Abortion-Cancer Link Cover-Up Similar To Tobacco (Life Site News)
The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly has published an article explaining how scientists published fraudulent research and deceived the public about the abortion-breast cancer (ABC) link -- much as the tobacco industry covered up a tobacco-cancer link.
The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer notes that the paper by Joel Brind, Ph.D. comes just five months after the editor of the journal Ethics and Medics, cited a cause-effect relationship and sharply criticized scientists for failing to "speak out against the shoddy research that is being advanced by those who deny the abortion-breast cancer link.
"The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) should be criminally investigated," declared Karen Malec, president of the coalition. "If German scientists had played the same shell game with women's health during World War II, they would have been tried at Nuremberg under American jurisprudence."
Brind's paper reveals a disgraceful, 48-year record of scientific misconduct and a reckless disregard for women's health involving the NCI, the U.S. Department of Defense, Oxford scientists, medical journals, the American Cancer Society (whose legal department attempted to intimidate the coalition for exercising its free speech rights), and others. Some examples include:
Brind identified two abortion-related breast cancer risks, one of which isn't disputed. Childbirth significantly reduces breast cancer risk, an effect universally recognized by experts and known for centuries. Only the independent link (whether abortion leaves women with more cancer-vulnerable lobules than they had before pregnancy) is debated.
Brind cited a conflict of interest between NCI career scientists who make grant funding decisions and independent scientists who "dare not break with the party line."
Nevertheless, there is hope. Two U.S. women successfully prosecuted malpractice lawsuits against doctors for failing to disclose the link. The greatest cause of malpractice lawsuits today is failure to diagnose breast cancer. Doctors could provide better screening for the disease if they'd ask patients about their abortion histories on intake forms.
Status of the Texas Marriage Amendment As Of Friday (Free Market Foundation)
The last public hearing for The Texas Marriage Amendment, HJR 6, was held last Thursday at 5 p.m. on the Senate floor of the Capitol, by the State Affairs Committee. Kelly Shackelford testified once again in support of this amendment, which defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman. Pastors and others from across the state did so as well.
Indiana Ten Commandments Display Will Stay (Citizen-Link)
Elkhart County, Ind. will be allowed to keep the Ten Commandments in its Foundations of American Law and Government display after eleven judges in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously denied an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) request that it rehear the case. The case first went to court in 2004.
Religious Freedom Report Adds 'Countries Of Concern' (Josh Montez-Citizen Link)
A U.S. commission that studies religious freedom around the world has issued its list of countries that oppress people of faith.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is asking U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to keep a careful watch on a few nations that continue to oppress their citizen's religious liberties.
One of the countries of particular concern is Saudi Arabia.
Outgoing USCIRF Commissioner Nina Shea, who works with the human rights group Freedom House, said there are a couple of reasons why Saudi Arabia was selected.
"(It's) not just the fact that there have been 100 Christians arrested in Saudi Arabia in the last month alone, and they . . . were arrested for praying in a private home," Shea said, ". . . but also the fact that they are propagating an extremist hate ideology around the globe—and even here in the United States—against Christians, against Jews, against dissident Muslims."
Shea recommended that the violators of religious freedom be punished for contributing to religious repression—including the denial of visas from those countries.
Lawrence Uzzell, president of International Religious Freedom Watch, noted that two countries in Asia were also singled out—Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
"These are two central Asian countries, former Soviet republics that engage in extremely serious persecution of both Muslims and Christians—especially protestant Christians," he said.
Those countries are on the commission's 2005 report of religious freedom violations. Others listed are Vietnam, Korea, Sudan, Iran and China—where Christians are tortured and arrested because of their faith.
"Countries don't like to be on this list," Uzzell said, referring to the official State Department list of "countries of particular concern," which are the most egregious violators of religious freedom. "They try to take steps to avoid being on this list."
Uzzell also said the State Department should not flinch from labeling these countries as violators of religious freedom even if they are allies.
India was removed from the list of violators following "significant" improvements in religious freedom, said Michael Cromartie, USCIRF commissioner. But in May 2004, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had been implicated in violence against religious minorities, was defeated. India is now on the commission's watch list.
CAFTA IS A BAD DEAL FOR AMERICA (Phyllis Schlafly-Eagle Forum)
Tell Your Representative to vote NO on CAFTA!
