Bobby Schindler: The President’s Torturous Dilemma

Townhall ^ | 5/31/09 | Bobby Schindler

[wagglebee]

I spent a lot of time watching news coverage of President Obama’s recent speech at Notre Dame. I couldn’t help but be reminded of my sister Terri’s two-week ordeal that took place at the hospice facility where she was killed in March of 2005.

The was so much that was eerily similar—from the amount of media present and the pro-lifers who were there in prayer, to the dozens of people who were arrested for protesting against what was taking place.

Along with so many other Catholics, I found it profoundly disturbing that President Obama was not only invited to speak at a Catholic university but that he was given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. It was what Vatican official Archbishop Raymond Burke referred to as the “source of the greatest scandal”.

However, just as disturbing to me was watching the Catholic students, parents and faculty praising President Obama by giving him standing ovations for his “can’t we all just get along about abortion” speech.

They seem to have forgotten the president’s extreme pro-abortion record when he was in the Illinois state senate and his already-lengthy actions in favor of abortion as president. His direct assault on the value and dignity of life and human rights runs completely contrary to Catholic teaching.

But that didn’t seem to diminish the red carpet treatment he received from Notre Dame President John Jenkins who invited Obama to speak. It is shocking and disheartening that a Catholic university would show such adoration for a president who has already been categorized as one of the most pro-death politicians to ever be elected to office.

Of course watching and listening to the media’s fawning coverage was just as difficult as listening to Obama himself. Indeed, the media would repeatedly insist that pro-lifers should try and find common ground with Obama’s position on abortion and embryonic stem cell research. It seems that the mainstream media wants to portray conservatives as a group that needs to adhere to the Obama administration’s policies and his vision of “change” or risk becoming extinct. As is frequently the case, they clearly just don’t get it.

Amidst all this media coverage I also reflected on Obama’s position on euthanasia and his offensive remark about Terri during the campaign. Then candidate Obama claimed his biggest “regret” as a senator was trying to stop Terri’s imposed death. This is especially scary because a growing number of health care experts are already warning us that Obama’s new health care plan could potentially open wide the door to euthanasia in our nation.

Make no mistake: President Obama’s position on how we should treat the most vulnerable members of our society is the same for disabled and medically vulnerable people as it is for innocent unborn children. In short, he seems to believe they fall outside the protection our nation offers. This is especially absurd, given his crusade to protect America’s sworn enemies from methods of “torture” (his word) that fall far short of what happens during an abortion or a euthanasia death by dehydration and starvation.

This same man who advocates unlimited abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy and regrets trying to save the innocent from a horrifying death by dehydration is doing everything is his power to protect the “rights” of the most merciless terrorists in our custody. His administration has even expressed outrage that caterpillars were put in a room with a terrorist as a form of torture. Since the average caterpillar is neither scary nor dangerous, it made me wonder how that would compare to depriving our most vulnerable American citizens—innocent of any crime—of food and water until they dehydrate to death. I find it ironic that he doesn’t seem worried about “regretting” what might happen if any of these terrorists are set free to attack America again.

During all this Notre Dame controversy I also heard more than once from our media that “54 percent of Catholics voted for Obama.” That is a number I never agreed with because I believe that zero percent of true Catholics voted for Obama. If you adhere to the teachings of the Catholic Church, you did not vote for him. “Catholics” who voted for Obama chose the “change” and false “hope” offered by a dynamic candidate over the values of their faith. To my mind, they are not Catholics at all.

It was, however, heartening to read of the hundreds of thousands of Catholics (including nearly 100 cardinals and bishops) who did object to the president speaking at Notre Dame and also to see all of the people who showed up to protest Notre Dame’s decision.

Words have meaning and one can only hope that Obama believes in his own rhetoric about change, because if his position does not change with respect to life—and he remains an advocate for the continued death of our most vulnerable—then Notre Dame will be forever associated with giving such a person not only a platform for his position but a prestigious award for it as well. What a badge of shame for a previously great university.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[wagglebee]

This is what moral relativism leads to -- babies die so rats don't have to.

Thread by me.

General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase Out Lab Rats

BOSTON, Mass, July 1, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - General Electric has announced that it will use embryonic stem cells provided by Geron Corporation for the purpose of testing toxic effects of drug treatments.

GE issued a statement, attempting to preempt criticism over the decision, saying, "We acknowledge the considerable debate and take very seriously the ethical and societal issues associated with research using stem cells derived from embryonic or fetal tissue."

"We conduct our research in an ethically and scientifically responsible manner," the statement said.

However, embryonic stem cells have been the center of heated controversy since harvesting the cells requires the destruction of embryonic human beings.

