Breaking: Fox’s Special Report with Bret Baier to spotlight personhood movement tonight
UPDATE, 7:18p: Thanks to American Life League for posting the Fox story on YouTube toot sweet. The volume is a little low, but I could hear the piece just fine with ear phones.
I disagree with commenter Nancyu that the story “was very slanted toward pro abort POV.” I thought it was quite fair and balanced….
I liked that this point by Keith was spotlighted: “So we’re changing the word ‘pro-life’ to mean personhood. No longer can you claim to be pro-life unless you support personhood.” This means that the contraception issue is coming to a head. Personhood initiatives force pro-lifers and groups looking the other way to acknowledge that some forms of contraception can kill children. These initiatives also mean pro-life groups will have to address the IVF issue.
This also means pro-abort groups will be forced to acknowledge the abortifacient aspect of contraceptives, which they’ve successfully avoided for decades, primarily by changing the definition of pregnancy. Personhood initiatives put pro-aborts in the tough spot of trying to scare women that they will lead to the outlaw of contraceptives while not being able to articulate why. The Fox story showcased their dilemma. NARAL CO rep Emilie Ailts’s explanation was quite clumsy, if not comical: “The proponents of Amendment 62 have been very clear that they do want to outlaw any forms of contraception that would impede the… um… fertilization and implantation of a fertilized egg.” Huh?
I also like how Fox ended by showing how expansive the personhood movement is.
3:16p: It could get bumped, but as it stands, Fox’s Special Report with Bret Baier is scheduled to run a story tonight on the personhood movement, with a focus on CO’s proposed Amendment 62. The show airs at 6p EST.
Much of the backstory, via the Associated Press, March 27:
The Secretary of State’s Office said Friday [March 26] that CO-based Personhood USA submitted enough valid signatures to put an abortion-ending proposal to a statewide vote this fall. The proposal would give unborn fetuses human rights in the state constitution, setting up a likely conflict with the US Constitution over a woman’s right to abortions.
The group is pushing similar measures in 40 states this year.
Personhood USA first turned in almost 80k signatures in February, nearly 4k more than what they needed to get their proposal on the state ballot. But thousands of the signatures were rejected. The group turned in several thousand more signatures last week and those were accepted.
A similar abortion measure was on CO ballots in 2008 and voters soundly rejected it.
In 2008 the CO initiative was indeed “soundly rejected” – 73% to 27%.
Interviewed for the Fox piece were Keith Mason of Personhood USA and Gualberto Jones of Personhood CO. Keith said his response to the question, “Why do it again?” was, “We are educating people about the dignity of the preborn child. The State of CO is our classroom. We are bringing the class to attention, and any teacher knows the best time to teach is when students are paying attention.”
Keith said the political winds have changed and he expects a much stronger response to the CO’s personhood initiative in 2010 than it received in 2008.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Halleluih!:)
Just saw it! Yay!!
I’m copy and pasting my comment from facebook. Yea, so I’m a little bit lazy)
I just watched the report. In my opinion it was very slanted toward pro abort POV.
Every news report I’ve ever seen or heard, paints the personhood movement as simply wanting to grant personhood to embryos. They don’t get it. (well…they do get it they’re just pretending not to.)
Personhood applies to ALL human beings. Yes, that does include those in the earliest stages of their development including, but not limited to, those in the embryonic stage of their lives..
And personhood does NOT impact contraception!
It MAY impact SOME types of birth control, but NOT if it is purely contraceptive.
Fox News — I’m disappointed. You may be slightly better than the others, but you’re still not telling THE TRUTH.
Even Fox with this “fertilized egg” business? The terms you’re looking for are “human embryo” and/or “zygote.”
Alicia Acuna – are you a fertilized egg?
Do solid science research before making a ridiculous statement.
http://www.thrufire.com/blog/2009/03/fertilized-eggs-vs-zygotic-human-embryos/
Nancyu,
I’m having trouble understanding your objection, and believe me that I’m on your side. Are you saying that personhood is not being discussed on the other end of the life spectrum? Or are you concerned that it is not being discussed regarding all stages of in utero development?
The egg when fertilized becomes the zygote, which is a single-celled embryo. Thus, in discussing the human in the embryonic stage as a person, we necessarily imply personhood from zygotic stage until natural death hopefully at age 115.
What exactle is the slant that you see?
