Which girl would you have chosen? (Palin, Obama and Abortion)

It was the annual "Summerfest" in a community about 60 miles west of Chicago. We were expecting rides and cotton candy, but were greeted instead by tractors and a pork chop dinner. The crowd was populated by just plain folks — old and young, enjoying the easy camaraderie of small town life. One family stood out. It was a mom and dad with a boy about eight I'll call "Johnny."

We had come to see a Chicago band, awkwardly positioned on a flatbed truck, who didn't disappoint. They delivered great Chicago-style blues and rock, but as great as they were, they were promptly upstaged by Johnny. As the band started, he bolted to the grassy area before the stage and began to dance deliciously. He didn't just have one "move," he had lots of them with finger strategically pointed, and attitude enough for the whole band. As the singer jumped off the stage, Johnny would follow, imitating him playing harmonica and clutching his cordless mic as he serenaded a select few. When he finished a set and took a bow, Johnny took his, too...deeply, like a shadow on the lawn. The crowd roared and I was especially delighted when he came to serenade me with his imaginary microphone. I wanted to grab and hug him, but he would have none of it.

I looked down the row to see his parents standing silently, not with wild cheering but with wonder, amazement and...pride. You see, Johnny has Down syndrome. It was a moment parents of special needs kids seldom get to enjoy.

It struck me in that moment that nearly 90 percent of babies born with Down syndrome are now aborted. Most Johnnys never get the chance to delight a crowd or bring deep, abiding joy to their parents — because they never get a chance to live.

It was a Down syndrome baby that nurse Jill Stanek cradled until death at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, denied of food or medical treatment. Another imperfect baby, unwanted by its parents, starved out of existence.

When legislation to prevent such callousness and neglect sprang to life as a result of Stanek's story, Barack Obama spoke out against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. He argued that it was unfair to the mothers to let these babies live — that it would turn back abortion rights (as though infanticide and abortion were in the same legal ballpark). He voted against the legislation and tried to persuade others in the Illinois legislature to follow his lead. On the issue of abortion, he later publicly declared that he wouldn't want his daughters "punished with a baby," should they find themselves pregnant and unmarried. With that perspective Obama would surely find a Down syndrome baby beyond punishment.

It's not the only time in human history when something like this has happened.

In attempt to breed the Aryan race, the Nazis began a systematic extermination of "useless eaters." Videos were produced to illustrate the horrors of the disabled and thousands were led to their death with the approval of the German citizenry. One notable exception was Dietrich Bohhoeffer, a pastor later hanged to death with a piano wire for opposing the Nazis. In the face of the Aryan tide he penned these words: "Not only do the weak need the strong, but the strong need the weak."

One has only to be the parent of a child like Johnny to grasp the truth of Bonhoeffer's words. The Johnnys of the world teach us to endure with perseverance, build character and allow for a love that wells up from a place too deep for words to describe.

Sarah Palin gets it. That's why she and husband Todd chose not to abort baby Trig in spite of his alleged imperfections. To some, he is a "useless eater." He will never win the snow machine race his father is famous for or be mayor or governor of anything, but Sarah and Todd know the value of his life in ways that can never be explained to a man like Barack Obama. A baby like Trig is a precious life. And the baby carried by his sister is not punishment.

In his book The Power of the Powerless, Christopher De Vinck tells the story of his severely disabled brother, Oliver. As Christopher grew older and began dating, he brought his girlfriend to the family farmhouse and eventually asked if she would like to meet Oliver. Since Oliver lived on the top floor and had to be fed and diapered by family members, the first girl said a polite "no." The next girl, however, said, "Yes!"...climbed the stairs, crawled up on the bed with Oliver and proceeded to patiently spoon feed him.

"Which girl would you have married?" asked De Vinck. The power of the powerless; the ability of the helpless or infirm to reveal not their infirmity, but the character of those around them.

We have two candidates, one for president and the other for vice president, with very different views on the value of life. What does their attitude toward the Johnnys of this world — or the tiny lives who have come inconveniently — tell us about them? And by the way, which girl would you have chosen?

Sandy Rios is host of the "Sandy Rios Show," heard weekdays from 3 to 5 p.m. on WYLL AM1160 in Chicago and serves as president of Culture Campaign, a non-profit dedicated to awakening a sleeping army of concerned citizens never before involved in public policy. This column is printed with permission.

Opinions expressed in 'Perspectives' columns published by OneNewsNow.com are the sole responsibility of the article's author(s), or of the person(s) or organization(s) quoted therein, and do not necessarily represent those of the staff or management of, or advertisers who support the American Family News Network, OneNewsNow.com, our parent organization or its other affiliates.

90 percent of babies born with Down syndrome are now aborted

Um, editor?

21 posted on 10/04/2008 2:06:14 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("I always expect the worst from the RATS and they always deliver." ~ rrrod)

There is a wonderful organization that helps mothers and families with babies that have special needs.

http://chask.org/

If you can’t adopt a baby you can give money. They put out pamphlets and information packets for doctor’s office and focus on the docs who do prenatal screening. They are doing the Lord’s work.

Their “sister” organization is http://nathhan.org/ very helpful for those of us home schooling a special needs child.

22 posted on 10/04/2008 2:30:39 PM PDT by Mrs. P ("Wonder Woman wears Sarah Palin pajamas." - Blood of Tyrants)

To: Illinois Rep

No one who kills a child is conservative.

23 posted on 10/04/2008 2:54:24 PM PDT by TheFourthMagi

> as though infanticide and abortion were in the same legal ballpark

The author lost me with this statement, because aborion and infanticide are EXACTLY THE SAME THING!!

