The House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted the only amendment that clearly addresses the abortion issue, and was introduced by Representative Lois Capps, Democrat of California. If this amendment were to become law, health coverage for abortion care would not change substantially, the article said.
The New York Times said:
Under the proposed legislation passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, abortion coverage would not be included in the "essential benefits package" of minimum services that plans would be required to offer. But in each region of the country there would have to be at least one plan available that offers abortion coverage and one that does not.
The Capps amendment, as it's called, would not pre-empt state laws regulating abortion. Currently, four states restrict private insurance coverage of abortion to cases in which a woman's life is in danger unless she purchases an insurance rider for an additional fee, according to the Guttmacher Institute. In these states - Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri and North Dakota - restrictions would remain in place. (A fifth state, Oklahoma, has a similar restriction, but also allows abortion in cases of rape or incest.)
Does Circumcision Protect Men from HIV/AIDS?
Research
in some African countries has shown that circumcision reduces a man's
risk of contracting HIV/AIDS through heterosexual intercourse,
according to the National Partnership for Women and Families.
A recent study from the Center for Disease Control suggests the same does not apply for men who have sex with men, one of the groups most at risk of contracting the virus. The CDC surveyed 4,900 men who had anal sex with HIV positive men, and found that the infection rate was 3.5 percent for men who were circumcised and those who were not, the article said.
The Associated Press and Miami Herald
reported that many global health organizations have promoted
circumcision as a defense against the spread of HIV/AIDS, but that
promotion was done in countries where 80 percent of men were already
circumcised.
Michael Steele was For Abortion and Medicare
GOP
Chairman Michael Steele is confused about where he stands on health
care reform. Before he was against Medicare, he was for it, and before
that he couldn't give an answer to where he stood on the issue,
according to the Los Angeles Times.
He should know his stance on a government program that consumes one-fifth of the federal budget .
According to the Times, he was not a popular pick for Republicans.
A previous article said:
It took six contested ballots before Steele defeated a slate of candidates that included the party's incumbent chairman, Mike Duncan. In the end, it was a divided Republican National Committee -- 91 out of 168 members -- that backed Steele over the last challenger standing, Katon Dawson, the white chairman of the South Carolina GOP, who had presented himself as the rock-ribbed conservative in the race.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 27: NYTimes: Some Roman Catholic Bishops Assail Health Plan
August 27: LifeSiteNews: Morning-After Pill Proving To Be Ineffective and Abused
August 27: Examiner: Part III: Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Pro-life Movement by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
August 27: Baltimore Sun: Does an IUD Always Prevent Pregnancy?
August 28: Boston Globe: Complex legacy of a Catholic
August 27: HuffPo: Abortion Is New Front in Health Care Battle
August 27: KTUU: Palin claims she never agreed to attend anti-abortion event
August 27: LA Times: Michael Steele: For Medicare and abortion before he's against them
August 27: NYTimes: Prescriptions: The Abortion Question
August 27: AlterNet: Emergency Contraception: Have We Come Full Circle?
August 27: Our Bodies Ourselves: Take a Survey on Using Emergency Contraception for Book on the History of EC
August 27: LifeSiteNews: Mexican Pro-Life and Pro-Abortion Groups Duel in Interamerican Court of Human Rights
August 27: LifeNews: Congressman Takes Mic Away From Pro-Life Advocate at Health Care Town Hall
August 27: SFGate:Chinese abortion ad: Is it crossing the line?
August 27: CBN: Harry Reid Has a Pro-Life Target On His Back
August 27: LifeNews: Pro-Abortion Gubernatorial Candidates Behind in Virginia, New Jersey Races
August 27: Examiner: A Pro-Life Ted Kennedy Supported Personhood in the 1970's
Last year, a similar measure that classified fertilized embryos as peoplewas voted against 3-1, the AP said.
Supporters
said the word "fertilized" may have confused voters into visualized
chicken eggs. The new measure will instead say "the beginning of the
biological development."
Sex Education Options in Utah
The Deseret News
recently reported that a town hall meeting will be held Wednesday
regarding a bill tht would alter Utah's sex education curriculum. The
meeting is open to the public, the article said.
Rep. Lynn Hemingway, D-Salt Lake, sponsored the bill, which gives parents two alternatives. One class would be abstinence-based, but would teach strategies for waiting until marriage to have sex and offer information about sexually transmitted infections. The other class would offer promote abstinence, but would offer information on sexually transmitted infections and forms of contraception, according to the article.
The meeting is being hosted by Planned Parenthood Action Council, and Hemingway is scheduled to attend.
Catholic Archbishop Opposes Abortion in Ghana
The
Most Rev. Philip Naameh of Ghana asked Christians to fight against the
legalization of abortion on the basis of being un-Catholic, according
to allAfrica.com.
At last weekend's national convention of 800 Knights of St. John
International from Ghana, the United States, Liberia, Sierra Leone and
Togo, he also urged them to abstain from having sex and abstain from
distributing condoms.
According to the article, he said, "It would help bring the virtues of Christ into the administration of
the country and, therefore, minimize the vices associated with the
country's governance."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 25: Common Dreams: NOW President Terry O'Neill to Stand With Reproductive Health Care Providers, Defenders in Nebraska
August 25: Examiner: 40 Days for Life
August 25: LifeNews: Abortion Advocates Now Defend Late-Term Abortion Practitioner LeRoy Carhart
August 25: LifeNews:Pro-Abortion Group to Issue Bogus Global Report Saying Abortion Helps Women
August 25: Mother Jones:Can Birth Control Use Change Your Career?
August 25: Red State:Carly Fiorina and life issues: unanswered questions.
August 25: Catholic Spirit: Wisconsin bishops object to state mandating contraception coverage
August 25: LifeNews: Taxpayer-Funding of Abortions Now the New Roe v. Wade of the Abortion Debate
August 25: All Africa: Ghana: Resist Legalization of Abortion, Catholic Archbishop Tells Christians
August 25: Choices Campus Blog: Guest Post: This Is What A Feminist Looks Like
August 25: Feminists for Choice: New Study Will Look at Effects of Emergency Contraception
August 25: BBC News: Women 'doubt men will take pill'
August 25: Hartford Advocate:Miss Conception
August 25: Renew America: Who is really 'wee-weed up'?
August 25: South Lincoln County News:No prescription birth control at school health centers
August 24: Deseret News: Murray meeting to discuss plan to change sex education in Utah
August 25: Wausau Daily Herald: LETTER: Reject false claims about abortion
August 25: Christian Post:Many Groups Still Believe Health Care Bill Covers Abortion
August 25: Newsweek: How Plan B Works: Six Things You Always Wondered About Emergency Contraception
August 25: New Mexico Independent: Bingaman says Congress maybe ‘ought to specify' contraception access in benefit plans
August 25: AP: Abortion foes start push for 'personhood' measure
August 25: Red State: DeVore's Abortion Critique of Fiorina Without Merit
August 25: Denver Post: Denver West principal ends his abstinence push
August 25: Lo Hud: (Letter) Planned Parenthood promotes abortion
August 25: ABC News Australia:Bligh not taking abortion laws to Parliament
August 25: TC Palm: Letter: Where does 'health' or 'care' fit with abortion?
Dr. Eric Weil, an internist at the MGH Revere HealthCare Center and chairman of the city's Board of Health supports the policy, referring to a 2007 behavioral study that revealed that of the students who reported having sexual intercourse, a quarter of them said they didn't use any form of birth control. He also said that Revere has the 12th highest teenage pregnancy rate in Massachusetts."It is separate and distinct from our school nurses,'' he said, estimating that about a quarter of the school's 1,600 students in any given year are enrolled in the MGH center. Dakin said students can obtain contraceptives only if their parents provide permission.
"They do these things regularly in doctors' offices - parents, children, and doctors make decisions about the mental and physical well-being of children. . . . and some of those decisions are decisions about contraception,'' Dakin said.
"At the core of Obama's health care policy is the murder of babies and the murder of the elderly," he said. "If this bill passes and they expect us to pay ... there will be horrific consequences to pay."
The consequences, as he explained them, would be contempt for the government; vandalism; and acts of violence against those perceived to be involved with abortions, but he denied involvement with violent anti-abortionists.
