by Brian Hobbs | May 1, 2013
The Food and Drug Administration has created a new policy that will almost certainly further the culture of death in America. To be specific, the FDA approved the so-called morning-after pill (“Plan B”), making it available over-the-counter without a prescription to women as young as 15 years old.
The FDA, with former President George W. Bush’s approval, first made it over-the-counter in 2006 (but not for minors). At the time, courageous leaders like U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma medical doctor, warned that this was a tragic move.
Why, Dr. Coburn wondered, would the FDA make the super-dose of birth control, which can likely terminate a pregnancy, available over-the-counter, when the ordinary birth control pill requires a prescription? It does not make sense.
Further, we have done a disservice to pharmacists, who have now been degraded to mere vending machines for abortifascient pills through this policy. What’s more, there are serious side effects to these drugs for women, let alone their offspring who may be killed.
Regarding the abortion debate, much has changed since the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, and certainly many technological advancements have helped the pro-life cause, such as ultrasound.
These abortion-in-a-bottle pills, however, represented a significant shift in which the average abortion may not occur at a clinic, but result from a trip to the local pharmacy. In other words, while the culture is moving more and more against abortionists like Kermit Gosnell, it grows increasingly comfortable with abortion tactics like the FDA is offering here.
Some in the pro-choice camp are praising the FDA’s decision. Some, however, want to go even farther. According to the New York Times, “Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit that Judge Korman ruled on, said the decision on Tuesday was unsatisfactory. ‘We will continue our battle in court to remove these arbitrary restrictions on emergency contraception for all women,’ she said.”
In her mind, limiting so-called emergency contraceptives at all is too restrictive. It is a sad day in America when a trip to the local pharmacy could mean the end of a life. With Jesus Christ, however, there is always hope. Let us pray for those in leadership (1 Timothy 2:1-4) and that Christ Himself, who came to give us “life and life abundantly” (John 10:10) would save us from our own devices.
by Ryan Smith | Apr 11, 2013
As a writer knowing I have some degree of influence, no matter how small, I usually try to choose my words judiciously.
Today I am not.
There is an outrage in me that should spread like wildfire not only at what is considered “news” in our mainstream media, but what is silenced for the sake of it. Today I give my voice, no matter how small, to those with the smallest voices who were never given a chance to speak.
You may have heard the story by now – though likely only through social media platforms. Pennsylvania abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell is under trial for extreme acts of brutality, murder, and infanticide. Gosnell’s former employees are testifying as to what they were led to do and witness over years in the abortion clinic.
If you want the gory details, Kirsten Powers has written a superb opinion article in USA today with all of the details I am literally too nauseated to type here. Read it. What I can tell you is that Gosnell’s procedures and practices were outside the law, outside of human conscience, and outside the realm of what any being or entity can justify.
Perhaps on a lower strata, yet outrageously concerning, is the lack of attention given to this trial which began on March 18th – nearly one month ago at the time of this writing – and took place over the course of more than ten years.
If you haven’t heard about the trial during your regular television or Internet viewing cycle, you’re not alone. No major news show on any of the top three networks has given a second of air space to the story. Even a quick review of major Internet news outlets finds them void of the massacre. At the time of this writing, Yahoo! News does not have the story in its top 95 stories, or even listed under its general news feed.
So what is listed?
- Hugh Hefner’s 87th Birthday Celebration
- Taylor Swift quits wearing eyeliner
- Top All-Beef Franks
- Cosby Show Cast Now!
…and a story expressing concern over whether or not a violent video game is “too real.” You know what IS too real? The fact that hundreds of children had their spines cut, “heads severed,” and were murdered – even outside of the womb and considered “viable.”
The outrage over the event is warranted. The fact that Planned Parenthood continues to deny and hem-haw around the issue is vile. The reasoning of major news executives in shying away from the story because of its pro-life implications is infuriating. The fact that this scenario may be playing itself out in countless other abortion clinics is frightening. Above all, the idea that these murders happening outside the womb warrant trial, yet inside the womb are simply a day at the office for abortion doctors should bring us to anger and action.
So what can we do about it?
If the mainstream media is afraid of the story because of its pro-life bent, we must use social media to champion it. We all have a voice, no matter how small. Use it.
As a father I weep. As a human I am enraged. As a victim of this charade by the media I am irate. As a Christian, I pray Lord come soon, ask for justice, and pray somehow for the gospel to be made known through this.
Hundreds of children have been silenced. Let us not be so.