Pro-life

Actor Gary Graham (Alien Nation, Enterprise) writes a powerful piece on his going from pro-abortion to pro-life. Hat Tip Barbara Nicolosi.

Once again we get such words of wisdom from our Catholic Speaker of the House. And yeah I know every other Catholic pundit has already posted on this.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children’s health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those – one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?

PELOSI: No apologies. No. We have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.

Well at least she did not give a Patristic reason for this like she previously tried to do with St. Augustine. A comment like this really leaves you flabbergasted. She has expanded Satre to “Hell is other person’s children.” Yes those economy destroying children that are just going to use government resources. So let us just work toward preventing them. A hysterectomy or vasectomy in every pot. In fact if we nuke some of the more populated cities we can really reduce cost. We should at least license pregnancy to ensure that too many drains on the economy aren’t born. It is your patriotic duty not to have children in this economy. A downturn in the economy requires a downturn in family size. Wow just think about how this will help the baby goods market! We must contracept ourselves into economic growth. Hey I guess that makes sense. If we can spend our way into prosperity we can contracept into a Bull market.

Of course I wonder how they plan to pay for the “stimulus” plan which our children and grandchildren are going to get stuck with the bill if they aren’t there to help pay it? They should be all for population growth to support the Ponsi scheme called Social Security and the tons of debt they are incurring.

The whole argument is so silly, but it becomes much more annoying when a Catholic (who received Communion during the Pope’s visit) says this. Though I guess Speaker Pelosi is in a large company of Catholics who say no to the truth of Church teaching on contraception. Since Humanae Vitae we pretty much have let every one from those in the pew to theologians have a pass when dissenting on this issue. “Just follow your conscience” has been the cry from so many who were suppose to be helping in forming consciences.

I would hope that her Bishop Archbishop George H. Niederauer would say something about her promotion of a intrinsic evil. Her last foolish comments were a teaching moment that a score of bishops used to actually teach. One thing you can say about Speaker Pelosi is that he creates plenty of teachable moments. As American Papist reminds us it has been a 143 days since Speaker Pelosi accepted the invitation to speak to her bishop. I guess she can find no time for her bishop since she has Malthusian plans to unfold. Maybe she is wondering “What does a girl have to do to get herself denied Communion?” Vote for abortion over many years and praise contraception and I guess you are still not obstinately persisting in manifest grave sin. Gee I guess Nancy Pelosi’s soul is just not all that important.

An excellent post from a cradle Catholic who wandered and later went from Progressive Catholicism to the fullness of the truth.

You can also follow Paul on Twitter

On the tragic anniversary yesterday President Obama said.

“On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services. On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.”

Typical platitudes. Talking about private family matters while invading the economic life of the family at every opportunity and taking over the parents role in teaching their children about sex and passing out birth control at every opportunity. Once again with the message we must protect abortion while also having the need to reduce them. Which one is it? Either abortion is morally fine and thus no reason to do anything about it or it is evil and we need to do more than just reduce numbers – these numbers are human lives not some accounting tool.

I really find the daughters and sons opportunity line to be rather sick. Hey why don’t we just remove a girl’s uterus as soon as possible. For the President and others equality means pursuing a career with no time outs for punishments like a pregnancy. Can hardly wait for the utopia where we just clone children and have people take turns raising them just do away with bothersome reproduction. So we can live like the Solarians in Asimov’s novel “The Naked Son.” Only then will we be equal.

Women with good careers is the pinnacle of life in an Obamian world. Motherhood is something to not ever be mentioned in polite society. The presidents statement assumes there is nothing outside of a career for women and that motherhood is exclusive of such goals. No wonder he speaks of not wanting his daughters to be “punished” with a baby since for him a child it a sad detour on the route to career bliss.

Over the last couple of days there have been varying reports of the President getting rid of the Mexico City Policy via executive order. That he did not sign it on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade was seen as a positive sign by some. Some wondered what he was waiting for since it certainly seemed obvious he would sign it. Well we should have known that he was waiting for 5:09 today to do it to put it into the vacuum of the weekend news. Brave, Brave Obama who is going to protect women’s rights had to wait for a more opportune time to bury the story.

Once again we can thank the Obama Catholic supporters who tell us his policies are really pro-life. Tell that to the child that is aborted with funds given to family planning organizations. Maybe Doug Kmiec can get a job overseas doing this.

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — In a move to downplay his pro-abortion agenda, President Barack Obama has decided to wait a little longer to reverse a Bush policy preventing taxpayer funding of abortions overseas. The Mexico City Policy prevents sending public funds to groups that perform or promote abortions in other countries.

The new president could either issue an order tomorrow or in the near future to reverse the policy or allow Congress to do it.

Obama was expected to overturn the pro-life policy on his first or second full days in office and to possibly do so today, on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. [article]

Well I for one am glad that at least on this horrific anniversary he did not add insult to injury by doing this today, It might not mean anything in the long run, but at least there seems to be some concern on his part. We can certainly pray for more.

Update: He is signing it Friday the 23rd of Jan.

