Weekly News

1. Arizona Still Fighting For Physician-Assisted Suicide Law – January 22, 2008

Please go to the website for the East Valley Tribune paper in Arizona and vote on their online poll which states "Should Arizona allow physician-assisted suicide. http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/

A perennial bill patterned after Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law has a new advocate and a higher profile.

The measure, sponsored for the past six years by Rep. Linda Lopez, D-Tucson, would allow doctors to help terminally ill patients die by prescribing a lethal dose of drugs.

"I'm a firm believer that people should have the right to control their own body," Lopez said. "I think it's between the individual and whatever they believe in."

For the first time, Senate Health Committee chair Carolyn Allen, R-Scottsdale, has signed on to the bill and agreed to hear it if it can get out of the House. But House Health Committee chairman Bob Stump, R-Phoenix, has declined to hear the bill in past years.

Opponents, chiefly the Roman Catholic Church and other religious groups, hold that physician-assisted suicide is antithetical to the protection of life. Among the concerns are that people who can't afford expensive medical treatment will be pressured to accept euthanasia.

Supporters say keeping people alive against their wishes is cruel and immoral, and that medical advances have changed the debate by keeping people alive longer and, in some cases, prolonging suffering.

"It's incomprehensible that you would allow people to suffer before they die," said Loretta Lande of Scottsdale, president of the local chapter of Compassion and Choices.

Since Oregon voters passed the Death With Dignity Act in 1997, 292 people have died under the terms of the law, according to statistics through 2006 from the Oregon Department of Human Services. In 2006, 65 prescriptions were written, and 35 people took the drugs. The Arizona bill, HB2387, mirrors Oregon's law. Terminally ill patients with less than six months to live could request a lethal dose of medication from their physician. They must request it a second time, at least 15 days later. Family members must be notified, and the patient may be required to go through counselling.

Unlike euthanasia, where someone else injects the drugs, aid in dying requires patients to administer the medication themselves.

Hospice organizations have traditionally opposed such legislation, arguing that hospice care can eliminate suffering for patients and their families and do so holistically, addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs. That's great for the people who get good hospice care, Lande said, but not everyone does.

"It's like a security blanket," she said of Oregon's law. "Knowing that you have that option if things get bad enough."

On Wednesday, Lande and Lopez will lead the third annual march on the Legislature in support of aid-in-dying legislation.

Denise Mountenay – 80.939.5774 (home/office)
780.267.5714 (cell)
Founder/President
Author of Forgiven… a true story

What: Canada Silent No More-women who’ve had legal abortions gather to expose pain and damage of abortion…

Who: Women from across Canada who are silent no more, voices for our aborted children

Background: Canada Silent No More is a growing movement of women and men, hurt and damaged by legal abortion physically, emotionally and spiritually. We are collecting affidavit testimonies for possible lawsuits against abortion doctors and cancer societies for not informing women about ALL of the risk factors to abortion.

One of our Canada Silent No More women had an abortion by Dr. Morgentaler, I was sued by him for a million dollars to keep quiet and go away…it is time to speak out!

Christian Government Bi-Weekly E-letter – January 10, 2008 – Vol. 2, #1

"Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand." – Augustine of Hippo

Contents
1. Commentary – Three fronts in the culture war
2. Testimonials
3. The battle for the culture is not for the weary
4. Views and News
5. Buy the book
6. Subscribe / Unsubscribe / Contact information
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The State Has No Business In the Boardrooms of the Nations
Have you ordered our free E-book – "The State Has No Business In the Boardrooms of the Nations" – yet? Learn more about it here and request your copy today by return email. Engage your culture with Biblical answers to the questions real people are asking today. Don't leave home without it.
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Commentary – Three fronts in the culture war
Today I want to briefly cover several issues that are piling up in my files that deserve comment.

Even in cases where we think that civil government should be in charge, it is always worth taking a step back and evaluating where our views come from and if they merit continued support. It's always important to remember the Biblical posture, as I discuss in my book, "State vs. Church," which is that deference should always be given to lower levels of government, self-government and family government. That being said, with all the controversies that exist about the legitimate role of the civil government, most people today probably believe it has legitimate control over infrastructure development. I always find it instructive when I come across illustrations of the gross incompetence of civil government even in its attempt to handle the fiscal and management responsibilities of infrastructure development. Following is a case is point, as presented by the Federalist Digest (Jan. 4, 2008):

"Boston's Central Artery/Third Harbour Tunnel Project, better known as the Big Dig, is finally finished. This urban roadway project to relieve traffic congestion has long been a monument to the utter failure of government planning, and rightly so. It went five years over schedule and 469 percent over budget, coming in at $14.8 billion. During its tortuously long construction, the tunnel sprang more than 1,700 leaks. This, Ted Kennedy's pet project, was also responsible for the death of a woman trapped under a massive ceiling panel that fell on her car. That led to the resignation of two Massachusetts Transit Authority chairmen and fraud indictments of six employees accused of supplying sub-standard materials. Had Massachusetts contracted this project out to a private group, the job would have been done right long ago, and the taxpayers would not have been cheated along the way."

Bisexuality according to the Globe & Mail
There was a stunning article in Canada's Globe & Mail newspaper a few days ago. This article belongs in a homosexual advocacy group's promotional material. It was written by a person (Siri Agrell) who has fully accepted the most radical homosexualist theories of human nature, human development and social theory. The Jan. 17 article – "Study: Not Just Dabbling: Bisexuality: a 'third orientation'" – discussed a new study which sex perverts are using to claim that bisexuality is a "third orientation" rather than an intermediate stage that homosexuals or normal people pass through – which I supposed has been the more fashionable, though equally flawed, notion up to now.

But check out some of the language from the article. In the very first sentence: "... new research has found..." Not new research SUGGESTS – but new research has FOUND... This piece of decisive science is based on a study of – get this – an overwhelming number of ... 79 people. No wonder, homosexual activists feel confident demanding political revolution in favour of homosexual "marriage" and homosexual parenting on the basis of authoritative studies of 6 people!!!

The article continues: "But Dr. Diamond found that her subjects' definition of their own sexuality was quite fluid. Seventeen per cent of respondents switched from a bisexual or unlabelled identity to a heterosexual identity at some point during the study. ..." For some strange reason, this observation did not lead to an in-depth report on the huge scam that homosexuality is an innate component of a person's nature. Go figure...

The last item I will draw attention to from this bizarre article is this: "Some of her subjects themselves said they were worried about participating because they felt their sexual histories involving both men and women were 'bizarre.' 'They didn't realize how normal they really were, and that's why I think it's important to get this information out there,' she said." Whatever bisexuality is, it isn't "normal" – but the researcher's comment here was allowed to stand unchallenged. The Globe & Mail – Canada's leading homosexual marketing tool!