The New York Times reports that the Obama administration may be willing to scrap a public option in order to get health care reform legislation through Congress, in favor of non-profit insurance cooperatives:
The White House, facing increasing skepticism over President Obama’s call for a public insurance plan to compete with the private sector, signaled Sunday that it was willing to compromise and would consider a proposal for a nonprofit health cooperative being developed in the Senate.
Progressive Democrats continue to speak out in favor of a public option:
On Sunday, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, affirmed his support for the public option. “I believe the inclusion of a strong public plan option in health reform legislation is a must,” Mr. Rockefeller said in a statement. “It is the only proven way to guarantee that all consumers have affordable, meaningful and accountable options available in the health insurance marketplace.”
Abortion Law Reform Considered in Queensland, Australia
In Queensland, Australia, draft abortion reform laws have been revealed by Bonny Barry, a former Labor MP, reports The Australian. Barry is speaking out to reform Queensland's abortion laws, which only allow abortion if the mother's life is at risk.
According to Barry, laws pushing for the decriminalization of abortion were drawn up in 2003, but were ignored by Premier Anna Bligh and the previous premier Peter Beattie.
Bligh, meanwhile, "reaffirmed her position that, while she would
personally support legislation to decriminalise abortion, the
government would put no such bill before parliament."
North Carolina College Will Not Provide Contraceptives
The
President of Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina said he would
close the school's before going against the church's teachings about
contraception, the Washington Times
reported. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) decided
that Belmont Abbey violated discrimination laws by not covering
contraception, and the two are now in a fight involving health
insurance laws and religious freedom.
"By denying prescription contraceptive drugs, [the college] is discriminating based on gender because only females take oral prescription contraceptives," the EEOC wrote in a letter to the North Carolina college. "By denying coverage, men are not affected, only women."
"I hope it would never get this far," college President William K.
Thierfelder told The Washington Times, "but if it came down to it we
would close the college before we ever provided that."
Catholics Forgiving Rick Pitino
Some Catholics are
saying University of Louisville's basketball coach Rick Pitino should
be removed from his position after having extramarital sex with a woman
who later had an abortion. Other church members are forgiving Pitino,
and say his decisions are between Pitino and God, The Associated Press reported.
The article said:
The 56-year-old Pitino has admitted to police that he had sex in 2003 with Karen Cunagin Sypher, who was indicted in May on charges of lying to the FBI and attempting to extort up to $10 million from the coach. The 49-year-old has pleaded not guilty in that federal case.
In police documents which became public last week, Pitino acknowledged giving Sypher $3,000 after she said she was pregnant and was getting an abortion, but didn't have health insurance. Pitino's lawyer, Steve Pence, has insisted the money was for insurance and Pitino never paid for an abortion.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 17: Post Crescent: Survey, poll results can tell you only so much
August 17: Cleveland Plain Dealer: Would abortions be funded under health reform measure?
August 17: RenewAmerica: The making of a pro-life advocate
August 17: San Francisco Chronicle: Misconception over key issues at core of debate
August 17: Globe and Mail: Health minister retreats on plans to tighten rules for abortion clinics
August 17: Catholic Exchange: Radical NGO Paints Abortionists as Human Rights Defenders
August 17: Omaha World-Herald: Gearing up for abortion protests
August 16: LifeNews: Pro-Life News: No Public Option? Euthanasia, Kansas, Quebec, Pitino, Abstinence, Obama
August 16: Rocky Mount Telegram: Relative of Dr. King to speak against abortion
August 17: WaPo: Abortion and the Virginia Race
August 16: AP:Some Catholics in Louisville forgiving of Pitino
August 17: Daily Mail: Attenborough joins campaign to curb world's population
August 16: Change.org Women's Rights: Counter Protest: Pro-Life Group to Organize Against Abortion Clinic
August 16: Beliefnet: EEOC: The Pill more important than religious liberty
August 16: Examiner: Leroy Carhart's abortion Clinic
August 16: Florida Today:Matt Reed: Health care fact or fiction
August 16: MLive: Student pro-life group, Wayne State University settle lawsuit
August 17: The Australian: Draft abortion laws ready for Anna Bligh
August 16: Mail Tribune:Bills will use taxes to increase abortion
August 16: News Star: (Letter) Insist that bill has no abortion funds
August 16: SF Gate:When lies get in the way of reform
August 15: Norwich Bulletin: (Letter) Don't force taxpayers to fund abortions
August 15: Covenant News: JUDGE DISMISSES OBSTRUCTION CHARGE AGAINST ABORTION PROTESTER AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC
August 15: Newsweek: The Last Abortion Doctor?
August 15: Newsweek: Competing Emotions
August 15: Newsweek: The Abortion Evangelist
August 15: Washington Times: Catholic college faces lawsuit over contraceptives
August 15: RenewAmerica: The Pill and the debt
August 14: Feministing: 78% of Americans think abortion should be legal
August 15: Catholic Exchange: From Family Planning to Death Planning
August 14: Examiner:Pro-life group applauds resumed strict regulation of RU486 in Ohio
August 15: Catholic News Agency: Trek across the country reveals a pro-life America
August 14: Feministing: Come to Nebraska to Defend Women's Rights & Protect Dr. Carhart
August 15: Windsor Beacon:(Letters) Gary Crist: Do research on adoption
August 15: Des Moines Register:Don't be fooled on abortion issue
August 14: NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia: Anti-Choice Incumbent Spotlight: Delegate G. Glenn Oder
August 15: Examiner: Health Care Reform Would Allow Planned Parenthood Clinics in Schools
August 14: Suzy B:Abortion Industry Can't Have it Both Ways
August 14: ABC News: Fact Check: Is The Right to Abortion Included in Health Care Reform?
August 14: LifeNews: Wisconsin Medical Society Rejects OKing Assisted Suicide, Pro-Life Group Elated
August 14: Politico: Deeds camp pushes abortion issue but stays away from Robertson
August 14: Deseret News:Teen going to trial in desecration case
August 14: Newsweek:Health-Care Reform and the Abortion Debate
August 14: Examiner:Anti-abortion activist does not help the cause
August 14: WSJ: Look Who's Discriminating Now
August 13: Feministing: Annoying Misconception #1: Abortion providers think that abortion is always the right decision.
August 14: BBC News: Abortions on under-14s revealed
A major aspect of the argument is what the doctor must tell a woman
about the fetus during an ultrasound. Abortion rights advocates said
the guidelines are unclear, but supporters of the law said it is very
clear what information a doctor should provide his patient: The
dimensions of the fetus, cardiac activity and
arms, legs and internal organs, according to The AP.
The judge said she would make a ruling August 18.
The White House's "Reality Check" Site
The White House
launched their very own 'Reality Check' Web site Tuesday, a site
offering information about health care reform, and clearing up any
"rumors and scare tactics," according to U.S. News and World Report.
One of the "rumors or scare tactics" is whether it fund abortions, but
there is no information regarding abortion anywhere on the site.
It discusses issues like euthanasia, health care rationing,
individuals' current health care plans, if it will be a burden for
small businesses and Medicare. But abortion is not even mentioned.
A New Abortion Provider in Kansas
LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider and friend of Dr. George
Tiller, wants to open a late-term abortion clinic in Wichita, where
Tiller's clinic was located, reported the Idahostatesman.com. Carhart also provided late-term abortions at Tiller's clinic.
Abortion opponents are already fighting back, asking state regulators
to reexamine complaints accusing Carhart of violating a law requiring a
second opinion from an independent doctor before performing a late-term
abortion.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 12: AP: Attorney: Don't force ultrasound before abortion
August 12: AP: Paper: Coach Pitino paid for woman's abortion
August 12: CRI English: China's One Child Policy Pressurized by Aging Population
August 11: LifeSiteNews: USCCB Pro-Life Office: No Health Care Reform while Abortion Mandate Remains
August 11: The Gazette: Bolduc backs down on abortion clinics
August 11: LifeSiteNews: Catholic Charities Refuses to Oppose Obama Health Care Bill
August 11: Catholic Spirit: Weighing in on national health care reform
August 11: Kansas Liberty: Carhart says he sees Kansas as a 'cheaper' place to perform abortions
August 11: Red State: Catholic Bishops: If Obamacare Funds Abortion, We Oppose Obamacare
August 11: Virginia Tomorrow: Abortion Politics in Virginia Gubernatorial Races: A Primer
August 11: Newsbusters: CNN: Illegal Immigrants, Abortion, Constitution Aren't Related to Health Care
August 11: Choices Campus Blog:New Poll: Anti-choicers are NOT the majority
August 11: LifeNews: Harris Poll Shows Strong Shift to Pro-Life Position on Abortion, Roe v. Wade
August 11: Thunder TV: Abortion Law Challenged
August 11: U.S. News & World Report: White House 'Reality Check' Site on Healthcare Silent on Abortion
August 11: Houma Today: Don't support plan for more abortions
August 11: Examiner: Why are young evangelicals "more pro-life but anti-religious right?"
