January is:
Celebration of Life Month
Bath Safety Month
February is:
National Children's Dental Health Month
National Parent Leadership Month
March is:
National Red Cross Month
Youth Art Month
For more Awareness/Holidays for Jan., Feb., or Mar., please visit: Monthly Observances
As a early childhood educator it has become my duty and responsibility to protect all children that I know of to be in harm. I have realized as a vicitim of child abuse that harm comes in many forms. To help a child, you must first help his or her family. Love starts in the home and radiates into the world. Let me help you find that love:)
A CHILD'S PRAYER
Dear God,
Are You still awake?
Have You got a minute or two?
You're pretty good at understanding,
And I really need to talk to You.
You see, Mommy came to tuck me in,
Like she does every night.
I was trying to play a trick on her,
Since she can't see without the light.
I was going to close my eyes
And pretend to be asleep.
But when I heard her crying,
I didn't dare let out a peep.
She started talking to you, God.
Did You hear the things she said?
Could You hear what she was saying
As she stood beside my bed?
Why would Mommy be so sad?
I wondered just what I had done,
And then I began to remember
it all As she named them one by one...
This morning we worked in the garden,
But, honest, I really didn't know
That if I picked all those little yellow blooms
The tomatoes wouldn't grow!
Charlie and I were trying to be helpers,
'Cause I know that's what Mommy needs,
But I don't think she was too happy with us
when we pulled up carrots instead of weeds.
Mommy said we should stop for the day,
she decided we had helped quite enough.
I sure had worked up an appetite...
I didn't know gardening was so tough!
we had peanut-butter and jelly for lunch
and I shared too much, I guess...
But I didn't realize until I was done
that Charlie had made such a mess.
Mommy said she needed a nap,
she had one of her headaches today.
She told me to keep an eye on my sister
and find something quiet to play.
Well, God, do You remember all those curls
you gave my little sister Jenny?
We played barber shop...very quietly...
and now, well, she doesn't have any.
Boy, was Mommy mad at me...
I had to go sit on my bed.
She said never to cut "people hair" again.
I guess I'll practice on Charlie instead.
We sat and watched poor old Albert,
I just knew he must be so bored
Going round and round
in the same place all day,
Wouldn't You think so, Lord?
I didn't think it would hurt
to let him out for a while.
I mean, mice need exercise, too.
By the way, have You seen Albert lately?
He's been sort of missing since two.
Mommy sent us outside for the rest of the day.
She said we needed fresh air.
But when Daddy came home she told him
he was trying to get something out of her hair.
We thought Mommy needed cheering up,
so we decided to brighten her day.
But, God, did You see the look on her face
When we gave her that pretty bouquet?
We had gotten a little bit dirty,
so Mommy said to get in the tub.
"Use soap this time," she reminded,
"and please don't forget to scrub."
Charlie didn't like the water too much,
but I lathered up real good.
I knew Mommy would be so proud of me
For cleaning up like I should.
I went downstairs to the table,
but during dinner it started to rain...
I'd forgotten to turn off the water, it seems,
and I hadn't unplugged the drain!
I decided right then it was just about time
to start getting ready for bed,
When Mommy said, "It's sure been a long day,
" And her face began turning all red.
I lay there listening to Mommy
as she told You about our day.
I thought about all of the things I had done
and I wondered what I should say.
I was just about to tell her
that I'd been awake all along,
And ask her to please forgive me
for all of those thing I'd done wrong.
When suddenly, I heard her whisper,
"God, forgive me for today...
For not being more understanding
when those problems came my way...
For not handling situations in the way
You wanted me to...for getting angry
and losing my temper,
Things I know You don't want me to do.
And, God, please give me more patience,
Help me make it through another day,
I'll do better tomorrow, I promise..
. In Jesus' name I pray."
Wiping her eyes, she kissed me
and knelt here beside my bed.
She stroked my hair for a little while..."
I love you, precious," Mommy said.
She left the room without ever knowing
That I'd been awake all the time.
And God, could we make it our little secret?
You know, just Yours and mine?
I'm sorry I was so much trouble today,
I really didn't mean to be...
Daddy says it's tough being a kid sometimes,
but I think it's harder on Mommy than me.
Well, goodnight, God. Thanks for listening.
It's sure nice to know You're there.
I feel so much better when I talk to You
'cause You always hear my prayer.
And I'll do better tomorrow, I promise...
Just You wait and see!
I'll try not to be so much trouble again,
But, God,
please give more patience to Mommy
......Just in case! Amen.
Coping with the Loss of an Infant/Miscarriage
A baby’s death is one of the most painful and traumatic experiences a parent will confront in a lifetime. Although nothing can take away the pain you feel right now, it may be helpful to know what others have experienced or found comforting as they struggled to deal with the intense grief that followed the death of their child.
It is important to give yourself permission to grieve. Grieving the death of a baby may last far longer than you and others expect. Frequently, those around you may be uncomfortable with the intense emotions you experience. Be patient with yourself, and do not expect too much too soon.
No matter what age, your child was and is a part of you, and when your baby dies, so did many of your hopes and dreams for the future. Choosing a name as well as having a funeral or memorial service can help affirm that you are a parent and have the right to grieve as long and as intensely as necessary.
Symptoms of Grief
When a baby dies, normal symptoms of grief are varied. Parental reactions and intensity of feelings may differ. Typical reactions include the following:
• Crying, loneliness, a feeling of isolation.
• A need to talk about the death and the details of what happened.
• Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, depression.
• Anger, guilt, blame.
• Loss of appetite, overeating, sleeplessness, irritability.
• Inability to concentrate, comprehend, or remember.
• Loss of goals and aims in life, a sense of despair about the future.
• Aching arms & frequent sighing.
Grief can last far longer than you or others may expect and has many ups and downs. The first year can be especially difficult when parents torment themselves with painful questions and statements such as the following:
–Why did this happen to my baby, my child?
–Why did this happen to our family?
–Why didn’t I know something was wrong?
–Why didn’t I go to the doctor sooner?
–It’s all my fault!
–If only . . .
There may be no adequate or satisfying answers to these questions or statements. Anger and guilt are common reactions and usually accompany grief. Try to share and express these feeling as a way to release them.
The Impact of Grief on Marriage/Relationships
The reaction to the death of a baby is as individual as the person experiencing it. Spouses or partners often grieve in different ways, frequently misunderstanding each other’s reactions or needs. You may be reluctant to express feelings of sadness when your partner has had a “good day†or vice versa. Some partners may not want to talk about the death, yet still feel comfortable when the other needs to do so.
