Portable Megaphones

This made me really appreciate the amazing technological development of portable megaphones.

Mark Rudd (center) is no worse for wear in this 1968 protest at Columbia University, but what about his friend on the right with the sweet afro and goatee? That thing just looks... heavy man.

When Is a Person a Person?

This is pulled directly from the ruling of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, No. 05-3093.

In its opposition to the motion for preliminary injunction, the State introduced portions of the Act’s legislative history1 and several affidavits. The legislative history includes testimony from several women who had obtained abortions in South Dakota and felt their decisions would have been better informed if they had received from their abortion providers the information required by § 7. In addition, the legislative history includes testimony from experts such as Marie Peeters-Ney, M.D., a physician and geneticist, explaining the scientific basis for the disclosure required by § 7(1)(b) that “the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.” Dr. Peeters-Ney testified that use of the term “human being” was accurate because:

Becoming a member of our species is conferred immediately upon conception. At the moment of conception a human being with 46 chromosomes comes into existence. These chromosomes, the organization, the chromosomal pattern is specifically human. The RNA, the messenger protein, the proteins are distinctly human proteins. So this new human being is a member of our species, and humanity is not acquired sometime along the path, it occurs right at conception.

Senate State Affairs Comm. Hearing at 25. Dr. Peeters-Ney also stated that an embryo or fetus is whole in the sense that “[a]ll the genetic information sufficient and necessary to mature, and the information that is needed for this human being’s entire life is present at the time of conception”; that it is “separate from the mother” because “[t]he genetic program is totally complete and this human being will mature according to his or her own program”; and that it is unique because it has “a totally unique genetic code.” (pg. 6)

Also

The State’s evidence suggests that the biological sense in which the embryo or fetus is whole, separate, unique and living should be clear in context to a physician, cf. Gonzales, 127 S. Ct. at 1627 (“[B]y common understanding and scientific terminology, a fetus is a living organism while within the womb, whether or not it is viable outside the womb.”), and Planned Parenthood submitted no evidence to oppose that conclusion. (pg. 19)

And

Finally, this biological information about the fetus is at least as relevant to the patient’s decision to have an abortion as the gestational age of the fetus, which was deemed to be relevant in Casey. See 505 U.S. at 882. As a result, Planned Parenthood cannot meet even the less rigorous requirement to show a fair chance of prevailing, much less the more rigorous requirement applicable here to show that it is likely to prevail, on the merits of its claim that the disclosure required by § 7(1)(b) is untruthful, misleading or not relevant to the decision to have an abortion. (pg.19)

The Bluff is Called

My head’s still spinning this morning. I could rewrite the whole synopsis, but you can just read it here. For 40 years the abortion industry has capitalized on nobody seriously questioning when life begins. This is the major presupposition of Roe v. Wade. Now that’s changing in the most meaningful way. The 8th Circuit Court yesterday ruled overwhelmingly (7-4) in favor of SD’s informed consent laying a bedrock foundation for arguing “personhood”–acknowledging that life begins at conception. We must understand that Planned Parenthood was bluffing all along. They’ve got nothing. The Court noted that Planned Parenthood “submitted no evidence” to the contrary. This is no longer to be excused as a theological or philosophical debate. The science is there.

This makes the Colorado Personhood Amendment very important this November. Not only will South Dakota be voting on restricting abortion from being used as birth control, but Colorado will also be voting on defining life as beginning at conception. Many thanks to the brilliant campaigns in those states that mobilized overwhelmingly successful signature campaigns to make all that possible. Vote Yes for Life and Colorado for Equal Rights.

Also, thank you Tony Perkins for this brilliant little piece. CALL THE BLUFF!

mattlockettis.cool

I’m calling dibs on this one now. Oh, the possibilities are endless.
Crunch vote to rule on Internet domain name big bang

fyi- I will be moderating all wisecrack comments out of existence. It’s my domain name, and I’ll do with it whatever I please.

What if?

What if... the High Court actually changed now unexpectedly? That would sure though a wrench in things wouldn’t it? Campaign talking points like “Judicial Nominees” would not be sidelined at all. Not to mention that an empty seat would bring a lot more immediate focus to Bush.

Here’s an article in the current issue of Newsweek.

The High Court: A User’s Guide

Some good thoughts, but I cannot rest until the Court lives up to the four words etched in the stone edifice. “Equal Justice Under Law” must encompass the most marginalized, disenfranchised people group among us–the preborn.

On a side note something amusing is taking place in front of the Court this summer. Tour guides are pausing behind our teams to briefly talk about the exterior features of the building. “The statue on the right is called ‘Authority of Law.’ The one on the left is called ‘Contemplation of Justice.’ And these people standing with red tape are praying for the rights of the unborn.” C’mon! We’ve made “statue status.” Guess we’ve been standing in the same spot long enough.