August 11: Spero News: White House dishonest on abortion in healthcare
August 11: Catholic News Agency: Obama wants abortion coverage in reform bill, Catholic League charges
August 11: The Frisky: Girl Talk: The Condom Commandments
August 11: Atlantic: More Reasons Why I Oppose National Health Care
August 11: Christian NewsWire: Susan B. Anthony List Praises Pro-Life Leadership of Eunice Kennedy Shriver
August 11: Catholic News Agency: Catholic college's ‘no contraceptives' healthcare policy is discriminatory, EEOC charges
August 11: LifeNews: Sponsor of "Common Ground" Abortion Bill Bashes Pro-Life Advocates in Fundraiser
August 11: LifeNews: Former Pro-Life Senate Leader Says 2010 Elections May Provide Pro-Life Boost
August 11: LifeNews: Pro-Life Women's Group Mourns Today's Passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver
August 11: News On 6:Oral arguments made in abortion lawsuit
August 11: Our Bodies, Ourselves: Anti-Abortion Militants Visit George Tiller's Killer - And Women's Health Advocates Ask Why
August 11: Spero News: The Fault Line hasn't changed for abortion
August 10: FOX News: FOXSexpert: Sexual Double Standards
August 10: Idaho Statesman:Abortion opponents start to fight Nebraska doctor planning clinic in Kansas
August 11: Metro Catholic: Respect Life Program Packet for 2009-10 Now Available
The Theurapeutic Goods Administration, which monitors the drug in Australia, now permits it to be prescribed by medical professionals for medical abortion during the first trimester of a pregnancy at Marie Stopes International, a sexual and reproductive health care provider, the article said.
The group has centers in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT and Western Australia.
Medical abortion has been recommended by experts because it is the safest and most effective method of terminating a pregnancy, according to the article.
"Access and choice are constant issues women face with all sexual and reproductive healthcare services," said Jill Michelson, National Clinical Adviser for Marie Stopes International in Australia. "Our service will now increase the choices available to Australian women faced with an unplanned pregnancy."
"While surgical abortion is a very safe procedure and is the preferred choice for many women, medical methods of abortion also have a number of advantages," said Michelson. "Our clients say that the most important features of a medical abortion are that it is non-invasive and private. In addition, no surgery or anaesthetic is required during a medical abortion."
Family Planning in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the Health
Ministry is implementing a family planning and nutrition program to
displaced persons (most displaced persons are women) in welfare camps,
the LankaTimes reported. The main target of the program are women who are breastfeeding, or those who were married at a young age.
Under the plan, which will start August 19, doctors have been ordered to create awareness about family planning options to women by giving them tubectomy operations if the request it, offering them birth control pills and administering Depo-Provera shots, the article said.
According to the LankaTimes, the program's spokesman said, "One of the main reasons for their poor nutritional
condition is early marriage. If they are to produce healthy babies,
they should be strong."
Ultrasound Law in Oklahoma
In
Oklahoma, the law requires that a woman who wants an abortion must get
an ultrasound prior to terminating her pregnancy. A doctor must also
describe the images of the fetus on the screen to the woman, according
to The Associated Press.
Enforcement of the law was blocked in October 2008, but is set to be enforced starting November 1.
On Tuesday, a judge is set to listen to arguments from Nova Health Systems, which is challenging the law.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 10: Politics.co.uk: Marie Stopes International: Medical abortion: Finally an option for Australian women
August 9: SFGate: Vote could signal start of new-look GOP
August 9: Mercury News/NYTimes: Separating the basics of health policy from the bombast of partisanship
August 10: ABC News Australia:Abortion pill 'would benefit rural women'
August 9: Reproductive Rights Prof Blog:A Call on Nicaragua to Reverse its Abortion Ban
August 9: Kansas City Star:FBI's investigation of Tiller killing looks at Roeder's jail visitors
August 10: LA Times:Sorting out claims about healthcare legislation
August 9: Media Matters: Gallup, abortion & the media (and why Ramesh Ponnuru owes me an apology)
August 9: Gazette.com:Republicans at a crossroads: Retrench or reach out
August 9: Freep: New methods of contraception mean women must weigh choices
August 9: Energy Publisher:UN treaty will not create abortion rights
August 9: Chicago Tribune:In bills, still room for debate over abortion and illegal immigrants
August 9: Herald News:LETTER: Health care bill should not include abortion, 08-09-09
August 9: Boston Globe:Adoption group tries to foster open relationships
August 9: Lanka Times: Family planning and nutrition program for IDPs in Vanni welfare camps
August 9: WaPo: Deeds to Wage Risky Attack On Opponent's Abortion Views
August 8: Optimum Population Blog:A third of GPs to shun practices giving abortions
August 8: AP: Arguments set on law requiring women seeking abortions to get ultrasound
August 8: Examiner: Tips on handling the adoption waiting game
August 8: Catholic Online:U.S. Bishops' Official: Mandated Abortion Coverage Threatens Health Care Reform
August 8: Optimum Population Blog: PCTs block LARCs in bid to cut costs
August 7: Examiner: Why religion hurts the abortion debate
August 9: The Hindu: It's time to act
August 8: Daily Clarity:They know not what they do...Catholicism redux
August 8: Examiner: Obamacare could lead to published abortion records
August 8: China View: "Condom painting" helps promote sex education in China
August 8: Feminists for Choice: Choice After the Bush Administration
August 8: One News Now: Pro-life pastor plans appeal to 9th Circuit
August 7: Examiner: Plan B and the case of faux morality in medicine
August 8: Catholic Exchange: Let the Taxpayers Beware
August 7: River Falls Journal: Letter: Nothing listed about abortion
August 7: Catholic News Agency: Basque bishop prays abortion reform will fail in Spain
August 7: Feministe:The Last Abortion Doctor
August 7: Daily Dish: That Pro-Life Majority?
August 7: Examiner: Poll: Americans closely divided on abortion, regionally divided by religion
August 7: LifeSiteNews:Knights of Columbus Reaffirm Ban on Invites and Honors for Abortion Supporters
August 7: LifeNews: So-Called Common Ground Abortion Bill Requires Tax-Funded Abortions Nationwide
August 7: NYTimes: Having Children Brings High Carbon Impact
August 7: U.S. News & World Report: Gallup Poll: Americans Evenly Split on Abortion Between 'Pro-Life' and 'Pro-Choice'
August 7: HuffPo: Truth-telling and Responsibility in Health Care
August 7: Town Hall: Abortion Can't be Swept Aside
August 7: Feminists for Choice: Trans Men and Pregnancy Prevention
August 7: Reuters:Poor nations' teens birth control use inconsistent
August 7: LifeNews: Kansas Pro-Life Advocates Press State Officials to Probe Abortionist Leroy Carhart
August 7: Get Religion: Taxpayer funding of abortion
August 7: HuffPo: Abortion Ship Forced To Cease Operations After Passage Of Dutch Pregnancy Law
August 7: LifeNews: Pro-Life Groups Disappointed Senate Confirms Pro-Abortion Sonia Sotomayor
August 7: Children and Young People Now: Contraceptive pill on offer without prescription
August 7: Daily News: "Family Guy" has gone too far: upcoming episode censored
August 7: LifeNews:New Jersey Polls Show Governor Candidate Christie Leading Pro-Abortion Corzine
August 7: WNYC: Moms in NYC Less Likely to Use Birth Control
August 7: Examiner: Pro-Life Amendment to Healthcare reform rejected
August 7: Wichita Eagle: Abortion opponents start to fight Nebraska doctor planning clinic in Kansas
August 7: Docuticker: Contraceptive Use Among Postpartum Women - 12 States and New York City, 2004-2006
August 7: Vindy.com: U.S. Rep. Ryan clears air on his abortion stand, counters woman's claims
Kevin Reilly, Fox's entertainment president, said, "We don't censor Seth...It was a business decision. It was fragile subject matter at a sensitive time."