That should have read:
What exactly
Fight to Prevent Medicare Fraud Turns Violent
Federal Investigators at War with Gangs That Bilk Billions from Taxpayers
‘abcnews.go.com/WN/Health/armed-gangs-making-medicare-fraud-violent-crime/story?id=10287949’
Medicare fraud has become very big business for gangs, members of the Mafia and other thugs. One estimate suggests that criminals steal some $60 billion from the federal government via healthcare fraud every year.
They commit the fraud by recruiting people with clean records who then apply for Medicare vendor licenses. Websites walk them through the process, step-by-step.
“It’s so easy to steal from Medicare and Medicaid, it attracts a violent criminal element so they can cash in on their schemes,” said Tim Menke, the chief of investigations for the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
Many of the criminals are armed to the teeth to enforce their authority. Undercover surveillance footage shows members of an Armenian gang in Los Angeles as they confront an accomplice suspected of skimming their profits in a $30 million Medicare fraud scheme. The gang members threatened to kill the man.
According to the government, the groups across the country will beat or threaten witnesses to prevent them from testifying against them. They don’t hesitate to bribe or threaten patients in order to get them to submit false claims, and they back up those threats with paramilitary-style high powered weapons, including 50 caliber sniper rifles. At one so-called medical equipment company in Dallas, a huge weapons cache was discovered with approximately 60 assault weapons.
As part of one investigation into a Medicare fraud case, a search of a doctor’s property in the Northeast turned up explosives and landmines, and authorities have seized dozens of rifles and handguns in San Francisco from a facility operated by a gun runner who worked with a Mexican cartel.
The exotic weapons that Health and Human Services investigators have collected look like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster — pistols that shoot like machine guns and other special equipment. Medicare fraud has turned into an arms race.
“When we start coming across silencers and body armor, that tells us the criminals are playing for keeps,” said Menke.
——————————————————
Of course the effect of the b.o. hellthscare scam will make it impossible for this kind of criminal enterprise to continue to exist.
NOT!
Adds new meaning to ‘death panels’ and ‘end of life’ counseling.
The federal government does not like competition.
yor bro ken
Medicare fraud has become very big business for gangs, members of the Mafia and other thugs. One estimate suggests that criminals steal some $60 billion from the federal government via healthcare fraud every year.
They commit the fraud by recruiting people with clean records who then apply for Medicare vendor licenses. Websites walk them through the process, step-by-step.
“It’s so easy to steal from Medicare and Medicaid, it attracts a violent criminal element so they can cash in on their schemes,” said Tim Menke, the chief of investigations for the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
Many of the criminals are armed to the teeth to enforce their authority. Undercover surveillance footage shows members of an Armenian gang in Los Angeles as they confront an accomplice suspected of skimming their profits in a $30 million Medicare fraud scheme. The gang members threatened to kill the man.
Gerard,
Perhaps I misjudged. The report was indeed “fair and balanced” Maybe a litte too much so.
Is every news report required to report both sides of a story? Can we get a word in edgewise in defense of children without having to say “but this might interfere with b/c and IVF, so be careful how you vote”?
Down with the fairness doctrine. Defend the child. Let NARAL fend for itself.
Jill,
Contraception does NOT kill children! Please clarify this.
Some birth control pills go beyond contraception by including abortifacients. This is what the public needs more education on.
Please watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiCU46_lWeE
Hi Nancyu,
You’re right. I shouldn’t have made a blanket statement. At the time I was thinking of IUDs, which always kill children. But I added “can” here:
“… some forms of contraception can kill children….”
This from MSNBC:
“Law Makes it a Crime to be Illegal Immigrant.”
Maybe what they meant to say is:
“Law makes it a crime to be an undoucmented alien.”
But it was already ‘illegal’ (a ‘crime’) for a foreign national to be in the United States without having current, valid documentation.
How about this:
Self serving liberals looking for ways to enitce voters sympathetic to the democRAT party want to make it illegal to enforce existing immigration law.
The democRATS are in big trouble. Their base is disaffected and deserting them. The only remaining part of their big tent of political correctness that can be relied upon to show up at the polls and vote for them are the dead, the institutionalized and the dead babies r us mob.
yor bro ken
Nancyu wrote:
Jill, contraception does NOT kill children! Please clarify this. Some birth control pills go beyond contraception by including abortifacients.
(??)
