Germantown clinic update

Quite a bit has been happening lately in Germantown! The Maryland Coalition for Life is now leasing an office space directly across from abortionist Leroy Carhart's clinic. See pictures here. The space is intended to be a Resource and Referral Center for both undecided and post-abortive women. The center will be working with and referring women to the Rockville and Shady Grove Pregancy Centers. Training for receptionists is being held this coming Sunday.

40 Days for Life is continuing to ensure a peaceful and prayerful pro-life presence outside the abortion clinic. Apparently Leroy Carhart has now begun performing abortions on Sunday evenings, possibly to avoid the constant pro-life presence that 40 Days for Life has provided. Ironically (or Providentially), his procedures last Sunday evening just "happened" to coincide with the candlelight vigil celebrating the mid-way point of 40 Days for Life! There will be another candlelight vigil this coming Sunday from 8pm to midnight.

Here is a Gazette article about the new rental space. Given the Gazette's usual slanted coverage, I have been impressed with the balance I have seen in their past couple articles on the abortion debate in Germantown. ABC Channel 7 news also covered the story (you'll see two of my pastors at the beginning of the video). I understand the interviewer was surprised at their inability to find anyone from the office park, from Carhart's office, or from NARAL to interview for the pro-abortion perspective on their story (though there was a statement from a national abortion organization in the coverage). Donations are being accepted here to pay for the expenses of running the Resource and Referral Center in Germantown.

There is much more going on surrounding this issue, including legislation in Annapolis, than I can go into at the moment. I am amazed at the response to Carhart's move to Germantown in December, and that this movement continues to build momentum. There are so many wonderful people behind this effort to save the lives of the unborn. May God continue to work and be glorified through all of those involved in this debate, in their words, actions and presence.

Libya

We do not mean to belittle what is happening and has happened in Japan and Libya. However "life happens" outside the blogosphere and although I do not have time for a detailed post on either, I do want to share an opinion piece I read today.

As sad and horrible as it is to see what is happening in Libya lately, I do not think US military action is apropriate. It is particularly inapropriate when it is not decided upon by our own Congress, but by the United Nations and the President.

The current poll on the National Review online home page is: "The West is now committed to taking military action in Libya. This development is..." 34% chose "Mistake" and 66% chose "Welcome." Obviously this is not a very scientific poll, but it is suggestive (especially at a Conservative publication).

Here is an Andrew McCarthy piece from National Review Online about the problems with the way President Obama is proceeding. It makes me sick enough to think of US involvement in another war, however it is even worse when that war has not been sanctioned by Congress. To quote McCarthy: "In the Libya situation, our constitutional system calls for seeking a congressional authorization of military force. Even if that weren’t so, it is terrible policy to go to war without public support."

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

I read a couple of humorous articles on National Review that I wanted to share with you. One is a short blog post about San Francisco's sewer woes. It seems the city has been using "environmentally friendly" low-flow toilets that have caused sludge to build up inside the sewer pipes. Not surprisingly, this has created a horrible stench throughout the city that has forced its government to spend tens of millions over the past few years to try to upgrade the sewer system. Now the city wants to pump bleach into the sewers to further combat the smell. But of course, the very environmentalists whose policies caused the problem in the first place are upset about the bleach as well. Ah San Francisco. Is it really worth it to have your city inundated with poop just to "save" a few gallons of water (a completely renewable resource, by the way)?

The other is an even more humorous article about more destructive consequences of the radical environmental movement. The article is definitely worth reading for the humor alone, but here's an executive summary. Back in the early 1990's, the environmental movement led the charge to prohibit logging in many millions of acres of forests in Oregon and Washington to protect the habitat of the endangered spotted owl. This devastated the economy of many towns in the region and caused 30,000 loggers to lose their jobs. Now, a couple of decades later, it turns out that the spotted owl continues to die off, and the reason has little to do with logging. It seems the culprit is the barred owl, a rival species that is taking over the spotted owl's habitat. But the ever resourceful environmentalists have a new plan. Now they want to set up in the forest, play owl calls over loudspeakers, and shoot barred owls when they come in response to the owl calls. How do you feel about your tax dollars possibly financing the killing of one owl species to save another? And when are the loggers going to get an apology from the government for getting their jobs taken and their lives ruined based on junk science?

And how many other jobs are being lost as a result of junk science? Think "global warming" and "cap-and-trade." I think it's safe to say the environmental movement in this country has not learned its lesson.