Abortion is just PRENATAL INFANTICIDE!

Only a blind partisan devoid of any moral compass could refuse to recognize as human the broken, bloodied, dismembered bodies of the victims of prenatal infanticide, euphemistically called abortion.

24 posted on 10/04/2008 3:14:05 PM PDT by Westbrook (Having more children does not divide your love, it multiplies it.)

I simply can’t figure out the liberals such strong feelings on abortion—and never have. Is it simply because conservatives are so strongly against abortions that they feel the need to take the other radical side?

I understand where they are coming from from all other issues...but abortion is what I don’t understand.

They are pro-life when it comes to the convicted criminal sentenced to death....and you could argue that a true Pro-life person supports life no matter what...but that is NOT the case with liberals. At least the criminal could have prevented that from happening by not committing crimes. A baby is totally helpless and unable to make choices.

It’s beyond me how someone can be so committed to a position of death....as a political position...It always have dumbfounded me.

25 posted on 10/04/2008 3:42:36 PM PDT by Illinois Rep

Thank you so very much for posting this! What a blessing.

I posted the following earlier today, for the life issue is more important than any other consideration in this election.

In this political season, it's time for the life issue to become a battle cry!

Creator-endowed right to life and liberty is the foundation upon which this nation was founded.

If a nation devalues that concept, basing an individual's right to life and liberty on judicial fiat and a woman or girl's decision, then where is the security for liberty for any?

The elephant in the room in this election is the Radical Left's absolute determination that it, alone, will decide who sits on the Supreme Court of the United States! They talk about "change," they talk about war, they talk about everything else, but the "elephant" is the question of the unfettered right of a woman to destroy her unborn child. To the Left, this is a declared war on all opposition.

Yes, it is time for John McCain to take off the gloves on exposing the real culprits in the government who forced banks to make risky loans to unqualified people, but for the sake of liberty for generations yet unborn, it is far more important that he clarify the importance of the life issue, and the threat to liberty if Obama carries out the Left's agenda. Soft pedaling this issue, as if it is just a personal preference, overlooks a far more significant principle.

"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time: the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."- Thomas Jefferson

"The world is different now. . . . And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forefathers fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."- JFK, Inaugural 1961

26 posted on 10/04/2008 5:12:32 PM PDT by loveliberty2

Thank you so much for those links! We can’t adopt. Maybe down the road someday! I will add these two organizations to our giving list. I really appreciate it!

27 posted on 10/04/2008 8:20:22 PM PDT by samiam1972 ("It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."-Mother Teresa)

28 posted on 10/04/2008 10:46:19 PM PDT by Salvation ( Â†With God all things are possible.Â†)

29 posted on 10/04/2008 10:49:50 PM PDT by kanawa (http://www.canadalovessarah.ca/)

Pinged from Terri Dailies

8mm

30 posted on 10/05/2008 2:42:03 AM PDT by 8mmMauser (Jezu ufam tobie...Jesus I trust in Thee)

You’re welcome, and thanks for adding them to your list! I just can’t say enough good about them. They have helped us enormously just through written material.

I discovered them when looking for speech therapy information for our son. They publish a magazine that is helpful. It comes once a year or so and is nothing high tech, just good information and support. I think it comes automatically if you donate and is a good way to see what they are all about.

Just last night I discovered that they have a link on the site to donate directly with a credit card. I’ve been doing it by check thru the mail so this is easier. Maybe I should add a little extra to help cover credit card fees to them.

31 posted on 10/05/2008 4:55:23 AM PDT by Mrs. P ("Wonder Woman wears Sarah Palin pajamas." - Blood of Tyrants)

To: Illinois Rep

Those calculations have been done, and published. Algore would have won by a couple of million votes—but those voters were aborted during the previous 28 years.

Of course, if he weren’t for killing babies, Algore just wouldn’t be Algore.

32 posted on 10/05/2008 4:45:38 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan

Pro-life video You are so beautiful to me (Joe Cocker)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdxWFr_UjqQ

IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE DNC APPEARED FOR THEIR CONVENTION IN DENVER THIS PAST MONTH?

“AMERICA -— DEFEND LIFE!!

AMERICA ——WOE TO YOU IF YOU DO NOT SUCCEED IN DEFENDING LIFE!!

AMERICA -— YOU MUST HAVE THE COURAGE,. AMERICA, TO COME OUT OF YOUR HOMES -— AND OUT OF YOUR COMFORTABLE LIFE-STYLES NOW -—AND COME OUT INTO THE STREETS -— AND INTO THE PUBLIC PLACES -— AND YOU MUST SHOUT THE GOSPEL OF LIFE FROM THE ROOFTOPS!!

AMERICA -— DO NOT BE AFRAID!!

JESUS CHRIST IS WITH YOU!!

AMERICA -— YOU MUST COME INTO SOLIDARITY WITH THE VICTIM - THE UNBORN CHILD!!

AMERICA -— WHENEVER HUMAN LIFE IS THREATENED — WE WILL STAND UP!!

THE DARK HORSE IS ON THE HORIZON!!

AMERICA -— WHENEVER HUMAN LIFE IS THREATENED -—WE WILL STAND UP!!”

JOHN PAUL II WORLD YOUTH DAY, DENVER AUGUST 1993

DNC protest...Right To Life
From: SingWithTony
Added: August 26, 2008

Video footage of largest protest sign in history...set to music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxnk-3NOsoU&NR=1

33 posted on 10/06/2008 9:42:03 AM PDT by victim soul

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