The House of Representatives will soon vote on the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). The United States signed CAFTA in May 2004 with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. On August 5, 2004, it was expanded to include the Dominican Republic.
CAFTA is a dangerous power grab that threatens our national sovereignty. Under CAFTA, state legislatures would relinquish their right to regulate utilities, land use, and taxpayer-funded contracts. CAFTA includes hundreds of pages of grants of vague authority to foreign tribunals. It wouldn't take a very activist foreign judge to read his own interpretation into language that requires us to use the "least trade-restrictive" regulations and to change our laws so they are "no more burdensome than necessary."
CAFTA would also prohibit any preference states could give to contractors in their state. Any Central American country could file a complaint, and the state would have to rely for its defense on the U.S. Government that has already agreed to CAFTA's rules. If President Bush is successful in starting private accounts in Social Security, WTO rules would require us to let foreign money managers and insurers bid to manage our retirement.
The pro-CAFTA lobby's promise of big trade with the CAFTA countries is a pipe dream. How can anyone expect customers for U.S. products from countries where half the people live below the poverty line and the hourly wages are often below 50 cents per hour?
The real purpose of CAFTA is to allow multinational corporations to exploit the abundance of cheap labor and the scarcity of taxes and safety regulations in CAFTA countries. CAFTA will increase our $58 billion job-killing U.S. trade deficit and further weaken our already suffering dollar.
Congress should defeat CAFTA and reassert the primacy of our Constitution, which states that only Congress has the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations" and that treaties are valid only if ratified by two-thirds of Senators.
Urge Your http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and http://www.house.gov/writerep to vote NO on CAFTA.
QUOTEWORTHY: -----------------"If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send 150 lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, & talk by the hour? That 150 lawyers should do business together ought not to be expected." --Thomas Jefferson
Governor Romney Stands His Ground (Tony Perkins Washington Up-Date)
Those who support the cause of life should be very gratified regarding the moral stance Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney took this week on embryonic stem cell research. Governor Romney returned a recently approved stem cell bill to lawmakers, insisting they make ethical changes to the legislation. The bill would allow cloning in the state, all in the name of harvesting embryonic stem cells--a source of stem cells that has shown very little, if any, promise in helping patients. Governor Romney is suggesting, instead, that lawmakers ban cloning of human beings and impose criminal sanctions on those who violate the ban. He would also like to see legislative efforts concentrate more on successful research conducted with adult and cord blood stem cells. The governor's principled defense of human life is important, not just for the people of Massachusetts, but also for the nation, as it will ease the confusion often affecting public discourse regarding to embryonic stem cell research. We applaud Governor Romney for standing his ground.
Quoteworthy:------"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." -- Mark Twain.
Another Ambulance Visits Tiller's Abortion Clinic In Wichita KS (Jody Brown May 12, 2005 Agape Press)
Pro-Lifers Suspicious of Activity, Fear Another Abortion-Related Death
Pro-lifers in Wichita, Kansas are reporting that another ambulance visit to a notorious abortionist's clinic on Wednesday "increases suspicion" that another woman may have died from abortion complications.
According to reports from both Operation Rescue and Kansans for Life, an ambulance rolled up to Women's Health Care Services -- the Wichita abortion mill operated by George Tiller -- on Wednesday morning shortly after the arrival of a blanket-wrapped woman who "looked white as a sheet." The emergency crew remained on site, rendering medical care for more than 90 minutes, the groups report. It was the third time this year, and the sixth time in the past 16 months, that an ambulance had been summoned to the abortuary.
The ambulance then transported an injured woman from the clinic, presumably to the Wesley Medical Center emergency room. But pro-lifers on the scene report the ambulance drove "quickly past the emergency room entrance and disapper[ed] down the street."
Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue http://www.operationrescue.org, describes the events as "highly unusual behavior," and asks several questions: "Why did the ambulance bypass the emergency room and disappear? Why was there a delay in getting the woman to the hospital? [And] why are so many women being maimed and even killed?" A woman died in January at the hospital after being transported there from Tiller's clinic.
"These questions must be answered," Newman continues. "[Tiller's] abortion mill is a proven public health risk."
