CBC Newsworld's Don Newman also did a credible job showcasing the issue. Other than that, I haven't come across any other reports.
It would appear that this debate continues to be regarded as some kind of political leprosy:
As Cabinet members arrived on the Hill, most avoided the rally. Some Liberal and Conservative MPs were seen going out of their way to walk away from the protest as they headed toward Centre Block. Abortion did not get a mention during Question Period and was overshadowed by other news.
Given the current climate of taboo surrounding the mere discussion of the topic, I feel it is worth applauding the handful of Conservative and Liberal MPs who actually did attend the rally. They are the kind of politicians that I admire. It takes great courage to stand up for what you believe in despite the fact that doing so may be a career-limiting choice.
Therefore, let's give some recognition to the following:
Conservatives - Jeff Watson, Myron Thompson, Dave Anderson, Mark Warawa, Dean Del Mastro, James Lunney, Kevin Sorenson, Cheryl Gallant, Harold Albrecht, Maurice Vellacott and Bev Shipley.
Liberals - Paul Steckle and Paul Szabo.
If these good people are representing you in Ottawa, please take the time to thank them for showing their support, and for putting their principles ahead of ambition.
Integrity seems to be a rare commodity in politics these days.
* * * *
Meanwhile, the Pope uses the dreaded e-word.
Saturday Update: Beautiful eye-witness account of the March for Life here. Why don't we see this kind of thing in MSM???
Saturday Update: Beautiful eye-witness account of the March for Life here. Why don't we see this kind of thing in MSM???
15 comments:
Everyone is afraid of this topic. All who are aspiring and rising politicians will skirt the issue
Kudos to those who attended the pro-life rallies on Parliament hill for they have the courage of their convictions and you have named the politically courageous and we stand behind them.
All of us who are pro-life support them and I hope that all those who are pro-life in their hearts will go out of their way to support them. If we could just forget about party and band together, we could send a message loud and clear.
I support the Pope using the “e” word because it takes courage to stand for what you believe in opposing what you believe is an evil.
Hearing, what so many who have had abortions say and how they regret doing it,
Why doesn’t the main stream media, give the very ones who have been through this procedure a “voice” to be heard?
Because there are powerful forces out there that doesn’t want them to be heard.
I say that we must give them a fair hearing.
Pro-Life talk will always be in the closet until we actually deal with what's happening when an abortion takes place.
Anytime we deal with any issue by only sticking our heads out of the sand...a little....we fool ourselves into thinking that maybe it wasn't that bad.
It would be refreshing for things to be called what they are...stealing rather than "light-fingered challenged"...lying rather than "embellishment"....etc.
I'm trying to make a point, and I don't know if I succeeded, but I, for one, have had so much PC in and around me, that we have become used to lying to ourselves, because we accept the middle road on everything it seems, in order to not be labelled something by another whose viewpoint differs.
Although abortion vs adoption sounds good, if women don't want to carry their babies to full term, I'm not sure where adoption would be an answer for them, because it's an option now.
Let's not muddy the waters. Is abortion the killing of life or not???
I'm with the Pope on this one.
You can't serve two masters, as the saying goes.
raz
Raz, down with euphemisms!
I am optimistic (or perhaps delusional) that one day at least fully viable fetuses will acquire their 'personhood' just as women and blacks have done after a long struggle.
Of course abortion is killing. So is war. We find ways to make it ok to kill enemies, and we find ways to make it ok to kill unborn babies. For example, we tell the soldier, that other guy is probably a taliban and we hate them, so kill him. Then we say to the doctor, the mother will die or suffer if we don't kill the unborn baby, so kill him.
You are either an absolutist or a relativist. A relatively conservative relativist is still a relativist.
Legal protection of the unborn child already exists, as it is part of the mother, who has full legal protection. An unborn child is essentially property. When you are born, your life separate from your mother begins, and that is where you gain legal protection as a separate being. Your life from that point is your own. Preserving your life can no longer require killing your mother. If your mother abuses alcohol, that will no longer be passed to you through the umbilical cord. If your mother does not want you or is unable to care for you, you can be taken to someone else (i.e. adoption).
Joanne -- one of the problems with this whole discussion is it is not real. Real babies. Real women. Real potential. I just noticed that my daughter left me a message. It is very special and touching because it makes it REAL. She is saying "thank you" to the unknown woman who did not "abort" her -- put in real words -- who did not "kill" her. Because of that decision, four more people are alive and further descendants are possible. Abortion is not simply a sterile medical act.
Wow. Sandy, that is especially touching with Mothers' Day approaching.
Pro-life... what a silly term. Does that mean anyone who supports women's reproductive self-determination is therefore anti-life? These pointless debates are always filled with false dichotomies like this.
How about Pro-fetal-life?
As was said on a previous post:
"Babies have a fully functioning auditory system at 20 weeks", Amazing!
I can only say that I wish that the auditory systems of the pro-abortion crowd was as fully functioning
I happened to be walking through the downtown mall today where CBC is located. They were premiering a documentary A Generation of Orphans...it will be shown in Toronto this evening, to an invited audience. This audience was whoever happened to be strolling past the CBC.
It was a powerful half hour, and what was interesting was that there's a movement....Grandmothers to Grandmothers...from Africa to other countries in the world who are actively trying to help the children with HIV/AIDS....those who are orphaned because their parents had HIV/AIDS...the website is www.stephenlewisfoundation.org.
I thought...what a funny world we live in. Grandmothers are becoming active (yeah, for grandmothers) in helping these children who are dealing with the big question of HIV/AIDS themselves, as well as sometimes being the head of a household at the tender age of 9....while we in Canada, and elsewhere, throw life away easily because it's not the right time, it's my body and I'll do what I want with it...the baby isn't perfect, etc.
We worry about recyling plastics, etc....because we are a throwaway society...but, in terms of the big questions, we are numb.
I'm glad the pope has spoken out strongly, because it's about time people stood up strongly for what they believed. We know that almost the only group of people who have the courage to speak their minds today are the Muslim extremists, while we cower behind being polite and not wanting to create "waves."
The heroes are always the few who stick their necks out, and do something...no matter how unpopular it might be with certain segments of the population. What shouldn't be surprising is that the anti-lifers (I know they call themselves pro-abortion or pro-choice, but I can call them something different if I choose, just as they have done to opponents of their view)....are against those of us who are pro-life.
But, so what? What shouldn't happen is that we give them the power to silence us.
raz
Pro-abortion... there’s another loathsome term.
Abortion itself is rather loathsome.
So is war.
Good comparison, LS. There are circumstances where both are appropriate.
I remember a rally on Parliamen Hill and it was a Pro-Life/family values day and the reoprt showed at least 5000 people at the core , but oooooh no........the media searches for a few lesbians to interview and they spew hateful tripe at the crowd which never would be tolerated if the hate was directed at Gays in the Pride Parade.
It would have been really funny if it hadn't have been so tragic for young people to boast about their University Education and yet were so stupid and rude , I now see why the NDP is upset over student debt .
I'd be equally engraged if after 4 years and $30'000.00 dollars I was just as stupid as when I entered but now had to pay off $30 grand.
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