Sacrificing Our Daughters
Mood:  sad
Topic: people who need help
Sacrificing Our Daughters
Abortion and Sexual Predation

BreakPoint with Charles Colson

May 2, 2005

Note: This commentary was delivered by Prison Fellowship President Mark Earley.

You’ve seen all the press lately on parents’ demanding to know if a sexual predator is in their neighborhood. Likewise, what parent wouldn’t want evidence of a possible sexually based offense against a child reported to the authorities?

Yet, when my good friend state Attorney General Phillip Kline recently took steps to make these things happen, it was labeled an “inquisition.” Why? The almost sacred status of the “right to an abortion.”

Earlier this year, Phillip Kline, the attorney general of Kansas, subpoenaed the medical records of ninety women “who received late-term abortions at two Kansas clinics in 2003.” In his application to the Kansas Supreme Court, Kline made his reasons for the request clear: to see if the clinics had violated Kansas law against late-term abortions and to investigate possible sexual predators.

Kline’s critics immediately seized on his pro-life beliefs and labeled his request a “fishing expedition.” Kline, who is under a gag order not to discuss specifics of the case, replied that “the issue in this case is whether abortion clinics are above the law.” Without the records, the state argues, there’s no way to make a “reasonably informed judgment” about what went on in the clinics and in those late-term abortions.

An equally important and outrageous issue here is the possible failure by abortion clinics to report sex crimes against minors.

According to Kansas health officials, seventy-eight girls under the age of 15 had abortions there in 2003. Since, under Kansas law, as in most states, no girl under fifteen can legally consent to sex, these girls were all the victims of, at least, statutory rape, a sex crime punishable by as much as thirteen years in prison.

This highlights a little-known and even less-discussed aspect of the abortion industry: In addition to destroying a human life, the abortion clinics can also withhold or destroy evidence of a crime. The abortion industry, as we all know, promotes the image of being responsible, of helping frightened teenaged girls whose boyfriends got them pregnant. What they know and neglect to mention to parents or to the police is that those “boyfriends” are, more often than not, adults.

A study by Mike Males of the University of California, Irvine, found that “roughly half of the babies born to 15-year-old mothers were fathered by adult men no longer in school.” Even worse, Males and his colleagues found that the “younger the girl [giving birth], the wider the age gap.” There’s every reason to believe that what is true in the maternity ward is also true at the abortion clinic. The men getting 15-year-old girls pregnant aren’t lustful teenagers; they’re sexual predators.

These are the only people benefiting from the opposition to Kline’s investigation. Invoking the “right to privacy” and “doctor-patient privilege” when 14-year-olds are involved only makes it easier for their assailants to victimize someone else’s child.

Isn’t it sadly ironic that in such a “safety-conscious” society we tolerate this state of affairs? It’s proof, if you need it, of the almost religious significance of “abortion rights.” Nothing, not even our daughters’ well-being, can interfere with these rights. And they call us fanatics!

WorldView Knowledge
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: ramblings
Someone in the yahoo group I joined called "IdLikeToHaveAnArgumentPlease" sent an email about a website where you can test your "WorldView knowledge" (whatever that means). I thought they had some interesting questions; some questions I might not mind discussing more in detail some day. Anyway, the website is:

http://www.worldviewweekend.com/test/test.php?regid=ed327005fdcab792bb48d2b070c862ff&testid=

Feel free to go check it out and see how you did. I scored a 58%, which apparently just means the author of the site and I don't quite agree on it all.

Is All Hope Lost For Humanity?
Mood:  blue
Topic: people who need help
This story made me sick when I read it and realized that this sort of thing is happening (not only in the US but of course the world). The way they (the "grandmother," the abortion clinic, the police etc) treated this 14 yr old and her mother should make everyone involved ashamed. It makes me ashamed to share the same species as them. And their actions are what make me hope that since no justice will probably be found on Earth, I hope and pray that everlasting justice will be served.

****************************************************

LEADER EXCLUSIVE: Mother arrested for attempting to intervene in her 14-year old's decision to have abortion

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

By Joyce Morrison, Southern IL News Correspondent

For legal reasons, the names of the family and the 14-year old girl that are the subject of this story have been withheld at this time.

GRANITE CITY - A Southern Illinois woman was arrested last week (March 17) after trying to intervene on behalf of her 14-year old daughter's effort to have an abortion. The girl was allegedly taken to an abortion clinic by the mother of the man allegedly to have impregnated the 14-year old.

According to the girl's mother, her 14-year old daughter was called off from school in Madison County by a woman posing as the girl's “grandmother.” The woman took the girl from her home only minutes before the girl’s mother returned home from work.

