by Hans Johnson

This is the first of several “Genetic Science Ethics” questions given to ninth-grade students at Edmond Santa Fe High School in Oklahoma:

“You’ve found out that the child you (or your wife) carries has the gene for dwarfism.  A new therapy exists that may repair this gene before the child is born. What do you do?”

A.  Allow the child to be born with the gene, and we will accept the child as is.
B.  Attempt the new therapy to repair the gene.
C.  Terminate Pregnancy.

Though touted as an exercise for discussion, not for grading, parents are nevertheless upset. Do you think this is a proper question for that age? Here was a debate on FNC’s Fox and Friends:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/0TshYzcotJ4[/youtube]

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

by Kelli

All I knew about abortion then was that Down’s syndrome is the most common reason for a termination. Even that was something I shuddered to contemplate, because my brother Alastair has Down’s.

I knew I couldn’t let the matter rest. After all, I was in a unique position. Had I been born later, to a different family, that baby aborted at 28 weeks could well have been me.

~ Rev. Joanna Jepson (who was born with congenital deformities), on combatting eugenic abortions in the UK, as quoted by The Daily Mail, February 16

[Photo by Justin Sutcliffe/eyevine, via Daily Mail]

by Hans Johnson

Last year we brought you the story of South Korean Pastor Lee Jong-Rak, who had created a way for unwanted babies to be dropped off safely and anonymously at his home. Now Focus on the Family is releasing the award-winning documentary film The Drop Box in theaters March 3-5.

Find locations and purchase tickets here.

This behind-the-scenes video shows the profound impact this story of unconditional love has made on people – not the least of whom were the young filmmakers themselves.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/TA-G9kQMzJY[/youtube]

You can see an in-depth Korean television interview of the inspiring Pastor Lee here.

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

by Carder

The Mindy Project, with its intelligent and funny characters of all shapes, sizes, and genders, is well positioned to tackle the abortion debate and not only make it funny, but prove to so many women — at least 1 in 3 — that it’s okay, normal, and nothing to be ashamed of. If only for the mere fact that all of those things are true, but also because… well, if Mindy Lahiri can have an abortion, maybe so can they.

And maybe it’s going to be okay.

~ Robin Epley (who appears to have a social media obsession with drunkenness) explaining why the show The Mindy Project should include an abortion plot line, Bustle, February 17

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

• ProLife NZ says just as the word “abortion” is used less and less in favor of other terminology, the culture of death is now searching for a term to replace “suicide”:
  

  [A] survey asks readers what they think of the following terms: self-deliverance, dying with dignity, rational suicide, humane self-chosen death and a freshly-minted euphemism, dignicide.”… However, after mulling over the proposed words, I must say that “dignicide” has some merit. This coinage means not death with dignity, but the death of dignity – which is exactly what assisted suicide is.

• Reflections of a Paralytic applauds the showcasing of American Horror Story actress Jamie Brewer (pictured left), who has Down syndrome, as a runway model in New York Fashion Week.
• At ProLife365, Kevin Kukla shares his most memorable experiences with sidewalk counseling, and encourages pro-lifers to get involved.
• Pro-Life Action League reports on a fundraising email from Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards in which she accuses pro-lifers blocking a New Orleans mega abortion facility of “hate”:
  

  Cecile Richards and her team of expensive consultants at Planned Parenthood know full well that talking about abortion is a loser for her side, and it doesn’t take much grey matter to understand why. The latest proof comes just this week with the release of a new Gallup poll showing increasing discontent with current U.S. abortion policies among the general public.

  And so, consequently, the nation’s largest abortion chain talks about abortion as little as possible, and spends twice as much time saying that those of us who oppose it are guilty of that most contemptible of sins, hatred. This sounds an awful lot like the “war on women” rhetoric that was — and, to a much smaller extent, still is — so popular among committed abortion supporters, although it’s pretty clear that this strategy has been a failure.

  So too, from a P.R. standpoint, playing the hate card isn’t going to work. But it will surely make Planned Parenthood a lot of money.

• Wesley J. Smith reports that not one, not two, but three physicians have signed declarations that Jahi McMath is not brain dead and a request is forthcoming asking the state of California to rescind her death certificate:
  

  The family attorney Chris Dolan says he will petition the California Secretary of State to rescind the death certificate….

  Attorney Dolan says that if the Secretary doesn’t give relief, he will sue.

  But why should that be necessary? Given the declarations by three reputable brain specialist doctors and others, at the very least the Secretary should conduct a thorough investigation, including a full medical reassessment.

  Jahi is owed that.

  The integrity of the system demands it.

  And if the unprecedented has happened–that a declared brain dead person ceased being brain dead–finding out what happened and why is absolutely in the interests of science.

by Hans Johnson

Chile is one of only six countries with a total ban on abortions. But President Michelle Bachelet has signed a proposition to legalize it up to the age of 12 weeks as a first step, citing concern for the mother’s health. Yet maternal deaths have only continued their precipitous decline since the 1989 ban. Now a pro-life campaign is answering back:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/LnoYYgnzaps[/youtube]

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.

by Kelli

I tried to help women to get legal abortions.

If someone wants to work against that, there’s nothing I can do.

~ Abortion clinic owner Larisa Rozansky (pictured right), whose now-closed Women’s Aid Clinic owes (and has thus far refused to pay) $36,000 in fines for the death of patient Antonesha Ross, as well as for more than 15 other violations found by Illinois state health inspectors, as quoted by the Chicago Tribune, February 16

Rozansky has reopened under a new (but similar) name, thereby attempting to skirt the fines.

[Photo via Facebook]

by Kelli

On February 12, Mark Gietzen, a sidewalk counselor, posted video of Ashley and Brian, who decided not to abort their child at South Wind abortion facility in Wichita, Kansas, on February 6. Gietzen says saves and turn-arounds happen often, but it is rare to get the couple’s reaction on video:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/YqXjvokeHeQ[/youtube]

Thanks to those who are faithful to stand on the front lines and offer help to those who are considering abortion.

Email dailyvid@jillstanek.com with your video suggestions.