One of our young ladies was praying in front of the Court the other morning at about 5 AM and had the thought, “I wonder if one of the capitol police has something to say to me.” Five minutes later one of the Court’s officers came and tapped her on the shoulder. He said, “There has been increased interest in your cause and what you’re doing. And I think there is a great benefit coming to your cause.” Messenger of the Lord? Perhaps.

Click here to read the email blast that went out to our database yesterday.

shameless photo post

Yes, she’s getting big. Yes, she’s absolutely gorgeous. Yes, I’m completely wrapped around the little finger of the hand you can’t see.

“Ask of me and I’ll give you what ever you want.”

Back Home Again

Well, we’re back home again after a good stint in DC. In our absence, the heat has not been kind to the yard or Kim’s not-a-garden*. My head has been spinning for the last couple days trying to settle back into a normal routine. The schedule in DC was different and made for long days. The prayer Rumbles were amazing though–the kind you leave feeling like you really got something done.

Amy Hofer was there with us too for a week. It was great to have our staff-at-large with us, and she is definitely large...in spirit... not physically.  ; )

Please pray for us. I believe that city is our mission. We’ve begun to seriously talk about a move back there. It only makes sense for Bound4LIFE to be based on Capitol Hill.

We’ll be back on the road next week for a couple of weddings. Kim’s younger brother in Indiana and our dear friend Bethany Yeo in Boston.

*A “not-a-garden” is a series of pots filled with everything you normally plant in a regular garden but can’t because you live in a covenant-controlled community that doesn’t allow gardens and is generally governed by dumb-headed people. So there.

At Caribou...again

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t like Caribou Coffee and all their tasty concoctions. Quite the contrary. But nearly two weeks without internet is beginning to grate on me. You see, we’re currently residing in a big house just outside the District leading and fueling the JHOP and Rizpah Company–a 24/7 Silent Siege of the Supreme Court that’s been going on since April 28th. That’s on top of a daily stand that’s been going on since October of 2004 (shameless plug).

This house we’re renting is new. Like brand new. The dilemma seems to be that when you call up the local provider and say, “Hey! How ’bout some of them internets?” they say, “We got those! Let us put you in the system for an install.” They hang up the phone, and type in the address which doesn’t show up. So then that guy figures it must have been a mistake and decides he’s late for lunch anyway. Budget a couple days worth of Caribou Coffee and free wifi in the meantime. Twiddle thumbs. Look at watch, look out the window for serviceman, look at watch, look out the window, etc.

When nobody ever shows, you place another phone call to the local provider to say, “What gives?” When no record of the previous scheduling shows in the system, they’re more than happy to make a new one. Hang up the phone, type in the home address, it doesn’t show, they assume it must be another mistake and, dang, late for lunch again.

Repeat this no less than five times and buy stock in Caribou Coffee.

The schedule is one which doesn’t work if I go downtown early in the morning. Yet that’s exactly what I decided to do yesterday to use our own wifi at the JHOP and try to get a little work done. Scratch that; it wasn’t working. The smell of Cosi Bread and free wifi down the street was irresistible at that point, however their’s was out of commission too. I don’t want to succumb to the Capitol Hill atmosphere, but this is starting to feel like a conspiracy. I’m starting to look for mysterious panel vans parked near me full of high tech equipment and agents dressed as flower delivery men.

Do you ever have the irrational feeling that you’re being...shhhh...surveilled?

"Keepin' God in America. Right On."

This is my friend Rodger. Rodger has a beard and tattoos–an exceptional beard I might add and a lot of tattoos. Rodger is like 6 foot 2. It takes about four seconds to love him and realize he’s pretty much the nicest person you’ll ever meet. But if you just look at him, you might think he wants to hurt you...right now...right where you stand. The truth is he’s a pillar of the YWAM team based in DC that’s contending daily in prayer in front of the Supreme Court with us. This guy is a rock and a forerunner for his generation. He is the hope for America.

That’s what makes the following exchange all the more amusing to me.

Rodger was standing on the street corner yesterday outside JHOP. He bought a Snickers ice cream bar from a street vender and peeled back the wrapper. As he took a bite he looked beside him to see Newt Gingrich. With a mouth full of Snickers he muffled out, “Keepin’ God in America...right on!” Newt looked at him and said, “That’s right,” then introduced himself. Rodger politely just smiled a chocolate smile and walked away having never mentioned who he was and what he does. Networking mongers need not read this.

I briefly entertained an imaginary scenario where Newt went to his home cell group later and asked his friends to please pray for a poor lost youth he met on the sidewalk that day.

Newsflash: Gas is Expensive

My friend Rodger in DC sent this picture to me this morning. In this case, we must quite literally count the cost of our intercession.

Please pray that the cost of gas and the state of the economy will have the opposite effect on minds so that donors will give more for the cause.