Britain hates crosses
LifeSiteNews.com reported the other day (Jan. 16, 2008) on a British court decision that will allow British Airways to prohibit the wearing of crosses but not the symbols of other religions. I haven't seen the actual wording of the ruling, but LifeSiteNews reported that "The court concluded that other types of religious symbols, such as turbans, bangles, and other religious markings are unable to be concealed and are therefore acceptable." Apparently the distinction was that a turban and a hijab, for example, cannot be worn under a uniform, whereas a necklace with a cross can.

Now, you tell me, what do you do with a statement that shows less intellectual rigour than you'd expect from a dead mule? Only a judge could compete with a sterile donkey in an IQ contest!

Let's start selling necklaces with giant crosses on them! Maybe British Airways doesn't provide its employees with lockers? Presumably – just presumably – if the law was implemented – for everyone – it might cross the mind of the person with the turban that he should leave it at home so that when he arrives at work, he won't have to take it off. Another alternative would be for the airline to come up with uniform headgear that is large enough to hide a turban and a hijab. Freedom of clothing for Muslims, but no freedom of conscience for pro-life nurses!

I'll bet it's in the Magna Carta somewhere – I just can't find it yet...
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Testimonials
Thank you so much for your prompt response, and for the info on your Web page. Having scanned a number of the links, I find your material very sound, and certainly, I believe in keeping with my own Christian worldview, along with an understanding of what the Scriptures teach us. Your endorsements speak highly of a very principled individual, who is anxious to show what inroads secular humanism has made into the life of the corporate church. I shall be pleased to continue to receive your e-mail materials, and certainly will find many of your links most helpful in understanding & interpreting the political, and social events taking place all around us. Obviously, these are the latter times, with the Christian church of N. America coming under attack as never before. Thank you for the stance you have taken, and will continue no doubt to take. May God richly bless you, your family, and your ministry. – HH

Your message was forwarded on to me by a friend, so I am at this point not too knowledgeable regarding your work. However, the two messages my friend has forwarded to me I find well worth reading. I look forward to reading more of your work. – GW

I appreciate receiving [your newsletter] very much. I would therefore like to request a copy of chapter five of your book as an e-text file. I am totally blind and therefore will have to scan the entire book once I buy it, but I'm sure that my believing friends will be very interested to see the book... – RR

I appreciate your e-newsletter and will continue praying for both our countries. – JS, Idaho, US

The [E-book] came through just fine. Thanks for the permission to forward it. I will forward it to a teacher at our local Christian school since he teaches worldviews (from a Reformed perspective) and would certainly appreciate going through your material. I am sure he will find useful insights there that he can pass on to the students. – Rev. AP

Please contact me at timothy@christiangovernment.ca or at 613-482-1790 for interviews or speaking engagements and other opportunities for promoting the message of "State vs. Church." Let’s talk about how we can work together.
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The Battle for the culture is not for the weary
– The battle for cultural reform requires perseverance –
– Everything worth doing is worth doing well –

"The truly liberated human being is not always fighting against something, but more frequently is fighting for something or someone." – Denis Waitley

"I have studied the enemy all my life... I have studied in detail the account of every one of his battles. I know exactly how he will react under any given set of circumstances. And he hasn't the slightest idea of what I'm going to do. So when the time comes, I am going to whip him." – George S. Patton

"We have not wings we cannot soar; but, we have feet to scale and climb, by slow degrees, by more and more, the cloudy summits of our time." – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain cool and unruffled under all circumstances." – Thomas Jefferson

"He that is warm for truth, and fearless in its defence, performs one of the duties of a good man; he strengthens his own conviction, and guards others from delusion; but steadiness of belief, and boldness of profession, are yet only part of the form of godliness." – Samuel Johnson

I remember saying to my mentor, "If I had more money, I would have a better plan." He quickly responded, "I would suggest that if you had a better plan, you would have more money." You see, it's not the amount that counts; it's the plan that counts. – Jim Rohn

"A man who works with his hands is a labourer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist." – Louis Nizer
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(You can email us for the complete article in cases where we don't have a link included below)

Citizens Centre for Freedom and Democracy – January 15, 2008: You've heard of 'junk science.' Now consider 'junk law.' – By Link Byfield

American Spectator – January 15, 2008: Mark Steyn Is Not Alone – By Brooke M. Goldstein

LifeSiteNews.com – January 15, 2008: Toronto Church is First Anglican Parish in Canada to Approve Weddings for Homosexuals – By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

WorldNetDaily.com – January 17, 2008: Church leaders: Culpable – By Tristan Emmanuel
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State vs. Church: What Christians Can Do to Save Canada from Liberal Tyranny

State vs. Church is the only book in print today making the case for Christian government in Canada. "State vs. Church" uses many real examples to warn about the danger and tyranny of Secular Humanist "theocracy." It demonstrates that the best alternative - the only liberty-oriented alternative - to Secular Humanism is Christian government. Visit the website to learn more and to buy your copy of the book, backed up by our 100% money-back guarantee.

If you are interested in distributing this book, please contact us at timothy@christiangovernment.ca (our phone # and complete contact info can be found at the end of this e-letter).

As the author, I am looking forward to any opportunity for radio and TV interviews and other media coverage on Christian and mainstream programs. I can submit articles related to the book, or a segment of the book, to newspapers and magazines interested in such material. If you can help me get some coverage on the local media in your area, I would love to speak to you. You can reach me at timothy@christiangovernment.ca (our phone # and complete contact info can be found at the end of this e-letter).

Buy your copy of the book now
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Please take a moment to let us know is this newsletter is of value to you. Thank you.

Subscribe / Unsubscribe / Contact information
You may have had this newsletter forwarded to you. To subscribe for yourself, please visit our website here. You can contact christiangovernment.ca in the following ways:

Email: timothy@christiangovernment.ca
Phone: 1-613-482-1790
Christian Government
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Russell, ON
K4R 1C7
Canada

4. Discount Deadline CLF 2008 National Christian Law Student Conference – January 17, 2008

A few days ago, I was interrogated for 90 minutes by Shirlene McGovern, an officer of the government of Alberta. I have been accused of hurting people's feelings because, two years ago, I published the Danish cartoons of Mohammed in the Western Standard magazine.

Ms. McGovern's business card said she was a "Human Rights Officer." What a perfectly Orwellian title.

Early in her interrogation, she said, "I always ask people… what was your intent and purpose of your article?"

It wasn't even a question about what we had published in the magazine. It was a question about my private thoughts. I asked her why my private feelings were of interest to the government. She said, very calmly, that they would be a factor taken into account by the government in determining whether or not I was guilty.

When she's doing government interrogations, she always asks people about their thoughts.

It was so banal, so routine. When she walked in, she seemed happy. With a smile, she reached out her hand to shake mine. I refused — to me; nothing could have been more incongruous. Would I warmly greet a police officer who arrested me as a suspect in a crime? Then why should I do so for a thought crime? This was not normal; I would not normalize it with the pleasantries of polite society.