But Geron Corporation indicates that in this case it believes that the ends justify the means.

"Up to three quarters of toxicity problems are not detected until preclinical or later stages of drug development and this significantly increases the cost of developing new drugs," Geron Corporation said in a press release, "Earlier detection of toxicity problems could reduce both overall drug development costs and potentially harmful patient exposure in clinical trials."

Konstantin Fielder, General Manager of Cell Technologies at GE Healthcare said that stem cells harvested from human embryos could even replace lab rats as the primary scientific testing method.

"Once you have human cells and you can get them in a standardized way, like you get right now your lab rats in a standardized way, you can actually do those experiments on those cells," he said. . .

[wagglebee]

Well, Kmiec has been given his thirty pieces of silver, though for the life of me I don't know why he would want it and the Maltese people actually value life over politics.

Thread/story by Steven Ertelt.

Obama Picks "Pro-Life" Catholic Sellout Douglas Kmiec for Malta Ambassador

Washington, DC -- President Barack Obama has named Douglas Kmiec, the Pepperdine University law professor who has become a key impediment to pro-life Catholics as the ambassador to Malta. The move is sure to spark opposition in Catholic circles given Malta's strongly pro-life stance. . .

[wagglebee]

I am convinced that the only time Zero has ever been entirely honest was when he said human life was above his pay grade.

Thread by me.

Obama Interview: I Support Abortion Conscience Clause, What Notre Dame Scandal?

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a Thursday afternoon interview with members of various Catholic publications, President Barack Obama defended himself from criticism over his pro-abortion record. He said he supports a conscience clause on abortion but gave a joking response to a question about Notre Dame.

According to a National Catholic Register report, Obama talked about his upcoming visit with Pope Benedict XVI and said he looked forward to taking with him about unrelated political issues.

Father Owen Kearns, editor in chief and publisher of the Register, said each member of the Catholic press was allowed to ask one question and the most controversial came in regard to Obama's position on conscience clauses.

Kearns told Register writer Time Drake that Obama tried to "dispel the worst" about what pro-life advocates say about his attempts to overturn the additional pro-life conscience protections President Bush put in place. . .

[wagglebee]

Abortionists are finally being brought to justice.

Thread by topher and me.

Late Term Abortionist Pendergraft Suspension stands

Late term abortionist James Pendergraft has lost his appeal to the 5th District Court of Appeals (Florida).

In 2001, he was convicted of Federal extortion and spent 7 months in jail before winning an appeal releasing because of "lack of evidence" per Operation Rescue.

He has served jail time for being convicted of Federal extortion, but one cannot call him a convicted felon since the conviction was overturned on appeal.

Information about his Federal extortion conviction (and subsequent reversal on appeal) from from Operation Rescue.

Link to Operation Rescue article about this:

Florida Closes Two Orlando Abortion Mills, Suspends Abortionist Pendergraft’s License

His suspension as an abortionist stands by the Florida Board of Medicine. . .

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Abortion Practitioner Alberto Hodari Fined $10,000 For Woman's Abortion Death

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Abortion practitioner Alberto Hodari, based in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, has been fined $10,000 by a state board in connection with a woman's botched abortion death. One of Hodari's staff did an abortion on Regina Johnson and, afterwards, suffered respiratory and cardiac arrest.

Staff at Hodari's abortion center allegedly failed to help her or call for an ambulance and she was deprived of oxygen for an extended time. She died a short time later at Hodari's Womencare clinic in Lathrup Village.

Johnson's death is one of several women to have died over the years under Hodari's care.

The September 17, 2003 abortion saw Milton Nathanson, then employed by Hodari, do an abortion on Johnson. She died the next day from "anoxic encephalopahy due to cardiac arrest" resulting from the abortion, according to official reports.

In addition to Hodari and Nathanson, anesthesiologist Barry Thompson and the abortion clinic's nurse, Cathy Litchig were also implicated in Johnson's death. . .

[Dante3]

I realize this if off the topic and I do not mean to divert this thread. I found this so perverted: A high school in a small town in Oregon was carrying a series of books (comics?) on little bunnies who happily commit suicide in various ways. It is supposed to be funny.

One mother objected - I would have also. At first the school board was in a 3 to 3 tie about removing it. Then the ACLU go involved, and they reinstated the books.

I have no read the books. But just from the description of their theme - suicide is fun - I found them demented.

[wagglebee]

Nope, that’s not off-topic at all. The left is very fond of using childrens stories and comics as a way to advance their agenda (”Heather Has Two Mommies”), it sounds like they are now trying to do it with assisted suicide.

Do you have a link to a story?

[Dante3]

book

[wagglebee]

You should post it as a thread (just do it in chat because of the date), if you don’t want to I will tomorrow.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Dante3]

Happy 4th of July!