MacFarlane said he was fine with Reilly's decision, the article said.
Studies on Sex Education
According to the Amherst Bulletin,
many studies have taken place over the years regarding comprehensive
and abstinence-only sex education programs. In 2007, researchers from
the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy looked at
48 comprehensive sex education programs and found there was a decrease
in unprotected sex, a delay in when young people chose to have sex and
a reduction in the number of sexual partners.
Again in 2007, Mathematica Policy Research studied abstinence-only programs. They found that students enrolled in these programs were no less likely to have sex than those in comprehensive sex education, the article said.
Another study conducted by the Journal of Health Communication in 2001
found that some abstinence-only efforts resulted in young people
wanting to wait until marriage to have sex, the Bulletin reported.
Change in Support
The Washington Monthly
reported that in May, Gallup released a poll that revealed 51 percent
of Americans identify as pro-life, and 42 percent as pro-choice.
According to the article,
it was the first time the majority of U.S. citizens identified as
pro-life, and it was the largest margin abortion opponents had ever
seen.
This has changed in the new Gallup report. It shows that public opinion changed after the George Tiller murder, according to the article.
It also said:
Generally speaking, there just aren't significant shifts on this. Most Americans oppose a constitutional amendment prohibiting abortions, and that hasn't changed. Most Americans want to see the Supreme Court leave the Roe v. Wade precedent intact, and that hasn't changed, either. This matters far more than ambiguous labels like "pro-choice" and "pro-life."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 6: Beliefnet:Is Health Care Reform Covering Abortion or Not?
August 6: THRFeed.com: 'Family Guy' abortion episode details
August 6: Catholic News Agency: Pro-life congress in Colombia calls on politicians to defend life and family
August 6: Fox News: Senate Dems Get High-Level Coaching for Those Townhalls
August 6: EmpowHer: Contraceptive Use Common Among New Mothers: Study
August 6: Washington Monthly: A SHIFT BACK ON ABORTION RIGHTS?
August 7: IPS News:Family Planning: Expand Role For Private Sector
August 6: Lemon Drop: A New Plan B for When Things Don't Go As Planned in Bed
August 6: Feministing: Defying Gravity Writer James Parriott Responds
August 6: LifeNews: Minnesota Planned Parenthood Gets Infertility Ed Grant, But Abortions Cause It
August 7: Amherst Bulletin: What the studies say
August 6: NYTimes: Fertility Rise for Richest - Boon or Trouble?
August 6: Times-Picayune: Marriage commission members take dim view of adoptions by same-sex couples
August 6: USA Today:Health care debate steers into abortion, euthanasia
August 6: LifeNews: Senate Confirms Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court, Expected to Back Abortion
August 6: The Frisky: Why Emergency Contraception Needs To Be Used For Emergencies Only
August 6: PhillyBurbs:Birth control pills during pregnancy?
August 6: Optimum Population Blog: Abortions Surge in China
August 6: Catholic News Agency:New pro-life campaign will insist that abortion is not health care
August 6: FOX News: Would Government Health Care Fund Abortions?
August 6: Minn Post: Maureen Reed offers vague positions on abiding and abortion
August 6: Baltimore Sun: He's just not that into you
August 5: Catholic Online: Include Children in the Womb in National Health Care Reform
August 6: North Country Public Radio: Conservatives question McHugh's pro-life cred
Abortion opponents praised the law, but are afraid abortion providers
will not enforce it. Dawn Behnke of the Alton-based Illinois Federation
for Right to Life told stltoday.com,
"They (abortion providers) will have a legal obligation...If they're
not serious about doing that, it's going to be a problem."
The article said:
"Abortion-rights advocates, meanwhile, worry that girls from abusive homes will be in danger if they inform their parents and will be too scared or uninformed to ask a court to bypass the parental notification requirement. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which has fought against implementation of the law for years, has set up a hot line for girls to address that concern."
Illinois, and 24 other states, now require parental involvement. Girls
under 18 years of age must notify their parents of their decision to
have an abortion 48 hours prior to the procedure, stltoday.com said.
Parental Notification in Alaska
Abortion opponents in Alaska are launching a similar campaign that
would require parental consent for under aged girls in the state. If
the group gets 33,000 signatures, the measure will be on the August
2010 ballot, citizenlink.com reported.
A school teacher and Planned Parenthood filed suit, trying to block the initiative from being on the ballot.
Oakland's "Bubble Law" Upheld
Rev. Walter Hoye, a Baptist minister who challenged Oakland's "bubble
law" after being convicted of violating it last year, is "horribly
disappointed" at a federal judge's decision to uphold the ordinance,
the Los Angeles Times reported.
The article said, the judge found the law "neutral in its content and appropriately applied by police."
One day a week, for the past few years, Hoye would stand outside Family
Planning Specialists Medical Group, an abortion clinic, with a sign
that read "God loves you and your baby. Let us help you." He would also
ask patients, "Can I talk to you about alternatives?"
Hoye's attorneys plan on appealing the decision, according to the Los Angeles Times.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
August 5: STL Today: Illinois law now requires minors seeking abortions to inform parents
August 4: CitizenLink: Planned Parenthood Challenges Alaska Pro-Life Law
August 4: Central Illinois Proud:Planned Parenthood Disagrees with New Abortion Law
August 4: LifeSiteNews:New Gallup Poll: More Americans Pro-Life than Pro-Choice Thanks to Obama
August 4: Pro Life Blogs: Operation Rescue Announces "Keep It Closed" Campaign
August 5: Reuters India:Weight gain after birth-control shot may last
August 4: Air America: GRITtv: Abortion Providers Face Uncertain Future (VIDEO)
August 4: KOAM-TV: Neb. abortion provider plans Kansas clinic
August 4: Pro Woman Pro Life: Birth control
August 4: Examiner: Is the media biased?
August 4: Together for Adoption: What do you think of when you hear the word "adoption"?
August 4: Gallup: U.S. Abortion Attitudes Closely Divided
August 4: PR Newswire:Abortion, Pro-life, Randall Terry, and Pro-Life Infighting: New Web Site Launched to Fight Falsehoods
August 4: The Frisky: Stephen Colbert Won't Let This Teen Birth Control Junkie Off Easy
August 4: LifeNews: New Zealand High Court Ruling on Abortion Committee Called Pro-Life Victory
August 4: LifeSiteNews:Over-the-Counter Abortion Pills Lead to Menstrual Complications
August 4: Morehead News:Bunning's pro-life stance will be missed
August 4: CBN: Joshua DuBois Exclusive Interview: Talking Abortion Reduction
August 4: LifeNews: Senate Begins Debate on Pro-Abortion Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor
August 4: LifeNews: Congressman: Would Rather Save My Soul Than Back Pro-Abortion Health Care
August 4: U.S. News & World Report: Does House Healthcare Bill Fund Abortion? Depends on Whom You Ask
August 4: MetroCatholic: 2009 Pro-Life Boot Camp A Huge Success
August 4: Portalcot.com: Commerce for the Cause: Pro-Life Faith in the Marketplace
August 4: Feministing: All about IUDs (and why your doctor may refuse you one)
August 4: LifeNews: Ex-Pro-Life Democrat, Congressman Tim Ryan, Faces More Abortion Criticism
August 4: Metapsychology: Illegal Abortion Stories
August 4: OneNewsNow:Lifetime ban sought in pro-life pastor's case
August 4: AP: ACLU Prepares For Parental Notice On Abortion
August 3: Change.org Women's Rights: Latest Target in Health Care Reform: Abortion Access
August 3: Trib.com: Exclude abortion from reform
August 3: California Chronicle: Former Senator Rick Santorum to Speak at Right to Life League
August 3: Examiner:HEALTH CARE - BEWARE - Part three
August 4: Jakarta Post: Bringing ‘KB' back from the back burner
August 4: LA Times: Federal judge upholds 'bubble ordinance' for abortion protesters
August 4: ABC News Australia: Abortion laws 'feed illegal drug trade'
The report also said:
"Over the last eight years, Planned Parenthood and 17 other community clinics have received revenue from a tobacco settlement to fund health education programs. In March, the Board of Supervisors suspended Planned Parenthood's contract after a constituent noted that taxpayer money was going to a group that performs abortions. The contract was reinstated with new guidelines that money go toward providing "direct medical" services and not toward abortion services. To meet the new guidelines, Planned Parenthood created the Breast Health Program for low-income women younger than age 40. The county rejected the program, followed by about two months of negotiations. The plan was abandoned last week after a deal was not reached within the 23-hour deadline imposed by the county Health Care Agency."