Many parents feel they must be “strong†for others in the family by not crying. Yet this stops a natural reaction. Tears are a tribute to the child who dies and a healthy release.
Grieving is emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting and leaves little energy for anything else, including communication between spouses. While a shared grief brings many couples closer together, care must be taken to preserve relationships. Understand that the bonding between each parent and the baby may be at different levels, causing grief of different intensities. Share your feelings while keeping in mind that outward expressions of grief may indicate only a portion of what a person is feeling inside.
Husbands and wives may react differently to intimacy as well. While one partner may need and seek this closeness and the assurance that not everything has changed, the other partner may take the suggestion of intimacy as an affront, not understanding how anyone could think of intimacy when a baby has died. Recognize that these reactions are normal. With time and patience, most couples reestablish intimacy when both feel ready.
It is important for couples to understand that there are no simple solutions to these problems, no timetable or recipe for recovery. Every effort should be made to share what you are feeling. Your relationship may be uncomfortable for a while as you cope with these intense feelings and emotions.
Coping with Family and Friends
Friends, relatives, and co-workers may be uncomfortable around you. They may not understand the intensity of your grief or may feel helpless to console and comfort you. Consequently, many offer clichés or platitudes as a source of comfort. You may hear some of the following statements:
–You will have more children.
–You were lucky; it was early in your pregnancy.
–You’re still young enough to have more children.
–You’re lucky you did not bring the baby home from the hospital.
Statements like these hurt, but there is little you can say to well-intentioned people. Since they have not had your experience, it will be difficult for them to understand the length and depth of your grief and sadness. Another way family and friends may offer comfort is to suggest you have another baby. Let your family and friends know how important this baby was to you and ask them to be supportive by listening.
Subsequent Pregnancy
The decision of whether to have another baby belongs to you and your partner. There is no “appropriate†waiting period. No matter what decision you make regarding a subsequent pregnancy or adoption, it will probably not change the length of your grief for your baby who dies. When planning another pregnancy, be aware that aside from the physical stress, subsequent pregnancies can often be difficult emotionally.
Surviving Siblings
Young siblings grieve, too, and can be passed over for support as being “too young to understand.†Encourage your surviving children to talk about their baby brother or sister. Your children may find it helpful to share their feelings with others of their age who have experienced the death of a sibling. Reading material can be helpful.
Questions about Religious Faith
Your baby’s death may cause you to challenge or question your faith or philosophy of life. For a time you may feel that life is unfair and meaningless, and that you have nothing to live for. Some of your anger may be directed at God and, you may need time to re-examine your religious beliefs.
These feelings may be frightening, but it is important to allow yourself the freedom to raise these questions without feelings of guilt. A sense of purpose and control will return to your life, but this is a gradual process and there is no time limit. For many, however, faith provides support and often helps parents to accept the unacceptable.
Substance Abuse
It may be tempting to dull the pain of grief by using alcohol and/or (prescription) drugs, but this may only delay and therefore prolong the normal grief process. You cannot escape the pain of grief and disappointment until you have faced the intensity of these feelings head-on.
Suggestions that May Help
Pictures and other mementos seem to help parents grieve. Parents, however, who experienced miscarriage or infant death may have few of these. Many parents create memories by keeping a baby book or a special box containing hospital records, certificates, sympathy cards, pictures, and blankets.
Spend time with and talk with other parents who have experienced a similar loss. Sharing with these parents, in an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding, can ease the loneliness and isolation of grief. Those who have “been there†can truly understand and accept your grief. These parents can help you to understand that the most painful aspects of bereavement will soften over time and that you are not alone in your grief.
Retrieved from: Compassionate Friends
HELPFUL LINKS
Hannah Org.
Joseph's Page
StorkNet
Share Atlanta
Missing Grace
Rememberance/Memorial Items and Awarness items
Labelledame
The Comfort Company
Headcovers
Heavenly Angels In Need
Women who have children, but are struggling. Women who have an unwanted pregnancy or are thinking about abortion. You feel a great deal of stress, pressure, anxiety and depression--and you 'just' want to talk to someone. You feel that there's just no other way out. You may've already made your decision. Before you act on it, talk to me. I will listen.
I would also like to extend a hand to any or all FATHERS or MEN in the same circumstance...fell free to leave messages or ask questions pertaining to the site. We do have other men that can help the men who ask for it..God Bless!
Or, if you know of someone in a crisis situation, and you need advice or direction, please don't hesitate to contact me.
CHECK THIS OUT! iT'S AMAZING!!
National Geographic's "In the Womb" Series
FEATURED LINKS!
Dear Mr. Jesus Video
PREVENT SIDS
Hugs and Hope
Binky Patrol
Make a Child Smile
KLAAS Kids
Alliance 4 Life Ministry
Spirit-Path
Christi Thomas Foundation
Christian's Story
HELPFUL NATIONAL AND INDIANA LINKS
KIDS FIRST PREVENTION and Public Service announcements
DAY OF THE CHILD
BIRTHRIGHT
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE
NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE
CENTRAL INDIANA CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER
WOMEN,INFANTS, AND CHILDREN
PREVENT CHILD ABUSE INDIANA
STAND FOR CHILDREN
I AM YOUR CHILD
CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND
GET OUTRAGED!
FOR FATHERS!
FATHERING MAGAZINE
PREGNANCY GUIDELINE ..
PARENTS PLACE
National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day October 15th
Baby Loss Awareness
United Way of Central Indiana
United Way of Southwestern Indiana
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Child Advocates, Inc.
Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc
St. Elizabeth/Coleman Pregnancy & Adoption Services
St. Mary's Child Center
Reach for Youth, Inc.
Christamore House
Flanner House
Happy Hollow Children's Camp, Inc.
SCAN of Fort Wayne
Locks of Love
Bona Vista of Howard & Miami Counties
Fetal Development: How your Baby grows
By seven weeks, your baby has grown into an embryo about the size of a raspberry and has a tiny beating heart. He'll be growing very fast in the next few weeks.
Your baby is now about the size of a kidney bean and is constantly moving and shifting. She has distinct, slightly webbed fingers.
By now your baby is about 2 inches long -- the size of a lime. His skin is still transparent, but his face is beginning to look more human.
Your baby is now about 4½ inches long -- the size of an avocado. Her heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day and her body is covered with a layer of downy hair called lanugo.
A protective substance called vernix caseosa now coats your baby's skin. He's about 10 inches long from head to heel (at 20 weeks we measure from head to foot instead of head to bottom).
