 hours a week to 17 despite their claims there was a huge need for their services.. & from word of mouth that has gotten back to us, it is because we are there.)
9. Wherever Planned Parenthood is, there we shall be also
a) Planned Parenthood Fundraisers
b) Planned Parenthood fundraisers held by businesses present an unique opportunity.
c) Confront Planned Parenthood award winners (usually businesses given it in recognition of their support)
10. Erode community support. - Done through getting out truth, debunking PP claims
11. Consecrate the fight, arm with prayer, perservere.
Rita went on to share a lot of interesting statistics about Planned Parenthood. This are available at the STOPP website. So I won't share them here. But there is 1 fact she shared about Planned Parenthood of the Heartland that operated the DBQ site, I have to point out. They provided NO referals for aodption during the 2011 fiscal years. Yup, none.That says volumes about what PP really wants to provide, abortions. Another new term that Planned Parenthood is using to cover up its real goals is the use of the term "tele health care". Just like the term "reproductive health care", it is code for something else. In this case, telemed abortions.
Rita also made some interesting points on the pay levels of this self-called cash strapped organization. The average pay of a PP affiliate CEO is $158,275. That puts them in the top 6% of household incomes. Jill June who heads up Planned Parenthood of the Heartland got $265,389 for the 2011 fiscal year. She is one of 30 top Planned Parenthood employees who makes over $200,000 (top 2.67%) & 1 of 18 who makes over $250,000 (top 1.5%). Forgive the sarcasm on my part, but apparently for Planned Parenthood murder pays pretty well.
Rita concluded with 3 points to remember for her presentation.
a) Government money provides 46.5% of Planned Parenthood's revenue (& which enables PP to make its huge profits & pay its top people some of the best salaries in the USA. Those are the PP PP buddy Obama says need to pay more because they are not paying their fair share of taxes. Is it just me who sees the irony in this?) b) Planned Parenthood must have community support, ever increasing community activism will eliminate community support (Here in DBQ, DCRTL has done that through radio & newspaper advertising, through people writing letters to the editor, through writing opinion pieces for area papers, billboards, etc. Because people are aware of what PP really stands for, they have not been able to gain a foothold in the DBQ Community School district yet. Which we can't take for granted. We must be ever vigilant.) c) Our Lady will lead us to victory if we have the wisdom to put her front & center in the battle
I want to thank Rita Diller for her willingness to come & help us out in our battle against Planned Parenthood. I only hope I did justice to her presentation.
On a more personal note, I wish to again express my thanks for the great resources STOPP have provided for many of my posts that I shared during the Q&A session. Additionally, as I also shared, her talk confirmed my regular emphasis on the importance of prayer before & after, as well as undergirding any efforts done to battle abortion. Rita additionally brought up an event that I have regularly referd to as well, the Battle of Lepanto, as an example of the power of praying the Rosary & how God works through Mary to bring about victory for His children. KCRG -TV 9 did a story on the visit for their 6 pm news. Part of the report was done live at the Grand River Center. There is one small error in Katie Weidemann's report. She should have said the DBQ Planned Parenthood doesn't currently provide abortions. As I shared last January, the local PP started advertising that they provide abortions (not abortion referals) last January. While that may have been a more general refernce to the entire PPH offerings. The way the ad was set up, it made it sound like they would definitely be offering abortion in DBQ. I also had to laugh @ PP's claim they don't comment when Right to Life speakers come into communities. They have done so many times to attack those speakers who they especially want to stop their message from getting out.
(Added 19 May 2012 @ 2:19 pm: Yesterday (18 May) afternoon the sign was put up in front of the new location on Hillcrest. If memory serves, they kept the sign at the Central location coverd until it opened. Additionally, on Wednesday afternoon a semi was at the new site unloading. The lease on the Central location is up at the end of June. However, I suspect it will be sooner, rather than later, when the Hillcrest site opens. Probably by 1 June. I live only a block & 1/2 from the new site & regularly drive by, praying as I do. Normally, I am NOT a big fan of the Not In My Back Yard attitude. However, it this case, I am adding my voice loud & clear to let them know they aren't welcome in my neighborhood any more than any other criminal organization would be.
_______________
* The reason we know they were plants is because someone recognized them. Since we didn't have anything to hide, it was no big thing. But it does show the difference between Planned Parenthood & the Right to Life side. PP is notorious for keeping things secret, especially what they really do because they are afraid to let the light of truth shine on them. There are times when keeping a low profie is needed but PP does so more often than not because the real facts, like abetting the coverup of rape & incest, would show the truth about the evil PP does rather than the fraudulant image of being good for a community that they like to project. The good face they present is merely a mask for the evil that lies behind all their actions. & as is usually the case, that face is built on lies & half truths.
There are times, as I said, when it is important to keep plans low key, especially when they are not fully formed, or you don't have all you need to back up claims. But it isn't because the Right to Life side has anything to hide. With last nite's presentation the PP plants didn't come away with anything they didn't already know. That the Pro-life side is not going to give up, that we are on the right (correct) side of the issue, Gods & that we will win in the end no matter what they try & do.