Planned Parenthood President and CEO Jon Dunn wrote in a letter to Board of Supervisors and the Health Care Agency:
"The county placed obstacle after obstacle in Planned Parenthood's path, ultimately making [the breast health program] impossible to implement." He added that the county "refused to negotiate and imposed an unworkable deadline."
County officials released a statement saying they "worked in good
faith" to reach an agreement, but Planned Parenthood chose not to
return their agreement by the deadline date, the article said.
HIV-Positive Women and Cervical Cancer Screenings
A study in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes found
that one in four HIV-positive women in the United States does not
receive cervical cancer screenings, the Daily Women's Health Policy Report said.
Researchers from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
interviewed approximately 2,400 women from 18 states, and found that
23% of them had not undergone Pap tests in the year before the
interviews, the article said.
Obama's Picks Side with Him on Reproductive Health Issues
President Obama picked Francis Collins to head the NIH, and Regina Benjamin for surgeon general, and according to the Daily Women's Health Policy Report,
they have spoken publicly about their religious beliefs but also have
views on embryonic stem-cell research that conflict with their
churches' teachings.
Collins is an evangelical Christian who supports stem cell research
Former Surgeon General David Satcher, and Benjamin is a Roman Catholic
who received a papal medal in 2006, but the White House has said she
shares Obama's views on reproductive health issues, the report said.
Former Surgeon General David Satcher, who taught Benjamin at Morehouse School of Medicine, said:
"She is a practicing Catholic and faithful and, to the best of my knowledge, in all those questions that have arisen so far, there has never been a conflict in her practice and in her conversation with regard to what the church expects of medical practitioners...While the religion of the surgeon general may very well influence his or her ... approach, the message has to be the public health science."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | House Committee Approves Reform Bill; Full House Debate Scheduled for After August Recess
NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | Picks for NIH Head, Surgeon General Side With Obama on Reproductive Issues, Despite Faith
STATE POLITICS & POLICY |N.D. Judge Vows To Act Quickly on Challenge to State Ultrasound Law
STATE POLITICS & POLICY | Planned Parenthood Accuses Orange County, Calif., Officials of Blocking Breast Health Program
PUBLIC HEALTH & EDUCATION | One in Four HIV-Positive Women Does Not Undergo Cervical Cancer Screenings, Study Finds
OPINION |Sotomayor 'Clearly Belongs' on Supreme Court, NYT Editorial Says
The
amendment says requirements for abortion coverage cannot be imposed
unless a woman's life is in danger or her pregnancy is a result of
incest or rape, The AP reported.
It still has to go through the House and Senate.
Abortions in China Increase
The number of abortions in China has increased from 9 million to 13 million since 2003, the New York Times reported. Chinese officials attribute the increase to the low level of sex education among young people. According to the article,
the China Daily reported that more than 70 percent of callers to a
hospital in Shanghai knew little, if not nothing, about contraception,
venereal diseases and that HIV/AIDS could be transmitted sexually.
The New York Times said:
"Sex is no longer considered taboo among young people today, and they believe they can learn everything they need from the Internet," Yu Dongyan, a gynecologist, told the paper. "But it doesn't mean they've developed a proper understanding or attitude toward it."
A Chinese cultural preference for sons, combined with the state's longstanding one-child policy, has resulted in a widening use of gender-selective abortions and "an imminent generation of excess men," according to a recent report in the online British Medical Journal. There are now 32 million more Chinese boys than girls under 20, the researchers found, an imbalance that is expected to widen over the next 20 years.
Abortion has been legal in China since 1953, although sex-selective abortions were banned starting in 1994. China was the first country to approve mifepristone, the abortion-inducing drug also known as RU-486, and by the late 1990s it was widely available - by prescription and on the black market - all across China.
India's Campaign for Later Marriage
India's government is launching a new campaign to encourage couples to marry at an older age and to engage proven family planning practices.
The National article said:
In New Delhi last week, the Indian health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad urged couples to marry after 30 years of age, saying resources in the country were unable to meet the demands of the growing population.
"Only people who opt to marry at 30-31 should be awarded," he said at a ceremony to felicitate couples who have opted for late marriages.
Though the legal age of marriage in India is 18 for girls and 21 for boys, various studies conducted recently reveal that in rural India, which constitutes 70 per cent of the total population, girls are married as young as 13 years of age.
According to the article, India's population is 1.14 billion and will surpass China by 2050, when it will become the world's most populated country. A similar family planning campaign, which promoted the use of contraceptives, was enacted in 1952 when its population was less than half of what it is now, but it failed to reach its fertility rate target.
Tiller's family was not at the hearing, and neither were members of Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group whose national headquarters were moved to Wichita, KS, which was also the home to Tiller's clinic, the New York Times reported.
If convicted, Roeder could serve a life sentence. Prosecuters say the case does not meet Kansas's requirements for the death penalty, which include killing a law enforcement officer or killing multiple people, according to the article.
Roeder is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault for threatening two other men serving as ushers that day. One of the men was Gary Hoepner, who had been talking with Tiller moments before he was shot.
"Mr. Hoepner said he followed Mr. Roeder outside toward the parking lot, but stopped when the man turned and called out, "I've got a gun, and I'll shoot you." Mr. Martin ran after Mr. Roeder, too, he testified, and at one point called out to him, "How could you do that?" The man yelled back something, Mr. Martin said, like, "he was a murderer" or "he was a killer."
When the man reached his car, Mr. Martin was about 10 feet away, blocking the car's exit. Mr. Roeder yelled "Move!" Mr. Martin recalled, but he stayed put. At that, Mr. Martin said, the man pulled out the gun, pointed it at him, and said, 'I'll shoot you.'"
Abortion is Banned in Nicaragua
Amnesty International called Nicaragua's abortion ban a "cruel, inhuman disgrace" and has led to increased maternal deaths, according to CNN.com. The ban includes prohibiting therapeutic abortion-terminating a pregnancy in protection of the mother's health.
In the article, Amnesty International's Executive Deputy Secretary General Kate Gilmore said:
"Nicaragua's ban on therapeutic abortion is a disgrace...It is a human rights scandal that ridicules medical science and distorts the law into a weapon against the provision of essential medical care to pregnant girls and women."
Gilmore was part of the Amnesty group that went to Nicaragua to gather
accounts from Nicaraguan women and medical professionals, who receive
prison sentences for getting abortions or provide services linked to
abortions. CNN
reported that Amnesty concluded that doctors are nurses are afraid of
treating pregnant women or girls for illnesses like cancer, malaria
HIV/AIDS or cardiac emergencies, where treatments could injure the
fetus or cause death to the fetus.
Nicaragua is one of few countries worldwide where abortion is illegal
regardless of the circumstances. Other countries include Chile, El
Salvador, Malta, the Philippines and the Dominican Republic, according
to CNN.
Florida Woman Promised Her Unborn Baby to Two Adoption Agencies
In Orlando, FL, Latasha Harlee, 25, was sentenced to six months in jail
for offering her baby to two adoption agencies, and collecting $6,300
before telling the soon-to-be adoptive parents she changed her mind.
She also lied about her due date, according to The Associated Press.
