Displaying items by tag: buffer zones
US & UK Buffer Zones by Matt Britton
Matt Britton serves as the chairman of the board and general counsel for 40 Days for Life. He has had an expansive legal career including four terms as an elected prosecutor; a county attorney; counsel to many not-for-profits and U.S. companies operating around the world; a major law firm litigator; and general counsel. Matt has written and spoken countless times on a wide range of legal and pro-life issues in locations across the United States as well as England, Japan, Colombia, Mexico, Korea, Singapore, Brazil, China, and locations across the European Union.
High Court Challenge Media Release
My constitutional challenge to Victoria's abortuary exclusion-zones was heard in the Australian High Court from October 9-11, 2018. Graham Preston's challenge to Tasmanian exclusion-zones was heard alongside mine. Please click here to learn more about exclusion-zones. Please click here to follow the progress of this case of the High Court of Australia website.
One Brave Politician Changes His Stance on Bubble-Zones and THAT Video
Abortion activists are at it again, attempting to introduce bubble-zones around New South Wales abortion facilities. As stated many times on this website, these so-called 'safe-access zones', also known as exclusion zones, are designed to stop advocates for life from offering assistance to desperate women who feel pressured to abort their children. They also hamper the freedom of political communication which should exist in a free society like Australia. Exclusion-zone law, very similar to that being proposed in New South Wales will be under the scrutiny of the High Court of Australia this year due to our legal challenge. Any politician who is realistic about the fiscal and time constraints that apply to our parliamentary system wouldn't dream of introducing legislation that has a constitutional cloud hanging over it.
The Pregnant Woman and Abortion
How Abortion Has Changed Women's Experience of Pregnancy
As wonderful and awesome as it is to be with child, we know it's also possible for mothers to face pregnancy with mixed feelings. This is only natural. Fear of childbirth was especially understandable in the past, when medical knowledge was more limited than it is today. Mothers frequently died due to complications that are easily treatable now. And there have always financial and other pressures that have meant the idea of a new pregnancy can take a little getting used to. But generally, mothers and fathers have learned to accept new life and gone on to successfully parent. Today, however, women face an added burden which simply didn't exist in times gone by. It is the pressure to abort. In the Western world and in any place where legal abortion has gained a foothold, abortion has become the default position for pregnancy - and not only for unplanned pregnancies. It's quite common in Australian hospitals and clinics for mothers to be asked, as their pregnancy is confirmed, whether they 'want to keep it'. "It's your choice," medical staff will say. And thus the pressure begins.
Reminiscence from a Veteran Pro-lifer
Les Jones is a veteran pro-lifer with decades of experience. Here he shares some memories of activism at a former abortuary in Carlton, Melbourne.
Following the example and inspiration of people like Joan Andrews, Right to Life tried a few Operation Rescues in the late 80s.One was at the facility of Christine Healy in Swanston St, Carlton.About 12 people blocked the entrance, while others witnessed outside and did not break the law. I was one of the latter group that day.Those arrested were fined varying amounts, and accepted imprisonment for periods ranging from 12 hours to 6 days for a re offender.The magistrate also banned Right to Life from witnessing within 50 metres.The late Mary O'Connor, grandmother of Veronica Corboy's husband, was in a waiting room several months later and admired a baby.The baby's mother told Mary that she had gone to the facility that day, but changed her mind and kept the baby, a decision that she was grateful for.There is a young person walking around today as a result.We had similar witnesses outside abortuaries in Wellington Pde and St Kilda Rd. Because of the ruling of the magistrate mentioned above, the idea of rescues was abandoned: Right to Life did not want to cause problems to Richard and his team of HelpersChristine Healy moved to a new location near the University. We know of one baby saved through the witness of a young mother.
Are We Free to Disagree?
Another week, another encroachment on our freedoms - that's how it feels in Australia these days. The latest outrage is that there appears to be some doubt as to whether or not a plebiscite to decide the marriage issue will be supported in the Senate, or if we citizens will be deemed too ignorant to vote on it, and be made to leave the decision to our parliamentarians. 'Marriage Equality' Ammunition I was fortunate to be able to see Brendan O'Neill speak in Melbourne last week. For those of you who haven't heard of Brendan, he is an online journalist with Spiked Online, and an atheist libertarian. Brendan gave his Christian audience some fresh insights into the marriage debate and proved, yet again, that this isn't a religious issue, but a natural law (and common-sense) one. Brendan has been ostracised and publicly vilified for his stance on marriage, simply because he doesn't agree with the fashionable ideology of marriage redefinition.
Let's You and Him Fight
There is a ‘game’ played by dysfunctional people and described by psychiatrist Dr Eric Berne in his capital little book, “The Games People Play”. People often disagree with one another. A protagonist with an ax to grind and a lack of moral, civil or mental sufficiency, sets her or his victim up against external overwhelming forces. They may disagree with the victim and have no cogent or legitimate argument so they call in the police with their ‘authority’ and a gun on their hips, and the Courts that have the full panoply of process and procedure, backed by Laws made by the complainant’s friends. The Laws, the legislators, the police become complicit in gross acts of indecency and bring that Law and authority and panoply into disrespect when they do not punish such dysfunctional protagonists. And they are complicit.
The Bubble Zone
At the beginning of 2015, the Victorian ALP Government rightly removed the Coalition's "move on" laws from the statute book. Rightly so, as the laws were intended really to prevent unions protesting. The laws were seen as an unfair restriction on free speech, with Attorney General, Martin Pakula, proclaiming that: "Victoria doesn't need Bjelke-Petersen-style laws designed to silence dissent and outlaw peaceful protests." At year's end, a total back flip by Victorian Labor with its MPs denied a free vote and totally under the thumb of Emily's List. Why not a conscience vote? After all the issue, like 2008, was about abortion on demand and not about a mother’s health.