This was not a high-school debating tournament where Human Rights Officer McGovern and I were equals, enjoying a shared interest in politics and publishing. I was there because I was compelled to be there by the government, and if I answered Officer McGovern's political questions unsatisfactorily, the government could fine me thousands of dollars and order me to publicly apologize for holding the wrong views.

I told her that the complaint process itself was a punishment. Even if I were eventually acquitted, I would still lose — hundreds of hours, and tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills. That's not an accident, that's one of the tools of these commissions. Every journalist in the country has been taught a lesson: Censor yourself now, or be put through a costly wringer. I said all this and then Officer McGovern replied, "You're entitled to your opinions, that's for sure."

But that's not for sure, is it? We're only entitled to our opinions now if they don't offend some very easily offended people.

One of the complainants against me is someone I would describe as a radical Muslim imam, Syed Soharwardy. He grew up in the madrassas of Pakistan and he lectures on the Saudi circuit. He advocates sharia law for all countries, including Canada. His website is rife with Islamic supremacism — offensive to many Canadian Jews, gentiles, women and gays. But his sensitivities — his Saudi-Pakistani values — have been offended by me.

And so now the secular government of Alberta is enforcing his fatwa against the cartoons.

It's the same for Mohamed Elmasry, the complainant against Maclean's magazine for publishing an excerpt from Mark Steyn's book, America Alone. Egyptian-born Elmasry has publicly said that any adult Jew in Israel is a legitimate target for a terrorist attack, a grossly offensive statement.

Both the Canadian and B.C. Human Rights Commissions are now hearing his complaints against Maclean's.

How did it come to be that rough and, I would say, bigoted men such as Mr. Soharwardy and Mr. Elmasry could, by simply claiming that their tender feelings were hurt, sic a government bureaucracy on a magazine, or anyone for that matter?

A generation ago, illiberal elements in the "official" Jewish community pressed Canadian governments to introduce laws limiting free speech. The targets of those laws were invariably poor, unorganized, harmless neo-Nazi cranks and conspiracy theorists such as Ernst Zundel and Jim Keegstra — nobodies who were turned into international celebrities when they were prosecuted for their thought crimes.

But now come Mr. Elmasry and Mr. Soharwardy and their ilk, using the very precedents set by the Canadian Jewish Congress.

Before Mr. Soharwardy went to the Alberta Human Rights Commission, he went to the Calgary Police Service and demanded that they arrest me. He's done that three times now, and they've rejected him every time. But he only had to ask the willing enforcers of the human rights commission once.

What a strange place Canada is in 2008, where the police care more about human rights than the human rights commissions do, where fundamentalist Muslims use hate-speech laws drafted by secular Jews, and where a government bureaucrat can interrogate a publisher for 90 minutes, and be shocked when he won't shake her hand in greeting.

Ezra Levant, an Alberta lawyer and author, was publisher of the now-defunct Western Standard magazine from 2004 to 2007.

Has assisted suicide gone from something considered terribly tragic to just another form of medical treatment?

Twenty-three years ago, Rita Marker co-founded the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.

"The task force's main role is to make sure patients have the opportunity to get the care and treatment they need and want," she said, "rather than giving doctors the power to end patients' lives by lethal injection or a prescription for a lethal overdose."

The task force also works in the legal arena. Staff members often are called to testify before state legislatures to analyze bills. Next week, Marker will testify in Wisconsin.

As the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches, Marker spoke with CitizenLink about why life is valuable, in all of its forms.

1. Did assisted suicide go away after Jack Kevorkian was convicted of murder?
Not really. You have Jack Kevorkian on one extreme. The other extreme was the people wanting to protect vulnerable patients. Now, when you have someone saying, "Let's regulate it," they get put in the middle and become viewed, in many ways, as the moderate middle.

It always has been an upper-class debate. You don't see poor people who are asking for the so-called "right" to assisted suicide.

2. Explain the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Assisted suicide refers to a crime in which the person who ends up dead does the last act, but someone else has assisted them in doing that. For example, the doctor has written a prescription that is intended to cause the death of the patient if the prescription is taken as prescribed. In most states, that is punished by about 12 years in prison.

Euthanasia refers to a death in which the person who ends up dead did not take the last act, like a doctor giving a lethal injection. Euthanasia is considered homicide in every state, and is prosecuted the same as murder would be.

What's already happened in Oregon — and is proposed in Washington — is transforming the crime of assisted suicide into a medical treatment. It is a massive change in public policy. You go from something that is considered terribly tragic and, in fact, illegal, into something that is considered a medical treatment, just one of the other medical options.

3. Washington state is pursuing a ballot initiative to legalize assisted suicide. What's going on there?
This isn't the first time Washington has faced this. There was an initiative on the ballot in 1991 to permit euthanasia and assisted suicide. Ironically, part of the reason that failed was thanks to Jack Kevorkian. Jack's leering face was still on the front pages of newspapers, and I think when Washington voters went in to vote, they saw the face of Jack Kevorkian and said, "No way." It has also been proposed in the Washington state Legislature on several occasions, and has failed.

This time, it's going to be a very, very, very pitched battle, for several reasons. Former Gov. Booth Gardner, who is exceptionally popular, is the spokesperson for the campaign for assisted suicide. He has said he will dedicate the rest of his life to passing this. He also has said he will put his personal resources behind it, and that's no small matter — he's a multi-multi-millionaire. On top of that, he has Parkinson's disease, which makes him a very sympathetic figure. He is going to be a formidable spokesperson in favour of assisted suicide.

Assisted-suicide folks try to say this is only for those who are terminally ill adults, who are competent, who have six months or less to live. Gardner has let it be known this is intended as just a first step. If Washington joins with Oregon, then this will soften up other states.

4. The abortion fight takes up so much time and energy. Why is it so important to protect life in all of its forms?
You really can't predict how someone is going to stand related to assisted suicide based on their stand on abortion, or based on their political affiliation, or their religious affiliation. It's far more difficult for people to recognize the need to protect vulnerable patients at the end of life, or people with severe disabilities, because many people who are opposed to abortion see a cuddly little baby. When you're talking about adults, and maybe a cranky great-grandma — and I can say that because I'm a great-grandma sometimes known to be cranky — it's just not that cuddly.

We who oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide often send messages that are very, very counter-productive, such things as, "I don't want to be a burden on my family." What message does that send? We have to be very careful there. There is a tremendous amount of education needed.

5. What motivates assisted-suicide activists to keep fighting?
By and large, these are people who are extremely well-meaning, extremely misguided. They have good intent, because they believe this truly is a way to end suffering. They really believe in what they are doing. They are extremely dedicated. And that probably is the biggest danger. Those of us who want to protect life often say, "OK, we won that one," and then we go back to whatever we've been doing. The assisted-suicide folks, they keep working and working and working. We should never underestimate their dedication.

(NOTE: Referral to Web sites not produced by Focus on the Family is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the sites' content.)

