ProLifeCon 2022: Twitcast Sans Transcript

Today it begins, our twelfth annual “Twitcast” joining pro-life bloggers from near and far, if only virtually due to the ongoing pandemic and the District's response (as was the case last year), during the annual March For Life, for this year's ProLifeCon, the “premiere conference for the online prolife community” hosted once again by the Family Research Council in Washington DC.

Of course, things are going to be different this year. Not different like last year, when it was livestreamed virtually, but really REALLY different. Not only was it already released online at one in the morning by the time you read this, but they were gracious enough to allow yours truly to Google all the information on all the guests, rather than waiting around for them to produce a press release of all the guests which they had already confirmed in advance, well before one in the morning.

SPEAKERS

Ryan & Bethany Bomberger, The Radiance Foundation
Alison Centofante, Director of External Relations, Live Action
Lyndsey Fifield, Social Media Manager, The Heritage Foundation
Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach, (R-MN)
Marjorie Jackson, author, speaker, artist
Katherine Johnson, Research Fellow, Legal and Policy Studies, FRC
Kyle Mann, Editor-in-Chief, The Babylon Bee
Congresswoman Mary Miller, (R-IL)
Michael New, Visiting Assistant Professor, Busch School of Business, Catholic University of America
Tony Perkins, President, FRC
Devin Sena, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Human Defense Initiative
Mary Szoch, Director, Center for Human Dignity, FRC

(Of course, this list is subject to changes about which they already knew when I called them yesterday. Real crackerjack operation, eh?)

So, rather than watch this year's event here, you can watch it at the ProLifeCon website. And even though there is no twitter feed this year, it will still be a "twit cast" after all, don't you think?

Or don't you?

On Being “Pastoral”

The gospel account of Christ as the "good shepherd" is proclaimed in the Traditional Roman Mass on the Second Sunday After Easter, which occurs today this year. Most Catholics of the Roman Rite who celebrate the "ordinary form" of the Mass will hear it next Sunday (depending on which cycle of the lectionary they're using this year, I'll be ding-donged if I know), where it occurs on the Fourth Sunday of (or Third Sunday After) Easter. Don't ask me why.

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father." (John 10:11-18)

We use the term “pastor” for our parish priest. The term itself is derived from the Latin word for "shepherd." Most Catholics use the term "pastoral" to describe the priest's degree of accommodation. To give an example: “Father Billy Bob takes a pastoral approach with couples wanting to marry, which is why they can live together before exchanging vows, and let their conscience (unguided, we are led to believe) determine whether to use birth control.”

But does that reflect what the word means?

The French writer François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire, himself no friend of Mother Church, nonetheless attached some significance to an objective idea of Truth: “If you would converse with me, you must first define your terms.” Radical progressives do not understand this, and so use words to mean whatever they want.

For example, if there being only two genders does not satisfy one's requirements (that would be "male" and "female"), then one is compelled to appease the socially enlightened, by dismissing the limitations of biology and adding more "genders" to the list, which is confusing in a society where not everybody is sufficiently acclimated to progressive lines of thought. If we are to explain ourselves to one another, short of drawing a picture for someone, words are all we have, and their meaning must stand on its own. If we understand the word "pastor" by its original, objective meaning, to be "pastoral" is to act in the manner of a shepherd. What does a good shepherd do that a bad one does not?

Let's see that quotation again, the part given emphasis above.

“The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.”

So then, a good shepherd risks his life to save his sheep from harm, while a bad shepherd leaves them to fend for themselves in the face of harm.

What kind of harm do we mean? Obviously, spiritual harm. An engaged couple is not being done any favors, if Father Billy Bob winks at their living arrangement. Marriage is what we call a "sacrament of the living," which means it must be entered into while in a state of grace, or we defile it. If all Father wants is to be a nice guy, he will be like the mercenary and leave Dick and Jane to their own devices. But if his goal is to keep them from spiritual harm, he will beg to differ.

To be honest, some priests can be real jerks about this. Many of them know this, and are afraid to be perceived that way. Why do they have to be? A 2014 article in Homiletic and Pastoral Review discusses how to help couples who cohabitate before marriage. While the author has good intentions, he doesn't go far enough, and actually falls short of a genuine remedy, which makes it harder for the parish priest not to come off as a jerk.

In a city like Washington, where many couples are from other parts of the country, without the support of family within reach, one party or the other would be hard pressed to break a lease on a rented apartment, losing thousands of dollars, just to satisfy what could be dismissed as a procedural requirement. This is one of the casualties of our uprootedness, where we lack any sense of a familial home, and a parish is less a spiritual home than it is the setting for a personality cult (a problem made worse by the wave of closings and mergers of otherwise viable parishes to replenish the bishop's legal slush fund, to say nothing of "Mass facing the people" -- but that's another story). If we were who we pretended to be, none of the more vulnerable among us would be left to the wolves. Can one party or the other in an impending marriage rent a room for a few lousy months from an "empty nester," a couple whose children are gone, but who are known by the pastor to be of good character, and can even serve as mentors?

It is at times like this, where all the yakkity-yak about "ministering" to people is put to the test, and is one of many reasons why we fail.

Our conclusion, then, is that to be "pastoral" has less to do with appeasement and keeping the peace, and more to do with protecting others from danger, to the point of giving one's life. And yet, it also means that no man charged with knowing his sheep can really stand alone.

After all, even a good shepherd needs a well-bred pair of Border Collies to help keep the flock together, don't you think?

Or don't you?

