It’s kind of a big deal to have this kind of national event, so I’m going to add just one more post about the March for Life. Below are some photos from the Halifax event. You can also listen to my own presentation here, as well as other presentations here. Thanks to everyone who was able to come out that day!

I’ll be on “The Rick Howe Show” on News 95.7 radio in Halifax at 5:15PM AST talking about the recent March for Life and other life related issues. You can click here to listen live. I’ll admit I’ve never done anything like this before, so if anyone has a rabbit’s foot or recently found penny I’d be happy to take it off your hands!

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Andrea adds: Way to go, Jennifer. I’ve heard you speak before and I know you’ll do splendidly.

From the NY Times;

Single mothers are still more likely to be employed than married mothers, for the obvious reason that they depend more heavily on their own earnings. But it’s harder for them to find jobs, in part because they find it harder to make child-care arrangements.

Unemployment rates among single mothers have long surpassed those among married men and women. In 2010, their unemployment rate averaged 14.6 percent, compared with 6.8 percent among married men and 6.3 percent among married mothers.

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research emphasizes that women have historically had less access than men to unemployment benefits. Most states restrict eligibility to those who experience involuntary job loss and exclude those who quit for reasons such as loss of child-care assistance or the need to tend to a sick family member. Until recently, most states excluded part-time workers from coverage.

I have to say, I’m loving the Reservoir Dogs feel of this cover. While you have to subscribe to get the full issue, I can offer a tidbit.

The Canadian movement advocating for the sanctity of life from conception until natural death has a refreshing – and some may find surprising – face today. By Alex Newman

When 23-year-old Ruth Lobo was arrested last fall for a controversial display her pro- life group set up at Carleton University, she set off a minor media storm. Even the Canadian Civil Liberties Association weighed in, arguing the student had a right to her voice on her own campus – even though they might not agree with what Lobo’s display said.

A year earlier, an elementary school student – Lia Mills of Toronto, then age 12 – chose abortion as her topic for a school public speaking contest. Despite opposition and threatened backlash, she placed first in the competition.

Then there’s American Abbey Johnson, a young woman who watched an ultrasound monitor in a Texas abortion clinic as an unborn child recoiled from the instruments. She is now a vocal pro-life advocate.

Or consider Gianna Jessen, 32, who addresses audiences around the world about her life – a life her biological mother tried to end in a late-term abortion. She continues to tell everyone: “I didn’t survive so I can make everyone comfortable.” Articulate, educated young women who embrace the gains of the women’s liberation movement – this is the face of today’s pro-life movement. Look at any photo or video from the annual March for Life on Parliament Hill
and you’ll see them – row on row of young women energetically propelling their banners forward.

[…]

“We can and will speak for ourselves. A woman can be pro-life.”

These young women aren’t just bringing a message – they are the message.

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Update: Full Faith Today story can be read here.

This week, the annual March for Life will be taking place across the country. While Deborah is out in Victoria, I’ll be out in Halifax. To find your own regional event, click here. The Winnipeg event is tomorrow (not sure why), but the rest will take place on Thursday, May 12th. It’s a great way to support and be supported.

If you’re in Ottawa, there will be an additional Youth Conference on Friday.

From Texas,

AUSTIN — A sonogram bill that would require women seeking an abortion to hear a detailed description of their fetus, as well as be presented images and heartbeats, won Senate approval Monday, moving it closer to becoming one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation.

Women could opt out of seeing the sonogram or listening to a heartbeat, if it is detectable, but almost all would have to listen to a doctor outline what organs and extremities have developed. The measure was tentatively approved, 21-10, and faces one more vote before it heads back to the House.[…]

A tougher sonogram bill already has passed the House. Bill author Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, said he will review the Senate version and is likely to ask the full House to accept the changes so it can be sent quickly to the governor, who has supported the bill.

Under the bill, all women would be required to have a sonogram within 24 hours of the abortion procedure, even if they recently had the test. A daylong wait would then be required, except for women who live more than 100 miles from an abortion facility; they could have an abortion the same day as the sonogram.

In almost all early pregnancies, a sonogram is performed with a vaginal probe. Women could avert their eyes if they choose not to see the image.

In all cases — except for medical emergencies, rape, incest or minors who have a judge’s order allowing the abortion — the women would have to hear a detailed explanation of fetal development.

I try not to upset Immigration Canada, so when I got wind of Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act I decided to keep my fingers to myself and spend the night off-line. But while I was guarding my visa and watching CBC election coverage, born and bred Canadians were taking to the Tweets with cross-border allies.

It was surely the most succinct case of mass civil disobedience in Canadian history: revolution, 140 characters at a time.

While the threat of a $25,000 fine kept many off their keyboards Monday, political vigilantes would not be deterred by a 1938 law barring the “premature transmission” of election results.

In fact, even before a single poll had closed, digital denizens were flirting with creative ways to flout Section 329 of the Canada Elections Act -everything from using fruit and soft drinks as party proxies to starting fake Twitter accounts -all in the name of fighting legislation varyingly dubbed draconian, paternalistic and unenforceable.

