12-Year-Old Stuns Pro-Choice Teacher and School with Pro-Life Presentation (On YouTube)

LifeSiteNews ^ | Monday February 16, 2009 | Kathleen Gilbert

[GonzoII]

Monday February 16, 2009

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12-Year-Old Stuns Pro-Choice Teacher and School with Pro-Life Presentation

By Kathleen Gilbert

TORONTO, February 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - 12-year-old "Lia" of Toronto has become a star at her school and on Youtube with her five-minute pro-life speech, crafted for a school competition.  Despite discouragement and outright opposition, Lia's presentation was so well done that she reportedly won the contest she was told she would be disqualified from, due to the "controversial" message of her speech.

Lia's mother broke the story of her daughter's win in an e-mail to the Moral Outcry blog. LifeSiteNews.com attempts to contact Lia and her parents for comment were unreturned by press time. The speech, however, is available in its entirety on Youtube, where it has been viewed over 100,000 times and sparked a heated discussion. (See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOR1wUqvJS4&feature=channel_page)

"What if I told you that right now, someone was choosing if you were gonna live or die?" begins the charismatic seventh-grader in a practice recording of the speech posted on Youtube.  "What if I told you that this choice wasn't based on what you could or couldn't do, what you'd done in the past, or what you would do in the future? And what if I told you, you could do nothing about it? 

"Fellow students and teachers, thousands of children are right now in that very situation.  Someone is choosing without even knowing them whether they are going to live or die.  That someone is their mother.  And that choice is abortion."

Lia, speaking easily and with sunny enthusiasm, fires off answers to several common objections in the brief speech. 

"Why do we think that just because a fetus can't talk or do what we do, it isn't a human being yet?"  She asks.  "Some babies are born after only five months.  Is this baby not human? 

"We would never say that. Yet abortions are performed on 5-month-old fetuses all the time.  Or do we only call them humans if they're wanted?

"Think about the child's rights, that were never given to it. No matter what rights the mother has, it doesn't mean we can deny the rights of the fetus," she said. "We must remember that with our rights and our choices come responsibilities, and we can't take someone else's rights away to avoid our responsibilities."

Lia's mother says that the topic was of her own choosing, and that she was determined not to back down, even after teachers told her it was "too mature" and "too controversial."

"She was also told that if she went ahead with that topic, she would not be allowed to continue on in the speech competition," Lia's mother wrote in the email to the Moral Outcry blog.  "Initially, I tried helping her find other topics to speak on, but, in the end, she was adamant. She just felt she wanted to continue with the topic of abortion. So she forfeited her chance to compete in order to speak on something she was passionate about."

But according to updates posted on the blog (http://bound4life.com/blog/2009/02/06/y-o-p-p#updates), Lia's pro-choice teacher was so moved by the speech that she decided to allow her to participate in the competition after all. Lia won for her class.

The speech then sparked a controversy at the school wide competition last Thursday, where the school principal and teachers reportedly all agreed that Lia's speech was the obvious winner - but the judges had decided to disqualify her because of the topic. 

By the end of the day, one judge who was offended by the pro-life speech agreed to step down, leaving the remaining judges to reverse the decision and declare Lia the school wide winner, advancing Lia to represent her school at a regional competition.

Lia's mother said the girl's determination to present her message stemmed from her family's participation in the pro-life movement. 

"We were invited to participate in a 'Life Tape Siege,'" she wrote.  "Once my kids heard of this invitation, they all agreed: 'We have to do that!'  Since then, Lia's passion for seeing abortion end has continued."

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021605.html

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[GonzoII]

[MrB]

we can't take someone else's rights away to avoid our responsibilities

How well said... better than anything I've ever come up with.

[GeronL]

If they confirm this it would be really awesome

[GonzoII]

Ping.

[MaryFromMichigan]

Wow! She is amazing!
Pro life BTTT!

[polymuser]

And YouTube turned off the comments because:

“We apologize for turning off the commenting functionality. This was not to stop genuine discussion or debate on the issue but was, rather, a response to the cowardly who used it as an opportunity to throw insults and threats at a young girl that they hated without reason. Thank-you to everyone who, whether in agreement or not, has responded in a respectful manner.”

Ah, yes, those diverse, inclusive, tolerant and multicultural liberals at their keyboards.

[avacado]

Bookmark for later! Thanks!

[GonzoII]

"And YouTube turned off the comments because:"

That's all right, that girl is the future!

[diamond6]

Pro-life ping!

[wolfcreek]

I wouldn’t want to have to debate that little lady on any subject....she’s way too good.

Excellent Job, Lia!

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Wow!

GREAT MUST WATCH VIDEO!

Thanks!

[polymuser]

That's all right, that girl is the future!

I am optimistically hopeful that is true -- that a large percentage of our youth can see the irrationality of the left for what it is, know it's wrong and want change.

[abigail2]

That little girt is amazing! Thanks for posting this.

[MrB]

one judge who was offended by the pro-life speech agreed to step down

There's a shocker. Usually pro-aborts don't have this much integrity.

This one must have been one of those "pro-aborts" instead of a "had-abort". A "had-abort" would have not conceded their "right" in any way.

[RepubRep]

By the end of the day, one judge who was offended by the pro-life speech agreed to step down, ________________________________

Now isn’t this teaching our kids the right attitude. Agree with me or I will go sit in a corner and suck my thumb. Real maturity!! I suspect she was to be judged by the actual presentation - not the topic.