The Operation Rescue president points out that just two weeks ago, lawmakers in Topeka failed to override the Kansas governor's veto of a measure (HB 2503) that would have provided minimum safety requirements for abortion clinics. Newman lays responsibility for this most recent incident at the feet of Governor Kathleen Sebelius and members of the State House who helped to sustain the veto.
U.S. And Vietnam Reach Agreement On Religious Rights ( Compass) http://www.compassdirect.org
On May 5, John Hanford, U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, announced an agreement with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam regarding issues of religious liberty and confirmed the release of 12 religious prisoners as part of a special amnesty.
Six Hmong Christians and Mennonite church worker Le Thi Hong Lien were among them.
The agreement acknowledges recent progress in Vietnam's religious rights policies, including a pledge to allow hundreds of disbanded churches to reopen.
Nevertheless, some observers expressed skepticism.
"This will not be an easy task," one source said, "because for many years the official dogma -- believed and taught from the top -- was that Protestantism is an American religion bent on overthrowing the communist revolution. As such, it was a misguided policy to discriminate against, harass and persecute Christians."
'Kingdom Of Heaven' Disparages Christianity (Josh Montez-Center Link)
Movie portrayal of the Crusades said to contain glaring inaccuracies.
Christian film critics are concerned that the producer of the new film "Kingdom of Heaven" not only allowed some glaring historical inaccuracies, but also put Christians in a bad light. The movie depicts the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem in the 12th century.
In talking about his film, producer-director Ridley Scott said: "What I like to do, and probably I'm more
known for doing, is creating worlds." But Dr. Ted Baehr of the Christian Television and Film Commission said in this case, Scott has simply created controversy.
Baehr said. "The film is historically inaccurate, geographically inaccurate and it paints Christians often the way you would see Muslims (portrayed). I mean, at one point, a monk is yelling out, 'If you kill an infidel you go to heaven.' Well, this has never been Christian theology."
"Ridley Scott admits to being an agnostic," Smithouser added. "He also says the writer of the film is an agnostic, and so I believe there's a certain amount of ignorance about what a Christian, a true Christian, really is." Baehr is concerned many will see the movie and come away with the view that Christians are evil.
PTA Conference Rejects Ex-gays But Allows Gay Activist Group (American Family Association)
The 6 million-member National Parent-Teacher Association has agreed for a second year to feature a pro-homosexual group at its annual convention, while rejecting a group that says homosexuality is not an inborn trait. The National PTA, representing 26,000 local affiliates, solicited a workshop and exhibit by Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) for public school action against anti-homosexual beliefs at the PTA's convention next month, Ron Schlittler, PFLAG executive director, told The Washington Times.
But another group, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) of Alexandria, was rejected as an exhibitor at the June 24-26 convention in Columbus, Ohio, because the PTA and its members "have not identified homosexuality or same-sex marriage as an issue," according to Jennifer Gaster Sopko, National PTA spokeswoman in Chicago. Mrs. Sopko declined to explain the participation of PFLAG.
Yahoo! Sued Over Child Pornography (Citizen Link)
A lawsuit filed against Yahoo Inc. claims the company violated its duties by allowing members to trade child pornography using the Yahoo Group service, Reuters reported. Co-defendant in the case, Mark Bates, created an area where illicit photos of children were traded. The 10 million dollar suit was filed May 9 by a minor and his parents. A neighbor had taken pornographic pictures of the boy and posted them on Yahoo. The site was in operation for two months in 2001 and attracted thousands of visitors before Yahoo was alerted and the site was shut down.
In 2002 Bates pleaded guilty to charges that he set up the site for the trade and distribution of child pornography. While the defense will argue that Yahoo did not know what was being transmitted over the site and is not liable, lead attorney for the plaintiff, Adam Voyles, said, "We believe that they knew, and at a minimum didn't exercise reasonable care."
World Unites To Discuss A New Coalition To Stop The USA (Prophecy Watch)
South American and Arab leaders opened an unprecedented summit last week to usher in new cooperation aimed at undercutting the international influence of the United States.
With 9,000 soldiers posted around the city and helicopters overhead, 16 heads of state and top officials from 34 South American, Middle Eastern and North African nations gathered for the first Summit of South American-Arab Countries.