Specifically, the ban applied to the sharing of election results in any electoral district to the public in another electoral district before the polling stations had closed there.

This affected not only public websites and national broadcasters but also social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

“This isn’t something we want to compare to, say, U.S. civil rights or granting women the vote in Canada,” said Jason Morris, who teaches political science at the University of Northern British Columbia. “But at the same time, this is how public policy changes are often made: by people raising their hands, writing letters, protesting or, nowadays, having Tweet-ins.” […]

In the end, it was non-Canadians who led the digital dissent, with countless social media users from around the world offering to tweet election results emailed to them. By 5 p.m. -still two hours before the end of the publication blackout -the “real-time election” was in full swing online.

In fact, #tweettheresults generated so much activity in a three-hour period that it was not only the top trending topic in the country, but the mosttweeted topic worldwide, besting even Osama bin Laden.

…just, wow. I’m not sure how I didn’t hear about this in February, but it’s just one more glaring example of how Marie Stopes doesn’t really care about saving lives (such as those lost from STIs) or about the social status of women. There’s just something about blow-up dolls that doesn’t jive with being pro-woman.

The charity teamed up with comedy music band The Midnight Beast – brandishing blow-up dolls and condoms – for an online safe sex campaign.

While the song’s lyrics encourage using condoms, it also includes the line: ‘One up the bum and it’s no harm done, one up the bum and you won’t be a mum.’

SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Some viewers have criticised the charity, saying it ignores the risk of spreading Aids and other diseases, while one mother complained: ‘It is a silly way for the charity to spend valuable resources.’

The video has now been watched more than 90,000 times on YouTube.

It features band member Stefan Abingdon simulating sex with a blow-up doll and another, Dru Wakely, finding a condom in his mouth while eating a banana.

It ends with a message warning viewers not to rely on Midnight Beast for safe sex advice, directing them to a Marie Stopes website instead.

But one young viewer commented: ‘I take it this video is for a world without Aids?’

I know many single parents, almost all of them female. While some seem superhuman in their ability to work and parent, others struggle with the basics of daily life. However they manage, there’s more of them now than ever before, and they could all use a little help.

One in four children in the U.S. is being raised by a single parent – a percentage that has been on the rise and is higher than other developed countries, according to a report released today.

Researchers found that the U.S. had 25.8 percent of children being raised by a single parent, compared with an average of 14.9 percent across the other countries. […]

Christina Gibson Davis, a professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Police, said changing gender roles, the rise of contraception, high incarceration rates in some communities and an acceptance of having children out of wedlock have all contributed to the growing number.

Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, added it isn’t being a single parent in itself that raises difficulties.

‘Single moms do a brilliant and amazing job raising their children,” said Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women.

‘It is also true that single moms in this country are systemically underpaid, and systematically under-resourced and systemically unrespected. It’s not the fact they are single moms that makes things difficult.’

…is an epidemic. This University Observer (a student paper in Ireland) article begins by discussing prenatal screening and seems to advocate against terminations of cognitive defects stating,

…people with Down’s syndrome often live full and happy lives.

Those with Down’s syndrome today can expect access to education, employment and acceptance by the community – Ireland’s hosting of the Special Olympics opened the world’s eyes to just how capable these so-called “disabled” people are at living life.

But no, the author is actually setting the stage for her promotion of prenatal screening and abortion access.

However, people with Down’s syndrome only experience a high quality of life if they have fully-committed, loving parents who dedicate vast amounts of their time and energy to looking after their children. This poses a huge challenge.

[…]
If parents are financially secure enough to go private [with health care], their children may receive the special care they need. But these days, many Irish families are far from wealthy and the thought of taking responsibility for a child with Down’s syndrome may be too much for some prospective parents.

Another unavoidable question is who will look after their child when the parents pass away? People with Down’s syndrome can indeed lead independent lives, but many need a certain amount of care and assistance.

[…]
But surely pre-natal screening for conditions such as Down’s syndrome should at least be an option in modern Ireland, as it is in the UK? Many people argue that pre-natal screening could be extremely valuable to Irish families, as it would allow parents and siblings to prepare themselves emotionally and financially for the birth of a child who will require special care. Others believe that there’s no point to these tests being available here, as abortion is currently illegal in this country.

It seems ludicrous that abortion still isn’t legal in Ireland[…]

Although the real figures are far from certain, currently about 7000 women are thought to travel from Ireland to the UK for abortions each year. If antenatal Down’s syndrome screenings became available, it’s likely that this number would increase.

It’s tragic to see such a poor and lazy argument being made at the university level. Summary: Down syndrome children are capable of leading full and happy lives. These children will however require more resources than others. Solution: antenatal screening and legalizing abortion.

C’mon students, where is your “can do”attitude? Strap on your runners and get those resources out there. Here, I’ll even get you started. CLICK HERE