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Caleb Parke at Live Action News reported last week that three major newspapers rejected an ad submitted by Heroic Media, which showed a life size image of a preborn baby between the ages of 20-24 weeks.

The Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today all rejected the 1/2-page ad because the image made it “too controversial.”

This morning Heroic Media’s executive director Joe Young informed me that the Chicago Tribune agreed to run an alternative ad today, displayed above, which shows an ultrasound image of a 20-wk-old baby, obviously en utero. Meanwhile, the LA Times and USA Today rejected the second ad as well.

“The second image takes up a lot more of the ad space than the original,” Joe noted, “a beautiful head and chest shot of a baby as opposed to one in hand.”

Several newspapers did agree to run the original ad, below, last week and this week. They included The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Austin Statesman, Dallas Morning News, and Houston Chronicle.

“I pointed out to the newspapers rejecting our ad that they have carried stories about the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act, the topic of the ad,” Joe said. “But they said the images ‘made the conversation too controversial.’ I was shocked that putting a face on a 20-wk-old baby now made it controversial.”

(I am reminded of an ad rejected by my local paper in 2006.)

I have no problem with the second image, although I agree with the censoring newspapers that the original image carries more impact. It somehow better conveys how sinister it would be to tear a baby that age apart. But that’s reality. It’s certainly not gory.

But far be it from newspapers to carry factual, controversial information – on abortion.

by LauraLoo

Less than a week after taking to Twitter to thank fans for their support in the wake of her father’s death, Demi Lovato has now told her followers she is finally at peace. From People:

“Today I put my Daddy to rest…. hardest thing I’ve ever done.  But I know great things will come of this,” the singer-songwriter-actress wrote on Saturday.  “There’s an overwhelming sense of peace, knowing my Dad is no longer battling his demons anymore and that makes me so happy.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q5gIh2RI6s[/youtube]

From the Daily Mail:

Demi alluded to her troubled relationship with her father – who left the family when she was just a toddler – in her 2011 song For The Love Of A Daughter, off her third studio album Unbroken.

She sings about ‘family war’ and her feelings of disappointment: ‘How could you push me out of your world, lie to your flesh and your blood?’

‘It’s a very personal song,’ Demi told the Daily Mail. ‘“Oh father, please father, put the bottle down…” The lyrics are self-explanatory about my relationship with my estranged father whom I haven’t spoken to in five years. I wrote it when I was 16 and getting it out is like therapy.’

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K59KsIDlif8[/youtube]

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

When you are successful, the hardest thing is maintaining that level of success, so you work harder to maintain what you have achieved…

Empowering women is what makes me feel good.

~ Fashion designer Victoria Beckham (pictured with Harper, the youngest of her four children), US Magazine, July 7

[HT: Laura Loo]

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

~ Matthew 11:28-30, New International Version

by Hans Johnson

From YouTube:

At 5pm on July 1st, 2011 in Orleans, Cape Cod, MA, shoppers stocking up for the 4th of July got a surprise shot of patriotism to start their weekend! Spirit of America Band members (disguised as shoppers and stockers) broke into an “impromptu” performance of John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever”!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5lbNXNn3CI[/youtube]

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

[HT: Randi]

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

• At National Review, Michael J. New says that despite the media’s attempts to paint the views of Wendy Davis and abortion proponents as mainstream, they aren’t:
  

  The results of the National Journal poll indicate that 50 percent of women support the 20-week abortion ban. Similarly, individuals under 30 supported the ban by a 52-39 margin. Unfortunately, the media typically gives little attention to the demographic breakdown of abortion surveys. After all, they do not want to disrupt their narrative that young people and women support legal abortion.

• Pro-Life Wisconsin links to a Life Site News story of baby boy, Walter Fretz (pictured left), born to parents Lexi and Joshua, at 19 weeks. He lived only a few minutes but touched so many.
• At Reproductive Research Audit, Dr. Jacqueline Harvey examines “the science behind two aspects of the Texas bill” restricting abortions after 20 weeks, which are “1.) misrepresentations about studies on fetal pain and 2.) the effect of intimate partner violence on women seeking abortions.”
• In celebrating Independence Day, Suzy B remembers that in a country which claims people have an inalienable right to life, we still do not protect that right for the preborn.
• ProLifeBlogs features an FRC Blog article discussing the encouraging results with using adult stem cells to cure HIV. Unfortunately, most mainstream media articles on this news generically refer to “stem cells,” instead of specifying that these are not embryonic stem cells. Because after all, this wouldn’t fit their agenda.
• Wesley J. Smith remains concerned that the ecology movement that has become “increasingly radical and anti-human.” By stipulating that the earth itself has a “right to life,” this movement appears to suggest that this trumps any notion of human exceptionalism. Smith writes:
  

  It means the forced continued destitution of those in resource rich/economically poor nations, because the life of earth will matter more than those of desperate masses.

• Coming Home spotlights a study from the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer showing that in India, induced abortion increases breast cancer risk six-fold. This in a country where breast cancer used to be rare.
• Right to Life of Michigan introduces the winning entry in the 2013 National Right to Life Video Contest by Northern Michigan University student Joshua Rapavi:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/O-0eO2c5ofo[/youtube]

by LauraLoo

Meet Ron Deal and Laura Petherbridge, authors of the book The Smart Stepmom, who were recently interviewed on Family Life Today. They offer helpful suggestions on how to deal with blended families:

Day 1:  The challenges unique to a being a stepmother

Day 2: Avoiding Cinderella stepmother mistakes

Day 3: Father’s support is crucial to success

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsBF2ygQXtI[/youtube]

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

Ladies, the battle against anti-choice, anti-women, anti-cool white dudes has now reached critical mass: within mere hours of each other, both Texas and North Carolina have advanced bills to restrict state reproductive rights. Read along while you file your nails into talons of vengeance and feminism.

The Texas State Affairs Committee – the special session Governor Rick Perry called together after Senator Wendy Davis’ legendary filibuster – voted to approve HB 2, a heinous anti-abortion bill, on a party line vote. The bill is now sent to the full House for consideration next week; if approved, it will go through the same process in the Senate….

And because one repressive, regressive state isn’t enough, North Carolina’s state Senate advanced its own anti-abortion bill by 29 to 12…. What would [HB 695] do if passed? According to The Frisky:

“The bill would require that abortion providers be present for all abortions, regardless of whether the pregnancy termination is surgical (a surgery) or medical (pill form). Additionally, the bill would require clinics that provide abortions to have the same engineering standards as ambulatory surgical centers, which would require additional, expensive updates. Anti-abortion activists have been pushing for such bills around the country because they know clinics will be out of commission while seeking to meet the new requirements.”

~ Colette McIntyre at The Jane Dough, July 3

[Photo via The Jane Dough]