Your baby is nearly a foot long now and weighs more than a pound. Her red, translucent skin is wrinkled and her lips, eyebrows, and eyelids are distinct.
By now, your baby weighs about 2¼ pounds and is nearly 15 inches long. His body fat is beginning to form in preparation for life outside the womb.
Your baby may have hair or peach fuzz on her head now. She's probably turned head-down in preparation for birth. She may weigh almost 4 pounds.
At nine months, the average baby is more than 18 inches long and nearly 6 pounds, but babies vary widely in size at this point and it's nearly impossible to tell how big yours is.
Taken from: Baby Center
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that only pregnant women get. If a woman gets diabetes when she is pregnant, but never had it before, then she has gestational diabetes.
Normally, your stomach and intestines digest the carbohydrate in your food into a sugar called glucose. Glucose is your body’s main source of energy. After digestion, the glucose moves into your blood to give your body energy.
To get the glucose out of your blood and into the cells of your body, your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. If you have diabetes, either your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or your cells can’t use it the way they should. Instead, the glucose builds up in your blood, causing diabetes, or high blood sugar.
Gestational diabetes happens in about 5 percent of all pregnancies, or about 200,000 cases a year in the United States.
How do you know if you have gestational diabetes?
Health care providers will test most women who have average risk for gestational diabetes when they are between 24-28 weeks pregnant.
If your risk is higher-than-average, your health care provider may test you earlier, possibly as soon as you know you are pregnant.
There are two approaches to testing for gestational diabetes:
In the one-step approach, a woman will fast for 4 to 8 hours. Then a health care provider will measure her blood sugar and will do so again 2 hours after she drinks a sugar drink. This type of test is called an oral glucose tolerance test.
In the two-step approach, a health care provider measures a woman’s blood sugar 1 hour after drinking a sugar drink. Women whose blood sugar is normal after 1 hour probably don’t have gestational diabetes. Women whose blood sugar is high after 1 hour will then have an oral glucose tolerance test to see if they have gestational diabetes.
Will gestational diabetes affect my baby?
Most women who have gestational diabetes give birth to healthy babies, especially when they control their blood sugar, eat a healthy diet, exercise, and keep a healthy weight.
In some cases, though, gestational diabetes can affect the pregnancy and baby. Some potential risks include:
The baby’s body is larger than normal—called macrosomia. A large baby may need to be delivered by a surgical procedure called cesarean section, instead of naturally through the vagina.
The baby’s blood sugar is too low—called hypoglycemia. Starting to breastfeed right away can help get more glucose to the baby. The baby may also need to get glucose through a tube into his or her blood.
The baby’s skin turns yellowish and the whites of the eyes may change color—called jaundice. This condition is easily treated and is not serious if treated.
The baby may have trouble breathing and need oxygen or other help—called Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
The baby may have low mineral levels in the blood. This problem can causes muscle twitching or cramping, but can be treated by giving the baby extra minerals.
For more information click here: National Institute of Child Health and Development
Christian's Story
~ Shared with the permission of Christian's grandfather, Kevin Knight...Thank you for allowing me to share his story, as it has touched me deeply.
Christian Joseph Dubisky was born on June 9, 1996 and weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. and was 21 1/2 inches long. His parents are Donna Knight and Michael Dubisky. Christian is a cute and very lovable little guy. Mommy had nicknames him "Boober" and Grandpa Knight called him "snuggle-bunny". The family was proud and shared many happy memories with this loving newborn little guy.
At 3 1/2 months, strange things happened to Christian. His father, Michael started causing Christian unbelievable pain by twisting his arms and legs. From Christian's point of view: " I thought Daddy was playing but then it started to hurt. I couldn't talk so I couldn't tell Daddy to stop hurting me."
On October 5, 1996, Michael Dubisky did one of the worst things imaginable....He got angry at Christian for crying and he shooked him until he stopped. He then layed Christian back in his crib, left the room, and went to take a shower. Christian's mommy was at work and Christian layed there finding it difficult to breathe, ribs broken. When Michael returned from his shower, he discovered Christian struggling to breathe. He began running around frantically. Donna (Christian's mother)returned home from work to find Christian in his crib sturggling to breathe. She called for help and removed Christian from his crib, lying him on the floor while she waited on Emergency Personnel. Donna's tears were flowing as she watched her son battle for his life.
Christian was life-lined to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, FL. One of the doctors informed Christian's Mom and Maternal Grandparents that he had suffered terrible injuries and was more than likely not going to make it through the night. The doctor said Christian was a shaken baby. They placed Christian in Pediatric ICU and ran all sorts of tubes from his little body. After 7 days, his maternal family took some pictures of this precious angel. After 23 days, Christian went home with his Mom and Grandparents!
Christian's cognitive area of the brain was destroyed leaving him in a vegative state and hydrocephalic. His retinas are detached leaving him in a blind state. He is nourished through a gastro-intestinal tube. His thyroid does not work properly. His brainstem is twisted so he can not self-regulate his body temperature. He needs oxgen 24-hours a day. He has an intermittment gag reflex, meaning that sometimes when he swallows it ends up in his lungs. He has congestive heart failure. He has cerebral palsy. He has epilepsy (seizures occuring about one every minute). His hip is displaced and he has severe osteoporosis.He takes 30 medications a day!
Michael Dubisky was charged with Aggravated Child Abuse by Willful Torture. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He is due for release on March 24, 2006.
Christian passed away at the age of 6 years old on May 1, 2003. He has helped to increase the awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome throughout the world. It is his picture and poster that has help create the awareness slogan "Never, Never, Shake Your Baby!"
About Shaken Baby
*** Since Christian's death the prosecuter for the state of Florida is looking into charging Michael with a MURDER charge. Let's all pray that Mr. Dubisky is given the punishment he deserves for injuring/murdering this precious baby boy!