7. Influential Catholics Criticize "Call For Civility" In Politics – January 21, 2008

For more information or to interview one of the signers contact: Austin Ruse, 202-289-7002

Washington, Jan. 21, 2008 – A group of 96 influential Catholics issued a petition today that explicitly criticizes a statement released last November that calls for greater "civility" among Catholics in political discourse.

The signers of the new statement believe the November statement would have the effect of silencing the pro-life movement and silencing criticism of pro-abortion Catholic politicians.

Most of the signers of the new statement are influential actors in the public-square, public policy, or academia. Among the 96 signers are university professors, think-tank scholars, journalists, authors, doctors, lawyers and others. They include such Catholic luminaries as Templeton Prize winner Michael Novak, authors Robert Royal and Peter Kreeft, columnist Russell Shaw and many others.

Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM), and one of the organizers of the statement released today said, "Rather than giving pro-abortion Catholic politicians a pass, we should vote them out of office and encourage them to repent."

Michael Novak of the American Enterprise Institute said, "Too often these days civility is defined as giving in to the way the media define the issue under debate, whereas honesty demands insisting upon a different way of looking on things, even when this attempt is treated as a nuisance."

William Saunders of the Family Research Council said, "I signed this statement because, as the Church teaches, abortion is the most important issue in the world; it is not an issue like others, it is not one on which reasonable people can disagree. We cannot let calls for civility toward pro-abortion Catholic politicians obscure our fundamental obligation to oppose abortion."

The new statement called A Catholic Response to the "Call for Civility" says in part:

"All men and women of good will value civility, but civility is not the highest – or the only – civic virtue. Rather, justice is. As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us in Deus Caritas Est, “Justice is both the aim and the intrinsic criterion of all politics.”

"If Catholic politicians advocated segregation or – even worse – slavery, would there be a call for civility towards them? If Catholic politicians said the poor are poor because of their bad behaviour and we are not obliged to help them in any way, wouldn't we say they are heartless and even un-Christian? Some ask for civility now for one reason, abortion."

"The lack of public civility comes not from pro-lifers but from those Catholic politicians who support the right to kill innocent life in the womb and those who support defining man-woman marriage out of existence. But, some want to treat these politicians differently because they agree with them on important but purely prudential questions like health care, and the minimum wage."

"Though not all of its signers intend it, we believe the effect of the "Call for Civility" would be to silence the pro-life and pro-family movements. We oppose this effort root and branch."

"In short, we will feel free even strongly to condemn the public policy positions of Catholic politicians who support abortion, embryo-destructive research, and homosexual marriage. They stand against the teachings of the Church and in favour of morally repugnant practices that are counter to the common good and that should be unwelcome in a just or even polite society"

To read the entire Statement and view the list of signatories go to one of the following websites:

8. Lakehead University Life Support Have Been Denied Club Status – January 17, 2008

As well, send your concerns to the university admin in a clear and respectful way. They need to hear from rational, intelligent prolifers that this is an act of discrimination and we hope they will act in their power to make a change that fully embraces freedom of speech and expression on campus.

Also, make sure to contact Lakehead University Life Support to encourage them in their efforts.

Executive Director
National Campus Life Network
Phone: 416.483.7869
E-mail: director@ncln.ca

The Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) has severely restricted the free speech rights of their own members and blatantly violated their own union policies. At a meeting on January 10 th, 2008, the LUSU board of directors voted 20-3 to deny official club status to Lakehead University Life Support, a pro-life club.

On December 5 th, 2007, Life Support was given restrictive conditions to be followed in order to become a club. These conditions, were made up by LUSU VP Finance Matt Granville, and not approved in advance by the LUSU board. One of these conditions stated that there would be “no unsolicited conversations with students, approaching people to tell them about your clubs and beliefs” not only violating LUSU’s own policies, which encourage student groups to interact with the student body, but is violating freedom of speech and expression as per Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, Section 2.

According to the LUSU website, LUSU “has decided not to grant status due to a poster campaign deemed to be inappropriate.” When asked about this, Cathy Simons, Life Support’s President, said that “it was a single poster campaign that merely stated the pro-life view. They had been actually stamped with approval by LUSU before being put up.” She adds that “The university campus is supposed to be a haven for discussion, debate and diversity. However, anyone who holds an unpopular view portrayed in their speech or their posters, according to LUSU, shouldn’t be part of a discussion and debate on campus.”

The decision of LUSU to violate their own policies regarding discrimination and those referring to clubs on campus appears to be motivated by personal opinions of the student union on the matter of abortion. Despite their claims as being a neutral entity, LUSU gives a hefty budget of thousands of dollars per year to the pro-abortion group on campus, the Genders Issue Centre, while not even allowing the pro-life side to raise their side of the issue. By censoring the pro-life side and sponsoring the pro-abortion side, LUSU has taken a less then neutral opinion on abortion and is therefore not representing all of its students.

Francisco Gomez, a member of Life Support, says that “A university campus is supposed to foster an environment of diverse views that is open to freedom of speech and expression, not one of censorship.” Members of Life Support will continue to work to have a voice on campus.

LUSU:
Matt Granville (VP Finance and Clubs' Supervisor): vpsi@lusu.ca (807)343-8553
Richard Longtin (LUSU's president): president@lusu.ca (807)343-8550
Jennifer Morrison (VP Student Issues): vpsi@lusu.ca (807)343-8602

Your Donation Will Help Save Lives!
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The UK fertility regulator has approved the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for research. King's College London and Newcastle University are to receive one-year licences from the HFEA. [BBC, 17 January] John Smeaton, SPUC national director, said: "The decision represents a disastrous setback for human dignity in Britain. The deliberate blurring of the boundaries between humans and other species is wrong and strikes at the heart of what makes us human. It is creating a category of beings regarded as sub-human who can be used as raw material to benefit other members of the human family, effectively creating a new class of slaves. Although we cannot be certain of the nature of such embryos, those produced with a preponderance of human DNA would in all probability, according to experts, be human beings with human characteristics and capacities. By using animal eggs, such embryos could be generated in much greater numbers than if human eggs were used, leading to much greater loss of life." [SPUC, 17 January] Scientists at London and Sheffield universities, England, have been growing human embryo cells on the backs of pigs' eyes in the hope of treating macular degeneration in people. [Telegraph, 16 January]

There was also a proposal to make FATHERS redundant. During the UK HFE Bill debate, a government spokesperson said it might reconsider a proposal to allow fertility clinics to produce babies with no biological fathers, using cells other than eggs and sperm. This proposal was rejected by the House of Lords last year, following objections from fathers' groups and religious leaders according to the Telegraph. Baroness Royall suggested that the plan could be reintroduced in the Human and Fertilisation and Embryology Bill when it goes to the House of Commons later in the year. [Telegraph, 16 January]

The Culture of Death is moving another step forward. Worldwide scientists and big business are freely experimenting on human life without being accountable. Are they not subject to the same moral guidelines as the rest of us? The freedom to play God by tempering with human life is not acceptable.