Kicking Planned Parenthood's PR Arm Right in the "Gutt"macher
For good or bad, until recently, the main source of information (studies, policy, polls, & statistics) about the abortion industry that was out there was that provided by the Guttmacher Institute. It was founded in 1968 as the "Center for Family Planning Program Development", a semi-autonomous division of The Planned Parenthood Federation of America. It was founded by then PP President, Alan F. Guttmacher* & later named after him. In 1977 it became a seperate (on paper) non-profit corporation. However, even though it tries to claim it is independant, it really works hand & hand with PP to promote their "culture of death" agenda. & as recently as 2009 there is evidence that PP was still subsidizing the Guttmacher Institute.
It is the source that the Main Stream Media (MSM) goes to for what it claims is an unbiased source (NYT: “nonpartisan research organization on issues of sexual health”). Given that the MSM knows full well that "sexual health" or "reproductive health" are code words for promoting abortion. Interestingly enough, Wikipedia, which is known for its pro-abort bias is a bit more honest. In it's entry for the Guttmacher Institute, it says the Institute "works to advance reproductive health including abortion rights." Hardly unbiased or nonpartisan.
& while the Guttmacher has often provided information that has been used by the Pro-life side to prove their claims (abortion numbers for instance), most of what Guttmacher puts out is clearly aimed at advancing PP's agenda. Or at best, put a positive spin on it. I have often described Guttmacher as PP's PR arm. When PP needs something to counter the truth they can rely on Guttmacher to provide it. Like I said, the gang at the Guttmacher Institute don't aim to provide unbiased facts, but to provide PR spin for Planned Parenthood.
But there is some good news thanks to The Susan B. Anthony List Today they unveiled their new website for the Charlotte Lozier Institute, its education and research arm, which was formed in late 2011. The institute is named for Charlotte Denman Lozier (1844-1870), a pro-life feminist physician who was a contemporary of Susan B. Anthony’s. According to the SBA List press release: "The web site will be a hub for research and public policy analysis on some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world.
The site features commentaries, reviews and blog posts by an array of policy experts and scholars whose work covers statistics, medicine, bioethics, health care and law.
“We envision lozierinstitute.org as a crossroads for both new information and fresh analysis of policy questions that vex the modern world, centered on the value of human life and care for mothers, the children they carry, and the family,” commented Charlotte Lozier Institute president Chuck Donovan. “We will address topics from abortion, to population policy, advances in fetal medicine, health policy, and even end-of-life care. We will supplement and encourage existing organizations, as well as provide a balance to existing research organizations embedded in the abortion industry, by focusing on mid- and long-term topics where reflection and deeper examination can make lasting contributions.”
The web site includes articles on such topics as eugenics restitution legislation in North Carolina, the sudden and unexplained surge in abortion in the District of Columbia, the status of Chinese human rights activist Cheng Guangcheng, and the adoption of “whole women” legislation in a number of states to prioritize family planning funding to agencies offering primary care. Topics coming soon to the site include the quality of U.S. abortion reporting laws and the growth of perinatal hospice as a form of compassionate care for parents facing the birth of children with lethal anomalies.
Staff members of the Institute represent some of the most experienced writers and editors in the area of life issue studies. Chuck Donovan is a four-decade veteran in Washington policy circles and has written and spoken widely on public policy issues during work at the National Right to Life Committee, in the Reagan White House, at Family Research Council and, most recently, the Heritage Foundation. Gene Tarne, who edits lozierinstitute.org, is the founder and president of Tarne Communications. He has 30 years of experience in public affairs, journalism, media relations, and issue advocacy, representing a variety of non-profit, international, and public policy clients."
I highly doubt that the MSM (except maybe FoxNews) will present Lozier Institute as unbiased. In fact they will probably demonize the Lozier Institute all the while presenting the Guttmacher Institute as on the side of the angels. In short, the standard operating proceedure followed by the MSM when it wants to avoid the truth rather than admit the facts about abortion & the abortion industry.
* Another interesting fact about Alan Guttmacher that is omitted from Guttmacher Institute’s bio of Guttmacher, but again, amazingly included on the Wikipedia bio of Guttmacher is the fact that he was also vice president of the American Eugenics Society in the 1950s. Just like Sanger he was big on eugenics & racial purity. Given how PP has been proven to be continuing its promoting of Sanger's racist eugenics policy (see Maafa 21 among others), you can be sure the Guttmacher Institute is doing so as well.
Sono Italiano-americano. I am a member of St Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church. I am an advisor to Alpha Phi Omega & College Republicans at Loras College. I am a member of the Dubuque Co. Republican Central Committee. I have been involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement since 1974. For me the overriding issue of the day is defending the preborn & upholding their right to life. If we don't value life before birth, we devalue it after birth. Life is a gift from God. This is why I am a supporter of the work that Dubuque County Right to Life does in my area. & that is why I am politically active. Our nation's laws need to be changed to protect all from conception to natural death.
This blog is under the patronage of San Giuseppe Lavoratore (St. Joseph the Worker) & his beloved spouse, the Θεοτόκης (Theotokis), Mary under her titles of La Beata Vergine del Santo Rosario di Pompei (The Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii) & Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadelupe). With the additional patronage of San Francesco d'Assisi & St. Jude (Judas) Thaddeus. Asking for the intercession of Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, O.P. & Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
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