House of Cards (Claire) shows abortion regret followed by defiance

I have recently started watching House of Cards via my Netflex account. I like the political intrigue, the tension between reporters and politicians. Yes this is very adult fare with blue language and, of course,  the mandatory gratuitous sex scene.

Claire Underwood played by Robin Wright is not quite as ruthless as her husband but a close second. In the 13th episode of season 1, we see a glimpse of abortion regret. Claire and Frank have been married 27 years and no children. We don't immediately know why,  but Claire starts to have dreams about children, specifically a girl, being caught in vines and she is unable to reach her. Who is she talking about? They don't have children. Then she wonders aloud to Frank what they will leave behind.  You know she is talking about children.

There are brief mentions of her starting to go through menopause. A few scenes later, she is consulting with a doctor and you get the impression she is discussing the possibility of having children at her  age. Is this a fertility doc or an IVF clinic?  Here we find out that she has had three abortions. No further explanation but she looks sad as she relays that information to the dr. 
Abortion regret....it sure looks that way.

On to season two we find out more about the abortions. During an interview she gives into the pesky reporter  who keeps pressing her on the issue of why no children. Claire finally acknowledges an  abortion.  The reporter is questioning her about a report from their opponents that said she was pregnant during the campaign.  Have you ever been pregnant, she asks? Claire is adept at parsing her words and she says yes I have been pregnant and finally says she had an abortion. You are left with the impression at that point that she is talking about the allegation that she was pregnant in her marriage to Frank. They quickly call a break.

 Her handlers  discuss  during the break how she can do damage control. Claire tells them the truth....two abortions as a "reckless teenager" and one while married to Frank because their birth control failed. They were in the middle of a campaign and she was  16 weeks pregnant and they decided they did not want a baby and needed to focus on the campaign.  So that was the third abortion. 

 True  to form, Claire goes back into the interview and says that she was date raped in college and even names the alleged rapist who is now a public figure. It apparently is true that Claire was the victim of date rape and she allows the viewers to think that is when she got pregnant and had an abortion.  Claire obviously panicked and is in full damage control at this point. Given her end justifies the means mentality,  she has just lied and said that she aborted as a result of rape which is not true but will sell to the public.  

The earlier abortion regret is now replaced with a defiant attitude when threatened. The roller coaster emotions is not uncommon but when not being pressured, the abortion regret comes through.

Simons: responds to Tennessean letter to the editor on Yes on 1

I had the opportunity to interview Myra Simons, President of Vote Yes on TN  regarding a letter to the editor published in the Tennessean on February 25th. Listen to Simons clarify and refute the letter writer.

Pro-life blog buzz 2-28-14

from Jill Stanek.com

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli
We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

ProWomanProLife says a new study has found that the US and Canada are on the list of the top countries with the fewest protections for preborn life. The other countries on the list are China, the Netherlands, North Korea, Singapore and Vietnam.

At New Wave Feminists, Holly Fairchild has some strong words for Texas gubernatorial candidate and late-term abortion cheerleader Wendy Davis: 

Instead of assuming that women are weak and incapable (therefore needing abortion), use your own life as an example and show women how much is possible. Remind them that you don’t regret choosing life and they won’t either. Encourage adoption as a loving alternative for those who don’t believe they can raise a child.

Reflections of a Paralytic points out the serious inconsistency in the views of those who fight against genetically modified food but don’t bat an eye at the idea of genetically engineered children.

PP videos outreach to teens promotes bondage and sadomasochism techniques...wise use of our tax $$ ???

Aren't we proud that Planned Parenthood  who receives our hard earned tax money is putting it to such good use. They surely have our teens best interest at heart....

Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE)--which received more than $2.75 million in government funding in 2012--has produced and posted online a video specifically aimed at teenagers that promotes bondage and sadomasochism (BDSM) and proposes "rules" to follow when engaging in these activities.

Decisions, Choices and Options....innovative educational program for teens

Interview with Decisions, Choice and Options Joi Wasill, Founder and Executive Director and Emily Riley, DCO educator. Listen here 

TN Right to Life searching for candidates for high school oratory contest

TN  Right to Life needs students for their upcoming oratory contest. Click here for details.

Pro-life blog buzz 2-25-14

from Jill Stanek.com

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.


Big Blue Wave describes how use of the NuvaRing contraceptive seriously impaired the health of US Olympic hopeful Megan Henry (pictured above ), a skeleton skater, who spent ten days in the hospital suffering from life-threatening blood clots (pulmonary embolism). This sidelined her training and dashed her hopes of qualifying for the Olympics.

Clinic Quotes says a descendant of Margaret Sanger is continuing her legacy for “reproductive freedom”:
Alexander Sanger, abortion advocate and descendent of Planned Parenthood founder and controversial figure Margaret Sanger, said the following:

“Reproductive freedom is vital to humanity. It is even more vital than all the other freedoms that we cherish – freedom of religion, freedom of thought and speech, and the freedom to live our lives as we see fit. Humanity has these freedoms, or should have them, because they add to human happiness and make for a better world. So does reproductive freedom.”

Really? Even more important than freedom of thought is the freedom to kill one’s children before birth? Remind me again… which side is extreme?