ProLifeCon 2021: Twitcast and Transcript

Today it begins, our eleventh annual “Twitcast” joining pro-life bloggers from near and far, who all had the good sense once again, to come in out of the cold during the annual March For Life (such as it is this year), for this year's ProLifeCon, the “premiere conference for the online prolife community” hosted once again by the Family Research Council in Washington DC.

Unfortunately, the embed code for the video of this year's event was not available, so we are providing you with last year's here. You can watch this year's event (both live and later pre-recorded) at the ProLifeCon website. You can also follow the #prolifecon hashtag on Twitter, or following yours truly at twitter.com/manwithblackhat.

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Our annual #prolifecon "twitcast" is about to begin.
9:49 AM

The #prolifecon begins ... if virtually!
10:02 AM

This week marks the 48th anniversary of the March For Life. #prolifecon
10:02 AM

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Jeanne Mancini is President of the March For Life. She talks about the "virtual" plan for the "March" starting at noon. #prolifecon
10:03 AM

There will be a small group of select pro-life leaders marching to the Supreme Court to leave a bouquet of roses at its steps. #prolifecon
10:04 AM

"Unity is the topic of the day." But everyone should be united in the right to life, and building a culture of life. #prolifecon
10:05 AM

"We all bring something different to the table." #prolifecon
10:06 AM

"We should all do something all year long, keep marching symbolically, responding to the call that God has for us." #prolifecon
10:07 AM

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Stephanie Gray is the author of "Love Unleashes Life." #prolifecon
10:09 AM

"Often there is resistance to the pro-life perspective" because of the emotional draw of pain in the circumstances at the time, and the need for showing them compassion and aid. #prolifecon
10:10 AM

"Show that we love [the mother], not just the unborn child." #prolifecon
10:10 AM

"The more someone shares, the more they can feel safe." #prolifecon
10:11 AM

"So many involved in the pro-choice movement, are involved from a viewpoint of pain, of suffering." #prolifecon
10:13 AM

Persuasion through the posing of questions, less of changing minds than of changing direction. #prolifecon
10:13 AM

"We need to be able to listen to people with hearts that are filled with love." #prolifecon
10:15 AM

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Suzanne Geist is a Nebraska State Senator who fought against a dismemberment bill in the state legislature. #prolifecon
10:17 AM

"What we were talking about in the bill was the second trimester, 12 to 24 weeks." #prolifecon
10:18 AM

Because the bill did not outlaw abortion entirely in Nebraska, the attorney general of the state was persuaded that the bill would not be unconstitutional. #prolifecon
10:19 AM

Ms Geist receives the Samuel Adams State Legislator of the Year Award. #prolifecon
10:19 AM

frc.org/prolifemaps #prolifecon
10:20 AM

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Robert Davi and Nick Loeb, actor and producer-director, respectively, for the movie "Roe v Wade: The Untold Story." #prolifecon
10:21 AM

youtu.be/izCgBtGF-hc #prolifecon
10:23 AM

Davi plays Justice Brennan in the movie, the one who came up with the "right to privacy" aspect of the Court's decision. #prolifecon
10:24 AM

"The courage that [Loeb] had to put this film together" to show "how the sausage was made." #prolifecon
10:26 AM

Among the actors who asked to play roles in the film were Jon Voight. #prolifecon
10:26 AM

This movie "is not your Marvel Comic," which makes it unique, along with a look inside proceedings of the Supreme Court. #prolifecon
10:28 AM

The takeaway from this film? "Hopefully people will recognize that life begins at conception." #prolifecon
10:30 AM

For more information on its April 2 release: roevwademovie.com #prolifecon
10:31 AM

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Claire Culwell is an author and an abortion survivor, who talks about forgiving her birth mother. #prolifecon
10:32 AM

"I was adopted by a wonderful Christian couple." #prolifecon
10:32 AM

"I wanted to point people to the direction of redemption that Christ offers to them, but I had to do the same for myself." #prolifecon
10:33 AM

There is also a need for mothers and fathers of the aborted to forgive themselves. #prolifecon
10:34 AM

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Kyle Mann is editor in chief of The Babylon Bee, a satirical site, who discusses the issues of censorship in social media. #prolifecon
10:38 AM

"Government is using Big Tech as a cudgel" to censor content that they don't like. #prolifecon
10:39 AM

babylonbee.com #prolifecon
10:40 AM

"We are being fact-checked because our jokes are false." #prolifecon
10:40 AM

"The culture warriors that control Big Tech obviously do not like the pro-life movement. When they can censor the President of the United States, who can't they censor?" #prolifecon
10:42 AM

The message to those who are discouraged, is it worth it to continue on social media if they are silenced? Be contrarian and continue to share it anyway. #prolifecon
10:43 AM

"They want to isolate us, but we are not alone." #prolifecon
10:44 AM

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The discussion of censorship continues with John-Henry Westen, co-founder and editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews. #prolifecon
10:46 AM

lifesitenews.com #prolifecon
10:47 AM

"We are currently de-platformed on YouTube and Twitter. Most of our articles on Facebook are marked as false information. Google is censoring us as well." #prolifecon
10:48 AM

Moving our platforms to Telegram (Telegraph?) and Gab. #prolifecon
10:50 AM

LifeSiteNews.com "Please hit the 'Subscribe' button." #prolifecon
10:53 AM

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Ryan and Bethany Bomberger are founders of The Radiance Foundation. #prolifecon
10:54 AM

http://theradiancefoundation.org #prolifecon
10:54 AM

Every life has purpose. Ryan himself is the product of rape. #prolifecon
10:55 AM