It's chaos at my place right now. Great if you could post it. I just found out about the "happy suicide" last evening from a guest, and I was so outraged - after I check to see it was really true - that I had mention it right away.

[wagglebee]

This makes as much sense as appointing Dr. Mengele as Surgeon General.

Thread by me.

Planned Parenthood - a primary healthcare provider?

Planned Parenthood is facing criticism for alleged false advertising.

The organization has been running ads in Washington, DC, claiming that 90 percent of its services are preventive and primary care, just like going to a doctor's office. Jim Sedlak of American Life League disagrees. With Obama's healthcare program, Sedlak contends Planned Parenthood is just trying to position itself to be in the mainstream of healthcare.
 
"The problem is that according to its last annual report, Planned Parenthood...primary care patients account for only seven-tenths of one percent of its total number of customers," he says.
 
Sedlak was asked if Planned Parenthood's recent report was designed to get more government money.
 
"Absolutely! They're trying to set the stage so that they get recognized as an entry point into the healthcare system, and that people don't have to go to another primary care physician, and they can get referenced to Planned Parenthood, that they can just walk in the door at Planned Parenthood and that will result in millions of more dollars to Planned Parenthood," he points out.
 
According to Sedlak, abortion accounts for about one-third of Planned Parenthood's income -- and government-funded abortion is likely to be a part of the Obama healthcare plan.

[wagglebee]

ALL humans are people and have a right to life.

Great job Lesforlife!

Thread by me.

'Personhood' pushers at it again in Colorado

Two Colorado organizations have launched another petition drive to put a personhood amendment on the 2010 ballot.

Colorado Right to Life and Personhood Colorado are joining forces to gather the signatures for the 2010 Colorado Personhood Initiative. Right to Life spokeswoman Leslie Hanks says they are energized for the campaign.
 
"People are really beginning to see that the God-given right to life of the preborn child is something exciting to fight for," she explains, "and we've really stood idly by for too long, allowing horrible human rights abuses to go unchallenged in so many ways in this country."
 
In 2008, Colorado's Personhood Amendment garnered less than 30 percent of the vote. Hanks was asked why a major campaign is being launched again so soon after the defeat.
 
"With women's suffrage, they took about a 12-year hiatus," she notes, "and when they came back, they were further behind than when they first started -- so we don't want to let that happen. And we know that the civil rights movement didn't sit down and say we're not going to fight any longer because of one election shortfall."
 
If the petition drive is successful, the measure will be on the 2010 ballot. Pro-lifers in Montana have started a similar campaign.

[wagglebee]

Big Abortion loses again!

Thread by Salvation.

Tennessee Planned Parenthood loses government funding for abortions

There was a one-sided vote in both the Tennessee house and senate that removed Planned Parenthood’s decades long stranglehold on family planning funds in the Volunteer State.

Susan Allen of Tennessee Right to Life is thankful that Planned Parenthood will no longer receive the annual automatic nod from the state. She commented that, "For approximately 40 years, Planned Parenthood was given preferential treatment in the Tennessee state law for getting family planning funds that are under Title X from the federal government."

About $1.1 million that has been set aside for family planning in Tennessee, will now be distributed mostly to local health organizations and not the taxpayer-supported abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. . .

[wagglebee]

Great pictures of the shirt on the thread.

Thread by rawhide.

Seventh Grader Sues School Over Right to Wear Pro-Life T-Shirt

A California mom says her public school administrators violated her daughter's First Amendment rights when they ordered the seventh-grader to take off her pro-life T-shirt.

Anna Amador has gone to court on behalf of her daughter, who she says was ordered by her principal to change her shirt on "National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day." The shirt the girl was wearing displays two graphic pictures of a fetus growing in the womb.

The incident occurred in April 2008 at McSwain Elementary School, a K-8 school in Merced, Calif. Amador alleges in her legal complaint that school Principal Terrie Rohrer, Assistant Principal C.W. Smith and office clerk Martha Hernandez mistreated her daughter and denied the girl her First Amendment rights when they ordered her to leave the cafeteria and change her shirt.

"Before Plaintiff could eat [breakfast] she was ordered by a school staff member to throw her food out and report immediately to Defendant Smith's office, located in the main office of McSwain Elementary School," the complaint reads.

"Upon arriving at the main office, Defendant Hernandez, intentionally and without Plaintiff's consent, grabbed Plaintiff's arm and forcibly escorted her toward Smith's office, at all times maintaining a vice-like grip on Plaintiff's arm. Hernandez only released Plaintiff's arm after physically locating her in front of Smith and Defendant Rohrer...