"Today, we are facing a historic opportunity to build the foundation for a bridge of solid cooperation between South America and the Arab world," said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
He said the leaders must band together to ensure that free trade helps the developing world's masses, instead of only rich countries and multinational corporations.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who heads the Arab League, said the two regions, while far apart, have a combined population of more than half a billion people and share strong cultural links. About 10 million South Americans are of Arab descent.
"More than 600 million people are looking with hope to the summit of hope, the Brasilia summit," he said.
The summit started with the biggest show of security in the Brazilian capital since Mr. da Silva was sworn into office two and a half years ago as the first elected leftist leader of Latin America's largest country.
The leaders held two days of talks, and expected to join forces by signing a "Declaration of Brasilia."
In the draft declaration, the leaders pledge to support sweeping political and economic efforts to tighten links between their regions.
The stronger ties to counter U.S. dominance in the global political arena reflect a key policy goal of Mr. da Silva, who proposed the summit during a 2003 trip to the Middle East. The gathering comes at a time when Washington is pressuring Arab nations to relax their mostly authoritarian systems of government.
Israel Offers Land For Evangelical Christian Center (Prophecy Watch)
The government has offered to donate 35 acres beside the Sea of Galilee for an evangelical Christian center to boost Christian tourism. According to the Ministry of Tourism, tourists brought $1.4 billion into the Israeli economy last year.
The government told a group of evangelical leaders, including the Rev. Ted Haggard of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, it would be willing to improve a nearby airport and provide power, water and phone lines for the center.
Evangelical groups haven't responded to the offer, and there is no timetable for moving ahead with plans for the property. Plans for the land would have to meet with the government's approval, The Gazette reported.
The land is next to the Sea of Galilee and near the Bay of Parables and the hilltop where Jesus was believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Haggard called the land "priceless."
"None of that land is for sale," said Haggard, also president of the National Association of Evangelicals. "You could never buy it."
The surrounding land is a popular tourist destination for some evangelical Christians. Much of the ministry of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, was carried out there.
The Border Patrol Ordered To Stand Down In Arizona (Chris Simcox Co-Founder Minute-Man )
On May 13, The Washington Times reported that at least twelve U.S. Border Patrol agents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the order had been issued. Arrests were "not to go up" in the areas where Minutemen had previously kept watch.
High-level officials in the U.S. Border Patrol have told their forces to stand down, and keep arrests of those crossing our borders illegally to an "absolute minimum." Shockingly, this compromise in already lax border security is nothing more than politics -- politics that puts our nation and your family in undue danger.
Stand down orders to Border Patrol agents are designed to minimize the statistical evidence of the Minutemen's effectiveness in shutting down the porous border where the Minutemen have operated - "cooking the books" to make the efforts of the patriots appear futile.
It is staggering that the U.S. Government, while defending freedom around the world, is unwilling to do the necessary work to defend our own liberty and security -- on our own border. How can we spend billions eradicating terrorists in the Middle East while ignoring a great threat -- perhaps the greatest threat -- right here at home?
If they will not stand guard, we must. If they fail to fulfill the most basic purpose of government, to "provide for the common defense," then we must. We the people, as we have always done in America, are answering the call.
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps has been keeping vigil along parts of the Arizona border for months, doing a job the government won't: securing the U.S.-Mexico border from drug smugglers, illegal traffickers, and terrorists. Their aim is two-fold: protect America from imminent security threats and prove that simply increasing border security personnel would significantly reduce illegal immigration, drug trafficking and syndicated crime.
Your help is needed TODAY. https://secure.responseenterprises.com/minutemanhq/?a=8
QUOTEWORTHY: ------------- "There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." -- President James Madison
Judicial Watch calls on Senate to investigate Hillary Clinton for her role in campaign finance scheme… (Tom Fitton-Judicial Watch)
I have been careful to point out that Hillary Clinton’s campaign finance scandal is far more serious than the allegations brought against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Congressman DeLay has been admonished three times by the House Ethics Committee for violating House rules, and shoved to the center of an ethics firestorm for the last six months, while the crimes of Senator Clinton and her campaign officials have been largely ignored.
