by LauraLoo

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7cNGjr8vdQ[/youtube]

Email LauraLoo with your Lunch Break suggestions.

[HT: Susie Allen]

Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards sent a fundraising email this morning under an ominous caption…

I guess standing with Planned Parenthood is not supposed to be fun but frightening, kind of like watching a scary murder movie…

Indeed, the letter was intended to frighten Planned Parenthood supporters that their beloved organization and cause were losing ground at great speed by listing recent pro-life accomplishments. Of course, reading this list had the opposite effect on me, as I’m sure it will you:

In Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer is set to sign legislation that could ban federal funding for Planned Parenthood health centers. This comes just weeks after she signed a law that places severe limits on when women can get abortions – and means that many women will lose the right to end a pregnancy before they receive important information about their own health and the health of their pregnancy. [JLS note: Interesting spin on a law that bans late-term abortions after 20 weeks because babies feel pain by that age.]

And it’s not just Arizona. Lawmakers in Wisconsin, Texas, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee have eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood health centers – and Ohio may be next. Six other states, including Idaho, Nebraska, and Kansas, have enacted abortion time limits similar to those in Arizona, and a bill in Georgia is awaiting the governor’s signature. In Virginia and Texas, women seeking abortions are now forced by law to undergo ultrasounds.

Can I get a woot?

The most terrifying aspect of American Horror Story isn’t the shocking gore or gasping plot twists.

When our reproductive rights face a daily barrage of attacks, it’s frightening that the series so blatantly perpetuates myths surrounding the fear, stigma and shame of abortion and pregnancy.

~ Megan Kearns criticizing the treatment of abortion by the American Horror Story television series, Bitch Flicks, April 26

[Content Warning]

During the predawn hours of April 20, Western Kentucky University student Elaina Smith desecrated a  display that had been erected by pro-life group Hilltoppers for Life by draping condoms over each of the 3,700 crosses that had been constructed to memorialize the number of children killed each day by abortion in the U.S.

Hilltoppers had received permission from the university for their display.

But when members of the group called campus police to stop Smith, they came but stood by, claiming they “couldn’t do anything because the condoms aren’t actually vandalization.”

Smith said the condoms were part of an art project. WBKO reported “[h]er Art Professor, Kristina Arnold, says she did not disprove of the idea and that she encourages learning.”

The WBKO story (which includes video of Smith desecrating the display) added Smith had apologized for her actions, but she has not. Last night Students for Life of America was forwarded this email from Smith:

From: “Smith, Elaina, C”
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 3:11 PM
Subject: Elaina Smith

During the week of April 16th, the Hilltoppers for Life’s pro-life display remained un-interrupted. The student body tolerated this intrusion without major incident. The voice of the pro-life community was heard. On the last day of this event, I attempted to add to the visual dialogue with my own voice and was met with strong resistance. I take this subject very seriously, and had hoped to remind people of the effectiveness of condoms and other forms of contraception in preventing unwanted pregnancies. I do not ask that everyone agree with my point of view or the way in which I tried to express it. However, I stand by my actions. I do not believe that I impeded anyone else’s freedom of expression. I did not break any laws. I did not damage any property. I voluntarily removed the condoms even though I was not required to do so. At the time, I thought that the matter had ended there. I do not feel that I should apologize for attempting to exercise the freedoms that we all are entitled to.

Elaina Smith

This morning Alliance Defense Fund sent a letter to WKU President Dr. Gary Ransdell on behalf of Hilltoppers, expressing hope to “resolve this matter amicably” but listing stipulations for that to happen, including public apologies from Smith and the head of campus security, assurances that Smith would not get credit for her “visual dialogue,” and disclosure of who purchased and supplied Smith with the condoms.

ADF also requested all university documents that discussed Hilltoppers and Elaina Smith’s involvement in Kristina Arnold’s art class from January 1, 2012 to present.

by JivinJ, host of the blog, JivinJehoshaphat

• In the Washington Times, Cathy Cleaver Ruse discusses the depths of Representative Jerrold Nadler’s ignorance:
  

  Mr. Nadler did make one concession at the committee meeting. “On the other hand,” he said, “an 8-month-old fetus or a 9-month-old fetus, in my opinion, is a human being.” Some concession. Can we not in 2012 call even a nearly born infant a human being as a matter of fact rather than opinion?

• Father Raymond De Souza writes about Canada’s non-consensus on abortion and Stephen Woodworth’s motion to study if the unborn are human beings:
  

  Canada’s “consensus” on our unlimited abortion licence — any time, for any reason, fully funded by tax dollars — is a strange one. First of all, it’s not really a consensus, as only a minority of Canadians, when polled, support the extreme position we currently have.

  Yet the faux-consensus is apparently so essential that any attempt to moderate Canada’s abortion enthusiasm is thought to be unpatriotic, as if adopting, say, French or German abortion policies would be to accede to the most retrograde social policies imaginable. At the same time, the faux-consensus is so fragile that every attempt must be made to prevent any discussion about it.

• In a transparent attempt to keep her problem-ridden Alabama abortion clinic afloat, Southern state abortion clinic magnate Diane Derzis (pictured left) is trying to pull a Steven Brigham. She’s attempting to hand over ownership of her abortion clinic to someone who either rents from her or lives with her. Pro-life groups have noted the fishy business:
  

  Ochata Management LLC filed an application for a license to run the clinic on March 30, according to state records released at the request of The Birmingham News. Ochata was formed on March 21, according to records in the office of the Alabama Secretary of State.