WHY DADDY WHY
Why DADDY why
You took the sight from my eyes
Why DADDY why
They were little baby cries
Why DADDY why
You shook me so violently
Why DADDY why
You gave me Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy
Why DADDY why
Did you need to show you’re strong
Why DADDY why
You fractured my little bones
Why DADDY why
You tore my ribs from their cage
Why DADDY why
Were you so full of rage
Why DADDY why
Will I never walk
Why DADDY why
Will I never talk
Why DADDY why
Thirty-three medications a day
Why DADDY why
You changed my life this way
Why DADDY why
I smell but cannot eat
Why DADDY why
Lots of seizures and lots of sleep
Why DADDY why
Will I never run
Why DADDY why
I’ll never have fun
Why DADDY why
Won’t my hands hold the toys
Why DADDY why
Can’t I play like other baby boys
Why DADDY why
You destroyed my brain
Why DADDY why
Mommy’s tears fall like rain
Why DADDY why
Can’t I even lift my head
Why DADDY why
You almost made me dead
Why DADDY why
I am always in pain
Why DADDY why
Do you feel any shame
Why DADDY why
Does my temperature rise and fall
Why DADDY why
Can’t they regulate it at all
Why DADDY why
You hurt me so bad
Why DADDY why
You were supposed to be a loving DAD
Dedicated to Christian
Linda D. Knight
Christian’s Grandmother
September 24, 1997
Child Abuse - The Hidden Bruises
The statistics on physical child abuse are alarming. It is estimated hundreds of thousands of children are physically abused each year by a parent or close relative. Thousands die. For those who survive, the emotional trauma remains long after the external bruises have healed. Communities and the courts recognize that these emotional “hidden bruises†can be treated. Early recognition and treatment is important to minimize the long term effect of physical abuse. Whenever a child says he or she has been abused, it must be taken seriously and immediately evaluated.
Children who have been abused may display:
a poor self-image
sexual acting out
inability to trust or love others
aggressive, disruptive, and sometimes illegal behavior
anger and rage
self destructive or self abusive behavior, suicidal thoughts
passive, withdrawn or clingy behavior
fear of entering into new relationships or activities
anxiety and fears
school problems or failure
feelings of sadness or other symptoms of depression
flashbacks, nightmares
drug and alcohol abuse
sleep problems
Often the severe emotional damage to abused children does not surface until adolescence or later, when many abused children become abusing parents. An adult who was abused as a child often has trouble establishing intimate personal relationships. These men and women may have trouble with physical closeness, touching, intimacy, and trust as adults. They are also at higher risk for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, medical illness, and problems at school or work. Without proper treatment, physically abused children can be damaged for life.
Early identification and treatment is important to minimize the long-term consequences of abuse. Qualified mental health professionals should conduct a comprehensive evaluation and provide treatment for children who have been abused. Through treatment, the abused child begins to regain a sense of self-confidence and trust. The family can also be helped to learn new ways of support and communicating with one another. Parents may also benefit from support, parent training and anger management.
Physical abuse is not the only kind of child abuse. Many children are also victims of neglect, or sexual abuse, or emotional abuse. In all kinds of child abuse, the child and the family can benefit from evaluation and treatment from a qualified mental health professional.
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BR
CHILD ABUSE INCIDENTS IN THE U.S.--Yes, this happens in here in America!
"A woman who is eight-and-a-half months' pregnant was under arrest on a murder charge at Fordham Hospital today after the death of her battered two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.... The child had multiple lacerations and many scars and bruises." -- New York Post, March 29, 1974.
"A crippled seven-year-old child, whose abuse apparently included having the words 'I cry' burned into his back with a cigarette, was wheeled into a Harris County (Texas) courtroom in a crib today.... The boy, described by one witness as 'bright, but a loner' prior to his injuries, had suffered a ruptured colon from something inserted into his anus, and the ensuing infections resulted in brain damage." -- Washington Post, May 5, 1977.
"Linda Fay Burchfield [has been] charged with imprisoning her daughter Patti in a closet for four years... Last July 5th, police burst into the home and found Patti. She weighed 23 pounds and was less than three feet tall, about half the normal size of a nine-year-old. On the same day, Patti's sister Donna, then 13, was having an abortion.... Mrs. Burchfield's husband has been charged with raping Donna." -- Washington Star, March 17, 1977.
"A young southeast Washington couple were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter yesterday in the death by starvation of their infant son." -- Washington Post, March 17, 1977.
"A Cleveland, Tennessee, couple were indicated yesterday on a first-degree murder charge for the torture death of a four-year-old-girl." -- Washington Star, October 23, 1976.
Is child abuse a crime in America? This child's identity is protected because the courts 'may return' the girl to her father, who beat her so severely she suffered brain damage!
he extreme of child abuse is murder. In 1975 alone, 166 infants less than a year old were murdered, 327 children between the ages of one and four were murdered, 142 children between the ages of five and nine were murdered, and 205 children between the ages of ten and fourteen were murdered. These numbers, taken from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports for that year, are at best an underestimate of the actual incidence of infant and child murder, since so many deaths reported as accidental may in fact result from intentional injury. Accidental death rates for these same age groups range from 10 to 27 times the murder rates. One can assume that authorities declare a child's death to be murder only under the most extreme and blatant of circumstances.
Statistics alone cannot convey the horror of physical assaults upon children in our society. The Uniform Crime Reports describe the various means by which adults murder their infants and children: shooting, stabbing, bludgeoning, burning, poisoning, strangling, suffocating, and using explosives.
Rather than the milk of human kindness, this child received a faceful of scalding milk. His permanent scars are a sign of a society in which sexual pleasure is considered immoral and violence against the body is considered morally necessary for salavtion of the soul. The child needs love and affection -- not abuse.
America, what can we do as a nation, under God, to greatly reduce these unspeakable, unthinkable crimes toward our innocent? Why must the unborn, infants and children suffer? Why does our country put these children back into the abusive situations?
MY NAME IS CHRIS
My name is Chris
I am three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see,
I must be stupid
I must be bad,
What else could have made
My daddy so mad?
I wish I were better
I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my mommy
Would still want to hug me.
I can't do a wrong
I can't speak at all
Or else I'm locked up
All the day long.
When I'm awake,
I'm all alone
The house is dark
My folks aren't home
When my mommy does come home
I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll just get
One whipping tonight.
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
From the all night bar.
I hear him curse
My name is called
I press myself
Against the wall.
I try to hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry!
He finds me weeping
Calls me ugly words,
He says it's my fault
He suffers at work.
He slaps and hits me
And yells at me more,
I finally get free
And run to the door!
He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me
Against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor
With my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues
With more bad words spoken.
"I'm sorry!", I scream
But its now much to late-
His face has been twisted
Into a unimaginable shape.
The hurt and the pain!
Again and again-
O please God, have mercy!
O please let it end!
And he finally stops
And heads for the door
While I lay there motionless,
Sprawled on the floor.
My name is Chris
I am only three,
Tonight my daddy,
Murdered me.
(This is a true story, because things like this, and even worse, happen everyday. Stand up and make a difference!)
Every Abortion Is Just . . .
One more heart that was stopped. Two more eyes that will never see. Two more hands that will never touch. Two more legs that will never run. One more mouth that will never speak.