"If a woman who survived an abortion is pro-choice, this is so ironic. If only she learned the truth as a child." #prolifecon
10:57 AM

"Our own children were 'born for such a time as this.'" #prolifecon
10:57 AM

"Life Has Purpose." #prolifecon
10:57 AM

"Abort Roe." #prolifecon
10:58 AM

"Adoption Releases Purpose." #prolifecon
10:58 AM

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Tony Perkins, President of #FRC, sits down with Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Steve Daines (R-MT). #prolifecon
11:00 AM

"We anticipated this [pro-choice agenda] with the election of Joe Biden as President." #prolifecon
11:01 AM

"We must preserve the filibuster" [in the Senate] so that Biden can't have his way with everything. #prolifecon
11:03 AM

There have been efforts to eliminate the Hyde Amendment before, during the Clinton and Obama administrations. "Miraculously" it has been preserved. "Henry Hyde was the greatest leader imaginable" for the value of life. #prolifecon
11:05 AM

Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was even against pre-natal care for poor women, according to Congressman Smith. #prolifecon
11:08 AM

Senator Daines wants us to put pressure on our own senators, in an effort to prevent a pro-choice super-majority. "41 is the magic number." #prolifecon
11:11 AM

"We know that the Biden administration is going to reverse the Mexico City policy" which means that Planned Parenthood could get "a blank check." #prolifecon
11:12 AM

"We need this help [of #FRC] on The Hill more than ever." #prolifecon
11:14 AM

Montana may soon have a "Baby Born Alive" bill signed by its governor. #prolifecon
11:15 AM

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Lauren Boebert (R-CO) is the first woman and first mom to represent Colorado's 3rd Congressional District. #prolifecon
11:17 AM

"I had my first son at eighteen years old." #prolifecon
11:17 AM

Boebert discusses the devastation of loss of a child through miscarriage. #prolifecon
11:20 AM

"I teach my [four boys] about the consequences of their actions" in showing them what abortion involves. "I want to invite men into this conversation." #prolifecon
11:23 AM

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Josh Craddock is an affiliate scholar for the James Wilson Institute for Natural Rights and the American Founding. #prolifecon
11:27 AM

The appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court has already shown promise. #prolifecon
11:28 AM

States should feel empowered to pass pro-life legislation at their level. #prolifecon
11:29 AM

"We are seeing lower courts uphold pro-life laws," including in cases of unborn children with Down syndrome. #prolifecon
11:29 AM

The unborn are protected under the Constitution, according to scholars who examine the 14th Amendment without preconceptions. #prolifecon
11:30 AM

Centuries of case law and common practice reinforces the idea of the unborn as persons. Such is the original meaning of the text, to protect all persons, as opposed to what happened before with slavery. #prolifecon
11:32 AM

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Emily Berning is President of Let Them Live. #prolifecon
11:34 AM

A pro-life non-profit, dedicating to the aid of women with "crisis pregnancies," those who consider abortion for financial reasons. #prolifecon
11:35 AM

"You can post on Facebook and reach people to support you financially." #prolifecon
11:37 AM

"Women don't need to have abortions to get out of poverty. One hundred percent of them are preventable." #prolifecon
11:38 AM

"We are currently supporting a ton of moms." letthemlive.org #prolifecon
11:41 AM

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"We'll see you next year at #prolifecon."
11:42 AM

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And ... we're out. On to the March (if you can find one.) #prolifecon
11:42 AM

Thanks and High Fives go out to the Family Research Council (#frc) for their support of this unique event, and their assistance in getting on board. #prolifecon
11:44 AM

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Impeachment: Everything (Else) You Really Need To Know

This is a follow-up to the recent social media binge by pajama pundit Carpe Donktum. Today we show Fox News commentator Jesse Watters in two segments. The first is the short version (ten minutes) of the fallout as of last Saturday, the result of Day Five of the impeachment proceedings in the senate.

The second segment is the long version (the first nineteen minutes) of more detailed fallout as of today, complete with the testimony of the defense (which, despite some people's best efforts, is what actually happens at a trial), as well as backtracking by the big media "experts" who have just got to be feeling really stupid right now -- probably because they also look stupid. Every last one of them.

UPDATE: The "long version" has since been cut, most likely due to intellectual property issues. At this writing (the following day), the "short version" has not fallen victim to this -- yet. Our next piece will use original sources.

America is starting to get bored with the entire drama, just when it's starting to get interesting, don't you think?

Or don't you?
 

Impeachment: Everything You Really Need To Know (So Far)

I should begin by saying that I did not vote for Donald Trump for President.

I also did not vote for Hillary Clinton.

In other words, I did not vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. The reason at the time (as of November 2016) was that I saw very little difference between the two. Both ran in the same social circles, both were equally unscrupulous, and I didn't trust one any more than I did the other, leaving me with the choice of voting for the lesser of two evils. And as the good Father Martin Fox said at the time: "The lesser of two evils is still evil."

He was definitely on to something.

In fact, I also did not vote for a third party candidate, as I did in 2000 (Patrick Buchanan, Reform Party) and 2004 (Michael Peroutka, Constitution Party). The reason at the time (as of November 2016) was that my mother was dying, and I was too late for obtaining an absentee ballot.

So, I didn't vote, period.