[wagglebee]

Fifty million murdered babies and millions more lives ruined.

Thread by me.

Abortion Has Greater Impact on Parenting than Other Forms of Pregnancy Loss, New Review Finds

uly 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new review of studies examining various types of prenatal loss and the effects on subsequent parenting has concluded that abortion may be "particularly damaging to the parenting process."

The article, published in Current Women's Health Reviews, looks at already published studies on miscarriage, induced abortion and adoption. The author, Priscilla Coleman of Bowling Green State University, focuses on psychological reactions to these various types of loss and discusses how they might affect a mother's relationship with children born after the pregnancy loss.
 
It is now known that women usually begin feeling maternal attachment in the early stages of pregnancy. The paper notes that despite the increased responsibilities and stress involved in raising children, "numerous studies have documented positive psychological characteristics associated with motherhood including increases in life satisfaction, self-esteem, empathy, restraint, flexibility and resourcefulness in coping, and assertiveness." Losing a child before or at birth, for any reason, however, "can be a profound source of suffering."
 
While all forms of pregnancy loss can cause emotional distress that can impact future parenting, the available research indicates that emotional responses after induced abortion are more likely to go unresolved and to persist for a longer time period. 
 
Coleman writes that "society understands that women who miscarry or relinquish a child through adoption may experience sadness and grief." However, she continues, grief after abortion is "socially sanctioned because abortion is not acknowledged by our culture as a human death experience." Consequently help to deal with the experience is usually not offered. . .

[Salvation]

What happened to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” Mr. Obortion Obama?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[wagglebee]

Zero is either the stupidest or the most obtuse person ever elected to public office.

Threads by topher and me.

Obama Complains Fears over Abortion Agenda "Not Based on Anything I've Said or Done"

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a meeting with several members of the Catholic media Thursday, President Obama insisted that pro-life Catholics' fears over the new administration's abortion agenda was "not based on anything I've said or done." The president also said he embraces the so-called "seamless garment" moral theory of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, which he said he feels has been "buried under the abortion debate" in recent decades.

The president called for the brief round-table meeting with Catholic media to discuss his upcoming meeting with Pope Benedict XVI July 10, but addressed the rift between his stance on abortion and the Catholic Church's moral teaching in response to questions.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Catholic News Service, the National Catholic Reporter, America magazine, Commonweal magazine, Catholic Digest, Vatican Radio, and a Washington Post religion writer.

According to the Catholic Digest report, one member asked for more information on President Obama's stance on conscience protection for doctors objecting to abortion.

President Obama said that the expectation of heavily pro-abortion policy from his administration "is not based on anything I've said or done, but is rather just a perception somehow that we have some hard-line agenda that we're seeking to push." . . .

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White House Says Obama, Pope Benedict XVI Will Have "Frank" Talk on Abortion

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The White House is saying that pro-abortion President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict XVI, the head of the Catholic Church, will have a "frank' talk on abortion when they meet on Friday. Obama is currently in Italy for the Group of Eight summit and the two will meet after the conference concludes.

"I think there will be a frank discussion [about abortion]," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters aboard Air Force One, according to an AP report.

On subject like abortion where Obama is out of step with the pro-life teachings of the Catholic faith, Gibbs said "even if we don't see eye to eye on everything, there are steps that can be taken on a number of issues that will show progress, whether it's on something like unintended pregnancy or adoption."

Gibbs said the pontiff is "somebody that gets to see a lot of the world, and I think getting his continued support for these efforts is obviously important." . . .

[wagglebee]

More abortionist violence.

Thread by me.

Abortion Employee Runs into Pro-Lifer, Keeps Going at Bizarre Rockford Abortuary

ROCKFORD, Illinois, July 7, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The pattern of abuse at a Rockford abortion facility has continued after an employee allegedly struck with his car a homeless man praying with pro-life protesters, and drove away, according to witnesses at the scene.

The vehicle reportedly struck Scott Griffin on Wednesday as it drove into the driveway of the abortion facility, where pro-lifers say workers frequently drive recklessly in an apparent attempt to intimidate those praying and handing out pro-life literature.

"The dark colored SUV the clinic worker was driving hit Scott Griffin with the mirror on the passenger side so hard the mirror was slammed back into the vehicle and Mr. Griffin was stunned and bruised," Rockford pro-life veteran Kevin Rilott said.

"After the clinic worker hit him she didn't slow down or stop to see how he was - she just kept going."

Another witness, George Lambert, said the female clinic worker "really nailed the guy hard - I couldn't believe she didn't even stop to see how he was."

City Attorney Kerry Partridge refused to comment on whether any suspects had been questioned or charged, saying only that the case is still under investigation. . .