Thought: If people contemplate and really see the sanctity of life, their "quality of life" arguments fall away and they will understand that we are here to care for each other, not to kill each other. Caring, and not convenience, is the sign of a civilized and just society! – Ron Panzer

Table Of Contents:
1. California 'Mom,' 'Dad' Ban Garners International Scorn
2. GFA Leader Says Fringe Radicals Responsible For Persecution Of Christians In India
3. Coaching The Comeback (Brain Injury)
4. Recalling Mother Teresa, Fearless Champion Of Pro-Life Values
5. Canadian Judge To Rule On Jew Facing Euthanasia
6. Pm Backs Automatic Organ Donation
7. Vogue Magazine Attempts To Bring Partial Birth Abortion Into Vogue
8. ‘Our New Co-Adjutor Bishop Joined Us In Front Of Planned Parenthood’
9. Mexico City Passes 'Right To Die' Law
10. Natural Family Planning Gets An 'Extreme Makeover'
11. AIDS Won't Overtake World, Global AIDS Expert Says
12. One Step Closer For Girls Wanting Abortions

Focus On Asia: "Preventing teenage pregnancy in China" – An increasing number of Chinese adolescents engage in premarital and unprotected sexual activity. As a result, there has been a parallel increase in unwanted pregnancies and abortions, as well as in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. China is now in the early stages of a major HIV/AIDS epidemic.
http://www.worldpress.org/link.cfm?http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/japantimes/~3/213433160/eo20080109cc.html

Item #1. California 'Mom,' 'Dad' Ban Garners International Scorn
An international organization promoting families says California families have no choice but to abandon the public school system after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a new "anti-discrimination" bill into law, effectively making terms like "mom" and dad" obsolete.

Item #2. GFA Leader Says Fringe Radicals Responsible For Persecution Of Christians In India
Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder and president of Gospel for Asia, says he is terribly disturbed by the increasing persecution of Christians in his homeland of India. And while it is evident that the rising tide of harassment and crimes against Christians is being carefully orchestrated by fundamentalist, nationalist religious groups, he says such behaviour is not condoned by either Hinduism at large or by the vast majority of the Indian people.

Item #3. Coaching The Comeback (Brain Injury)
Comment: A few months ago, I cared for a woman in her 40s who was brain-injured in a car accident last April. She had been admitted several times because of the poor care she received in a local nursing home.

When she was first admitted, I saw signs of consciousness but the consensus was that she was in "PVS". I finally got to care for her on her last admission and after working with her; she actually said a couple of words. A nurse who had worked with her before burst into tears and the doctors were astounded. One of them told me "So that's what you have been talking about!"

I last saw "Kathy" (not her real name) a couple of weeks ago and she was eating by mouth, climbing out of bed and talking a blue streak. At one point, her nurses tried to get her to take a shower and she told them "Listen to me. No!"

Ironically, it seems that Kathy had received so much stimulation during several hospital admissions that she actually improved. The insurance company and rehab unit apparently gave up on her in 2 months. Sadly, her insurance policy is exhausted and she is still not receiving the intensive rehab she needs.

This NYT article is positive but how many people like Kathy could have been helped instead of being warehoused in a substandard nursing home? – Nancy Valko, RN

View full text at NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/health/15tren.html?ref=health&pagewanted=print

Item #4. Recalling Mother Teresa, Fearless Champion Of Pro-Life Values
Mother Teresa is renowned throughout the world for her works of charity. Less well known, however, is Mother Teresa, the champion of the unborn.

Item #5. Canadian Judge To Rule On Jew Facing Euthanasia
An Orthodox Jewish man in Canada, whose family is fighting to prevent his respirator being turned off to hasten his death, has regained consciousness and appears to be improving. Mr Samuel Golubchuk, 84, is at the centre of a legal dispute over whether doctors have the right to disconnect his respirator. Mr Golubchuk, who was said to be "imminently dying", is now awake, has interacted with people and made purposeful movements. His family say that the hospital did not immediately disclose the fact that he had woken and that they were trying to make him appear to be dying, and with minimal brain function.

To learn more see The Jerusalem Post:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1198517308975&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
Item #6. PM Backs Automatic Organ Donation
Mr Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, has expressed his support for a system of presumed consent for organ donation. This would mean that the organs of any person could be used for transplants after their death, unless they or their relatives specifically opted out. Britain currently operates a system whereby people must opt in to being organ donors. [BBC, 13 January] John Smeaton, SPUC's national director, said: "In an opt-out system, where most people's wishes are unknown, consent is absent and you can't really speak of organ donation any more. An opt-out system also represents a high level of interference by the state in personal life. The dead person's body effectively becomes government property. The worst situation would be where people's deaths could actually be hastened because their organs were needed for someone else. The evidence seems equivocal about whether such a change would increase the number of organs available. Some countries with opt-out systems do worse than the UK but some do better." [SPUC, 14 January] Right Rev Tom Butler, Anglican bishop of Southwark, said a presumed consent system should not be introduced until every effort has been made to increase organ donation under the current system. [Telegraph, 14 January]

See the full article at Telegraph.co.uk:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=GIY2HMGWSQSPDQFIQMGSFFWAVCBQWIV0?xml=/news/2008/01/14/norgans114.xml
Item #7. Vogue Magazine Attempts To Bring Partial Birth Abortion Into Vogue
This month's Vogue magazine contains an article sympathetic to partial birth abortion. A woman called Lori Campbell describes her decision to have such an abortion as "one born out of love" and complains that the term "partial birth abortion" is "inherently judgemental." She wrote: "How can I agree to a partial-birth abortion and not feel like a bad person? It preys on women in a weakened state – women who already likely believe they are 'bad' because they have failed as mothers."

Item #8. ‘Our New Co-Adjutor Bishop Joined Us In Front Of Planned Parenthood’
California Catholic Daily presents an interview with Wynette Sills, a veteran sidewalk counsellor and co-director of the 40 Days for Life Campaign in Sacramento. Wynette is a Catholic wife and mother of three. She and her husband, Ed, are organic farmers north of Sacramento.

Full Article at California Catholic Daily:
http://www.calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=171ea795-b65c-4417-b983-74858cb4403c

Item #9. Mexico City Passes 'Right To Die' Law
Mexico City has passed a bill legalising the withdrawal of medical treatment from patients. The law, which came into force on 8 January, allows the rejection of "tenacious, disproportionate or useless" treatment, but states that medical staff may not "at any time and under any circumstances" administer medications or treatments that "intentionally cause the death of the patient in the terminal phase." A spokesman for the Catholic church in Mexico said that the church did not oppose the law, because it did not authorise euthanasia. However, our source suggests that the term is understood to refer explicitly to active termination of life, not killing by omission.