That said, in the three years that have followed, the unemployment rate is at its lowest level in about half a century, unemployment for blacks, Hispanics, and women, are at the lowest levels in years, interest rates have managed to stay below five percent, the stock market is doing reasonably well, manufacturing jobs are actually returning in some places, companies are raising wages in other places, our NATO allies were told to pay their fair share of their own defense, this administration is frequently blamed for policies that began with previous administrations (where they weren't called "Nazis" for doing so), and the political appointees to whom I answer, at the government entity where I work, are actually competent.

In other words, it could be a lot worse, and in my experience (which would be quite a bit) usually is.

So, when there have been calls for the removal of the President since roughly the day he was elected (and this can all be verified, and I will if some of you keep pushing your luck), the least I can expect is for the burden to fall squarely on the accuser, and not the accused. But when I watch the evening news, I wouldn't know that.

A thief or a murderer gets more consideration.

That's when a friend of mine found this guy on Twitter, who like most of them never uses his real name but calls himself "Carpe Donktum" (which is really bad Latin for "seize the donkey"). What follows is attributed to him, and is published here without permission or shame.

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Democrats: We have an airtight case against the President

Republicans: Okay, go ahead

Dems: Trump and his staff came up with a plot to withhold funding to Ukraine contingent on the announcement of investigations into Joe Biden's son. AN ABUSE OF POWER, then he obstructed our investigation!

Reps: Oh, gee, that sounds bad.

Dems: It gets worse, he also withheld a meeting with the new President of Ukraine unless he complied.

Reps: WOW. That poor man, when will they get the money?

Dems: Oh, they already got the money. A few weeks before the deadline.

Reps: Wait, he got the money? Are they going to withdraw the investigations?

Dems: He never announced the investigations, but Trump asked them to investigate in their meeting.

Reps: Wait, THEY HAD THE MEETING?

Dems: Well yeah, they had a meeting

Reps: So, let me makes sure I have this right, Trump gave them the money before the deadline, they didn't announce any investigations and they got the meeting.

Dems: Yes.

Reps: And you investigated this?

Dems: Of course we did, we had to, the president clearly has bad motives.

Reps: And you found proof of this?

Dems: Absolutely, one guy overheard someone else on the phone talking to Trump about the whole scheme.

Reps: Like on speaker phone?

Dems: Not exactly, more like across the table in a crowded restaurant, not on speakerphone.

Reps: I see, I suppose he destroyed all the evidence, thus the obstruction.

Dems: Well, no, first he declassified the meeting transcripts, BUT then he said he had executive privilege or some nonsense.

Reps: What did the court say?

Dems: What court?

Reps: Didn't you take him to court to get the records?

Dems: There was no time, we can't have a president extorting foreign countries. LOL MAN, are you crazy?

Reps: Just a second, let me catch my breath.

Dems: Shocking, isn't it.

Reps: To recap, Trump gave Ukraine a meeting, the funding, no investigations were launched, declassified the meeting, and offered to go to let the courts decide on executive privilege, and you impeached based on an overheard phone call and the fact that you were in a hurry?

Dems: Well ... when you say it like that it makes us sound silly. But you'll see when we call new witnesses during the Senate phase.

Reps: YOU HAVEN'T EVEN INTERVIEWED ALL THE WITNESSES YET?

Dems: Well, no, but we did interview a few low level staffers.

Reps: (looks around)

Dems: (grins confidently)

Reps: You are f@#$ing crazy.

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To put it another way, A is accused of doing something wrong while going after B, who actually did do something wrong, while the ones going after A are not denying the reasons for going after B.

That's the good news. The bad news? It's not over yet.

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POSTSCRIPT: By the way, kiddies, all Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President. He can remove them for any reason without the approval of Congress. Here endeth the civics lesson.
 

2020: “ProLifeCon” Reconsidered

Today it begins, our tenth annual “Twitcast” joining pro-life bloggers and digital activists from near and far, who all had the good sense once again to come in out of the cold, during the annual March For Life, for this year's ProLifeCon, the “premiere conference for the online prolife community” hosted once again by the Family Research Council in Washington DC.

During the event, this video clip provides a live feed of the proceedings. With its conclusion, and before the end of the day, you are invited to view the full pre-recording (which is not accessible on all browsers; no to Safari, yes to Chrome). You can learn more at the FRC website, follow the magic hashtag on Twitter, #prolifecon, or follow yours truly at twitter.com/manwithblackhat.

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The list of speakers announced one week prior to the event (not necessarily in order of appearance) is as follows:

Alex Azar, US Department of Health and Human Services
Chris Baggett, Vice President of Donor Development, The Human Coalition
Ryan & Bethany Bomberger, Co-Founders, Chief Creative Officer and Executive Director, The Radiance Foundation
Claire Culwell, Abortion Survivor
Kristan Hawkins, President, Students for Life
Chuck Konzelman, Director, Unplanned Movie
Jennie Lichter, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council, The White House
Melissa Ohden, Abortion Survivor
Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
Patricia Rucker, State Senator, West Virginia Senate
Connor Semelsberger, Legislative Assistant, Family Research Council
Roger Severino, Director, Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Health and Human Services
Bernadette Tasy, California State Captain, Students for Life Action
Petra Wallenmeyer, Content Director, Human Defense Initiative

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This year is different.

I have been proud to present this event online, both in the blogosphere and the twitterverse (yes, apparently those are both real words), over the past decade. But life is what happens when you make other plans, and there are things to do to prepare for my Celia’s return from the Philippines. (My throng of adoring fans — you both know who you are — may recall that I was over there during the Christmas season, but more on that later.) And so, inasmuch as I don’t have a Patreon account to support this endeavor, it came down to a choice.