[MrB]

Read my 14.

I think it was commendable for the “pro-choicer” to step down instead of adamantly stifling the girl’s message.

[Waryone]

And a little child shall lead them.

Praise God who blesses us all with His mercy.

[Gondring]

So you’re attacking the person who turned off the comments?

[Gondring]

I wouldn’t want to have to debate that little lady on any subject....she’s way too good.

Agreed, her delivery is excellent (though the content is misleading in places).

[lowbridge]

bump

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

one judge who was offended by the pro-life speech

People against pro-life are a dime a dozen, but people offended by a speech in favor of it --- you'd think they'd be ashamed to admit that. Libs are supposed to be such champions of free speech...

[RepubRep]

Our 11 y/o grandson had to select a well known person for his “hero” essay project. He picked Ronald Regan and the last sentence stated Ronald Regan was an American hero because he fixed the mess Jimmie Carter created. HA! Now if we can keep these kids from being brainwashed in the local universities!!

[reagan_fanatic]

Amazing. That young girl has far more maturity than the liberals who go around screaming like a bunch of knuckle-dragging primates whenever the abortion issue comes up.

Good for her, and great job - I wish her all the best!

[Humble Servant]

You know, I almost didn’t log on this afternoon because I dreaded hearing about more of the onslaught of socialist Orwellian crap that we’re drowning in. Boy, am I glad I did. This girl has lifted my spirit and given me inspiration. I’ve got a lot to write down and to pass along.

Life is good.

Choose it.

[polymuser]

So you’re attacking the person who turned off the comments?

(Loud buzzer) No.

I was commenting on "the cowardly who used it as an opportunity to throw insults and threats at a young girl that they hated without reason."

[NonValueAdded]

God Blessed her.

[kalee]

ping

[Humble Servant]

Actually, a good percentage of “had-abort”s become pro-life, including the woman who was the subject of Roe vs. Wade, as well as others I’ve heard.

[Humble Servant]

We should all emulate the clarity, simplicity, and common sense of her words.

[Burkean]

It’s so sad that those people’s minds are clouded by such hate. Must everyone fall in lock step behind what they believe or else be maligned and threatened?

[Navy Patriot]

An impressive young lady.

[Kimmers]

From the mouth of babes......who knows how many lives her message may save

[MrB]

“Had-abort”s will take one of two paths -

perpetual justification of their “right” to do what they did,

or repentance and attempting to make it right by using their testimony to convince others.

[polymuser]

It’s so sad that those people’s minds are clouded by such hate. Must everyone fall in lock step behind what they believe or else be maligned and threatened?

Yes, and that's what's so dangerous about our political majority now: they'll use power against those that disagree. And it does, indeed, stem from hate, from a simple core hate of Godly righteousness.

[narses]

+

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Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment

Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

[carpediem365]

Amazing—thanks for posting! Next time right-to-life Sunday rolls around, I am asking her to fill my pulpit. She said more in 5 minutes than I can say in 30, plus people will pay attention!

[narses]

Thank you for another in a long line of great posts. God Bless!

[sneakers]

I love it! God bless her!

And I love the way she ended it - with the quote from the Dr Seuss book, and the sweet smile!

[MaryFromMichigan]

You know, I almost didn’t log on this afternoon because I dreaded hearing about more of the onslaught of socialist Orwellian crap that we’re drowning in.

I can relate!
I've been very discouraged lately.
You may enjoy reading this story as well: Miami Banker Gives $60 Million Of His Own To Employees

Be nice if someone had a "Good News" ping list!

[AmericanSphinx71]

Hehe! This 12 year old girl articulates the point against abortion better tha 40 year old Ashley Judd tries to articlulate the point for abortion.

I’m surprised the leftist teacher didn’t give this girl an “F”.

[chiefqc]

I wonde how long it will be until obamawama’s shock troops and kneepad groupies start to belittle her, try to dig up dirt on her and hound her into silance,

In the meantime the POTUS, empty suit obamawama, will continue to use the tax payers money to suupport his favorite charity, the murder of the most innocent.

[DieHard the Hunter]

“Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings...”

I guess sometimes God chooses unlikely messangers to carry His messages. What a wee angel!

Bookmarked and thanks for posting this thread!

[pvoce]

And a child shall lead them....

THAT gives me hope!

[Cheryllynn]

Bravo!!

[LadyPilgrim]

This is wonderful! Thank you for posting her speech.
God bless her and her family!
May her words have some kind of positive life impact on the unholy deadness of liberalism.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Yes, there is a God. He made that child! Marvelous post!!!

[Nephi]

Excellent speech, let alone by a 12 year old. I favorited the video.

She presented a very coherent, well organized, thoughtful and compelling defense of the unborn. She also touched on the emotional damage that those, who choose abortion, live with for the rest of their lives.

I liked how she quoted from the Dr. Zuess story about Whoville. I am curious, though; she mentioned Sharon Osborn. Is that Ozzy’s Sharon Osborn?

[Calico Cat]

Including me and several of my friends.

[ought-six]

From the mouths of children we will be taught. God bless this girl, and let her words be heard.

[techno]

First, Rush always say he doesn’t allow anybody to have power over him by allowing them to offend him and second if the prospect of a woman choosing to bring her pregancy to term isn’t a pro-choice position (choice implies more than one option) then this judge does not truly believe in pro-choice but really believes in pro-death and thus regard abortion as a Hobson’s choice rather than a choice of which apples one should buy: red or green.