It was later determined that the woman who had posed as the "grandmother" to the school authorities was the mother of the male who had fathered the unborn child the 14-year old girl was carrying. The age of the male has not been released.

When the parents were notified their pregnant daughter was not at school, they suspected she had been taken to the Hope Abortion Clinic in Granite City. The parents and grandfather were the only persons authorized to request school absence for the fourteen year old female.

“My husband and I rushed to the abortion clinic where we saw our daughter’s name on the roster and the time she had checked in,” the mother said. She then went into the clinic and searched a room filled with young women awaiting abortions but did not see her daughter.

She took a seat near the main desk and said, “I was told I could not prove my daughter was there so I began calling her name. A medical tech at the clinic told me , ‘It’s your daughter’s rights, it’s her body. You have no rights.’”

After continuing to call out her daughter’s name and telling her “don’t do it,” authorities were called and the mother was arrested.

The 14-year old told her mother she could hear her but when she asked employees to give her mother a message, they came back to the room and told her that her mother had left.

Angela Michaels, of Small Victories Ministry, was tipped off as to what was happending at the Hope clinic. According to Michaels, she witnessed police placing the mother’s hands behind her back, taking her into custody. As the police were putting the mother in the squad car, she was crying out, “Please, please, help me...my daughter is in there.”

Michaels said, “Exactly one hour later at 10:35 a.m., the 14-year old emerged from the clinic looking disheveled. The 14-year old told us that employees kept her in a quiet room until the procedure was performed and she was told that her mother had left.”

Employees assured this girl on her departure, “No-one will ever know you were here, we’ll bury your records.”

In the meantime, the woman who had taken the girl for the abortion was slipped out the back door of the clinic.

The police in the community in which the family lives allegedly told the girl's mom that they couldn't intervene despite her making a charge that her daughter had been raped (by statute) because the charge was stale--7 weeks after the incident. They did tell the girl's mom that, while she had no right to stop the abortion, she did have a right to go into the clinic and speak to her daughter.

The parents are expected to file charges.

? 2005 IllinoisLeader.com -- all rights reserved

The Anti-Christ?
Topic: ramblings
I was at work and reading forums about the Pope from Catholic Answers and came across one person mentioning how he had heard some people calling Pope Benedict XVI the "Anti-Christ." The person asked to hear other's thoughts on it.

A couple of people mentioned how some people (typically Protestants) think all popes are the Anti-Christ. One person (Genesis315) said:

"Utter nonesense. Anyway, given Benedict XVI's track record he is totally at odds with the anti-messianism that will be associated with the antiChrist. I believe the anti-Christ will embrace the feel good, self gratifying, secular 'spiritualism' of the world."

He/she brought up a very good point: the Anti-Christ would, by definition, be either the devil or hold the properties of the devil (against God, thinks they themselves are God, etc). Therefore, in a society where the secular world is against God, against mentioning religion, against anything that has the word "God" in it, etc. it is someone who *follows* secular thought who would be most likely to be the Anti-Christ; not the other way around.

As Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said (paraphrased):

There aren't more than a 100 people who hate the Catholic church, but there are millions who hate what they THINK the Catholic church is.

Tired of waiting...
Mood:  blue
Topic: ramblings
Well, my girlfriend, Liza, and I have been seriously talking about "us" being physically together since last Thanksgiving (if not earlier). It's really starting to wear on both of us just how close and yet so far we are to being together - still two months left to go. We are both so tired of waiting...yet we have little to no choice. *sigh*

Habemus Papam (We have a Pope)
Mood:  happy
Topic: informative
German Cardinal Ratzinger Elected Pope - Cardinal

14 minutes ago Top Stories - Reuters

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany has been elected pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church, a cardinal announced on Tuesday.

He has chosen Pope Benedict XVI as his papal name, the cardinal said.

Photo courtesy of Reuters

"Viva il Papa!" ("Long live the pope!")

Oops...
Topic: funny stuff
When I finish conversations at work, I usually tell members something along the lines of "okay, Mr. Jones, have a great day" and then hang up. Today I figured I'd add "I appreciate you calling, have a great day" and instead it came out:

"Okay, Joseph, I appreciate ya, have a great day!"

Are they talking about chickens or...?
Mood:  happy
Topic: funny stuff
(after reading an article that referred to chickens as "chooks")

Me: "Wait, isn't 'chook' a racist term for some ethnic group?"

Liza: "Yeah, it's another name for a 'chong.'"

The *New* Bill of Rights
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: ramblings
I got this little ditty in my email...so...yeah I can't take credit for it, as much as I'd like to. Enjoy...