Which brings me to why this year is different.

Recently, my friend Rebecca Bratten Weiss sent me this article from Newsweek about a speech given by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). Speaking at Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority event last June, the senator revealed that there are senior Republican senators who disliked his proposal to include language in a spending bill to defund Planned Parenthood. That’s because, Paul said, they cared more about getting Democrats’ votes for a spending bill than saving unborn lives.

“I’ll give you an example," Paul continued. "Last year, I tried to attach to a spending bill a prohibition to have any money spent by Planned Parenthood. You know what happened? [GOP leadership] sat me down and one of the senior Republican senators said, 'We cannot have the vote today.' I said 'why?' He said 'we might win.’”

Remember the general during the Vietnam War who was quoted saying: “We had to destroy the village in order to save it”? If you do, the above has a familiar ring. If you don't, I'll break it down for you.

They have to keep abortion legal to keep promising to end it.

And so, I suppose it was a relief to discover, that after publicly challenging a discussion panel at last year's ProLifeCon, for dominating their lineup with politicians and others devoted only to ending abortion, with virtually no regard to affordable health care for the mother, or any other options to help her and/or the child once born, there were some changes for this year's lineup. As of the time prior to the event, there were no members of the United States Senate or House of Representatives scheduled! The only elected official scheduled was a state legislator from West Virginia.

And not only that, but the The Radiance Foundation, a kick-@$$ pro-life and pro-adoption endeavor, made its triumphant return, along with another organization, one dedicated to helping mothers with health care, food, baby clothes, and so on, known as the Human Defense Initiative.

Did I have anything to do with this? Maybe, maybe not. Last year, Ryan and Bethany Bomberger, the couple at the heart of The Radiance Foundation, had a sick child to care for at the last minute. But the three Congressmen whining about losing their majority in the House weren’t there. And there was (as I remember) a new endeavor present. The Human Coalition aims to reach women considering abortion, and to offer an alternative complete with genuinely life-giving health care, in the form of what the speaker calls a "virtual clinic."

"We can love her well, and we can compassionately walk alongside her."

The pro-life movement in the United States stands at a crossroads, even with the assistance of one touted as the most pro-life President in history, a Congress in deadlock over this and other issues (at least one of them rather obvious of late), and suspicions among observers -- the so-called "New Pro Life Movement" as a case in point -- that activists for the unborn care only about the child in the womb, with little regard to the mother, or what happens next. The host of this event (not to rub it in, but …) did themselves no favors last year, when the event was dominated by those who would prove their detractors correct. Almost if not entirely absent, were the advocates for the mothers, and the health-care workers for mothers out in the field, with what we used to call "crisis pregnancies."

That is what makes this year’s ProLifeCon a marked improvement, makes me wish I could have been there, and why I’m determined to be there next year.

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Meanwhile, a writer for The Federalist, under the non de plume of Bill Kilgore, wrote that the pro-life movement, for all its pretense toward imminent victory, reveals something else on closer examination.

A friend who worked for a pro-life organization very much in the “the movement” confirms this. He became frustrated that people there ignore the evidence in front of them, and instead show excitement about the size of the marches, acting “as if our country is turning a corner and is getting closer and closer to life.” They react more strongly to those who challenge their approved legal tactics or rhetoric than they do actual political defeats, as if questioning the success of the movement is some sort of heresy.

They have to keep abortion legal to keep promising to end it.

And so ...

Nothing is over until it's over, not only when the mother's womb is the safest place for any child waiting to come into the world, but when these United States, indeed the world itself, is ready to uphold the most elementary right of all, the right to simply exist. We are not there yet, and we are not going to be anytime soon.

That is why a Tip of the Black Hat goes to the Family Research Council, for their continued efforts in support of the pro-life movement and digital activists, and why yours truly intends to be at the ProLifeCon next year.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a load of laundry to do.
 

Kevin Tierney Explains It All For You

In light of recent events in the Church, this writer has been loathe to elaborate in this venue. Some write the words we wish we had written ourselves. And so it goes. -- DLA

There are two ways people respond to the crisis in the Church among my trad brethren.

One is to think all is on the verge of being washed away, so desperate times call for desperate measures. I get the feeling, but that's not me.

I belong to a Church that is quite old, part of a wider community of salvation history that is impossibly old, near incomprehensible to our mind. A Church in which most of Her members are forgotten, and sink into anonymity. Where even great saints are barely remembered. They prefer it that way.

To be remembered mostly means you are remembered for something ill. In that case, the Pope's incessant vanity will be his downfall. He believes that he, and he alone, has the power to change history, to the point where it is unable to be altered again. If he is remembered as such, it may be in a way he does not want. And within a decade he will be dead, unable to prevent history from doing what she wants.

So I smile and say: "Good luck. We will be here long after you, comfortable with history forgetting us. Can you say the same?"

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Kevin is a recovering Catholic writer who lives in Brighton, Michigan, with his wife and two children. He is found on Facebook (facebook.com/kmtierney1) and Twitter (@catholicsmark).

On Being “Pastoral”

The gospel account of Christ as the "good shepherd" is proclaimed in the Traditional Roman Mass on the Second Sunday After Easter, which occurs today this year. Most Catholics of the Roman Rite who celebrate the "ordinary form" of the Mass will hear it next Sunday, where it occurs on the Fourth Sunday of (or Third Sunday After) Easter. Don't ask me why.