According to Senate rules, a member may be investigated for misconduct if that misconduct reflects unfavorably on the Senate. As detailed in court last week, given that the Secretary of the Senate serves as custodian of Senate candidates’ campaign finance reports, the submission of false campaign finance reports represents a fraud upon the Senate. Therefore, I believe Senator Clinton’s actions are well beyond the minimum threshold for investigation, and she must be disciplined for all wrongdoing.
Lawmakers Under investigation? (Tom Fitton Judicial Watch)
The travel scandal that tossed House Majority Leader Tom Delay further into the eye of an ethics firestorm has expanded to include other members of Congress. According to the Associated Press, in addition to aides to Tom DeLay, two Democratic congressmen -- Jack Clyburn (D-SC) and Bernie Thompson (D-MA) -- received travel expenses initially paid by lobbyist Jack Abramoff on his credit card or by his firm. (It was Abramoff who was caught red-handed laundering Indian and gambling money through his non-profit organizations in order to fund junkets abroad for DeLay and others.) Roll Call, a newspaper that focuses on Capitol Hill, has also reported that as many as 14 lawmakers are under investigation for potential violations of House ethics rules for taking trips funded by registered lobbyists or lobbying firms. Perhaps now that the House Ethics Committee has rescinded a rules change that would have made it more difficult to launch investigations against members, the committee will do its job and thoroughly investigate all of these allegations. Or perhaps not. There is talk of giving “amnesty” to House members for violations of the ethics rules on private funding for travel. It seems that congressmen couldn’t even meet the low standards set out for them and now must be given a pass.
Saudis Shred Bibles, Rights Campaigners Claim (Patrick Goodenough CNSNews.com May 19, 2005)
Bibles found in the possession of visitors to Saudi Arabia are routinely confiscated by customs officials, and in some cases copies allegedly have been put through a paper shredder, according to religious rights campaigners.
Reports from the Islamic world of the abuse of Bibles and other items important to Christians emerge from time to time, but generally have little impact - in contrast to the wave of Muslim anger sparked by a Newsweek report, since retracted, of Koran desecration by the U.S. military.
"The Muslims respect the Koran far more than non-Muslims respect the Bible," says Danny Nalliah, a Sri Lankan-born evangelical pastor now based in Australia.
During the 1990s, Nalliah spent two years in Saudi Arabia, where he was deeply involved with the underground church.
"It's a very well-known fact that if you have a Bible at customs when you enter the airport, and if they find the Bible, that the Bible is taken and put in the shredder."
"If you have more than one Bible you will be taken into custody, and if you have a quantity of Bibles you will be given 70 lashes for sure - you could even be executed."
Abuse of Christians and their symbols is not restricted to the destruction of Bibles.
House Resolution Urges Respect For Koran; Condemns Religious Intolerance
(Susan JonesCNSNews.com May 19, 2005)
An Islamic civil rights group is urging all "people of conscience" to support a Democrat-sponsored resolution recognizing that the Koran, like the holy book of any other religion, "should be treated with dignity and respect."
The resolution, to be introduced by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), also "condemns bigotry and intolerance against any religious group, including our friends, neighbors and citizens of the Islamic faith."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called the introduction of the resolution a winning move.
"This resolution expresses America's respect for the holy texts of all faiths. If passed, it will also reiterate our nation's condemnation of bigoted behavior and religious intolerance," said Corey Saylor, CAIR's government affairs director.
Congressional resolutions express the opinion of lawmakers and do not have the force of law.
Bethlehem Christians Worry About Islamic Takeover In Jesus' Birthplace
(Julie Stahl CNSNews.com Jerusalem Bureau Chief May 19, 2005)
Christians in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, are concerned that their city may slowly become an Islamic stronghold following recent municipal elections in which radical Islamic groups took a number of seats.
For the first time ever, Bethlehem's municipal council now includes members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations. With seven seats between them, Muslims have a near majority in the 15-seat council.
Christian candidates from Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party and the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine share the remaining eight seats that are allotted to the Christians.
Christians are upset because the newly elected members will want to give a more Muslim religious tone to the municipality, said one Christian Arab with ties to Bethlehem.
People voted for Hamas because it is "being perceived as more pure, more clean," said the Christian from Jerusalem, who asked not to be named. "[People] are angry over the corruption [in the P.A.]."
QUOTEWORTHY: ------------ "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." -- Ronald W. Reagan
Howard Wilson hwilson@texasmoralaction.org