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ABORTION
Is there a relationship, subconsciously, between abortion and women killing their babies and children? Are we being conditioned that it's 'no big deal' to kill our babies and children since killing babies is legal? America The Beautiful? The country founded on God, hope and freedom?
These are all photos of aborted babies. If it bothers you, then maybe it's time we stand together and make a difference instead of just sitting on it--because as we speak, thousands of innocent are being slaughtered!
These helpless little humans, who could not speak or defend themselves, should've been being held in the arms of someone who loved them and held close to a beating, warm heart. Not thrown away like garbage! It's no wonder that thousands of teenaged girls and women give birth to babies every year and throw them away in garbage cans, toilets, basements, dumpsters, etc. to just helplessly and horribly die cold and alone. Where are these ideas that it's "okay" coming from?
Take a look below, and maybe you'll see why.
Former Abortionists Speak Out
Below are revealing statements made by former abortion industry personnel. These are direct quotes from men and women who worked in abortion facilities. These former abortion providers are now pro-life. They regret their involvement with abortion so much that now they are speaking publicly to warn people about what goes .., during and after abortions. Their statements were made at a videotaped conference called, "Meet the Abortion Providers."
1) Former abortionist, Anthony Levatino, M.D., says, "I want the general public to know that the doctors know that this is a person, this is a baby. That this is not some kind of blob of tissue . . ."
2) Former abortion counselor, Nita Whitten, says, "It's a lie when they tell you they're doing it to help women, because they're not. They're doing it for the money."
3) Former abortion counselor, Debra Henry, says, "We were told to find the woman's weakness and work on it. The women were never given any alternatives. They were told how much trouble it was to have a baby."
4) Former abortionist, Joseph Randall, M.D., says, "The picture of the baby on the ultrasound bothered me more than anything else. The staff couldn't take it. Women who were having abortions were never allowed to see the ultrasound."
3D ULTRASOUND OF "BABY" Does This Look Like A Blob of Matter?
5) Former abortionist, David Brewer, M.D., says, "My heart got callous against the fact that I was a murderer, but that baby lying in a cold bowl educated me to what abortion really was."
6) Former abortion counselor, Kathy Sparks, says, "The counselor at our clinic could cry with the girls at the drop of a pin. She would find out what was driving them to want to abort that child and she would magnify it."
7) Former abortionist, McArthur Hill, M.D., says, "I am a murderer. I have taken the lives of innocent babies and I have ripped them from their mother's wombs with a powerful vacuum machine."
To order the 30-minute "Meet the Abortion Providers" video which contains these statements and more, call Heritage House toll-free at 1-800-858-3040. It's only $17.95 and it's one of the most powerful videos ever produced ..ion. Don't forget to ask the friendly folks at Heritage House to send you their FREE 96-page catalog offering tons of pro-life/chastity books, videos, brochures, bumper stickers, T-shirts, Precious Feet pins and more. When you call, please let them know that your friends at Pro-Life America recommended you give them a call.
Babies in the womb produce a yawning-like motion from as early as 12 weeks' pregnancy. Maybe this is to get a baby ready to take its first breath.
At 22 weeks babies are capable of fine hand and finger movements. In a short space of time this baby scratches, rubs and pats his cheek before doing the same to his nose.
At about 24 weeks, after retinal development is complete, babies open and close their eyes intermittently. This helps a baby to perfect the blinking reflex, which will protect his eyes once he's born.
Newborns do not smile until 4-6 weeks after birth, but babies in the womb do - perhaps because the womb is warm, comfortable and shielded from loud noise and bright light.
Fetal Pain: Unborn Babies Suffer Pain while They are being killed by Abortion
The fetus at 20 weeks gestation "is fully capable of experiencing pain." — Robert J. White, M.D.,PhD.
That is the startling conclusion of doctors and researchers, whose recent discoveries reveal the previously unknown sensory capacities of unborn children.
Until recently, most neonatalogists believed that babies in the womb were mostly immune to feeling pain. With the advent of sonograms and live-action ultrasound images, doctors and nurses began to see unborn babies at 20 weeks gestation react physically to outside stimuli such as sound, light and touch.
The sense of touch is so acute that even a single human hair drawn across an unborn child's palm causes the baby to make a fist.
More recently, surgeons entering the womb to perform corrective procedures on tiny unborn children have found that those babies will flinch, jerk and recoil from sharp objects and incisions.
Unborn babies feel pain early The existence of fetal pain is one of the many discoveries that have come from new studies of the intricate, mysterious world of the unborn child.
"In instances when a fetal bladder is obstructed and we need to go in and puncture it to drain the bladder, the unborn baby will pull away," explains Dr. Steven Calvin, a practicing perinatologist and chair of the Program in Human Rights in Medicine at the University of Minnesota, where he also teaches obstetrics. "The neural pathways are present for pain to be experienced quite early by unborn babies."
The Pain is Agonizing
Since medical researchers now widely agree that unborn babies at 20 to 24 weeks gestation experience pain during prenatal surgery, they most certainly feel pain during abortion. The obvious and horrifying conclusion is that millions of aborted unborn children have silently suffered greatly in their final minutes of life.
The most common methods used to abort unborn babies at 20 weeks gestation or more involve sharp-edged instruments to cut, tear and twist the baby's body into pieces, which are extracted from the womb. In a partial-birth abortion, the unborn baby is delivered feet first, except for the head, which is punctured at the base of the skull with a sharp object. The brains are then suctioned out, killing the child.
Saline instillation is another later-term abortion method in which salt water is injected into the womb through the mother's abdomen. The unborn baby swallows this fluid, is poisoned and dies slowly in a process that sometimes takes 24 hours. The toxic saline solution causes severe burns over the unborn child's entire body.
Abortion Lies Revealed
For decades, abortionists and abortion advocates have tried to convince people that physical suffering for unborn children during abortion is a myth. Abortion became legal in the United States before sonograms became prevalent or photos of human life in the womb were readily accessible. Abortion became legal before researchers had taken time to study the issue of fetal pain. However, mounting new scientific evidence is removing any doubt that unborn children do, indeed, feel intense pain. Once again, the abortion industry's lies to the public have been uncovered
'The world's most efficient network'
In the recent groundbreaking book, From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds, photographer Alexander Tsiaras displays detailed, accurate images of an unborn child at each stage from conception to birth. These images truly reveal the humanity of an unborn baby.
In a chapter describing the baby's nervous system, author Barry Werth writes, "The human nervous system has been called the world's most efficient network for transmitting messages. It begins to form at 18 days gestation and continues to develop until several weeks after birth, penetrating to the minutest regions of the body."