View entire text at Irish Sun:
http://story.irishsun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/2411cd3571b4f088/id/316375/cs/1/

Item #10. Natural Family Planning Gets An 'Extreme Makeover'
The teaching approach also has changed. Now classes will begin by teaching about marriage and theology of the body, leading up to the conclusion that the use of artificial contraception is morally wrong, said executive director Andy Alderson.

View entire text at TheCatholicSpirit.com:
http://thecatholicspirit.com/main.asp?SectionID=37&SubSectionID=42&ArticleID=1245
Item #11. AIDS Won't Overtake World, Global AIDS Expert Says
A groundbreaking new book has been released, which explodes myths that have long surrounded AIDS and who is at risk of getting it.

View entire text at CNSNews.com:
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200712/CUL20071221b.html
Item #12. One Step Closer For Girls Wanting Abortions
The National Assembly of South Africa has passed a bill allowing girls from the age of 12 to have abortions without parental consent or knowledge. The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill passed by 266 votes to 52 with 12 abstentions but must also pass in the National Council of Provinces to become law. The ruling ANC party required its members to vote for the bill but other parties such as the African Christian Democratic Party opposed it. "In addressing these issues, the ACDP does not waver in our conviction that the value of human life is priceless and that all human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception." Mrs Cheryllyn Dudley MP of the ACDP said.

View entire text at IOL.co.za:
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=vn20080118063207288C331994
You Can Change Society:
1. Be Informed: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6. Visit Lifeissues.net Website for insights into current Life Issueswww.lifeissues.net.
2. Pray Daily: for the courage to be God's presence in society and to strongly support those who are deemed "unworthy of life". "If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
3. Become Involved: "Journey for Life into the Heart of Asia" is a project, which appeals for donations to help finance plane travel for lectures and seminars to developing countries in Asia. Strong focus is placed on reaching Asian Catholic Major Seminaries, Universities, Parishes, Hospitals and Family/Pro Life related groups. The lectures place emphasis on "The Asian Family at Crossroads: Trends and Challenges". For inquires about no-cost Pro Life Talks to your group in Asia: contact Fr. Jerry at jerry@star.quolia.com . To become a supportive Missionary participant for this project in Asia, kindly send your donations directly to: Fr. Jerry Novotny, OMI; LifeIssues.net, Editor; Akebono-cho 1-15-9; Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072; (or transfer donation directly to ProLife bank account: Jerome Novotny, Shikoku Bank, Asakura Branch, No. 102-1-0080824)

Contact Editor: Jerry Novotny, OMI; Akebono-cho 1-15-9; Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072; Tel/Fax: 088-843-0406; E-Mail:jerry@lifeissues.net

Please forward the NCLN message to all your friends and family. There is power in numbers!

Help create another abortion buzz on Facebook by participating in this online campaign.

Details:
January 28 th marks the 20 th year of unrestricted access to abortion in Canada. With this campaign we hope to help Canadians (and others on Facebook) question the good of this for our country.

*Please note: we are NOT asking you to get a Facebook account if you do not already. If you are not on Facebook, please consider sending this to friends who are.

Change your profile picture to one of the attached ads. (Save the attachment and upload as your profile picture.) Also be sure to adjust the "thumbnail" version of the picture as needed.

Post a note on your profile about the significance of January 28 th . You can use this one, or the press release from LifeCanada or write up your own:

Join the Facebook group abortion. Have we gone too far? ( press release is posted here ) & check out www.abortionincanada.ca. This is the site that was made for the campaign by LifeCanada. There are also billboards and bus ads across the country thanks to various Right to Life groups with the same message: abortion. Have we gone too far?

Thank you for your participation! Be sure to also be active offline with friends, family, co-workers etc. There are always opportunities to teach our fellow Canadians about this injustice towards unborn children and their mothers.

For Life, Theresa
Executive Director
National Campus Life Network
Phone: 416.483.7869
E-mail: director@ncln.ca

LifeCanada/VieCanada
310 – 376 Churchill Avenue N.
Ottawa ON K1Z 5C3
Tel: 1-866-780-5433 Fax: 613-722-2201
E-mail: lifecanada@bellnet.ca
________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
January 22, 2008
Abortion: Have we gone too far?

January 28 marks the 20 th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that removed all legal restrictions on abortion in Canada. In those 20 years, during which abortion has been allowed throughout all nine months of pregnancy, almost 2 million Canadian babies have been aborted.

LifeCanada, a national educational pro-life group, has launched a media campaign asking Canadians, "Have we gone too far?" by allowing unrestricted abortion. There are over 100,000 abortions each year in Canada and taxpayers pay for almost all of them.

"This isn't health care," said LifeCanada President Joanne Byfield. "It isn't life saving or life giving. It takes a human life and increases a woman's risk of many subsequent health problems. It is time we re-examined unrestricted abortion."

Provincial and local groups across the country have sponsored billboards, transit ads and radio and newspaper ads asking Canadians to re-think their position on abortion. The ads promote a website, www.AbortionInCanada.ca, which includes statistics, history, medical research and other information on the issue.

Byfield says a pro-abortion attitude has infected our politics, our media and our national psyche. "Have we gone too far?" she asked. "Let's look at the evidence."

A bortions can be performed throughout all nine months of pregnancy for no medical reason and data show that hundreds are performed each year after 20 weeks gestation, the point of viability.
Pro-life people who protest or pray near abortion facilities can be arrested, charged and jailed for expressing their opinions.
Campus pro-life groups across Canada are denied club status because student governments don't want to hear pro-life opinions and don't want others to hear them either.
To date, the cities of Fredericton and Hamilton have refused to allow our ads to run in their transit shelters. One city councillor in Hamilton found them "offensive."
A bill currently before Parliament to allow the killer of a pregnant woman to be charged with two deaths is opposed on the basis that it threatens abortion rights even though the bill includes an exception for abortion. Some Canadians would rather ignore the murder of a "wanted" child than risk some notional threat to abortion rights.

Byfield said a majority of Canadians believe there should be legal protection for the unborn. In an October 2007 poll by Environics Research, 62% of Canadians said they supported legal protection at some stage of pregnancy. Women and young people aged 18 to 30 were even more supportive at 67%.

"Despite 20 years of unrestricted abortion and the suppression of a public debate on the issue, there is still strong support for protection of the most fundamental of human rights---the right to life for all human beings," said Byfield.

"After 20 years, it is time to reassess the policy," said Byfield. "We hope Canadians will go to the website, read the material and think carefully about the question we pose: 'Abortion: Have we gone too far?' Canada is the only western country with no legal restriction on abortion and we think it is time for a national discussion on this issue. Questioning Canada's abortion policy should not be a taboo subject."

For more information, call Joanne Byfield at 780-939-6365 or780-445-0344 (cell) or Gudrun Schultz at 613-722-1552. For interviews in French, contact Nicole Pyle at 306-683-0829.