**************************************************

"We The People Of The United States"

The following has been attributed to State Representative Mitchell Kaye from GA. This guy should run for President one day...

"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters.

We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights."

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended.This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make yo u and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don' t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!

(lastly....)

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!

Back from New Orleans!
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: ramblings
Well I made it back from New Orleans! I was both sad and happy to go. Sad, of course, cause it means I have to say goodbye again to my family, and I never know when I'll see those family members again. Happy cause, well, they can drive me up the wall sometimes. Read on and I'll explain...

The "Big Easy" sure was a fun place to be. Keep in mind, of course, that it's fun the same way I think Hawaii is fun: I love being there for a few days, but anything more than a week and I'm dying to go home. That was definitely the case here. I can't complain about the heat or humidity because the weather there was no worse than a typical Portland summer day. Everyone who has ever been to New Orleans, though, tells me how unbearable the heat and humidity can be there. For that reason, I highly doubt I will ever visit during the summer time...

Anyway, I flew to New Orleans on Wednesday (April 6th) with my dad. We left at 5am to get to the airport. How fun is waking up at 4am? Not very. But I also wasn't as tired as I thought I would be that day.

I stayed with my brother, Ben, and his family while I was down there. My parents got a hotel room as well, but I never stayed with them. I suppose the fact I brought season 1 of the King of Queens didn't help either huh? We ended up watching episodes every night! That was a lot of fun...

As was the drinking. Yep...I bought Ben a pint of Southern Comfort in October of 2003 when he first moved to New Orleans. For those who don't know, Southern Comfort (a.k.a. "SoCo") is produced in New Orleans. And, as a side note, I found out from my brother, Brad, that Ben did a little binge drinking in college with SoCo that led to him getting sick and never wanting to touch the stuff. So my gift of the SoCo pint was a two sided gift: it said "here's some liquid that's produced in the region you're heading" as well as a gag-gift that said "I know you won't drink it." What can I say, I'm a sicko like that sometimes...

So we broke open the SoCo on Wednesday night and Ben re-accustomed his mouth to drinking it again. It took a little while, but eventually he was able to drink it again without much of a problem (as was shown in the crawfish boil last Saturday).

All in all it was a nice trip, but there were things that irked me. The biggest issue I had was that I had no car of my own, so I had to rely on others to get around. That in and of itself would not be so bad, except for the fact that I seemed to be hungry more often than anyone else, and apparently I am the last person in the family who likes to eat meals at a normal time. I felt like I was begging people just so they would swing by a restaurant at 8 or 9pm. By then my stomach had already digested itself and began working on my small intestine.

We spent a couple of days in the "French Quarter" in downtown New Orleans: first on Wednesday afternoon when dad and I arrived into town, and then again on Friday. The streets were mostly empty on Wednesday, but it was fun finally getting to walk down the infamous "Bourbon Street." Not to mention, buying a daquiri and walking down the street sippin' on it ;)

Friday was a little more crowded, but I think more enjoyable because there were various street performers out, restaurants had their AC on, doors open, and music playing, and there were even a couple of people on the second floor balconies tossing beads down to us. In my case, they threw me beads as a plea to keep my shirt on...

I remember when Ben first moved there he talked about how nice everyone was. "They're so nice, they make you look like a jerk," I believe is what he said to me. Well I went and checked the people out there...although I didn't run into anyone who was a real jerk down there, I also didn't notice people being any nicer than they are up here.

The streets down there are crazy, too. And by crazy I don't just mean a lot of traffic or the fact that people walk all over the streets in downtown N.O. What I mean is the design: they have a ton of one highways that have large medians in the middle, and tons of places for U-turns. Half of the time we'd be driving, pass up the place where we were headed, and instead take a U-turn at the next "neutral" (as they're called) and then drive back to where we wanted to be and take a right turn. I'd prefer medians that give way to left turns myself...

I'm not sure when or if I'll visit New Orleans again. I definitely won't claim I'll "never" go back, cause I don't think it was that bad at all - I just worry about the rumors of the horrible heat and humidity being true. The fact my brother is too cheap to turn on the AC in the house doesn't make the decision any easier either. This summer may not be the best time to go, but perhaps towards the tail end of the summer (and thus their "hot spell") I might go down there with my girlfriend, Liza. It's a good 500 mile drive, so that means it would probably take about 8 hrs of driving to make it there.

I suppose time will tell just when I go back to the "Big Easy." I can't tell you how nice it was to need to put on a jacket to go to work on Monday. Not that I enjoyed having to go back to work, just enjoyed the realization that my current home is nice a cool and, sometimes, a little rainy. But that's all good for me :)