From a column from his awesomness Bishop Vasa of of Baker, Oregon.

…The reason for the increased awareness and even concern on the part of the pro-life community is the specter of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which is highly rumored to be in the works at the federal level. It is this act which has stimulated the bishops of the United States to launch a massive postcard campaign calling upon the House and Senate to abandon FOCA. While further details about the dramatic impact of FOCA on our American culture can be found in many places, I will simply say that it would establish abortion as a federally protected right and, as I understand it, preclude state limitation or regulation of abortion. Further, since abortion would be a federally protected right, it is very possible that even Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Physicians would be mandated to provide this heinous service.

Thus I strongly urge all who have a glimmer of concern for the lives of pre-born children to engage themselves in this postcard campaign. This is not an action which would limit or alter present permissive abortion laws, which some so-called Catholic pro-choice persons might object to, it would simply preclude a dramatic expansion of that permissiveness. Thus it would be very difficult for any Catholic, no matter how much in favor of abortion itself, to find a reason to refuse to participate in this campaign. At the same time, I do not see how any Catholic senator or representative could vote for the passage of FOCA without recognizing that such a vote would constitute a direct and intentional declaration of their disdain for Catholic teaching. Such a vote would be tantamount to a public declaration of their intention to abandon the Catholic faith. It would be imperative that the faith consequences of such a declaration be allowed to fall fully on the heads of those who would make it.

The writing from St. John applies: “Beloved, we love God because He first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from Him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

We of the Catholic faith certainly know that love of God is central to our tenets, this is the appealing part. It is hard to imagine a Catholic saying, “I am a Catholic in good standing but I do not love God.” But the inspired scriptures tell us that whoever does not love his brother or neighbor does not and, indeed, cannot love God. This is the challenging part. The people of Jesus’ day understood this and it was this understanding that prompted them to ask, “And who is my neighbor?” For all of us, and especially for Catholic legislators in every strata of government, it is necessary to declare, in conformity with the Natural Law and the teaching of the Catholic Church that, the pre-born child is our brother, our sister, our neighbor!

It may sound a little strong to state that legislators “hate” the pre-born child but hate is an absence of love and love means to wish another well. There is nothing about abortion that wishes the pre-born child well. The preservation of abortion “rights” is already an absence of love for the pre-born child but the passage of FOCA could be construed as nothing less than active and positive disregard, even hatred, for these our brothers and sisters. To paraphrase St. John, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but votes for FOCA, thus showing a disregard for his pre-born brother or sister, he is a liar.” Lots of things can be rationalized in government but I do not see any way in which any Catholic could rationalize or justify an affirmative vote for FOCA.

It is not necessary for your postcards to be as outspoken as this bishop but you do have an obligation to participate in this concerted effort to show love for the tiniest and most defenseless of our brothers and sisters. President-elect Obama made it very clear, prior to the election, that he would happily sign FOCA and the millions of Catholics who voted for him hopefully did so for reasons other than this promise and certainly not because of it. It seems to me that it is particularly incumbent upon these same voters to make it clearly known to their representatives that their vote may not in any way be taken as a sign of support for FOCA.

Another way in which we show our affirmative love for our pre-born brothers and sisters is by way of our annual memorial on Jan. 22. This year the Diocesan Office of Pro-life Activities has scheduled a rosary and Mass at St. Joseph’s in Prineville on Thursday evening, Jan. 22. The rosary will commence at 6:30 p.m. with Mass beginning at 7 p.m. While I recognize that many parishes host similar memorial Masses to pray for the two-fold victims of abortion, the child and the mother, I invite any who can to join me at the rosary and Mass at St. Joseph’s in Prineville.

Regardless of how many years have passed since the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court Decision and regardless of how prevalent and routine abortion has become in this country, the simple truth remains, it is an act of extreme violence to the pre-born child and to the distressed mother. Thus, if anyone says, “I love God” and still favors abortion, he is, to quote St. John, a liar. May we all live out faithfully what it means to love God.

Bishop Vasa has the gift of telling the truth without rancor and totally in charity. That loving our neighbor is not synonymous with holding back from the full truth. The Bishop says so much here that is worth requoting.
I especially like what he writes on love and hate. That love is willing the good for someone.
The unborn certainly are not feeling the love when the scapels hits them or the surgical vacuum approaches.
In their thinking the pro-abortion politician is willing a good towards the mother, but the unborn is to be sacrificed for this good.
In their hatred the unborn child is reduced to the inhuman – the tissue mass.
The child is seen as the enemy to be eliminated and just like throughout human history whatever person you want to turn into property you first dehumanize. You can not love God and hate his creation and every person is in the image and likeness of God. Abortion is a remote form of deicide as is the direct killing of all innocents.