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father." (John 10:11-18)

We use the term “pastor” for our parish priest. The term itself is derived from the Latin word for "shepherd." Most Catholics use the term "pastoral" to describe the priest's degree of accommodation. To give an example: “Father Billy Bob takes a pastoral approach with couples wanting to marry, which is why they can live together before exchanging vows, and let their conscience (unguided, we are led to believe) determine whether to use birth control.”

But does that reflect what the word means?

The French writer François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire, himself no friend of Mother Church, nonetheless attached some significance to an objective idea of Truth: “If you would converse with me, you must first define your terms.” Radical progressives do not understand this, and so use words to mean whatever they want.

For example, if there being only two genders does not satisfy one's requirements (that would be "male" and "female"), then one is compelled to appease the socially enlightened, by dismissing the limitations of biology and adding more "genders" to the list, which is confusing in a society where not everybody is sufficiently acclimated to progressive lines of thought. If we are to explain ourselves to one another, short of drawing a picture for someone, words are all we have, and their meaning must stand on its own. If we understand the word "pastor" by its original, objective meaning, to be "pastoral" is to act in the manner of a shepherd. What does a good shepherd do that a bad one does not?

Let's see that quotation again, the part given emphasis above.

“The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep.”

So then, a good shepherd risks his life to save his sheep from harm, while a bad shepherd leaves them to fend for themselves in the face of harm.

What kind of harm do we mean? Obviously, spiritual harm. An engaged couple is not being done any favors, if Father Billy Bob winks at their living arrangement. Marriage is what we call a "sacrament of the living," which means it must be entered into while in a state of grace, or we defile it. If all Father wants is to be a nice guy, he will be like the mercenary and leave Dick and Jane to their own devices. But if his goal is to keep them from spiritual harm, he will beg to differ.

To be honest, some priests can be real jerks about this. Many of them know this, and are afraid to be perceived that way. Why do they have to be? A 2014 article in Homiletic and Pastoral Review discusses how to help couples who cohabitate before marriage. While the author has good intentions, he doesn't go far enough, and actually falls short of a genuine remedy, which makes it harder for the parish priest not to come off as a jerk.

In a city like Washington, where many couples do not have the support of family within their locality, one party or the other would be hard pressed to break a lease on a rented apartment, just to satisfy what could be dismissed as a procedural requirement. This is one of the casualties of our uprootedness, where we lack any sense of a familial home, and a parish is less a spiritual home than it is the setting for a personality cult (a problem made worse by the wave of closings and mergers of otherwise viable parishes to replenish the bishop's legal slush fund, to say nothing of "Mass facing the people" -- but that's another story). If we were who we pretended to be, none of the more vulnerable among us would be left to the wolves. Can one party or the other in an impending marriage rent a room for a few lousy months from an "empty nester," a couple whose children are gone, but who are known by the pastor to be of good character, and can even serve as mentors?

It is at times like this, where all the yakkity-yak about "ministering" to people is put to the test, and is one of many reasons why we fail.

Our conclusion, then, is that to be "pastoral" has less to do with appeasement and keeping the peace, and more to do with protecting others from danger, to the point of giving one's life. And yet, it also means that no man charged with knowing his sheep can really stand alone.

After all, even a good shepherd needs a well-bred pair of Border Collies to help keep the flock together, don't you think?

Or don't you?
 

2019 “ProLifeCon” Twitcast and Transcript

Today it begins, our ninth annual “Twitcast” joining pro-life bloggers from near and far, who all had the good sense once again, to come in out of the cold during the annual March For Life, for this year's ProLifeCon, the “premiere conference for the online prolife community” hosted once again by the Family Research Council in Washington DC.

During the event, this video clip provides a live feed of the proceedings. With its conclusion, and before the end of the day, you are invited to view the full pre-recording (which is not accessible on all browsers; no to Safari, yes to Chrome). You can learn more at the FRC website, follow the magic hashtag on Twitter: #prolifecon, or follow yours truly at: twitter.com/manwithblackhat.

+    +    +

And ... it's on! Sarah Perry, Director of Partnerships, FRC, kicks off the annual event. #prolifecon
8:33am

Patrina Mosely, Director, Life, Culture & Women's Advocacy, FRC. #prolifecon
8:35am

"This will be forty-five years of marching for life." #prolifecon
8:35am

A new publication, "Planned Parenthood Is Not Pro-Woman." #prolifecon
8:37am

Christopher Baggett, National Director of Communications, Human Coalition #prolifecon
8:37am

"An innovative idea has the power to change lives." Like the smartphone. #prolifecon
8:38am

What if the internet could help people search for information more easily? "Backrub" was invented in 1996. Later renamed "Google." #prolifecon
8:40am

2004-07, the most commonly researched topics and queries related to abortion (especially abortion clinics). #prolifecon
8:42am

2007, an idea is conceived, what if we could reach women online ...? #prolifecon
8:42am

2009-10, Human Coalition launched a test for reaching women online to offer alternatives to abortion. #prolifecon
8:43am

2012, The Contact Center: "What if we answered the calls ...?" #prolifecon
8:45am

"If we could answer the calls with professional call center staff who had the benefit of testing to refine their approach and scripting ..." #prolifecon
8:46am

2014, Centralized national care system of owned and operated clinics in abortion-dense cities. #prolifecon
8:47am

2018, What about telemedicine? Top search on Google about abortion, the "abortion pill." Women were looking for an immediate solution. #prolifecon
8:49am