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
July 28: The Independent: Pro-life zealot on trial over US murder of 'hated' doctor
July 28: Examiner: Review of Perspectives on Confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court
July 28: LifeNews: Oakland Still Wants to Stop Pro-Life Pastor Walter Hoye From Protesting Abortion
July 28: Tapestry Health: Early Coital Debut and Associated HIV Risk Factors Among Young Women and Men in South Africa
July 28: Politics Daily:Margaret Sanger: The Other Side of the Story
July 27: Truthout: These Denialogues Don't Care if Their Own Children End Up With Syphilis
July 28: Tapestry Health: Role of Parents in Adolescent Sexual Activity And Contraceptive Use in Four African Countries
July 28: USA Today: Religious voices stake moral claims on health care reform
July 28: Michigan Messenger:In health care debate, Stupak gives mixed signals on abortion funding
July 28: NYTimes: Witness Tells of Abortion Provider's Last Moments
July 28: Moderate Voice: Keep Abortion Funding Out Of Health Reform
July 28: Feministing: The cost of Nicaragua's abortion ban
July 28: The Swamp: Healthcare hurdle: Abortion funding
July 28: Pro-Life Blogs: FRC Action to Host Webcast on the Government Takeover of Health Care
July 28: Creative Minority Report: More Condoms Needed!
July 28: AP: Witness describes shooting of Kan. abortion doctor
July 28: Fort Wayne: Largest abortion provider should not continue to get federal funds
July 28: LifeSiteNews: Pro-life Gov. Palin Resigns, Thanks Alaska in Farewell Address Sunday
July 28: Human Events: Sotomayor: Fundamental Right To Abortion, Not to Bear Arms
July 28: CNN: Nicaragua abortion ban 'cruel and inhuman disgrace'
July 28: Cleveland Plain Dealer: Catholic church touts its own natural plan for effective birth control: Healthy Cleveland
July 28: Ethica: Fighting for "orphans"
July 28: Experience Project: Trying to Outlaw This Is Ridiculous
July
28: Metro Catholic: Ribbon-cutting
ceremony moved inside after pro-life activists staged a public witness
during an appearance by the First Lady at a Virginia health clinic.
July 27: Catholic News Agency: Church does not approve of therapeutic abortion, reiterates diocesan official in Nicaragua
July 27: NRC Handelsblad: Dutch abortion boat to sail no more
July 28: STL Today: Stop taxpayer-funded abortion
July 28: AP: Woman promised baby to 2 adoption agencies
July 28: Human Events:Obamacare Pushes Abortion
July 27: Kansas City Star: Letters reveal evolving beliefs of man charged with killing George Tiller
July 27: KAKE 10: Both Sides Of Abortion Issue Watching Roeder Case Closely
Dr. Tiller, one of the country's few late-term abortion providers, was shot May 31 while serving as an usher at his church.
If there is a trial, Roeder's mental health may be used by defense attornies. Although Roeder denies that he is mentally ill now, he said that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his late teens, but blames it on drug use, according to The AP.
In the article,
Roeder said, "Drugs are not a problem. My mental illness came from the
use of drugs...When I quit, I haven't had any problems."
"In several interviews with The AP, Roeder has stopped just short of confessing to Tiller's shooting. While talking at length about the notion of justifiable homicide against abortion providers, he has refused to discuss any facts of the case.
Asked if he thinks Tiller's shooting was justified, Roeder replied, 'Well, yeah. The thing is, how could it not be? Again, you know, he was in the business, and had been for many years, of taking the lives of unborn children. So if the lives of born children are worthy of protection, why would not the lives of unborn children be worthy of protection? That is really what it comes down to.'"
Sex Educaiton Online
A recent Center for Disease Control report said that one in three
teenagers say they never received information about the different types
of contraception, or ways to use it, by the time they turned 18.
It may be because of the government's push for abstinence-only sex
education funding that teens are turning to the Internet for
information, according to the examiner.com.
In the CDC's report, sexually transmitted diseases have increased among
teens, and close to a million young adults were reported to have
gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis, the article said.
"There are good companies out there that offer education but with the good always comes the bad. Predators can easily lurk behind the computer façade they create and get to our teens this way as well. Perhaps the answer is not as simple as 1 2 3 in this case. Perhaps the best recipe for success is to combine all the ingredients; schools, parents, and on-line."
Family Guy Abortion Episode
Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy creator, said he is producing an episode
about abortion for the upcoming season. He also said that Fox is
unlikely to air the episode, but he added it will be available on DVD,
according to THR.com.
The article also said that a Fox spokesperson said no decision has been made regarding the episode.
If the episode is not aired, it will be the second time Fox has chosen to not show a Family Guy episode.
The article said:
"It's exactly the sort of controversy that's unlikely to wound the hit series, however. Even if the program never airs on broadcast television, envelope-pushing content is the show's specialty and outrage could boost DVD sales if/when the episode is released on home video."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
July 27: Wichita Eagle: New Jersey Moms: Cost of overseas adoption prohibitive
July 27: American Spectator:Abortion Haunting Obama
July 27: Daily Record: New campaign highlights contraception alternatives for women
July 27: The Star: Hope for victims of failed adoption agency
July 27: NRO: Human Life Is More than a Distraction
July 25: Daily News: Insights: Why Sarah Palin symbolizes great divide
July 26: Road to Power: mack in nyc calls on pro-choice republicans to "reclaim the right to privacy"
July 26: Lawyers' Chronicle: THE PRO-LIFE/ PRO-CHOICE DEBATE
July 27: Salon.com: The feds should fund abortion
July 26: OpenLeft.com:CDC Sexual Health Report: Forced Childbirth Mythos Crash And Burn
July 26: NHPR: Dartmouth-Hitchcock CMC Proposed Deal Raises Questions
July 27: The National:Pakistan faces population time bomb
July 26: Examiner: Teens are getting sex education help on-line
July 26: Operation Rescue: Weeklong ‘Abortion is Not Healthcare' Campaign Kicks-off Sunday in Front of Pelosi's DC Office
July 27: Christian NewsWire:African-American Leaders to Speak Out Against Taxpayer Funded Abortions in the Pelosi/Obama Health Care Plan
July 26: AP: Suspect in Kan. abortion killing faces hearing
July 25: Charleston Gazette: Toward center
July 26: NewsFlavor: The Abortion Debate - Pro Choice, Pro Life
July 26: FOXNews/NY Post: Nurse 'Forced' to Help in a Late-Term Abortion
July 26: Antimisandry.com: Infiltrating the infiltrators, I turned the table and sat in on a pro-abortion NOW meeting in NYC
July 26: Taylor Marsh: Beyond Dr. Tiller
July 26: Global Post:Politics and the morning after pill
July 26: Times of India: Aging population forces Shanghai to amend family planning law
July 26: Journal Gazette: Abortion a hurdle in health plan
July 26: Baltimore Sun: More kids have homes, thanks to adoption agencies' efforts
July 25: Newsnet 14:Conservatives rally opposition to adoption for gay couples
July 26: Michigan Radio: Abortion & Overhauling Health Care
July 25: THR.com: 'Family Guy' abortion episode unlikely to air on Fox
July 26: Boston Globe: Abortion and the echo of eugenics
July 26: Mirror.co.uk: Issue of the week: Taking the Pill is safe.. and works
July 25: KSN: Pro-choice movement goes on offensive
July 23: America Magazine: More on Abortion & Health Care Reform
July 25: Spiritual Politics: Ryan-DeLauro and the culture wars
July 24: LifeSiteNews:Pro-Life Groups Warn: Ryan-DeLauro "Common Ground" Bill a Red Herring
July 25: Catholic Exchange: Over 36,000 Participate in Webcast to Stop the Abortion Mandate in Obama Healthcare
July 25: LA Times:The Emmy-nominated 'Family Guy' and the abortion episode you won't see
July 25: NYTimes: An Abortion Battle, Fought to the Death
July 24: Zenit.com:LOOKING FOR SOME COMMON GROUND ON ABORTION
July 24: Oroville MR:Charges reduced in assault on abortion protester
July 25: PNJ.com:Editorial: Adoptions an unmitigated good for Florida, society
July 25: Faith in Public Life: Fact-checking Focus on the Family on Ryan-DeLauro
July 25: WorldNetDaily:Is there a co-pay with forced abortion?
July 24: Catholic News Agency: U.S. House votes down Pence Amendment intended to defund Planned Parenthood
July 23: Kansas City Star:(Letter) ‘Eugenic culling'
July 25: Kansas City Star: Contraceptives do not equal abortions
July
24: Catholic News Agency: Proposed abortion reduction bill a Planned Parenthood ‘stimulus package,' bishops' pro-life official says
July 24: Feministing: North Dakota Restricting the Right To Abortion One Ultrasound at a Time
July 24: CBN: Is New Abortion Bill Really "Common Ground"?