11. President Declares Sunday January 20, 2008 "National Sanctity Of Human Life Day" – January 24, 2008

Washington, January 20, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The following text is a proclamation by President Bush:

On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we recognize that each life has inherent dignity and matchless value, and we reaffirm our steadfast determination to defend the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society.

America was founded on the belief that all men are created equal and have an inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and our country remains committed to upholding that founding principle. Since taking office, I have signed legislation to help protect life at all stages, and my Administration will continue to encourage adoption, fund abstinence education and crisis pregnancy programs, and support faith-based groups. Today, as our society searches for new ways to ease human suffering, we must pursue the possibilities of science in a manner that respects the sacred gift of life and upholds our moral values.

Our Nation has made progress in its efforts to protect human life, and we will strive to change hearts and minds with compassion and decency. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day and throughout the year, we help strengthen the culture of life in America and work for the day when every child is welcomed in life and protected in law.

Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 20, 2008, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

Joanne Byfield jbyfield@cruzinternet.com
Sunday, January 20, 2008 6:07 PM
Subject: Western Catholic Reporter stories this week on 20th anniversary

The second article here has a number of factual errors but at least they are covering the story – By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News, Ottawa

Twenty years ago, on Jan. 28, 1988, the Supreme Court struck down Canada's abortion law, leaving Canada one of the only countries in the world with no restrictions on abortion.

More than two million unborn babies have died since that court decision. But pro-life spokespersons say their movement has grown stronger and wiser since the court decision to strike down what was an already feeble law.

The pro-abortion movement will celebrate the anniversary of the so-called Morgentaler decision – named after Montreal's Dr. Henry Morgentaler – with clinking champagne glasses, law school lectures and symposia, and a few small but colourful demonstrations across Canada.

Supporters see the decision as a watershed in women's rights and Morgentaler as a hero who was willing to risk jail for their cause.

Pro-life organizations will mark the anniversary by mounting low-key awareness campaigns.

Joanne Byfield, president of LifeCanada, a national educational pro-life umbrella group, said the estimate of 100,000 abortions a year may be low, since the previous law's reporting requirements were struck down with the law.

"The more people know about the factual information about abortion in Canada, the more likely they are to realize we need restrictions on abortion," she said. LifeCanada has had Environics conduct yearly polls that show about two-thirds of Canadians want to see some restrictions on abortion.

Yet, the media and political establishment treats the abortion debate as "settled," and ignores the issue, except for some rare exceptions such as a series in the Sun newspaper chain last November.

While LifeCanada hopes to reach people outside the churches and the pro-life movement, Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), a national umbrella organization for political pro-life groups, has placed advertisements in Catholic and Christian papers.

"It's actually appalling the number of people in the Christian community who aren't on side because of ignorance," said CLC president Jim Hughes. "They don't know there are absolutely no restrictions on abortion."

Hughes said those ads will "ask people to join us," and "let them know we're there for the duration."

A veteran of the movement, Hughes sees many hopeful signs. "We've become stronger in the last 20 years. Adversity does that to you."

Hughes sees Pierre Trudeau's 1969 omnibus bill that legalized abortion with the approval of a three-person committee as far more damaging than the Morgentaler decision.

"The original legalization was a surprise and a shock," Hughes said. "Those people involved right from the beginning were so small in number, they would be delighted to see the number of people involved now."

Though numbers are hard to pin down, they are in the tens of thousands, and belong to groups in small towns and big cities across Canada. REAL Women alone has a membership of 55,000. The Catholic Women's League has consistently supported life and family issues and its membership is over 90,000.

The pro-life movement has become increasingly sophisticated and prepared, whether through the use of new media or in fighting battles in the courts.

When the Morgentaler case was argued in court in 1987, however, nobody from the pro-life side intervened.

REAL Women of Canada's executive vice president Gwen Landolt described the cold February day in 1988 when she read the Morgentaler case files as "the saddest, loneliest, most difficult day" of her life. She found "not one single pro-life word in the entire proceedings."

She vowed that never again would a pro-life or pro-family case go before the Supreme Court without pro-life involvement. REAL Women intervened in some cases on its own, such as the case involving Chantal Daigle, whose boyfriend Jean Tremblay wanted to prevent her from aborting their unborn child.

Knowing they would not win, Landolt said they intervened to create a "paper trail" for two reasons: so "history will know there was organized, determined resistance to abortion in Canada;" and the "court will never be able to exonerate itself, saying no one argued for the other side."

Now REAL Women joins forces with a network of other groups before the courts, not only on life issues but also on defending marriage and family. It has gained experience.

REAL Women celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. So does The Interim, the newspaper CLC set up as a Canadian pro-life information vehicle. Out of The Interim, came the web-based LifeSiteNews.com that reaches thousands around the world with its daily news updates. LifeSiteNews will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year.

While the established groups grow older, their membership is growing younger. In addition, pro-life groups are proliferating on university campuses across the country.

"I love these campus groups," said Byfield. "I love hearing when they get shut down by the students' union because of all the attention it gets."

Campus groups affiliated with LifeCanada are using Facebook, a web-based social networking tool, to mount their awareness campaign, using the same billboard image.

LifeCanada executive director Gudrun Schultz said younger people see the issue from a social justice standpoint. They use the slogan "Join the human rights movement of the 21st century." Hughes, who uses a clicker to hand count participants in the annual national March for Life estimated about half of the more than 6,000 marchers last spring were under 35.

Landolt has noticed a major difference when she speaks in high schools now. The students are "spellbound." She experiences none of the hostility she met in the '70s and '80s when young people were being systematically "indoctrinated" to radical feminist viewpoints.

The whole movement has grown in size and complexity. Landolt imagines sometimes as she flies over Canada "little flickering lights" representing the pro-life movement, lights for "hope and life flickering in every town and village" across the country.

When the movement began nearly 40 years ago, it was predominately Catholic. Then evangelicals came on board. Now nonreligious women are joining forces. On Jan. 15, a new, non-religious pro-life organization was launched in Ottawa. ProWomanProLife.org founder Andrea Mrozek described the group as non-partisan and nonreligious.

"We have no hidden agenda here but a very open one: to eradicate abortion in Canada, not by legislation or force, but because that is what women choose," said Mrozek in a Jan. 15 statement. Mrozek also stressed the freedom of speech aspect to the battle.

"Pro-lifers are told what they can and can't say in politics, and pro-life clubs are currently being banned on our university campuses," she said. "No Canadian should be comfortable with this suppression of dialogue, irrespective of how they feel about abortion."

Byfield applauded the new group. She agreed with the importance of trying to change the culture rather than focusing only on changing the laws. "It's unrealistic to expect politicians go where society isn't ready to go," she said.

In a post-Christian society, Byfield urged using factual information and language "people can relate to and understand."

Hughes also stressed the power of prayer. "You have to feel sorry for Morgentaler and pray for him." He noted many prayed for abortionist Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who eventually became a major pro-life advocate.

