G’Day from Australia, pro-life mates! Rich and I arrived in Melbourne 15 hours ago after just as long a flight from Los Angeles.

Let me also be the first to wish you Happy Independence Day, since the clock just struck midnight July 4 here.

I look forward to speaking  around the country for the next two weeks.

In Australia the legal status of abortion is determined on a state-by-state basis, like the U.S. pre-Roe. In Victoria, where I’m at currently, abortion, including partial-birth abortion, is basically available on demand partially through delivery. Earlier this year two Australian “ethicists” made headlines for advocating “after birth abortion,” otherwise known as infanticide.

So Australian pro-lifers have their work cut out for them. Pray I can be of assistance and encouragement.

I’ll blog when I can. Meanwhile the great volunteers overseeing the Quote of the Day, Pro-life Video of the Day, Pro-Life News Briefs, and Pro-Life Blog Buzz will carry on.

I see the word “access” written freely by progressives and usually mentioned in conjunction with needs like birth control or abortions. Their argument is always framed as seeking more “access” to these services and products.

… Let’s be honest, it’s not more “access” that Planned Parenthood desires, but more “paid for by the taxpayer access.”

~ Bill Whittinghill, in a letter to the editor of the Ventura County Star, June 26

[Photo via flickr.com]

by LauraLoo

WARNING:  Strong vulgarity.

Abortion supporter Kenrick Bradley stopped his car to assault Andrew St. Hilaire, Anti-Choice Project co-founder, during a pro-lifeprotest in front of Olympic College in Bremerton, WA.

Bradley began cursing and hitting St. Hilaire, while trying to destroy his sign and video camera, simply for displaying what happens to babies when they are impacted by abortion.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0SdRfVVlz8[/youtube]

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

[HT: Randi]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz3jJg1CB7c[/youtube]But did you happen to notice one curious line in Chief Justice John Roberts reading of the majority opinion?

Nope, not gonna happen.

~ Michael Voris, Church Militant TV, June 30

Here were my top five favorite cartoons for the week, all pertaining to the Supreme Court’s lamentable decision to uphold the constitutionality of Obamacare…

But first, Obama’s own denial that Obamacare levies a tax, from an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in 2009…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdgPauuMmJI[/youtube]
 by Michael Ramirez at Townhall.com…

 by Glenn McCoy at Townhall.com…

 by Gary Varvel at GoComics.com…

 by Chip Bok at Townhall.com…

 by Steve Kelley at GoComics.com…

 
There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a, New Living Translation

I’m distraught about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Obamacare, but the fight to uphold the sanctity of human life must go on. The Bible is clear that God orchestrates the course of human events, including leaders of nations, good and bad. The Lord allowed this decision for His purpose, which is ultimately for our good, and we trust Him.

Curt Levey, President of the Committee for Justice and a constitutional law attorney, has written “Top ten takeaways from the Obamacare decision.” Here are the bullet points, although the full article at BigGovernment.com is well worth reading:

1. The charge that the Roberts Court is a right-of-center court has been proven wrong in dramatic fashion.

2. Five is not enough.

3. Though the immediate impact of the decision was a stunning defeat for conservatives, the larger cause of constitutional federalism was advanced.

4. Obama and company’s attempt to cow the Supreme Court succeeded.

5. The bullet ObamaCare dodged was more deadly than imagined.

6. Roberts’s opinion was judicial activism at its worst.

7. Chief Justice Roberts will likely be best remembered for disappointing conservatives in the most important case of his judicial career.

8. The White House should not be celebrating.

9. Don’t let the oral argument or talking heads fool you.

10. The meaning of the ObamaCare decision is yet to be determined

What are some of your takeaways from the decision?

Our faith journey isn’t just about showing up on Sunday for a good sermon and good music and a good meal. It’s about what we do Monday through Saturday as well, especially in those quiet moments, when the spotlight’s not on us, and we’re making those daily choices about how to live our lives.

We see that in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t limit his ministry to the four walls of the church. He was out there fighting injustice and speaking truth to power every single day. He was out there spreading a message of grace and redemption to the least, the last, and the lost. And our charge is to find Him everywhere, every day by how we live our lives….

[Faith] is not a once-a-week kind of deal….

Democracy is also an everyday activity. And being an engaged citizen should once again be a daily part of our lives.

~ First Lady Michelle Obama, speaking at the AME General Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 28, as quoted by ABC News

Hot Air’s take:

[T]he First Lady explained her concept of citizenship by likening it to the ministry of Jesus.  Her explanation corroborates the same point that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have been making for months about the intrusive nature of the HHS contraception mandate….

Furthermore, Jesus did not limit His ministry to just those disciples who followed Him, but ministered to many, including Romans, in the course of His evangelization.

However, her husband and Kathleen Sebelius don’t see it that way.  They only allow for activities within “the four walls of the church” to be classified as religious expression exempt from government regulation, and only that activity which excludes those other than believers as participants or recipients, too.

[Photo via the Associated Press]