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Tags: Marriage, Sex, Sexuality, Social Issues, Values
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Tags: Education, Family/Relationships - Family, Marriage, Quote of the Week, Relationships, Relatives
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05/13/2010
IconI never thought I'd see this headline, but it is real:' "Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on Ultrasound."Abby Johnson, 29, worked at a southeast Texas Planned Parenthood clinic for 8 years, the last two as its director.' She was, in her own words, extremely "pro-choice."' What changed her was watching a video of an ultrasound of an actual abortion.' She watched a fetus "crumple" as it was vacuumed out of a patient's uterus in September.' That was the turning point for her.' She has since stayed home to raise her 3 year old daughter.Here's a very important point:' all activist groups change the wording of their identity or actions in order to temper the emotional response of others, and in so doing, gain acceptance.' "Abortion" became "CHOICE."' Well, everyone likes to have choices - that was a brilliant technique to obscure the facts that a human being is dismembered, crumpled, and sucked with a vacuum out of her mother's body into a container or sink and ultimately eliminated as an issue in the life of the mother-who-was (versus mother-to-be).But this was not the only problem for Abby Johnson.' She says that since revenues were down, she was ordered several times by her bosses to increase profits by performing more and more abortions, which cost patients between $500 and $700. "It's a very lucrative business, and that's why they want to increase numbers," she is quoted as saying.Planned Parenthood likes to talk about abortions being only a small part of Planned Parenthood's activities.' Planned Parenthood likes to say that its focus is on prevention.' Johnson's reply? "For them, there's not a lot of money in education.' There's not as much money in family planning as there is in abortion." Johnson also said, "Ideally, my goal as the facility's director is that your abortion numbers don't increase, because you're providing so much family planning and so much education that there is not a demand for abortion services.' But that was not their goal." Can you say "whistleblower?"Planned Parenthood's response?' Guess!' You're wrong.' They got a temporary restraining order against Ms. Johnson and the Coalition for Life (an anti-abortion group with which Johnson is now affiliated, and which is located just down the block from this Planned Parenthood clinic).'Why a restraining order?' Simple....they don't want the truth to be spoken, and isn't that "telling." More >>

Tags: Planned Parenthood, Quote of the Week, Social Issues, Values
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05/13/2010
IconSix days before Teanne Harris of Chicago was to walk down the aisle in a glorious white gown, her fiance called off the nuptials.When Harris and her mom went to the catering hall to cancel the reception, they were told that their deposit was nonrefundable.'Now, between being dumped at the altar and not getting her money back, I would expect a screaming meemee, locking herself in the bathroom, ripping up every picture of the two of them, screaming to all her friends, getting drunk, not showering - you know, the usual melodrama.Not Ms. Harris!' Leaving the catering hall, she noticed the Asbury Court Retirement Community across the street.' So, instead of letting her Halloween-themed wedding reception go to waste, she decided to move the party to the retirement home, where more than 300 residents attended the party.Harris had her bridal bouquet placed in the retirement home's chapel.'She also went on the Hawaii trip anyway...the trip that was meant to be her honeymoon.All I can say about this story is that she is a magnificent, spiritual human being, and the joker who left her did her a favor.' I'm sure she'll find a real man worthy of her mature and generous spirit. More >>

Tags: Character, Character, Courage, Conscience, Character-Courage-Conscience, Social Issues, Values
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05/13/2010
IconTwo recent acts of bravery bring up a clear point:1.' A nine year old boy in a Southern town was in the passenger seat of his parents' car with three siblings all under the age of three in'the back.' His mother darted into a convenience store, and a huge man (who was lurking nearby) jumped into the driver's seat, i.e., it was a car-jacking in the works.' The nine year old had the courage and the presence of mind not to be "politically correct" which would have meant sitting quietly and obeying an adult.' Nope, not at all.' This kid grabbed the car keys and held them tight to his right side.' The would-be carjacker hit the boy's head against the passenger door in an attempt to get the keys, and failed as the boy was resolute.' As the boy said later, "I didn't want my family to be taken."' The car-jacker ran from the car, fell, and was apprehended by police who had been called from the convenience store.2.' A young female (of course I'm proud) civilian police officer stopped an Army officer from continuing his murders of Fort Hood soldiers by standing up to him and shooting him numerous times while being shot three times herself.' Unfortunately, except for military police (MPs) and civilian police, soldiers on a base do not carry weapons, and are, therefore, sitting ducks for the murderous rampage of "one of their own."' As it turns out, by all media reports, the history of this so-called American Army officer was clearly one of a terrorist.'There was a history of his radical Muslim ideology.' Reports against him had been made, but political correctness ruled the day.' Because he had worshipped at a mosque with a radical imam who allegedly had made contact with two of the 9/11 hijackers and had written on the Internet Muslim extremist comments (which, I understand, included a defense of suicide bombers), had tried to indoctrinate patients and his school mates even complained about the political leanings of his class assignments and so much more, was no reason, many authorities have said, to assume he was a home-grown terrorist.' That political correctness caused the death of 13 and serious injury to dozens.' Never mind the fear it has generated on bases around the country and the world where the bullet or bomb can come from the "inside."Instead of facing this threat (and please do remember the plots that were foiled against other military bases on American soil in the past several years), we are being told not to "jump to conclusions."' Well, without jumping to the correct conclusions in a timely manner, hanging on instead to political correctness (meaning that no one should criticize or profile), our military men and women and their families have a good reason to be afraid and angry.' They pay the price.That nine year old boy didn't sit complacently and be a "good boy."' He took charge to protect his own.' We should do the same for our military and their families.' Those who have expressed at any time any philosophy resembling radical Islamic hate should be marginalized, scrutinized, put under surveillance, and supervised.The first obligation of the American government is not "Cash for Clunkers."' It's for the safety of the populace.' The morale of our military took a large hit when they discovered that they were not safe from worldwide terrorists at their own desks.'Dump all that "PTSD by proxy" nonsense.' Look at the truth, without which we are neither free nor safe. More >>