2018, Virtual Telemedicine Clinic. What if we could expand our reach and increase speed to service? #prolifecon
8:50am

"We can, we will, and we must." #prolifecon
8:52am

Obianuju Ekeocha, Founder, Culture of Life Africa #prolifecon
8:52am

cultureoflifeafrica.com #prolifecon
8:53am

Researching proliferation of illegal abortion services in Africa. In preparing a documentary, many women came forward with their stories. #prolifecon
8:55am

A clip from the documentary "Strings Attached" is shown. #prolifecon
8:56am

Women in Africa are being "ideologically colonized" with abortion. #prolifecon
8:57am

"No one tells African women about the side effects of contraception." #prolifecon
8:58am

stringsattachedfilm.com #prolifecon
8:58am

"So, today, we get to go to Hollywood." #prolifecon
8:59am

Panel Discussion: Cary Solomon, Writer, Director & Producer, "Unplanned." Ashley Bratcher, Lead Actress, "Unplanned." #prolifecon
9:00am

"Most divisive issue in history." No middle ground. #prolifecon
9:05am

"We have had atheists praying. I don't know how that works." #prolifecon
9:07am

Ms Bratcher shares her story of telling her mother about the movie she would be in, about the transformation of former abortion clinic operator Abby Johnson. #prolifecon
9:09am

The movie "Unplanned" releases in March. #prolifecon
9:11am

unplannedmovie.com #prolifecon
9:12am

Congressman Ralph Norman (R-SC) #prolifecon
9:12am

"I got into politics because I thought it was a way to give back ... in a good way." #prolifecon
9:13am

"The United States is only one of seven nations worldwide that offers abortion on demand, along with China and North Korea." #prolifecon
9:16am

"96 percent of women who come to Planned Parenthood are told that abortion is the only solution." #prolifecon
9:18am

General summary of legislative action in Congress, and how "your activism makes so much difference." #prolifecon
9:19am

Patrina Mosley of FRC is at the steps of the Supreme Court, reporting live. #prolifecon
9:27am

Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD) #prolifecon
9:29am

"Everyone realizes now, the power of digital media." #prolifecon
9:30am

"DNA tells us that every human being is unique. When a human sperm unites with a human egg, it becomes a human person, with human DNA. We didn't have the technology to know that 30 years ago, we do now." #prolifecon
9:32am

"Science tells us of the reality of a human life from one cell to natural death." #prolifecon
9:34am

"Life is not a political construct, but a scientific reality." #prolifecon
9:47am

Kristan Hawkins, President, Students for Life of America #prolifecon
9:48am

Ms Hawkins' presentation begins with the fable of the tortoise and the hare. #prolifecon
9:50am

Public support among millennials for life-affirming clinics significantly outweighs sending taxpayer dollars for Planned Parenthood. #prolifecon
9:54am

"A conscience regulation" for employers and health care plans who and which object to abortions as a matter of principle. #prolifecon
10:21am

Dr Ingrid Skop, MD #prolifecon
10:25am

Opens with video appearance about the myths surrounding abortion. #prolifecon
10:25am

frc.org/myths #prolifecon
10:26am

"We have more legislation to protect lab rats from feeling pain, than we do for children we are terminating." #prolifecon
10:30am

"We offer free counseling for women who are considering abortions, also their partners." #prolifecon
10:32am

For more information: frc.org/myths #prolifecon
10:34am

Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) #prolifecon
10:34am

(Two hours with no break.) #prolifecon #WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot
10:35am

"Planned Parenthood published my phone number, and I got the most vile calls, and I had to disconnect the phone for two weeks." #prolifecon
10:40am

Proposing the "Save Our Children Act" to prohibit abortions by dismemberment. #prolifecon
10:40am

Joining us from Skype, Ann McElhinney, Writer & Producer, "Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer." #prolifecon
10:44am

A jury interviewed was shocked by what was actually legal in a "good" abortion. #prolifecon
10:46am

The movie is not as graphic as the book, in describing the details of the procedures in the documentary. #prolifecon
10:47am

"We have been the number one DVD being sold on Amazon." #prolifecon
10:47am

DVD and VOD available on Amazon this coming Tuesday the 22nd. #prolifecon
10:48am

"It's a horrible thing that has happened in Ireland [voting to legalize abortion], but people didn't understand what they were voting for." #prolifecon
10:49am

facebook.com/gosnellmovie #prolifecon
10:50am

The two most successful and largest viewings, in Berkeley and Manhattan, were booked for every viewing, but these large theaters cancelled the showings anyway. #prolifecon
10:51am

"Send a message to Hollywood, that people want to see [this movie]." #prolifecon
10:55am

gosnellmovie.com #prolifecon
10:56am

Claire Chretien, Journalist, Life Site News #prolifecon
10:56am

lifesitenews.com #prolifecon
10:57am

"We've been covering the abortion issue for over twenty years." #prolifecon
10:58am

LSN's website was threatened with being taken down by its provider, the origin of which was Adam Flanders, a gay activist and known registered sex offender. #prolifecon
11:01am

"We must not be afraid to call things by their proper name." #prolifecon
11:02am

For more information: lifesitenews.com #prolifecon
11:03am

"Using Social Media to Advance a Culture of Life" Panel: John Reid, Digital Media Director, FRC; Lyndsey Fifield, Social Media Manager, The Heritage Foundation; Andrew Moore, Digital and Creative Director, SBA List. #prolifecon
11:06am

"The majority of Americans are pro-life. Why are we only yelling at the most rabid pro-choice people?" #prolifecon
11:11am

"If you've got a phone, you can share this." #prolifecon
11:14am

"Share not only one's own content, but each other's." #prolifecon
11:21am

It was here that this writer had just about enough of "the usual suspects" and staged an intervention during the Q&A, including an alternative to "stupid pet tricks." See and hear it for yourself on the video playback of the event, starting at 2:50:14.

