“Our once great western Christian civilization is dying. If this matters to followers of Jesus Christ, then we must set aside our denominational differences and work together to strengthen the things that remain and reclaim what has been lost. Evangelicals and Catholics must stand together to re-establish that former Christian culture and moral consensus. We have the numbers and the organization but the question is this: Do we have the will to win this present spiritual battle for Jesus Christ against secularism? Will we prayerfully and cooperatively work toward a new Christian spiritual revival ― or will we choose to hunker down in our churches and denominationalisms and watch everything sink into the spiritual and moral abyss of a New Dark Age?” - Mark Davis Pickup

Sunday, September 30, 2012

BARACK OBAMA IS WRONG FOR AMERICA

 

During this 2012 election season in America, I want to post a commercial produced by the Susan B. Anthony list called Barack Obama, Abortion radical. (You may have to wait for a few seconds for the image and link to appear above.) Pro-Life Americans and citizens concerned about the universality of human rights, human equality  and full human inclusion should view this commercial. Barack Obama is wrong for America and must not be given a 2nd term as President.  Click on the image above. Thank you

MDP

Monday, September 24, 2012

A MAJOR THREAT TO DISABILITY RIGHTS AND INCLUSION

Mark Davis Pickup
The goal of disability inclusion into mainstream society has made major strides forward. But make no mistake, it has been a long and difficult road toward equality and inclusion for people with disabilities. A reluctant public was unaccustomed to seeing people with profound disabilities in their midst. Remember, for centuries people with serious disabilities were shut away, institutionalize or worse. Even during the 1950s and 1960s, when I was a boy, one rarely saw the severely disabled in public.

It was through relentless lobbying by disability advocates that things began to slowly change. Even when Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms was being drafted in 1980 and '81, then Justice Minister Jean Chretien resisted including Canadians with mental or physical disabilities in the Charter's equality provisions (Section 15.1). It was only after a barrage of letters and phone calls from Canadians with disabilities, their advocates. families and other allies did the justice minister finally relent and include Canada's disabled in the Charter. Section 15.1 in its final accepted form read:

" Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability."

It was celebrated as a great victory for Canadians with disabilities, and it was! Some significant advances toward inclusion have been accomplished over the past 30 years due to the Charter's influence, certainly when compared to the past. 

But those early advocates of disability rights and inclusion, 30 years ago, could not have imagined that assisted suicide would one day be touted as a right for the terminally and chronically ill and the severely disabled. How could they? The idea was beyond the pale of civilized thought. They had no idea how perverse things would become or that the same Charter that gave equality rights to Canada's disabled citizens would eventually be twisted to perversely advocate assisting their suicides.

In America,  a major victory was won with the Americans with Disabilities Act. But as various states across America cave to the idea of assisted suicide for the disabled and incurably ill (while at the same time promoting suicide prevention programs for the healthy and able-bodied population) the destructive contradiction to the concept equality, the corruption of law and threats to vulnerable human life will continue and worsen.

Be clear: All the wonderful advances to include and protect the rights of people with disabilities are threatened by assisted suicide (and euthanasia). 

The first and highest human right is the right to life. All other rights become arbitrary and uncertain if the right to life is not guaranteed and protected -- for everyone. If assisted suicide and euthanasia are accepted in North America, all the great strides for disability equality and inclusion will topple by the exclusion of the tomb. Mark my words.

That is why it is necessary for governments and citizens of good will to vehemently resist pressures to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia. Protection of the most vulnerable human life is the hallmark of a civilized society. Inclusion of disabled citizens is a hallmark of a progressive society. Work toward a society where life with dignity (especially for those who do not have it) and full inclusion are a reality.

MDP

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A CALL TO MAINSTREET AMERICA

Read Mark Davis Pickup's blog for 13 September 2012 at http://markpickup.org promoting the "Last Ounce of Courage".

HLM

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Monday, September 10, 2012

A DOCTOR DIAGNOSES OBAMACARE IN ONE SENTENCE


So much of this blog deals with serious matters. I thought I would change pace and bring a little humour to the HumanLifeMatters' blog. See http://nation.foxnews.com/obamacare/2012/09/10/doctor-diagnoses-obama-one-sentence , courtesy of Fox News and thanks to Frank Munda of Freeport, Illinois. who brought it to my attention.

MDP

Thursday, September 6, 2012

EXCLUSION IN AN ERA OF POLITICALLY CORRECT INCLUSION


Premier Redford
The main newspaper in the city near where I live is the Edmonton Journal. The September 3rd 2012 edition carried an short entry under the title PRIDE PARADE PREMIER. It was accompanied by a photograph of Alberta's Premier Allison Redford wearing the rainbow sash.

The entry said:

"Premier Allison Redford attends the Calgary Pride Parade on Sunday told a crowd of thousands it was a "privilege" to be asked to join the event -- the first time a sitting premier has participated. In June, she made the opening remarks for Edmonton's Pride Parade."


SELECTIVE INCLUSION
AN INTOLERANT TOLERANCE

Is it a selective display acceptance and inclusion?  Is a similar recognition demonstrated by the Premier to include people of different views ? I don't see it. A hallmark of pluralism and tolerance is a willingness to include views with which that one may not agree.

Pro-Life Albertans at Legislature, May 2012
This past May, organizers of the 5th annual Alberta March for Life would have been thrilled if Premier Redford addressed their crowd of 1,400 pro-Life Albertans gathered in front of the legislature. They were there to show support for the pro-Life clause. Redford stayed squirreled away in the legislature. Apparently she's not as affirming tolerant of people who believe in the sanctity of human life.  If Premier Redford is truly interested in inclusion everyone in Alberta's cultural mosaic, she would have been willing to address their pro-Life concerns and speak to the crowd. After all, those pro-Life Albertans advocate equal inclusion and protection all human life from conception to natural death and every state and stage between those two points. Now that's inclusion!

Premier Redford says she's pro-choice when it comes to abortion. Really? If she is truly in favour of "choice" she would use the power given to her to create a neutral environment in which making such a serious "choice" is as neutral as possible. She has not and I doubt she will.

The Alberta government pays for every abortion in the province through the health department, using taxpayer dollars (an estimated $6-8 million dollars annually.) Does the government provide similar funding to create environments for women in crisis pregnancies to carry their babies to term and encourage life-affirming choices? I'm not aware of any such funding. That is not pro-choice -- that is pro-abortion. It stacks the deck in favour of abortion.

Here's another question: In the spirit of pluralism and inclusion of people with various beliefs would the Premier be "privileged" to speak to conservative Christians who believe in the traditional family? It's a curious question but I'd wager the Premier would be show up to encourage them or ensure their views are protected and affirmed tolerated allowed to thrive in Alberta society. 

On the contrary, if the past is any indication, [1] the Alberta Human Rights Commission (with full government backing) may intimidate traditionalists into silence. And for those who are resistant to intimidation, the AHRC may try to prosecute them into bankruptcy as an object lesson to others.

MDP
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[1] For more information on bullying tactics of the thought police at Alberta's Human Rights Commission and their national counterpart the Canadian Human Rights Commission, see Ezra Levant's book SHAKEDOWN (McClelland and Stewart, 2009)