Admittedly, I am one of those who don't think twice about dropping $4 for a cup of coffee that costs less than $.50 to make. I am a self-proclaimed coffee house junkie and need that wonderful yuppie, intellectual "atmosphere" and freshly brewed aroma as much as the caffeine.

When I moved to D.C. right out of college, I encountered my first Starbucks drink, or should I say "experience"? Growing up in a military family, I loved chain restaurants because of the sense of familiarity they offered in every new town we moved to. So, to be able to get the same type of specialty coffee – grande, iced, skim, sugar-free vanilla, latte – everywhere, was an addiction waiting to happen.

When a report came out earlier this year showing that none of Starbucks' charitable contributions went to conservative causes, I didn't blink – I bought a latte. When I walked by a liquor store in Northeast D.C. with a big advertisement for Starbucks liquor, I kept walking, stopped in at Starbucks and bought a latte! When I was at work a couple weeks ago, reading an e-alert from our California organization (yes, latte in hand), I finally had a wake-up call.

The alert described the annual "gay" pride events, which are scheduled in San Diego each year:

San Diego's annual "Pride" events include dangerous "circuit" parties, a parade with sexual content and sponsors along the route, including one advertising anal lubricants, a festival with sexually oriented venues.

Okay, yes, that is all pretty disturbing, but daily, I read, write about and edit papers dealing with the homosexual agenda, so I was not at all shocked that this was going on. I was a little upset when I read that Starbucks was a sponsor. I took a sip of my latte as I read on:

In addition, the "festival" includes a "Youth Hangout Space" and a "Children's Garden." Not only is there concern about young people being part of sexually oriented events and venues, but two members of San Diego's Gay Pride organization's volunteer staff have been exposed as registered sex offenders who committed sex crimes against children.

Not only is Starbucks sponsoring "Pride" week, but an event that places innocent children in the middle of sexually explicit materials... and registered child molesters will be there running the show? If Starbucks is doing this knowingly, it is blatant irresponsibility, and if they are doing it unknowingly, it is irresponsible of them not to have done their homework. I started pacing back-and-forth, and all I could think was "Starbucks hates children."

For the first time, I stepped away from my latte, faced my denial about this company and started to do some serious soul searching – I needed to find out what they really supported. Fortunately, I didn't have to search very long because I have the Internet at my fingertips and one of the nation's top experts, Robert Knight, just down the hall from me.

Robert Knight told me that about 10 years ago, Starbucks started sponsoring these types of events, but backed off when conservatives started putting on the pressure. He explained that it is apparent they are slowly working their way back into the "gay" movement.

The following companies all generously match employee donations to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. If your employer is on this list, then you can make your gift go as much as twice as far.

Seattle, Wash., held "Gay Pride" events last month where, according to the newspaper, Seattle Post Intelligence Reporter:

About 75 Starbucks employees will march in the parade and will wear T-shirts in rainbow colors with the word "Pride" on the front... A van from the coffee company will follow them. On Capitol Hill tomorrow, Starbucks employees at the company's three stores there will pass out samples of Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino. The marketing director for Starbucks in Washington explained: "We're committed to supporting things that matter to our employees and our customers."

Several conservatives are upset already by Starbucks' fairly new "The way I see it campaign," which prints quotes from actors, artists, etc., on the outside of their paper cups. By visiting their website and reading some of the quotes, it's easy to see why there has been this big brouhaha – nearly all of them are liberal celebrities.

The list does go on, but in a nutshell – Starbucks has a corporate policy of supporting the homosexual agenda by sponsoring "Pride" events all over the country – events where children will be exposed to sexually explicit materials and pedophiles as well as the extremely liberal and pro-abortion Planned Parenthood. This might be a good time to add that the owner of Starbucks made a large donation to a liberal candidate's campaign.

I am not a big fan of boycotts. A friend once told me if we boycotted everything we disagreed with, we would be naked and hungry. I've also heard something like, "It doesn't matter what's on the cup, but what's in it." I love Starbucks coffee and as I worked through this problem, I wasn't about to give up without a fight – and I didn't give up, but rather, I failed miserably.

I overestimated, but discovered that if I drink five grande lattes a week for a year, the total number of lattes would equal 260, coming to a total cost of $1,040. So, in my four post-college years, I could have contributed as much as $4,160 to a company that supports the volunteer work of child abusers, "Pride" events, abortionists, and do I really need to go on? Back to that marketing director's quote: "We're committed to supporting things that matter to our employees and our customers." Um... HELLO, I am a customer, too!

As I was searching the Internet, I saw a link to a site with words no Christian girl should repeat. I didn't have to enter to read this: "Folks, if Starbucks is 'too liberal' for you then don't buy their @#$# percent*# coffee."

Thanks for the tip! "Folks," what you do is up to you, but as for me and my habit, I will no longer support Starbucks.

Yes, I started as a Starbucks coffee snob, but I am very open-minded now – if you know any good coffee houses, please let me know!

John Hof, president
Campaign Life Coalition BC
Box 12045 Murrayville PO
Langley, BC V3A 9J5
Phone: 604-534-4828
Email: info@clcbc.org
Website: www.clcbc.org

14. Vote On Hamilton's Decision To Pull Pro-Life Ads – January 17, 2008

Hamilton City Council has pulled Hamilton Right to Life's transit shelter ads, after just three complaints. Please click on the link below to express your opinion on the decision.

Would you have pulled the ads? Share your feedback on the Spec's city hall blog at: http://hallmarks.thespec.com
________________________________________________________________________

The city has pulled a pro-life ad from its bus shelters after a handful of complaints.

Don Hull, the city's director of transit, said he made the call after a Westdale shelter was defaced with pro-choice graffiti early this week. His office has also received three complaints about the ads that went up Dec. 31.

"We don't think it's appropriate for that medium to be used for controversial community messaging," said Hull.

The city contracts shelter advertising to an outside firm, which follows taste guidelines set by a national committee. The pro-life ad, which was in five city bus shelters, was approved.

Hull said he wants the city to re-evaluate how ads are screened in light of an recent influx of community messaging. Traditionally, the city has mainly used product ads.

Gudrun Schultz, executive director of Life Canada, is disappointed by the decision to remove the organization's ad. "Visually, the ads are very inoffensive," she said. "It's a debate that needs to take place in a public form."

The same ad is running in cities across the country. Schultz said Fredericton was the only city to reject the shelter poster after a council vote.

Councillor Brian McHattie said he asked for the ads to come down after his office heard from upset residents. "For me personally, it definitely was offensive." Personal opinions on abortion aside, he said the city shouldn't been seen to support or promote either side of such a controversial issue. "It's totally inappropriate for the city."

McHattie agrees with Hall that the city must re-examine how shelter ads are vetted. The city was recently criticized for refusing to run a workplace safety ad because it was deemed too graphic. The decision was overturned.

Campaign Life Coalition National Newsletter (Current)

Christian Government Bi-Weekly E-letter – January 10, 2008 – Vol. 2, #1