  Several anti-abortion organizations on Tuesday sent regulators a letter alleging that Ochata’s administrator and the clinic’s current owner, Diane Derzis, have a relationship that should bar the company from taking over the clinic. Under the terms of a consent decree any new operator “must be independent from and not affiliated with New Woman or its officers and directors.” …

  According to Ochata Management’s license application, Ochata is located in a 16th Street South building. According to Jefferson County tax records, Derzis owns a building with the same street address….

• At Red State, Marjorie Dannenfelser notes that Planned Parenthood’s political ad was completely unpersuasive to Pennsylvania voters: In Pennsylvania’s 134th House district, they spent an eye-popping $100,000 on a TV ad campaign trying to sink the candidacy of Republican Ryan MacKenzie by linking him to ultrasound legislation that was before the legislature….

  That trial balloon popped when MacKenzie cruised to victory by an 18-point margin, 59 percent to 41 percent.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElWC0QRsmJw[/youtube]

[Derzis photo via saynsumthn.wordpress.com]

by LauraLoo

Beyonce was named “Most Beautiful Woman of 2012” by People. 

I love the reason Beyonce cites for prefering to receive this award now.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxmDH14tP-k[/youtube]

Who would you choose as “most beautiful woman?”  For me, year after year it would always be: 1) my late mom Helen; 2) Aunt Mary and church-mom Ann; 3) all my close girlfriends.  God brought all of these wonderful women into my life and I am forever grateful!

Email LauraLoo with your Lunch Break suggestions.

Planned Parenthood thinks it has been the target of another pro-life undercover sting, this one on sex selective abortions.

On April 23 Planned Parenthood’s Vice President of Education Leslie Kantor and Senior Medical Advisor Carolyn Westhoff coauthored an attempt to preempt an exposé they think may be coming in an RH Reality Check op ed:

In recent weeks people who oppose Planned Parenthood… have been conducting a secret, nationwide hoax campaign in an attempt to undermine women’s access to services.

For years opponents of reproductive health and rights have used secret videotaping tactics with fictitious patient scenarios and selective editing to promote falsehoods about Planned Parenthood’s mission, services, and policies. Recently, one group has escalated these hoax visits in many states, apparently using secret recorders while inquiring about sex selection abortions. We anticipate that this group, likely in coordination with a broad range of anti-choice leaders, will soon launch a propaganda campaign with the goal of discrediting Planned Parenthood….

As a women’s rights advocate for nearly 100 years, Planned Parenthood finds the concept of sex selection deeply unsettling. Planned Parenthood does not offer sex determination services; our ultrasound services are limited to medical purposes.

Gender bias is contrary to everything our organization works for…. Planned Parenthood condemns sex selection motivated by gender bias, and urges leaders to challenge the underlying conditions that lead to these beliefs and practices, including addressing the social, legal, economic, and political conditions that promote gender bias and lead some to value one gender over the other.

From the questions that were repeatedly asked in these recent hoax visits, we expect that the materials eventually released will focus on Planned Parenthood’s non-judgmental discussions with the various women who posed as possible patients. So, we would like to address that subject directly.

Planned Parenthood insists on the highest professional standards, which among other things means we offer nonjudgmental, confidential care in accordance with relevant laws.  That doesn’t mean we always agree with the decisions made by people who seek our help, but it does mean that we realize that we can’t know all of the circumstances faced by any patient and that requiring women to justify the care they seek is a dangerous health care model for an organization….

Planned Parenthood has extensive guidelines and training requirements for all staff who may encounter difficult or unusual questions, such as those posed by the hoax patients. If a health center learns of an instance where a staff member has not fully followed policies or procedures, swift action is taken to remedy the situation. Our rigorous and ongoing training and quality assurance help identify potential issues, and all health centers respond to any training or personnel needs with professionalism and respect. Planned Parenthood cares about staff, and conducts retraining or other personnel action responsibly.

The obvious investigative organization would be Live Action, which has conducted numerous revealing stings against Planned Parenthood. I asked Lila Rose if Live Action was behind a sex selective sting and received this response:

Live Action’s policy is not to comment on or confirm ongoing investigative research until its conclusion and public release.

So we shall see. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood can’t have it both ways. Planned Parenthood cannot say abortion is amoral yet “condemn[] sex selection motivated by gender bias.”

Either abortion has the underlying moral problem of killing a human being, or no form or reason for it it can be condemned, including killing preborn females. Even acknowledging that those being aborted have a gender is problematic, because it is acknowledging that abortion kills boys and girls.

In fact, abortion only escalates gender bias against women. It decreases the female population, creating stronger patriarchal societies that express even more bias against women. It also increases sex trafficking, since women become rare commodities.

One final note. Huffington Post needs to correct a story. In an April 23 piece reporting on the feared sting Laura Bassett wrote:

HuffPost’s Ryan Grim reported in February 2011 that Live Action heavily edited the videos they gathered to alter the meaning of conversations and falsely imply that Planned Parenthood is complicit in sex trafficking….

This is false. In fact, Live Action released unedited videos from all seven locations it investigated. It went so far as to submit all unedited tapes to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, for what that was worth.

As a former sports attorney I have seen with my own eyes the night in and night out temptations that are placed in front of professional athletes.

Couple that with having to play on the hottest stage in sports and his limited talents, and I thought: ‘Why not challenge his personal notions’… which to me are not aligned with where we are currently within our own society.

~ Noel Biderman, founder of the extramarital dating website AshleyMadison.com, remarking on his offer of $1M to any woman who can provide proof of a sexual encounter with Christian NY Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (pictured above), as quoted by The Christian Post, April 25

[Photo via mankindunplugged.com]