At The Leading Edge, Brendan Malone is stunned that some Christian commentaries are chastising those who point out that the depression and subsequent suicide of Charlotte Dawson has roots (by her own admission) in her abortion.

Pro-life blog buzz 2-21-14

from Jill Stanek.com

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

At New Wave Feminists, our latest blog addition, Destiny says that her son, for whom she chose life when she experienced an unplanned pregnancy as a teen, was “the best thing that ever happened” to her. Rather than ruining her life, he made her strong: Had I aborted him it would’ve been out of nothing but fear and panic. I would be living in bondage and regret to this day. Through bringing him into this world though I became a feminist, an activist, an advocate for women whose shoes I’ve traveled in. And because of that unplanned pregnancy I found out I was stronger than I ever knew I was. In my opinion, that’s what true feminism is all about.

At thirtyone8, guest blogger Lydia Mead notes why Christians in particular should not wait to feel “called” to do something about abortion:

The other day… I was asked what I’d been doing before our child arrived. There was a hushed silence and the conversation moved quickly on to other topics when I explained how I’d worked in a crisis pregnancy center, receiving calls from abortion seeking women and girls. When you mention the A-word among your good Christian friends or church folk, you've overstepped: there isn't any place for a verbal exchange on the brutal reality of abortion among polite, Christian people. The gut feeling you get from your church is – if you’re going to go out and do something awkward and uncomfortable, then it should be evangelism. We’ll pray for you to go and do that in India or an African country; we’ll even send you some money now and then. But abortion’s too horrible to entertain as a thought, let alone to discuss or do anything about….
So, yeah, it’s hard. It’s not a fun topic. It’s not much fun being out in the cold, praying about abortion. To you pre-born advocates out there – keep working and fighting, and remember that God will give you more love and courage as you persevere.
And to everyone else: don’t wait until you feel ‘called to the ministry’ of fighting for the pre-born, or to ‘feel in your heart’ that you care about abortion. That day won’t come if you’re waiting for it. Get out there and get involved – the passion will come to you on the job.

Priests for Life’s Fr. Frank Pavone asks pro-lifers to sign a letter addressing the “troubling contraditions” in comments made by President Obama at this year’s National Prayer Breakfast. He intends to personally deliver the letter to the White House: Among the troubling aspects of the speech, Fr. Pavone points out that the President, while upholding consistently a policy of abortion on demand, states, “the killing of the innocent is the ultimate betrayal of God’s will.”
And, while trying to force Americans to violate their faith through the HHS mandate, the President states in his speech, “Central to [human] dignity is freedom of religion — the right of every person to practice their faith how they choose.”


ProWomanProLife notices that even doctors are beginning to come out in opposition of using ultrasound to determine the sex of preborn children, due to gendercide:
In a new joint policy statement, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the Canadian Association of Radiologists also say it could be considered unethical for private, commercial clinics to offer “entertainment” ultrasounds purely for the purpose of creating “keepsake” videos for expectant parents. The position statement comes amid mounting concerns that in Canada, people are using ultrasound to determine the sex of a fetus early in pregnancy and to have it aborted if it is a girl.

The Leading Edge points out how “[t]he circle of death is now almost complete in Belgium” beginning with the legalization of unfettered abortion and ending with the legalization of euthanasia for children – and New Zealand could be next.

Wesley J. Smith says a federal judge has blocked the use of a certain drug for lethal injection in one state, yet this is the same drug used in Oregon for assisted suicide. It makes one wonder how groups like the ACLU keep things straight. After all, they support abortion and assisted suicide but oppose capital punishment by lethal injection.

Stand for Life recommends The Discovery Institute’s documentary, The War on Humans, which “discusses the tremendous push for animal and plant legal rights while diminishing human exceptionalism”:

Tennessee Abortions Drop 6% as Pro-Lifers Prepare for Statewide Abortion Battle

Tennessee Abortions Drop 6% as Pro-Lifers Prepare for Statewide Abortion Battle

Excellent reporting in Tennessean show ...out of state abortions up by 30% and more...

The Tennessean ran a fact fulled article showing some interesting stats about how Tennesseans feel about abortion, the number of minority abortions and the number of out of state abortions. Listen here

Tennesseans need to vote Yes on One in November

Why Tennesseans need to vote Yes on Amendment One in November. Listen
here

TN: Retiring Rep Chas. Curtiss (D) continues pro life support...

Charles Curtiss (D) Sparta represented House District  43 which included Grundy, Warren and White Counties for 19 years and chaired important committees during his tenure.  He has recently announced he will not run for reelection.

Known as a religious conservative man with strong pro life convictions, he strongly supported  and helped lead the  effort to pass SJR 127 through all the committees and floor votes necessary  to the goal of being  on the ballot in 2014 allowing Tennessee citizens to vote on this important pro life issue.. His principled and courageous  stand throughout the 11 year struggle never wavered or buckled under pressure.

 He stopped by the offices of Tennessee Right to Life today  to give a $10,000 donation  to help win  Yes on Amendment One in November. Thank you Representative Curtiss for your generosity and leadership example. We wish you the best as you transition out of public service. You will be missed.