Roundup: April Fools? Could Be.

It's April Fool's day, but these people aren't joking when it comes to pushing anti-choice ideals.

It may be April Fool’s day, but sadly I think the people in these articles are not joking…

Some conservative Christian authors are attacking Susan B. Anthony list, a national anti-choice fundraising group for supporting Susan Lowden, a candidate for Nevada senate who isn’t “anti-choice enough.”

Gregg Jackson, blogger and author of “Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies”, and David Jeffers, blogger and author of “Understanding Evangelicals: A Guide to Jesusland”, are not surprised that the SBA List is once again backing a faux conservative and misleading its members.

Jackson and Jeffers are amazed that the SBA List would consider Lowden as pro-life just because “she championed a parental notification bill through committee to the floor of the Nevada State Senate.” What SBA List fails to consider is that the law does not stop the murder of unborn babies, at least not if parents give their consent. Jeffers asks, “Is that really pro-life?”

Democratic Congressman Dan Lipinski of Illinois is being praised by anti-choice advocates for breaking from the Stupak block and voting against healthcare reform.  His justification?  That Obama’s executive order is going to be overturned by the courts.

“It was rather lonely, yes,” Lipinski told the Chicago Tribune this weekend about voting against the pro-abortion health care bill after other pro-life Democrats compromised. “But I could not vote for a bill that would change the status quo on funding for abortion.”

Lipinski also indicated he thinks the executive order Obama signed will eventually be overturned in court and that it won’t truly ban abortion funding.

“People have asked me, ‘If it was good enough for Stupak, why wasn’t it good enough for you?'” Lipinski said. “The executive order most likely will be overturned by the federal courts. The order does not trump the law.”

Of course, that’s exactly what the anti-choice folks are claiming, too.  Including a batch from Michigan, Rep. Stupak’s home state.

The lawsuit alleges that the pro-lifers are being forced to contribute to the funding of abortion, which, according to their deeply held religious beliefs and convictions, “is a grave moral disorder since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being,” the complaint reads.

Robert Muise, senior trial counsel for the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based legal group, said the Health Care Reform Act violates the fundamental rights of conscience and free exercise of religion of pro-lifers — rights protected by the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment, which bars Congress from creating any law “prohibiting the free exercise” of a particular religion.

One thing they don’t seem to be complaining about is the $250 million in abstinence only education being created by the healthcare bill, despite the fact that it’s unproven in curbing sexual activity in youth.

The health care reform legislation that President Obama signed recently isn’t only about insurance coverage — there’s also a renewal of $50 million per year for five years for abstinence-focused education.

Programs that receive this funding must “teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services. To qualify, they must also teach that sex before marriage is “likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.” These are part of the “A-H definition,” requirements for programs to receive abstinence funding under Title V of the Social Security Act.

“Title V is trying to make sure that kids are being given a message that saving sex and childbearing for marriage is the safest, healthiest, best choice,” said Scott Phelps, executive director of Abstinence & Marriage Education Partnership. Public schools hire educators from this organization to teach abstinence, and may use Title V funding for it, he said.

In Phelps’ experience — he started his abstinence education work in Chicago, Illinois, 10 years ago — the abstinence message is embraced by kids, even some who have already become sexually active. “They didn’t realize they could stop,” he said.

Organizations promoting evidence-based sex education say it’s troubling that this $250 million will go to state programs that have not been shown to work.

“Just the fact that we continue to pour money into programs that have no evidence of effectiveness at all just doesn’t seem to us to be good evidence-based health policy,” said Heather Boonstra, senior public policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit reproductive and sexual health research firm.

Finally, is this a joke? New birth control for men!