Despite this intricate network of sensory connections that allow unborn children to feel pain, it is still legal anywhere in the United States to use any number of brutal methods to take their lives, without any form of anesthesia for the unborn baby. Even in late-term abortions, performed when the baby is partially delivered, no pain treatment is required for these almost-born children.
Fact sheets at: National Right to Life
Medical FActs on Pain in the Womb
Medical researchers around the world are slowly acknowledging that the human fetus feels pain much earlier in its development than once thought. Here is proof:
The fetus at 20 weeks gestation "is fully capable of experiencing pain. … Without question, all of this is a dreadfully painful experience for any infant subjected to such a surgical procedure." — Robert J. White, M.D.,PhD., professor of neurosurgery at Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio, in testimony before the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives, March 21, 1996
"Ultrasonographic findings report specific fetal movements in response to needle punctures in utero. When neonates are born prematurely at 23 weeks gestation, they demonstrate highly specific and well-coordinated physiologic and behavioral responses to pain … validating outside the uterus what they were capable of manifesting inside the uterus." — Jean A. Wright, M.D., M.B.A., Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine, White Paper: Advances in the Understanding of Fetal Pain, Christian Medical Association
Unborn babies have heightened sensitivities
According to Dr. Paul Ranalli, neurologist at the University of Toronto, unborn babies between 20 and 30 weeks development may actually feel pain more intensely than adults. He says this is a "uniquely vulnerable time, since the pain system is fully established; yet the higher-level pain-modifying system has barely begun to develop."
Given the medical evidence that unborn babies experience pain, compassionate people are viewing abortion more and more as an inhumane and intolerable brutality against defenseless human beings.
There is Hope: Making a Difference in the Abortion Dilemma
An ultraSound Idea! from the Rod Parsley's Center for Moral Clarity
Before a woman aborts the child she is carrying, she first ought to take a long, hard look at a picture of the helpless life depending on her sound moral judgment. It's nearly impossible to look at a baby then kill it. In fact, an array of research has proven that seeing a sonogram picture of her unborn child not only gives a woman better understanding of what is involved in her decision to have an abortion, it also increases the likelihood that she will allow the child to live.
Pro-life legislators recognize the life-saving potential associated with ultrasounds. So they are pushing state general assemblies across the nation to enact measures that would make ultrasound images more available to women contemplating abortion. The federal government can become a vital participant in this culture of life by making it possible for more clinics to have the necessary equipment.
The Informed Choice Act, H.R. 223, would authorize funding grants for purchasing ultrasound equipment.
Click here for a copy of the letter to send to your local Senator: Center for Moral Clarity
Click here to help CMC make ultrasound equipment more available or to sign the CMC petition: Ultrasound Information for the Center for Moral Clarity
April 2007 Victory on Partial-Birth Abortion Ban!
In April, the U.S. Supreme Court prudently upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortion. Since then, state lawmakers have used the momentum from the ruling as motivation to save even more lives. State legislators in Michigan, Louisiana, Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia and North Carolina are pushing for more aggressive abortion regulation. Their counterparts in Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas are working on such laws as well.
Women desire and deserve the scientific and technological information to make informed choices. People who profit from the operation of death mills know that ultrasounds are factual and the most effective agent for pre-natal bonding. This is why abortion advocates are trying to make it more difficult for women in crisis pregnancies to see the image created during an ultrasound procedure.
Expectant mothers have an inherent need to protect the children in their wombs. In the midst of a crisis pregnancy, though, denying that nurturing nature may seem like a necessary short-term solution. In such a situation, an ultrasound can provide a much-needed reality check.
For more up-to-date information please visit: National Right to Life Foundation
Music can either lift the spirit, or depress the spirit. Be careful about your choice of music when you're down! Music is very, very powerful!
Can I Live
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Even if you're not into movies, sometimes just lying down on the couch, or in the bed, and watching a movie is a great escape. Got kids or an infant? If you're real stressed, put the baby in his/her crib and make sure all is safe. Walk away for a while. It's okay for baby to cry when you're stressed and need to get away. Don't leave your home. Just leave the room for a bit. I've done it myself. Then, go curl up and watch a movie. Just be sure and check baby every 30 minutes to make sure he/she is safe, and try to keep the volume low enough to hear them or use a baby monitor. Remember, a baby can't communicate to us other than crying. Don't let the crying totally stress you out. He/she is just trying to tell you something, but can't use words. Sometimes they're just plain tired and will cry for a long time because they are fighting sleep. But, when you can't figure it out, and you've tried to feed baby, change diaper, determined that there is nothing wrong with him/her (pain, illness, fever, etc.), and you have tried holding him/her and baby either refuses to be held and is still fussing, or you've held baby so long you can't do it anymore...it's okay then to just walk away as long as you put baby in a safe place. Safe places ARE NOT bouncy seats, car seats, high places, baby swings, etc. Safe places include the crib with the railing up and locked in place with no fluffy blankets, bumper pads, stuffed animals, or any type of soft cushy padding, bassinett, or play-pen (or pack n' play). If you need peace and you can be there with baby, then put baby in car seat, bouncy seat, swing, etc. etc. as long as you are within site of your little angel. But, it's okay for baby to cry anytime when you feel extra stressed and you need to just take a deep breath and sit down.
Definition of Post Partum Depression
The first month after a delivery (the post-partum period) is a time of major changes for women. Their hormones and weight are rapidly readjusting. There may be new and stressful changes in relationships with other children, the father of the baby, parents and in-laws, colleagues at work, and friends. Of course, the new baby needs almost constant attention and feeding every two hours, resulting in sleep deprivation. All of these factors can contribute to post-partum mood swings.
If the moodiness only lasts 2 -3 weeks and then goes away, it's commonly called the "baby blues". This natural reaction to stress is experienced by more than half of new mothers.
However, if the feelings of depression or anxiety continue more than three weeks, a more serious condition called post-partum depression may exist. About 10% of women experience significant depression after a pregnancy.
Causes, Incidences, and Risks
You have a higher chance of post-partum depression if:
You had mood or anxiety disorders prior to pregnancy, including depression with a previous pregnancy
You have a close family member who has had depression or anxiety
Anything particularly stressful happened to you during the pregnancy, including illness, death or illness of a loved one, a difficult or emergency delivery, premature delivery, or illness or abnormality in the baby
You are in your teens or over age 30
The pregnancy is unwanted or unplanned
You currently abuse alcohol, take illegal substances, or smoke -- these are also serious medical health risks for the baby
Symptoms
Most of the symptoms are the same as in major depression. In addition to mood fluctuations, the woman becomes preoccupied with the infant's well-being. The intensity of this varies -- the preoccupation may become delusional. Women who are depressed may feel withdrawn and unconnected to their baby, and can even feel as if they might harm the baby.