Tags: Character, Courage, Conscience, Character-Courage-Conscience, Courage, Military, Political Correctness, Politics, Religion, Social Issues, Values
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Tags: Addiction, Children, Eat Less-Move More, Health, Obesity, Parenting, Personal Responsibility, Politics, Smoking
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Tags: Children, Health, Internet-Media, Internet/Media, Marriage, Parenting, Social Issues, Values
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Tags: Education, Family/Relationships - Family, Marriage, Quote of the Week, Relationships, Relatives
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05/13/2010
IconStudents in the American Fork High School Marching Band swept the awards not long ago in a competition at Brigham Young University.' What made this story interesting and somewhat controversial is this:' on the way back from another competition held in Idaho, the driver of the bus in which the students were riding fell asleep at the wheel.' All of the students survived.' The one fatality was the 33 year old instructor who grabbed for the steering wheel when she noticed the driver was out cold.The controversial part occurred because some people believe that it is unseemly for life to go on, for joy to be in people's hearts, or for friends and relatives to be happy and involved in their lives when someone dies.' Some people believe that it is disrespectful, cavalier and insensitive for others to carry on as though a tragedy didn't happen.' Generally, this belief comes out of a confusion of pain, emotions and guilt over survival.I think it's a good thing that these students competed, and they did so in remembrance of Heather Christensen, the teacher who saved their lives.' And that's the point:' she saved their lives so they could live, love, and play music.' I believe they showed her immense respect by playing in her honor, continuing with the competition for which she coached them.'' Her immortality comes from being remembered fondly by her students who used the skills they learned from her to create the music she loved so much.When someone we love dies, we don't honor them by denying ourselves the normal pleasures of life.' I find that to be an insult.' Life is precious, and when somebody is gone from life, that which they lost should be treated with the utmost reverence by squeezing every moment of dignity, creativity, joy, adventure, work, love, compassion and fun that is possible.' This is the way you honor the deceased:' you carry on and do something of value with your life.The students received a long, standing ovation as they marched off the field and embraced in tearful hugs.' What a fitting memorial to a brave, caring teacher. More >>

Tags: Attitude, Character, Courage, Conscience, Character-Courage-Conscience, Courage, Education, family, Health, Morals, Ethics, Values, Personal Responsibility, Purpose, Relatives, School, Values
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05/13/2010
IconWe're all outraged when we hear the stories of children being beaten, locked in cages, raped by adult "friends of the family" (if not family members themselves), abducted, and murdered.' These are clearly horrendous realities that offend all decent people.'Then there are the "normalized" child abuse activities that barely make people shrug a shoulder.' We were somewhat amused and annoyed by the recent story of the reality show family who pretended their son was in a balloon flying high in the sky while the balloon was empty and the boy was hiding.' Turns out that this was all about auditioning for their own reality show.'TLC has a show called "Toddlers and Tiaras."' According to one of my listeners who alerted me to this program, it should have been titled "Mothers Who Exploit Their Children." It's a show about young girls (as young as 4 years old!) who compete in beauty contests.' The worst part is not that the mothers over-dress and overly make up their children.' The worst part is not that these young girls put on immodest swimsuits and high heels and parade in front of an audience.' The weird part of the show occurs after the competition ends and you see how these young girls and their parents react to the final results.' One young girl, who couldn't have been older than six, took second runner-up, and her mother was furious.' When the mother went backstage, there was no "you did a great job," or "I love you."' She simply said to her sobbing child - angrily - "I don't know what happened.' Come on...let's go."' Another little girl responded to the results by saying "I'm first runner-up.' That means I'm a loser."These kids are learning that they are only worth something if they win.' They're only loved up by their parents if they win.' And they're learning that winning a beauty competition is the way to a meaningful existence.These kinds of competitions shouldn't even be allowed.' If I had the power - no one would be able to exploit their children for money, infamy, notoriety, selfishness or stupidity.' We all have heard the stories of the warped and sorry lives of most former child stars - the drugs, alcohol, suicides, and self-destructive behaviors throughout their lives - generally because their worth was hitched to the wagon of public adoration.These so-called "family" reality shows are a form of child abuse and exploitation.' Children lose their privacy and have to cater to the desire of networks and cable executives for ratings and sponsorship income, and producers need outlandish behavior in order to get and keep an audience.' Parents expect them to do whatever it takes to keep their star in the sky.' It's disgusting, and our society not only allows it, but elevates these shows to an incredible level of importance.' How about all those news stories of Jon & Kate and their eight kids?' They're getting a divorce, and their pathetic story got coverage from actual hard news sources for weeks at the same time they were appearing on the covers of so-called "news" magazines.We have become detestable in our acceptance and normalization of obvious emotional child abuse.' Shame on us. More >>

Tags: Children, Family/Relationships - Children, Internet-Media, Internet/Media, Parenting, Reality TV
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