Little ones spend nine months growing in the womb and what they experience in there is still a bit of a mystery. It’s hard for doctors to test what babies are doing and learning as they hang out inside mom.
But new studies are offering intriguing clues.
Life in the womb is much busier than you might expect, said Dr. Bill Fifer, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and a leading expert on fetal and newborn learning.
University of California at Santa Barbara Associate Professor Mireille Miller-Young was charged with one count each of grand theft, vandalism and battery in connection to the March 4 incident involving 16-year-old Thrin Short, her older sister, Joan, and other pro-life activists who were holding signs in a free speech zone on the campus when the professor went berserk.
Miller-Young, who remains employed by the university, and her attorney, Catherine Swysen, did not respond to requests for comment. The charges reportedly carry the possibility of jail time, but sources close to the matter say Miller-Young is likely to be ordered to pay a fine, perform community and undergo counseling when she’s sentenced on Aug. 14.
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| Testing youth knowledge on life with quiz boards |
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| Talking about life |
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| Youth Day Volunteers |
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| Operating room in Alexander's clinic (via MLive.com) |
The bill is an updated and expanded version of the old “Freedom of Choice Act” that was championed by Barack Obama when he was a senator. The new bill would invalidate nearly all existing state limitations on abortion, and prohibit states from adopting new limitations in the future, including various types of laws specifically upheld as constitutionally permissible by the U.S. Supreme Court. Among the laws that the bill would nullify are requirements to provide women seeking abortion with specific information on their unborn child and on alternatives to abortion, laws providing reflection periods (waiting periods), laws allowing medical professionals to opt out of providing abortions, laws limiting the performance of abortions to licensed physicians, bans on elective abortion after 20 weeks, meaningful limits on abortion after viability, and bans on the use of abortion as a method of sex selection. These laws generally have broad public support in the states in which they are enacted, including support from substantial majorities of women.
The first machine in Michigan purchased through the program was for the Center for Women pregnancy center in Jackson, in July 2009. Tom said 28 more machines have been purchased in Michigan since then, and number 30 is currently pending. According to the Knights of Columbus website, the organization had purchased 334 ultrasound machines as of April 2013, for a total cost of more than $8.5 million in donations. Tom said they have purchased so many machines that they are able to get a bulk rate on them.
“The ball began to roll after that first one, and the program continues to grow,” Tom said.
The local council in Jackson raised more than $12,000 for the first Michigan machine using small fundraisers and a baby bottle drive. Tom said other councils have used pancake breakfasts, fish frys, direct appeals to members and other methods for raising the funds.
On the other side next to a smiling baby, the sign simply says, “Choose Life.”
At least it did.
Sometime over Independence Day weekend, a person or perhaps a group decided to vandalize the sign. It had been up little more than a week before someone decided to destroy it with paint and hatred. Where a baby once smiled down, the words “Pro Choice” are now inscribed in cheap spray paint. The entire sign, both sides, stand ruined.
Even before the group was officially approved by their school administration, students created a group Facebook page and Twitter account, which quickly grew in popularity and effectiveness at the school. Their page gathered over a 100 likes in the first 4 days.....
Stockbridge Students for Life has shown adept recruitment skills, especially for such a young and new group. When Stockbridge High School hosted 7th and 8th Grade Coming-Up Day, students hosted a Students for Life booth at the event. Because Stockbridge SFL showed their presence on their campus, the soon-to-be high school students became engaged and many signed up to join the club that day!
The 1994 legislation gave "any employer" an exemption from purchasing health care that covered "abortion or other services" if "the employer objects to such services on the basis of a religious belief or moral conviction."
It’s very troubling that a sales clerk at Hobby Lobby who needs contraception, which is pretty expensive, is not going to get that service through her employer’s health care plan because her employer doesn’t think she should be using contraception,” Clinton said. “We’re always going to argue about abortion. It’s controversial. And that’s why I’m pro-choice, because I want people to be able to make their own choices.