The presence of severe or delusional thoughts about the infant are symptoms that need immediate attention. These can be accompanied by psychotic "command hallucinations" to kill the infant or delusions that the infant is possessed.
Signs and Tests
There is no single test to diagnose post-partum depression. Sometimes depression following pregnancy can be related to other medical conditions. Hypothyroidism, for example, causes symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and depression. Women with post-partum depression should have a blood test to screen for low thyroid hormones. This condition is easily treated with supplemental hormone. Another clue to this condition can be weight gain or failure to lose weight after pregnancy, despite breast-feeding the baby.
Since post-partum depression is so common, questionnaire screening tests are available. Women with any of the risk factors, or with symptoms of depression, should consider taking such a test to determine if they need treatment.
Treatment
The treatment for depression after birth often includes medication, therapy, or a combination of both. Fortunately, several anti-depressant medications may be given to breast-feeding mothers.
Once depression is diagnosed, the woman will need to be followed closely for at least six months.
Support Groups
Participation in support groups may be valuable, but should be considered an addition to, not a substitute for, medication or formal psychotherapy. Call (800) 4-A-Child to talk to a counselor or get a referral for local support groups. Also, the National Association of Postpartum Care Services at (800) 45-DOULA can direct you to fee-based local services to give you a rest or stay up with the baby at night.
Expectations (prognosis)
Medication and therapy are often effective in reducing or eliminating symptoms.
Those with underlying hypothyroidism can be treated by taking a pill form of the hormone. However, the two conditions -- depression and hypothyroidism -- can co-exist and may both require treatment.
Complications
If left untreated, post-partum depression can last for months or years. The potential long-term complications are the same as in major depression.
Consulting Your Health Care Provider
Notify your doctor or pediatrician if your moodiness after pregnancy lasts more than three weeks, especially if you have any of the symptoms of post-partum depression or you have any of the risks for it.
Do not be afraid to seek help immediately if you feel overwhelmed and are afraid that you may hurt your baby.
Many women start experiencing some symptoms of post-partum depression even prior to the birth. There is no reason to wait and "see if they will just go away". Notify your obstetrician or primary care provider immediately.
Prevention
Having good social support from family, friends, and co-workers probably helps to reduce the seriousness of post-partum depression, but may not prevent it.
Taking screening questionnaires appears to be the best method of finding depression early and treating it.
Those at high risk should be screened both before and after delivery and followed closely with repeated screening, depending on symptoms, for at least four months after the delivery.
Retrieved from: MedLine Plus
Please remember that just like music, your choice in television programming can effect your spirit and mood. Please use good judgement in what you surround yourself or your children in when watching television. And its' okay to like everything your kids' watch...in fact, I love Finding Nemo as much as my kids do!
Retrieved from: Wikipedia
Definition of Surrogacy
Surrogacy is a third party reproduction arrangement whereby a woman agrees to become pregnant for the purpose of gestating and giving birth to a child for others to raise. She may be the child's genetic mother or not, depending on the type of arrangement agreed to.
The word surrogate, from Latin surrogatus (substituted), means appointed to act in the place of.
A surrogate mother is a woman who carries a child for a couple or single person with the intention of giving that child to that person/people once the being is born (also called surrogate pregnancy). The surrogate mother may be the baby's biological mother (traditional surrogacy) or she may be implanted with someone else's fertilized egg (gestational surrogacy).
Types of Surrogacy
There are two major types of surrogacy:
1. Partial or genetic contracted motherhood (also known as traditional or straight surrogacy), in which the gestational mother is impregnated with the sperm of the commissioning father (usually through artificial insemination). In these cases, the gestational mother is both the genetic and gestational mother of the child, however she relinquishes her role of social mother to the commissioning mother.
2. Complete or gestational contracted motherhood (also known as host or gestational surrogacy). Using in vitro fertilisation (IVF), the intended parents produce an embryo that can then be transplanted into the surrogate mother for her to gestate and give birth to after nine months. In gestational contracted motherhood the pregnant woman makes no genetic contribution to the child, however she is the child’s birth mother. In some cases, particularly of infertility, this may be combined with the use of donor sperm or donor eggs in creating the embryo for transfer.
Who Chooses Surrogacy?
Surrogacy is a method of assisted reproduction. In some cases it is the only available option for a couple who wish to have a child that is genetically related to at least one of them. People who choose surrogacy may be:
single men or gay male couples;
heterosexual couples who are unable to conceive children due to infertility suffered by either partner.
a woman who is not able to carry a pregnancy to term; or
women who don't want to go through pregnancy.
Women may be unable or unwilling to go through pregnancy due to: absent or poorly functioning ovaries, an absent or malformed uterus, a disease which precludes pregnancy, recurrent pregnancy loss, or repeated IVF implantation failures.
It has been suggested that one of the major motivations for turning to this method of reproduction is the difficulties associated with adoption in contemporary society. These include the fact that changes in social attitudes and legislation have led to fewer women placing their children up for adoption, and couples may wish to avoid being asked to adopt a child of a different race or having to go through the difficulties of international adoption.
Emotional Issues
The emotions involved in surrogacy are very strong on both sides. Mothers should make sure they have appropriate support before choosing surrogacy. Support organizations exist for couples choosing this option.
Research carried out by the Family and Child Psychology Research Centre at City University, London, UK in 2002 showed surrogate mothers rarely had difficulty relinquishing rights to a surrogate child and that the commissioning mothers showed greater warmth to the child than mothers conceiving naturally.
Most surrogacies end without problems, with the parents getting their child(ren). Most stories (especially movie dramas) about the subject focus on the problems of the practice, and on the conflicts that may arise from it, but this is not so common in reality.
Compensation
Contracted motherhood agreements can be divided into two categories: commercial and non-commercial, or “altruistic.†Commercial contracted motherhood arrangements are those in which the party seeking a child agree to pay a fee to the surrogate beyond the cost of her medical needs. In contrast non-commercial or “altruistic†contracted motherhood arrangements are those where the surrogate agrees to receive no payment or reward, although it is rare that a total non-commercial agreement is ever made as it is expected that the commissioning party will pay the pregnant woman’s medical bills. Altrustic agreements are often between parties who are family or friends prior to the arrangement.
