Supreme Court rules against abortion clinics

(HT:Daniel at UK Students for Life)

from the Associated Press:

Justices rule anti-abortion protests may not be banned using extortion laws

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court dealt a setback Tuesday to abortion clinics in a two-decade-old legal fight over anti-abortion protests, ruling that federal extortion and racketeering laws cannot be used to ban demonstrations.

Anti-abortion groups brought the appeal after the 7th Circuit had asked a trial judge to determine whether a nationwide injunction could be supported by charges that protesters had made threats of violence absent a connection with robbery or extortion.

The 8-0 decision ends a case that the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had kept alive despite a 2003 decision by the high court that lifted a nationwide injunction on anti-abortion groups led by Joseph Scheidler and others.

FULL STORY

READ COVERAGE FROM LIFESITE NEWS HERE.

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Quote from Joseph Scheidler on the SCOTUS decision:

“It’s going to open up the floodgates of activism. People have been afraid they would face the RICO and the huge triple damages. People are going to feel free to get involved now."

Bad News

This is kinda disgusting but, it seems that they've developed spray on birth control that seems to have become marketable within the last two or three weeks. Nasty. This can only be bad.

Read a short article.

Read a long article.

South Dakota Bill Passes

The bill to ban nearly all abortions passed in South Dakota.

All that needs to happen now is for the Governor to sign it into law, and abortion is almost completely illegal in South Dakota. The state is currently trying to set up a fund to finance the court battle that will likely ensue from Planned Parenthood (and most likely the ACLU - isn't that ironic - being that 1) they're probably not many African Americans in SD, and 2) the ACLU should be fighting abortion since the black population is one of its main targets). Pray for the success of this bill.

Read more.

South Dakota bill set to ban nearly all abortions

The South Dakota state Senate approved a bill to ban all abortions, except in the dire need to save the life of the mother. Being that with the progression of science, that is pretty much never going to happen, this bill will practically ban all abortions. It was sent to the state House today. Hopefully there will be a vote in the affirmative.

Just an interesting note. The main sponsor of the bill is a female Democrat. That seems to go against everything that the pro-choice says is true. So we'll see what this means for the future.

Read more here.

Pro-Choice Catholicism is a Heresy

So says Bishop Vasa of Baker, OR.

Here is an excerpt from the article on LifeSiteNews.com:

"Robert Vasa, the Catholic bishop of the Oregon diocese of Baker, has written a letter to his diocesan newspaper clearly identifying the so-called 'pro-choice' position among Catholics as a 'heresy'. For decades, many Catholics have argued that 'primacy of conscience' allows them to dissent from basic Church teaching, including the right to life, and still consider themselves 'good Catholics.'

He said he does not seek to justify 'vigilante theology,' and that the word needs to be applied with care, 'but we do need strong words to combat erroneous and fallacious teaching.'

'There is a very strong word, which still exists in our Church, which most of us are too 'gentle' to use. The word is ‘heresy.''''

Here is a link to Bishop Vasa's speech.

"The Morning-After Pill Conspiracy"

My friend sent me this an e-mail with this link today about "The Morning-After Pill Conspiracy." Totally crazy ideas sometimes do actually run through people's heads. I think we should have one of the Crusade Days actually concentrate on praying for everyone on the list. There are 1300 of them so it would be a great day of prayer and fasting. Enjoy the link if you really want to read it.

Good news at home though

The New York State mid level court has struck down gay "marriage," three times in one case (I believe that's how it went). Great news from such a rough state.

Sad News from Australia

Unfortunately, "Australian Leading Democrat on RU-486 – Some May Die But It’s Worth the Risk". What has the world come to? Read more here.

Pray for French Bishop

I just found this article about a French bishop who wants the Church to change its stance on contraception. Please pray for him as he leads his flock.

Wal-Mart will hopefully fight the good fight

This is from NARAL (pray for their conversion):

"Wal-Mart - the nation's largest retail pharmacy - has been denying millions of American women the opportunity to prevent unintended pregnancy. The store refuses to stock the "morning-after" pill, a back-up birth control option that prevents pregnancy after sex.

With your help, NARAL Pro-Choice America has been fighting this policy from every angle:

:: In the past year, our activists have generated 75,000 messages to Wal-Mart headquarters, asking the retail giant to reverse its policy.
:: Our affiliate, NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, recently joined three women plaintiffs who announced a suit against Wal-Mart for not stocking the morning-after pill.
:: And just last week, we signed onto a letter with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Organization for Women, the National Council of Women's Organizations, and WakeUpWalMart.com, urging Wal-Mart to change its policy (click here to read the statement http://prochoiceaction.org/ct/td17H951BmpI/).

Our efforts are starting to pay off. On Friday, a Wal-Mart spokesperson told the Associated Press, "Women's health is a high priority for Wal-Mart, so clearly there are broader considerations and we are giving this a lot of thought." [Associated Press, 2/3/06]

We have to continue to push Wal-Mart to end its discriminatory policy once and for all. Help us convince Wal-Mart that they can only make women's health a priority by stocking the morning-after pill."

This is their sample script for a telephone call:

"I ask that Wal-Mart reverse its policy on denying emergency contraception, also known as the "morning-after" pill, to women across the country. I hope you will reconsider your policy and make your customers' health - and rights - your top priority. Thank you.""

Founder of NOW and NARAL dies

Feminist author, icon Betty Friedan dies at 85

WASHINGTON (AP) — Betty Friedan, whose manifesto The Feminine Mystique became a best seller in the 1960s and laid the groundwork for the modern feminist movement, died Saturday, her birthday. She was 85.

FULL STORY

HOLY FATHER'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR FEBRUARY

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general prayer intention for February is: "That the international community may be ever more aware of the urgent duty to bring an end to the trafficking in human beings."

His mission intention is: "That in the missions the lay faithful may recognize the need to serve their own country with greater commitment, also in its political and social life."

LINK

Albeit there's not a direct link to TOB, per se, I thought it a good thing to know. After all, the trafficking of human beings can only result from a very poor view of the human person.