 

March 31, 2010

Restraining Order Stamped on Abortion-notification LawWJBD Online

Obama signs order affirming ban on federal funds for abortionsLos Angeles Times

Neb. lawmakers to debate abortion restrictionsNTV

Kan. lawmakers to consider abortion law rewriteCNBC

Baltimore Archdiocese Sues City over New Law Targeting Pregnancy CentersLifeNews.com

Obama Signing Reconciliation Health Care Bill With No Fixes for Abortion FundingLifeNews.com

Illinois judge upholds abortion parental notification lawJURIST

Health Care Reform: Women blogging against itExaminer.com 

Personhood measure makes ballotColorado Springs Independent

Senate tightens rules on late-term abortionKansas.com

When will Catholic church learn the virtues of full disclosure?Baltimore Sun

Legislature Pushing for National Abortion FightWatchdog

SoCal schools drop parental OK for medical leavesSan Jose Mercury News

Kansas bill tightens late-term abortionsUPI.com

Abortion Restriction Closer to EnforcementCourthouse News Service

Health-care reform foes still getting it wrongDelaware County Daily Times

Christian Authors Say Susan B. Anthony List Endorsing Wrong Pro-Life CandidateChristian News Wire

Oberstar says claims that health care bill allows federal abortion funding …Minneapolis Star Tribune

Boy faces adult trial in death of woman, fetusChicago Sun-Times 

Family Planning, Access To Safe, Legal Abortion Key To Maternal, Child Health …Kaiser Family Foundation

Crisis pregnancy centers sue for discriminationSalon

Tenn. Senate OKs abortion anti-coercion signsJackson Sun

Catholic bishops intervene in British electionWashington Post

Missouri House Passes Abortion LegislationKCUR

San Diego Teens Waive Parental ConsentSanDiego.com

Nebraska Abortion Bill Gets First Round ApprovalKPTM-TV

Canada embarrassed by Harper stand on abortion for Third World: IgnatieffThe Canadian Press

Killer of Kan. abortion doctor faces life sentenceThe Associated Press

Setting the record straight on health careEscanaba Daily Press

Hillary Clinton’s awkward Canadian vacationTrue/Slant

Cook County Judge Tosses Abortion Lawsuit, But Calls Parental Notification Law …Huffington Post

Maternal health includes family planning, access to abortion: ClintonNational Post

MP to observe 2010-11 as ‘family planning year’Zee News

South Africa: Female Students Bear the Brunt of HIV InfectionAllAfrica.com

Novel stem cell therapy to tackle HIVDaily News & Analysis 

 

April 1, 2010

Legislation Requires “Anti-Coercion” Signs In Abortion ClinicsNashville Public Radio

Pro-Life Democrat Who Split With Stupak Pans Obama Abortion Executive OrderLifeNews.com

Parental Notification Law Won’t Go Into Effect ImmediatelyChicago Public Radio

Abortion protest set at Aurora clinic following settlement with cityChicago Tribune

Abortion Restriction Closer to Enforcement  Courthouse News Service

Bishops, cardinals have lost all their credibilityEvansville Courier & Press

Stop attacking pro-life, StupakDaily Caller

Choice at home and abroadGlobe and Mail

Kansas abortions down – killer to be sentencedSan Francisco Chronicle

Four Michigan Pro-Lifers File Federal Lawsuit Saying Health-Care Bill Makes …CNSNews.com

Letter: Thank you to Rep. StupakWorthington Daily Globe

Teen gets legal abortion, parents in the darkOneNewsNow

Health clinic helped 15-year-old girl get abortionSeattle Times

A needed rebukeOttawa Citizen

Lawmakers again try to tighten late-term abortion laws in KansasKansas City Star

Anti-abortion activist to be sentenced in doctor’s slayingCNN

$250 million for abstinence education not evidence-based, groups sayCNN International

Clinton’s tough diplomacy stings Ottawa  Globe and Mail

New Health Care Reform Provides Funding for Abstinence-Focused EducationModern Mom

Bill Donohue: Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal Is Not A Pedophilia Crisis But A Homosexual Crisis …Huffington Post

New Male Contraception OfferedPR Newswire

Haiti quake may be major setback for HIV fightmsnbc.com

‘Faithful’ women at risk of HIVJakarta Post

Louisville Courier-Journal Examines Efforts To Reduce Gynecological Cancer …Medical News Today

Voice of the Day Midwifery can help Missouri’s bottom lineNews-Leader.com

Health Care Fact Check: Will abortion be covered?Plain Dealer