It is estimated that in the United States, the payment for a surrogate mother ranges between US$10,000 and $20,000, the whole procedure can cost $45,000 to $60,000. According to a poll on www.surromomsonline.com, fees anywhere from $10,000 to 30,000+ are considered fair by the surrogates themselves; with most voting in the $17,000-$22,000 range. The fees for the rest of the process- including fertility clinics; lawyers; medical fees; and agencies and/or egg donors (if they're used) generally cost more than the fee going to the surrogate. Gestational surrogacy costs more than traditional surrogacy, since more complicated medical procedures are required. Surrogates who carry a baby for a family member (i.e., sister or daughter) usually do so without reimbursement.
Contrary to popular belief, surrogate mothers are not all poor women being exploited for their fertility. Many are middle-class women who want to help make families. They come from all walks of life. Some are done having children of their own, while some want more children in the future.
The same can be said of fertility tourism, when couples go abroad for surrogacy, notably India. And here too surrogates come from all walks of life. The benefits of doing so would be that it is far cheaper; around $12,000 will give one a surrogate, an egg donor and all medical and hospital bills paid for. IVF on its own is $3,000. Other benefits are a short waiting list (or none at all) and an unrestrictive embryo count implant.
Legal Issues
Such an arrangement requires legal intervention, as the laws regarding assisted reproduction differ from state to state and country to country. It is important that each party in such arrangements has a clear understanding of the risks involved with such arrangements.
The most famous case of surrogacy was the Baby M case, in which the surrogate mother refused to surrender the child she had borne in 1986 to the child's biological father. In 1988, a family court in New Jersey awarded custody to the biological father and visitation rights to the surrogate mother.
Other Surrogacy Links
All About Surrogacy
University of Dayton Article on Surrogacy
Better Health
Surrogacy
Surrogate Mothers ..
Just an idea: Have you ever thought of keeping a journal when you're feeling depressed, down, stressed or alone? Just pull the journal out and write a poem, a prayer, your thoughts, ideas and/or feelings--whatever you want. A journal can be very therapeutic and a great stress reliever. You're letting your feelings out! It's a vent!
GREAT BOOK LIST
Orphan: A True Story of Abandonment, Abuse, and Redemption
By: Roger Dean Kiser
Charred Souls: A Story of Recreational Child Abuse
By: Trena Cole
Death from Child Abuse and no one heard
By: Eve Krupinski
Twisted Roots of Evil
By: Susan A. Keseqich
The Laid Daughter: A True Story
By: Helen Bonner
Daddy's Apprentice: Incest, Corruption, and Betrayal-A Survivor's Story
By: Sandy Wilson, S.L. Bolton
Wayne: An Abused Child's Story of Courage, Survival, and Hope
By: Wayne Theodore
They Cage the Animals at Night
By: Jennings Michael Burch
One Child & Ghost Firl: The True Story of a Child in Peril and the Teacher Who Saved Her
By: Torey L. Hayden
Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You
By: Sue William Silverman
A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive
The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family
The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story
A Man named Dave: A Story of Truimph and Forgiveness
All By: Dave Pelzer
A Brother's Journey: Surviving a Childhood of Abuse
A Teenager's Journey: Overcoming a Childhood of Abuse
By: Richard Pelzer
The definition of a hero according to The New Webster's Dictionary is courageous, valorous. Other definitions include:
One with courage and nobility
A man of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering; a prominent or central personage in any remarkable action or event; hence, a great or illustrious person.
I guess I look at the word Hero and do not wonder how to define such a thing. It's what it takes to make a Hero that I acknowledge. The qualities of a hero vary and they should. There are all types from military personnel to Parents, everyone has a hero in their life. I think the qualities that lie in a Hero are that of sacrifice, determination, loyalty, courage, dedication, intrepidity, valor, selfless, conviction, focused, gallantry, perserverance, fortitude, and bravery. These are what make up Heroes today!
Some of this Generation's heroes include: Anyone who worked the grounds of 9-11 or lost their life in this tragedy; Firefighters, Police officers, all Military personnel, Mommies & Daddies (married or single); Doctors & Nurses; and Anyone who does not conform to fit this world's view of the perfect persona!
Why I Won't Be Voting for Barack Obama
* Voted against banning partial birth abortion. (Oct 2007)
* Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion. (Apr 2007)
* Extend presumption of good faith to abortion protesters. (Oct 2006)
* Pass the Stem Cell Research Bill. (Jun 2004)
* Protect a woman's right to choose. (May 2004)
* Supports Roe v. Wade. (Jul 1998)
* Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
* Voted NO on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
* Rated 0% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-choice stance. (Dec 2006)
In February 2004, his wife, Michelle, sent out a fundraising letter, which actually stated her concern over the rise of conservatism in the Country, and that the ‘so-called’ partial-birth abortion was a legitimate medical procedure that should be protected.
In 2003, as chairman of the next Senate committee to which BAIPA (Born Alive Infants Protection Act) was sent, Obama prevented it from even getting a hearing. BAIPA, by the way, stated that all live-born babies were guaranteed the same constitutional right to equal protection, whether or not they were wanted.
Barack Obama is wrong. Alan Keyes is correct. Abortion is the slave holders position. The thought was that “black people were not developed enough to be treated as human beings and therefore could be bought and sold at will.†The thinking behind abortion is that a child in the womb is not developed enough to be treated as a human being. Keyes sights the Constitution when he says that the issue is not that we are developed or born it’s that we are created equal and therefore endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights. Primarily, the right to life.
Abortion is a civil rights issue and the battle for civil rights is a long wearisome march. Dr. Martin Luther King spoke to this fatigue the week after the Selma March in a message titled “Our God is Marching On.
“We have walked through desolate valleys and across the trying hills. We have walked on meandering highways and rested our bodies on rocky byways. Some of our faces are burned from the outpourings of the sweltering sun. Some have literally slept in the mud. We have been drenched by the rains. Our bodies are tired and our feet are somewhat sore. But today as I stand before you and think back over that great march, I can say, as Sister Pollard said—a seventy-year-old Negro woman who lived in this community during the bus boycott—and one day, she was asked while walking if she didn’t want to ride. And when she answered, “No,†the person said, “Well, aren’t you tired?†And with her ungrammatical profundity, she said, “My feets is tired, but my soul is rested.†And in a real sense this afternoon, we can say that our feet are tired, but our souls are rested.
Here I am in my umpteened post on voter fatigue in South Dakota on the abortion issue. The bottom line is that there is a peace (a shalom, or REST) when you are on the right side of this justice issue.