July 24: Feminists for Choice: Stunning Numbers - Casualties of the War On Choice
July 24: LifeSiteNews: Pence Amendment Fails, House Votes to Increase Tax Dollars for Planned Parenthood
July 24: LifeNews: Democrats May Take Health Care Bill to Floor, Deny Vote on Pro-Life Amendments
July 24: Feministing: Obama says not funding abortions is "tradition"
July 24: U.S. News & World Report: Depo Provera Shot: How to Minimize Weight Gain
July 23: Politics Daily: Ohio Abortion Bill Would Guarantee a Man's Right to Choose
July 24: APP.com: Johnson & Johnson settles birth-control patent lawsuit
July 24: Racewire: Are culture wars killing reproductive health?
When Obama met with the Pope, he made the same promise to reduce abortions.
According to the article, Obama said:
"There's a moral component to prevention. And we shouldn't be shy about acknowledging it. As parents, as family members, we need to encourage young people to show reverence toward sexuality and intimacy. We need to teach that not just to the young girls, we need to teach it to those young boys. But even as we are teaching those lessons, we should never be willing to consign a teenage girl to a lifetime of struggle because of a lack of access to birth control or a lifetime of illness because she doesn't understand how to protect herself. That's just commonsense. There's common ground on behalf of commonsense-there we have an opportunity to move forward and agree."
George Bush's Failed Sex Education Plan
The Guardian
reported that teen pregnancy rates and STD's are on the rise,
attributing it to former president George Bush's 2007 funding for
abstinence-only sex education. The push for abstinence-only funding
came right after a study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and
Unplanned Pregnancy found that sex education programs that included
contraception education were the most effective way to avoid unplanned
pregnancy, according to the article.
It was also after the Guttmacher Institute reported on "a nine-year, $8m evaluation of federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage programmes found that these programs have no beneficial impact on young people's sexual behaviour," the Guardian reported.
Bush also wanted abstinence-only funding three years after a report
found that abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum contained "false,
misleading, or distorted information about reproductive
health," according to the Guardian.
Television as a Form of Contraception
The United Nations recently reported that the world population will
double in the next 40 years if growth rates go unchecked. India, with
1.17 billion people, was specifically mentioned, according to the San Francisco Gate.
In response to the the UN, India came up with a solution: To bring
electricity to rural villages so people can watch television at night
instead of having sex.
According to the article, India's Health and Family Welfare Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad said:
"If there is electricity in every village then people will watch TV until late night and then fall asleep. They won't get a chance to produce children. When there is no electricity there is nothing else to do but produce babies." He added: "Don't think that I am saying this in a lighter vein. I am serious. TV will have a great impact. It's a great medium to tackle the problem ... 80 percent of population growth can be reduced through TV."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
July 20: Statesman Journal: Anti-abortion protests target area churches
July 20: The Hill: Push to ban federal cash for abortion
July 20: Feministing: Thanks, abstinence-only education!
July 16: GOP.gov: Pence Denounces Removal of Pro-life Provisions in DC Funding
July 19: Religion Dispatches:The Next Generation of the Pro-Life Movement
July 20: NYTimes: New Jersey G.O.P. Candidate Picks Woman as His No. 2
July 20: WSJ:Abortion Compromise Considered For US House Health-Care Bill
July 20: LifeNews: Obama Surgeon General Pick Regina Benjamin May Back Abortion, But She Won't Tell
July 20: CNS News: White House: Obama Made Same Abortion Pledge to Pope That He Made to Planned Parenthood
July 20: Beliefnet: Sexuality and the Sacred
July 20: Feministing:Hi. I'm Jen. I'm an abortion provider
July 20: Catholic News Agency: Obama misled Pope on his abortion agenda, congressman charges
July 20: Politicker NJ: In wake of Guadagno pick, New Jersey Right to Life unlikely to endorse Christie
July 20: Strollerderby: Ohio Law Would Give Men Final Decision in Abortion
July 20: Feministing: Want an abortion? Get a note from a dude
July 20: NYTimes: Withdrawal Method Finds Ally
July 20: Edge Boston: Christians Assail European Adoption Equality Laws
July 20: LifeNews: Fake Pro-Life Abortion Bill Expected in Congress, Ups Planned Parenthood Funds
July 20: Guardian: George Bush's sex education failure
July 20: Daily KOS: The Big Picture: Abortion, Health, and Justice
July 20: LifeNews: Spain Pro-Life Advocates Upset Barcelona Medical College Reinstates Carlos Morin
July 20: NYTimes: Challenging the "Horrors" of Adoption
July 20: Kansas City Star: Anti-abortionist Randall Terry won't go quietly
July 20: SF Gate: Television: India's new birth control 'pill'
July 20: The Frisky: Teen Pregnancy Increased In The Past Few Years
July 20: Optimum Population Blog:The world in 2050
July 20: CNS News: Clinton Accepts Blame for ‘Global Warming' Role, Ponders Link Between Climate Change and Family Planning
If confirmed, Benjamin would lead the Public Health Service Commissioned
Corps, issue public health messages and advise the president and health
and human services secretary, the article said. She would also be the chief health educator in the country.
Benjamin is prohibited from speaking publicly on any issue until she is confirmed, according to Washington Post.
David Satcher, a former surgeon general under President Bill Clinton, told the Washington Post,
"We all have our religions, but when you speak as the surgeon general
to the American people, it's not about your religion...I don't see why
the surgeon general has to get involved in a discussion about abortion."
NOW Fights with Anti-choice Activists in Kansas
After Dr. George Tiller's death, the closing of his clinic and of the
committee he founded and funded, ProKanDo, the National Organization
for Women is rebuilding the abortion rights movement in Kansas,
according to Associated Press.
The article said:
"Marla Patrick, the Kansas coordinator for NOW, said that for years ProKanDo took the lead on abortion rights issues because it had the funding to do so. NOW was content then to stay in the background because it had found that its presence could hurt the cause."
Although ProKanDo had approximately 6,400 donors, Dr. Tiller
contributed between one-third and one-half of the committee's revenue,
depending on the year. The committee will no longer have the same
financial support as it did during Dr. Tiller's life, but his death
propelled the grass roots support, Patrick said.
"While we may have less funding, we are going to have more grass
roots," she told AP. "And I think that can be every bit as effective, if
not more so, especially in light of all the recent events."
New "Sexting" Legislation in New Jersey
After a 14-year-old girl in New Jersey was arrested for posting
partially nude photos of herself on MySpace and originally charged with
distribution of child pornography, state lawmaker Pamela R. Lampitt
introduced legislation aimed at reducing "sexting," according to the Associated Press.
Lampitt told AP:
"Kids may be kids, but they can be forced to grow up in a hurry when an explicit photograph meant only for one person gets forwarded and reforwarded throughout their school..."Young people, especially teen girls, need to understand that sending inappropriate pictures is not only potentially illegal, but can leave an indelible mark on them socially and educationally."
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy conducted
a 2008 survey and found that one-in-five teens have sent nude or
partially-nude photos or videos of themselves to friends or posted them
on a social networking site like MySpace, the article said.
The proposed legislation would not punish minors for "sexting," but
would instead create an education program that would teach participants
about potential state and federal penalties for "sexting."
In the article, Lampitt said:
"Young people need to understand the ramifications of their actions, but they shouldn't necessarily be treated as criminals...We need to create a path that places education and forgiveness before arrest and prosecution."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
July 19: Blogger News Network:Will Ethical Issues Derail the Health Care Bill?
July 20: Washington Times: McConnell won't vote for Sotomayor
July 19: Moderate Voice: Vatican Unequivocally Confirms Automatic Excommunication for Anyone Involved in Abortion
July 20: New Zealand Herald: Judge reserves decision on abortion
July 17: Fox News: Abortion Issue Dogs Health Care Reform in the House
July 19: NYTimes: Health Bill Might Direct Tax Money to Abortion
July 20: Daily Mail: Christian doctor is axed from panel over failing to back gay adoption
July 19: Opposing Views: Did Sotomayor Perjure Herself on Abortion?