Hormonal birth control pills do not contain “extra additive abortifacients”, like vitamins contain “artificial flavours and colours”; the hormones themselves make the endometrium hostile to implantation of the embryo… which results in a quiet abortion in which the child simply “flows out” after failing to implant. The same effect happens with the IUD.
Granted, I don’t see any obvious mechanism by which “barrier methods” could cause an abortion (though the use of them is profoundly stupid for other reasons).
Fantastic coverage of our effort, Jill.
Many thanks!!
Leslie Hanks, V.P. Colorado RTL
Co-sponsor Amendment 62
Personhood Now!
…the hormones themselves make the endometrium hostile to implantation of the embryo… which results in a quiet abortion in which the child simply “flows out” after failing to implant. The same effect happens with the IUD.
Paladin @ 7:57 AM
You’ve painted some very strong imagery which will certainly make people think twice about their artificial birth control choices.
So NARAL Colorado believes contraception can prevent fertilization of a fertilized egg.
Emilie Ailts: Spokeswoman for Stupid.
Cranky,
You are too funny. Ailt’s poor choice of words just goes to show how important language is in the abortion debate. The truth will prevail.
Jill, Excellent article!
Gerard Nadal @ 10:16,
So you want to live to age 115? You must be planning for a few more careers, or a lot of time with your children and grandchildren!
God bless!
Janet,
If I could stay mentally fit, sure, I think it would be a hoot to hit 115!! That would mean I would be 113 on the 100th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, and I would make it a point to go and dance on the Supreme Court Steps and celebrate the victory of its overturning that is coming before then.
Now, tell me you wouldn’t want to join me ;-)
Gerard,
I’ll be 97 on the 100th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Paternal Great grandma lived on her own until her death at 99. Paternal Grandma lived on her own until she passed recently at 94. Maternal Grandma still living in her own home at age 89.
If I’m still around and able at 97 to go dance on those Steps I will. If your watching with Christ from beyond, I’ll have a beer in your memory!
Peace.
Praxedes,
Sounds great! Only 63 years to go!! Certainly my children and grandchildren will be dancing there. Not sure how we got off on this tangent (too tired and lazy right now to track it), but I honestly see the pro-life movement building to critical mass.
Sometimes it takes a horror show like Obama to snap people out of their narcotic trance as the Culture of Death crowd advances their agenda by increments. Now the enemy has been caught in the open. Stealth over!
I really think we’re going to win this thing and celebrate with a victory parade in 2073, rather than a protest march. We’ll see how many pro-aborts are willing to come out and freeze their chops off the way we have. Their movement is going to die with a whimper as we smother them.
This era will be viewed as the beginning of the great enduring shift in momentum. We’re blessed to be called to this task, in this time. It’s a privilege, really.
kbhvac, the AZ law makes it a crime for even U.S. citizens to not carry their papers at all time.
The “melted ice cube” analogy is great! I’m using that one.
Nulono, no it doesn’t.
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf
I suggest you actually READ the bill.
First of all, the police can’t just stop someone for no reason. They have to already be involved in contact for another reason.
The bill states: “For any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person. The person’s immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 United States code section 1373(c).”
Nowhere in the law is it made a crime to not have your legal identification with you (except as it is already reason for a citation to drive without your driver’s license). If you don’t have your legal identification you might have to wait until your identity as a legal alien or citizen is confirmed, but it is not a crime in any way.
Gerard @ 1:20 PM,
What a great idea! DC in 2073!
Paladin: Why do you think barrier methods are stupid?
Paladin: Why do you think barrier methods are stupid?
The full answer to that is something of a long story (which you could get by checking out something called The Theology of the Body–though this link is also good), but the short answer is the reason why I’d call *all* methods of contraception “stupid”: it involves the fact that contraception compromises true love; by its very nature, it says, “You can have this much of me, but not all–not my fertility, and not my complete trust with our future children.” Its very design also promotes “use” of your partner (i.e. “I want my sexual “kicks” without the consequences, and you’re a tool to that end; and if we mutually “agree” to use each other in that way, then so much the better.”).
True love is a choice to sacrifice of oneself for the best good of the beloved. It’s the way God loves. Contraception naturally tends toward reducing the sexual act to mere recreation–a “sport”, or amusement, which doesn’t involve self-sacrifice or restraint of one’s passions. As Christopher West said once: “If you can’t say no, then what does your ‘yes’ mean?”
Yes, finally!
That is refreshing to see.