I ended up spending most of yesterday on Twitter, relaying information to and from the Texas State Capitol. There the Senate was debating an omnibus pro-life bill, which eventually passed and is on its way to Governor Rick Perry for his anticipated signature.

So today’s the big day, the culmination of recent pro-life efforts in Texas to ban abortions after 20 weeks and enact stricter abortion industry regulations. From the Associated Press:

Of course, we can never really wake up to blue skies as long as the dark cloud of abortion hangs over us.

Nevertheless, yesterday brought lots of good news for the pro-life movement from many sides.

Don’t mess with Texas pro-lifers

First, last night the Texas House provisionally passed (formal ceremonial vote today) pro-life bills a pro-abortion mob previously blocked on June 25. The tally, 98-49, was four votes higher for our side than the vote taken after pro-abortion Rep. Wendy Davis’s filibuster. Sweet.

At the time of the vote, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards was inexplicably rallying in Houston, as if she forgot the state capital is Austin. Cecile turned from festive to angry after the vote, tweeting, “Tonight the TX House passed a bill that will take women back decades–and we’re not going,” adding this photo to scare us. She apparently missed the memo instructing late-term abortion supporters to wear orange. Click to enlarge…

Click all photos to enlarge…

UPDATE 7/7, 7:50a: Some have complained that the “Hail, satan” in most post yesterday is only chanted once at the end by by kooky mocker.

Yet tweeters wrote it was being chanted all day. Thanks to commenter Lrning for providing a link to another video, posted by Bryan Preston at PJMedia.com, who noted, “This incident apparently occurred earlier than the other ‘Hail Satan’ chant that was caught on tape.” Between 5:15-5:50 on this video, and you can clearly hear the eerie chant, “Hail, satan.” Incidentally, it comes midway through the compelling testimony of a post-abortive mother….

Back in the day abortion proponents had all the mojo and pro-lifers were on the defensive. The photo above, via PBS, is of pro-abortion rally demanding a repeal of pro-life laws in Washington, D.C.,  circa 1971.

At the same time, feminists were pushing the Equal Rights Amendment in all 50 states. The photo below, via illinois.gov, is of feminists writing the names of ERA opponents in pigs’ blood on the floor of the Illinois State Capitol on June 24, 1982…

by JivinJ, host of the blog, JivinJehoshaphat

• A 17-year-old girl in India died after a forced abortion.
• The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding Massachusetts’ 35-foot abortion clinic buffer rule:
  

  The justices today said they will hear an appeal from abortion foes seeking to overturn the Massachusetts law as a violation of the First Amendment. The challengers say they have a right to hand out leaflets and start conversations with women entering abortion clinics.

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.

• Wesley J. Smith says that laws dealing with Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) “are increasingly authorizing doctors to unilaterally overturn surrogate wishes and patient advance directives….”

  The laws vary from state to state, but in Vermont and Maryland, a physician can place a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order on a patient’s chart without the consent of the patient or designated patient advocate. Smith writes:
  

  Not coincidentally, Vermont has a single payer healthcare plan it can’t pay for. Some have called for the cost savings to come from assisted suicide legalization – now done – and healthcare rationing.

by JivinJ, host of the blog, JivinJehoshaphat

• At Slate, Emily Bazelon claims Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro has never killed, even though he allegedly killed Michelle Knight’s five preborn children. Apparently in Bazelon’s mind, unborn children can’t be killed:
  

  The Supreme Court has so far ruled out the death penalty for crimes other than murder. If you think that’s the right line to draw — that the state should not take the life of someone who has not killed — then Castro shouldn’t be executed. I have to say I’m having some trouble typing those words. But in this case, I think that’s the right call.