July 20: WaPo: D.C. Adoptions Drop Sharply, Causing Dismay
July 19: Fox News: Two Republican Senators Question Sotomayor's Judgment
July 19: Fox News:As Health Insurance Debate Looms, Budget Director Refuses to Rule Out Federally Funded Abortions
July 19: PewSitter: Catholic Politicians Continue to Advance Abortion Lobby Agenda
July 19: AP: Officials: Health care proposal a work in progress
July 19: AP:NJ Assemblywoman moves to combat teen "sexting
July 19: Cape May County Herald: National Natural Family Planning Awareness Week
July 18: NYTimes: Helping in Pakistan
July 18: Catholic News Agency: Vietnamese Catholics pay high fines for violating government's two-child policy
July 17: San Francisco Examiner: The upcoming governor races will also be a fight for pro-life
July 19: Naperville Sun:Anti-abortion protest seeks to shock
July 18: KOS: Abortion Clinic Escorting Day 1: The Sidewalk Dynamic
July 19: New Nation: Reproductive health supplies scarce
July 18: Examiner: 16 & Pregnant: Reality Documentary Or Shortcut to Fame?
July 18: AP: NOW takes on Kansas abortion fight
July 18: Wichita Eagle: Tiahrt's abortion remarks criticized
July 19: Daily Star: Overcoming the problems of population growth
July 17: Yuma Sun: Abortion law draws mixed reaction in Yuma
July 17: Star Tribune: Where are all those Democrats who claim to be supporters of abortion rights?
July 17: LifeSiteNews: Representatives of European Catholic Bishops' Conferences Denounce Homosexual Adoption and Euthanasia
July 18: Argus Leader: Judge vows to rule soon in abortion warning case
July 18: The Ledger: More Not Always Merrier
July 17: Galesburg Register Mail:Parenting programs take big hit from state budget cuts
July 18: People and Planet: World must act now to prevent contraceptive crisis
July 18: WaPo: Surgeon General Pick's Stance on Abortion May Clash With Church's
July 17: Spokesman-Review: (Letters) Women need allies
July 17: Politics Daily: Why Emily Bazelon Didn't Follow Up on Ginsburg's Abortion Comment
July 17: Catholic News Agency: Italy to sponsor U.N. resolution condemning abortion
July 17: Daily Dish: The Abortion Debate, Cont'd
July
17: LifeSiteNews: Giant Webcast Thursday to Educate and Mobilize Pro-Life Americans Against Great Dangers of Obama Health Care Bill
July 17: NASDAQ: Anti-Abortion Democrats Emerge As Obstacle To Health-Care Bill
July 17: New Mexico Independent: N.M. lawmaker seeks to protect ‘unborn victims of violence'
July 17: Wichita Eagle: Letters to the editor: Vietnam memorial health care, tax increases, abortion, rural broadband
July 17: Virginia Pilot:Pro-choice advocates pick Deeds
July 17: Catholic Spirit: Pope praises work by late cardinal of Mauritius to promote the family
July 17: HuffPo: How Green Is Your Birth Control? (POLL)
July 17: LifeNews: Congressman to Offer Amendment to De-Fund Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
July 17: Daily KOS: Lindsey Graham's Shocking Defense of Choice
July 17: Together for Adoption:Ed Stetzer on Social Justice and the Gospel
July 17: ABA Journal: Columnist Hits Justice Ginsburg for ‘Simplistic, Pro-Choice Rant'
July 17: Daily Gleaner:Pro-life activist fighting city on refusal to print anti-abortion ads
The bill will
also reduce the government's funding for the anti-drug media campaign
from $70 million to $20 million because of questions regarding the
campaign's effectiveness, according to AP.
U.S. Teens Don't Get Enough Education About Contraception
On
Thursday, results from data collected by the government showed that
although U.S. teens are getting sex education, they are not learning
about contraceptive use from their parents, according to Reuters.
The article also said that the rate of AIDS and syphilis diagnosis are up, reflected the report's results. Representatives from the Center for Disease Control said teens need better sex education in its weekly report on death and disease.
"The data presented in this report indicate that many young persons in the United States engage in sexual risk behavior and experience negative reproductive health outcomes" the report said.
According to Reuters,
the Obama administration is cutting some of the Bush administration's
conservative policies including abstinence-only sex education funding.
Anti-abortion Protester Challenges Buffer Zone Law
The Los Angeles Times reported that Oakland, CA Baptist minister Walter Hoye
was the first person convicted of breaking a 2008 law that prohibits
abortion protesters to be within eight feet of an abortion clinic.Hoye was trying to talk women out of having abortions as he held a sign that read "God loves you and your baby. Let us help you."
Hoye was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but ended up only serving 18 days. Hoye still stands outside the same abortion clinic in Oakland, but because he is not allowed to call out to women entering the clinic, he instead hands out a leaflet, the article said.
According to the Los Angeles Times, what Hoye calls "sidewalk counseling," abortion rights advocates call harrassment.
The article also said:
"Prior to this ordinance," said Jackie Barbic, executive director of Family Planning Specialists, "the protesters would actually put their heads in patients' cars and get very close to them. You would have mom and dad bringing their teenage daughter in, and these people would follow them along the sidewalk to the front door of the office." Some women, she said, were coming in for procedures after miscarriages. "Our patients were shocked and upset, and some of the partners would get very angry."
OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:
July 17: Catholic Culture: PRO-LIFE, PRO-MARRIAGE VICTORIES IN ARIZONA LEGISLATURE
July 17: Politico: On abortion, don't ask, don't tell
July 17: Morning Call: Health reform should benefit local centers
July 16: Georgia Bulletin: Money should fund education, not abortions, pro-life youths protest
July 17: Washington Examiner: Senator's abortion comments cause a stir among conservatives
July 16: Christian News Wire: House Pro-Life Members Muzzled by Pelosi's Pro-Abortion Leadership
July 16: Feminists for Choice: Push for C-sections an attack on choice.
July 16: Choice USA:Obama Admin Gives Immigrants Legal Support
July 16: HuffPo:Health-Care Reform: What I Saw Today on Capitol Hill
July 16: CBCP News: Church confident to beat family planning bill
July 16: Choices Campus Blog: Summer opportunity for NYC feminists!
July 15: Feministing: Just how far is too far
July 16: Feministing: Blogger: How Abortion Rights Make Bad Boyfriends
July 16: AP:House spending bill allows DC abortion funding
July 16: LifeSiteNews: Mexican State of Yucatan Becomes 14th to Pass Pro-Life Constitutional Amendment
July 16: LifeSiteNews: Famed NASA Astronauts Launch New Pro-Life Ad
July 16: LifeNews: Pro-Life Leader Tells Senate Committee Sonia Sotomayor Would Back Abortion
July 16: Reuters: U.S. teens get sex education, but not from parents
July 16: Feministing: Are you a condom worshipper? (Or, When the purity pushers lose their damn minds)
July 16: Catholic News Agency:‘Extraordinary' Arizona legislative session witnesses pro-life victories
July 16: London Free Press: Bankrupt adoption agency: Ontario minister trying to help
July 16: Forbes: Pregnancy, STDs on the Rise Again Among U.S. Teens
July 16: AP: Anti-abortion group protests outside Vegas clinic
July 16: Common Dreams: NARAL Pro-Choice America Commends Sen. Dodd, HELP Committee Members for Turning Back Anti-Choice Attacks
July 16: SF Gate: This Is What Adoption Feels Like
July 16: Lake Zurich Courier: Lake Zurich one of 24 pro-life demonstrations
July 16: Crosswalk: Ginsburg was right about Roe v. Wade and population control
July 16: LifeNews: Virginia Governor's Race Sees Pro-Life McDonnell With Small Lead Over Deeds
July 16: Tulsa News: Obama's health care plan will lead to more abortions
July 16: Daily Dish:The Abortion Debate: What's the Role of Men?, Ctd
July 16: California Catholic Daily: Compulsory Abortion and Involuntary Fertility Control
July 15: Phoenix News Times:Jan Brewer Bans Abortion (for a Day), Democrats Should Consider Hara-kiri
July 16: LA Times: Abortion protester denies stepping over the line
July 15: Injury Board: Lawsuits Over Bayer Birth Control Pills
July 15: NYTimes: Help for Family Planning
July 15: OA Online: Pro-life group gathers in protest
July 15: Politics Daily: Sotomayor's Personal Views on Abortion: Why, Again, Do We Care?