Open Letter to CNN: What kind of coverage is this?

So, after at least 200,000 (!) converge on the Mall yesterday to protest the legality of Abortion ... here's the coverage we get from CNN.

Here are a couple of questions I'd love to have CNN answer just about this article ....

1. you wrote: thousands of anti-abortion activists descended on the National Mall to challenge his position.
Well, at conservative count it was more than 200,000 (as reported on NPR this morning) which is certainly more than "thousands". And, dear CNN, we didn't come to challenge Mr. Obama's position, but rather to over-turn a bad Supreme Court decision from 1973. Speakers at the rally (with the very vocal approval of the attendees) did ask Mr. Obama questions to get him to think rationally -- when does life begin?

2. when you quote Mr. Obama as saying, "Roe v. Wade "not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters," Obama said in a statement.; why don't you question this rationale? At it's most basic, a fetus is a growing being attached to a woman -- how can ripping part of a woman out of her body (for usually no other reason than as an ultimate form of birth control) protect the woman's health? Why didn't you then quote one of the women who spoke at yesterday's rally who has survived an abortion ... and her mental and physical health were adversely affected? Isn't this the other side of the equation? How many women (and men who may have encouraged the abortion) have been adversely affected -- both mentally and physically, not to mention spiritually -- by an abortion?

3. why is it when you quote Mr. Obama, abortion lobby, and NOW you include hot-links for further information, but when you quote pro-life, Mexico City policy and the March, you have no hot-links for further information. Is this unbiased reporting? Is this why we want a free press, one that is set as the fourth estate and immune from taking sides? And calling the Mexico City Policy the "global gag order" is unbiased?

4. why is your article filled with pro-abortionist quotes and yet few quotes from the Rally? Why do you not mention that there were few (if any -- I didn't see any but then it was such a huge crowd of pro-lifers, I might have missed them) pro-abortion activists present to deny what the 200,000+ demonstrators were protesting?

5. why do you quote Ms. Gandy, who doesn't understand legisltative process? FOCA is a dead piece of legislation; it is NOT pending but rather needs to be re-introduced. Further, if you read the text of the so-called Freedom of Choice Act as introduced in April 2007 by Sen. Boxer, it does not attempt to "codify" Roe v Wade but rather to thrust abortion into public funding and private affairs. FOCA would legislate that health care providers cannot CHOOSE to deny an abortion (even if the health of the mother requires that an abortion not be done), the hospital and insurance carriers cannot CHOOSE to deny funding for an abortion, and the family members (including the biological father) cannot CHOOSE to save the baby. Kind of a misnomer to even call it the "Freedom of Choice Act" ... maybe it would be better to call it the "Freedom FROM Choice Act" (although FFCA doesn't sound as good?)

When is the public media going to look at the facts and start talking about the "other side"; or at least present both sides in this ongoing debate. As a pro-lifer, as a female interested in her own "reproductive rights", as an active participant in the political process, and as someone who used to work in the Nation's Capital, who has studied journalism and journalistic ethics ... it saddens me to see CNN -- you, who used to be the bastion of free, and unbiased reporting -- forgetting your watchdog nature and catering to one side of a debate! Pitiful!

The White House Gets it Right ...

... or why I really like Mr. George W. Bush! ==========================================
Here's a proclamation that came out of the White House yesterday (Thursday, 1/15/09 -- my parents' 54th wedding anniversary):

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2009
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.

The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America. Also, I was proud to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, which allows authorities to charge a person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb with a separate offense in addition to any charges relating to the mother.

America is a caring Nation, and our values should guide us as we harness the gifts of science. In our zeal for new treatments and cures, we must never abandon our fundamental morals. We can achieve the great breakthroughs we all seek with reverence for the gift of life.

The sanctity of life is written in the hearts of all men and women. On this day and throughout the year, we aspire to build a society in which every child is welcome in life and protected in law. We also encourage more of our fellow Americans to join our just and noble cause. History tells us that with a cause rooted in our deepest principles and appealing to the best instincts of our citizens, we will prevail.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 18, 2009, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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How cool is this as one of the last acts of Mr. Bush's presidency?

I really like this guy. Back in 2001 when he was first inaugurated, we were up in D.C. from North Carolina for the National March for Life (which also coincided with his inauguration and all the hoopla attached to that). This year ... just days after National Sanctity of Human Life Day ... we will inaugurate a new president, one who is not pro-life but is pro-choice ... but we'll be at the March on Thursday and hope that the new president listens to us just a little bit!

Bless you, Mr. Bush, for speaking out and for your service to our country for the past eight years. I may not have agreed with everything you've done, but I do agree with much of what you've done. Blessings and prayers to you and yours ....

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Oh, and how cool is the fact that National Sanctity of Human Life Day 2009 will be on Lego Maniac's 10th birthday!

HT: Rachel Teti

Pro-Life: a novena for all to pray!

Thanks to A Lee in the Woudes, we have a novena prayer for the next nine days to pray for a return to the Culture of Life in this country! Here's the prayer she posted from the Priests for Life site:

God and Father of Life,
You have created every human person,
And have opened the way for each to have eternal life.

We live in the shadow of death.
Tens of millions of your children have been killed
Thanks to the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

Father, have mercy on us.
Heal our land
And accept our offering of prayer and penance.
In your love for us,
Turn back the scourge of abortion.

May each of us exult in hearts full of hope
And hands full of mercy
And work together to build a culture of life.
We pray through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Won't you join our family and pray this with your family, today and everyday through Thursday, January 22nd?