Some of the progressive Catholic sites have been making the charge the FOCA is much ado about nothing and that it has no chance of passage and that the Bishops efforts in this regard are an over reaction. I would agree that the passage of FOCA is certainly not going to be immediate. FOCA was originally introduced in 1989 and in 1993 President Clinton said he would sign it if passed. We can be thankful that Sen Carol Moseley Brawn held it up since she wanted it even more extreme and subsequently the Republican Party took control of Congress. The bill was reintroduced in 2007, but has not picked up much steam. This has to do with more than the fact that President Bush would veto it if passed. FOCA would legalize partial birth abortion once again. The partial birth abortion ban always had a large amount of support and was only prevented initially from passing because of President Clinton’s vetoes. So there is a sizable number of Democrats who voted for the ban and even with Democrats picking up more seats a number of these new Democrats ran as being pro-life (and some of them might actually be so). So even if the Democrats has picked up 60 senators and a filibuster proof Senate I think they would have difficulties passing this even with a couple culture of death Republicans like Sen Snowe. President-elect Obama had previously said he would sign FOCA and said it would be the first thing he would do as President. Whether or not he would keep this promise is a moot questions considering the difficulties of even getting the bill in front of him for signature.

That being said does that mean that the Bishop’s campaign is exaggerated? I think not. Any threat that involves the killing of the innocent deserves to be taken seriously. The passage of FOCA would certainly be more likely if we just sat back not raising the issue. While I think that passage of FOCA would be difficult, I could certainly be wrong and the prudential thing to do is to take the threat seriously to defeat it. Besides this campaign against FOCA provides double duty. It keeps people in the pro-life movement focused and letting our legislatures know exactly what we believe and that we are not going away just because a predominately pro-abortion party is now in charge. We have to be vigilant since the culture of death has to be actively fought back. It is easy to be discouraged in the face of what looks like the most pro-abortion administration from the president on down to cabinet positions filled with people who make NARAL happy. How the Supreme Court could easily shift to Moloch for years to come is also extremely depressing. Yet we must never tire of doing good and that means actively fighting the culture of death via the spiritual life of prayer and fasting and the active life of being politically involved along with working in the pro-life movement and helping and supporting women to choose life. We do our part to change the culture by becoming holy ourselves.

Bishop Vasa has strong words towards those who would vote for FOCA, but we must remember that when we don’t do our part to help bring a culture of life that we are not loving God fully either.

In Belfast last night, Dame Mary Warnock said that doctors who refuse to help terminally ill patients to kill themselves are “genuinely wicked”. [full story]

Here is an interview with newly elected congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao’s covering his time discerning the priesthood to becoming involved in politics. The interview itself does not give you an idea about how pro-life he is, but he recently said “The only thing I am certain of is that I am anti-abortion,”

Our Sunday Visitor does a followup on Jesuit-run University of San Francisco and their health care plan.

OSV: In addition, the hospital-based USF Student Health Clinic refers students to Planned Parenthood or Aetna Insurance providers for abortion and contraception, an official who oversees the student health clinic told Our Sunday Visitor.

McDonald: USF is removing the provision for voluntary termination of pregnancy from our student health plan. Students are not referred to Planned Parenthood, but are referred to Aetna providers for prescriptions. Under California law, prescription plans must pay for all FDA approved medications, including contraception.

OSV: Signing up for health insurance is mandatory for undergraduates at USF unless they have a waiver that proves they have other health insurance, and the Aetna policy detailed on the college website specifically mentions abortion. The students get most of their health care from a special clinic for students at St. Mary’s Medical Center, which is across the street from the university. An official at the hospital said that St. Mary’s does not do abortions but refers students who request abortion or contraception either to Planned Parenthood or to Aetna providers.

McDonald: Yes, having health care insurance is mandatory for every USF student to ensure their best interests in case of a medical emergency or illness. Students can provide their own insurance, (often they are covered under their parent’s insurance), or enroll in the university-sponsored plan. As stated on Dec. 12, it was not the university’s intention to offer coverage for the voluntary termination of pregnancy, and we are removing this provision from our student health plan. We regret this mistake, and we take full responsibility for not adequately reviewing the contract. We are grateful to those who brought this issue to our attention. … Coverage for the voluntary termination of pregnancy in the student health plan was a mistake, and that provision is being removed. However, health insurance is still mandatory for all USF students. Prescriptions for contraception are never provided at the USF Clinic, nor are referrals to Planned Parenthood for abortions. However, under state law, all California prescription plans must cover prescriptions for contraception.

OSV: Ongoing USF employee insurance coverage of abortion and contraception was not addressed in the statement.While the policy adding abortion was new for the 2008-2009 academic year, the college was providing RU-486 chemical abortion coverage as early as 2005, according to documents available on the college website. The university also offers insurance which includes abortion and contraception to its employees; will that insurance continue?

McDonald: USF offers two options for employee health insurance, Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente. Our Blue Cross claims procedure excludes coverage for surgical abortion. When USF negotiated its contract with Kaiser, we were unable to opt out of the plan’s provision for termination of pregnancy. USF decided to offer the Kaiser plan because Kaiser is widely considered to be the highest-quality HMO in Northern California. It is USF’s strong desire to offer its employees the best health care possible. USF is in the process of working with Kaiser to see if the contract can be renegotiated and the provision eliminated.

Kind of creeps me out that they keep saying “voluntary termination of pregnancy” instead of abortion.