Patrina Mosley makes another screen appearance from the National Mall. #prolifecon
11:27am

"This has been a full morning. Speak out for people who cannot speak for themselves." #prolifecon
11:27am

And ... we're out! #prolifecon
11:28am

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Stay tuned for the post-mortem commentary, "ProLifeCon Reconsidered" coming soon.
 

2018 “ProLifeCon” Twitcast and Transcript

Today it begins, our ninth annual “Twitcast” joining pro-life bloggers from near and far, who all had the good sense once again, to come in out of the cold during the annual March For Life, for this year's ProLifeCon, the “premiere conference for the online prolife community” hosted once again by the Family Research Council in Washington DC.

During the event, this video clip provided a live feed of the proceedings. With its conclusion, you are invited to view the full pre-recording (which is not accessible on all browsers; no to Safari, yes to Chrome). You can learn more at the FRC website, follow the magic hashtag on Twitter: #prolifecon, or follow yours truly at: twitter.com/manwithblackhat.

+    +    +

The list of speakers announced two days prior to the event (not necessarily in order of appearance) are as follows:

Rep Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Senator Steve Daines (R-MT)
Ryan Bomberger, Founder, The Radiance Foundation
David Daleiden, Founder, Center for Medical Progress
Lyndsey Fifield, Social Media Manager, The Heritage Foundation
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Anna Hoduski, Campaign Speaker & Runner, Project If Life
Leah Jacobson, Founder, The Guiding Star Project
Abby Johnson, CEO and Founder, And Then There Were None
Brynne Krispin, Social Media Manager, Family Research Council
Andrew Moore, Digital and Creative Director, SBA List
Sarah Perry, Coalition Coordinator, FRC Action
Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Lila Rose, President, Live Action
David Scotton, Producer, I Lived on Parker Avenue
Missy Stone, Spokesperson, Students for Life of America

+    +    +

Okay, boys and girls. The annual Twitcast for the 2018 #ProLifeCon will begin shortly, courtesy of @FRCdc, for the ninth year in a row. Stay tuned ...
8:19am

Our annual Twitcast is a proud participant in the #MarchForLife2018, but for the presence of mind to remain indoors and not freeze to death. #ProLifeCon
8:23am

"Thirty seconds, everyone." #ProLifeCon
8:29am

And so it begins. #ProLifeCon
8:30am

Sarah Perry introduces the event. #ProLifeCon
8:30am

Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) #ProLifeCon
8:32am

Talking about her kids. Who can blame her? #ProLifeCon
8:34am

"Kids beating the odds remind us that every life is a precious gift." #ProLifeCon
8:34am

The House is considering legislation to protect babies born alive after a failed abortion. #ProLifeCon
8:35am

"How do we get past us versus them?" #ProLifeCon
8:36am

"The shortest distance between two people is their stories.” #ProLifeCon
8:36am

Answering questions about impending legislation. #ProLifeCon
8:39am

Rep Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) #ProLifeCon
8:40am

Actions are being taken against abortion clinics and third-party sellers acting outside the law. #ProLifeCon
8:42am

The Department of Justice and the FBI have confirmed 15 criminal referrals. #ProLifeCon
8:44am

Planned Parenthood is now under federal investigation by the FBI and Attorneys General of a number of States. #ProLifeCon
8:45am

The Abortion Survivors Act is for both mothers and babies who survive a failed abortion and holds medical providers accountable, with criminal penalties for the latter who do not comply. #ProLifeCon
8:47am

NOTA BENE: This annual Twitcast is now available with 280 characters for each message. Twice the letters, twice the action! #ProLifeCon
8:48am

Ryan Bomberger, Founder, The Radiance Foundation (a "man with black hat" favorite). #ProLifeCon
8:50am

"Factophobia" is the fear of facts. #ProLifeCon
8:52am

"Truth ain't hate. Let love illuminate." #ProLifeCon
8:52am

"Factivist." #ProLifeCon
8:53am

There are forces in the United Nations attempting to make abortion a "human right." #ProLifeCon
8:55am

"Birth control is ... the weeding out of the unfit ..." - Margaret Sanger #ProLifeCon
8:58am

Mainstream media misleads the public on the extent of Planned Parenthood's percentage of abortion services when compared to other services they claim to provide (but are doing less with every year). #ProLifeCon
9:02am

"Half a billion dollars to an unaccountable organization." #ProLifeCon
9:03am

Margaret Sanger was a pioneer in the field of eugenics, and she is still praised today. Crickets from the media. #ProLifeCon
9:04am

Abortion has a huge and disproportionate impact on the Black community. #ProLifeCon
9:04am

"As "factivists," we can circumvent mainstream media." #ProLifeCon
9:06am

Billboard: "Abortion is systemic racism." #ProLifeCon
9:07am

Patrina Mosley of FRC is out on the Mall. No one else is ... yet. #ProLifeCon
9:09am

Abby Johnson, CEO and Founder, And Then There Were None #ProLifeCon
9:10am

"Some bios say I have five children, I actually have seven." #ProLifeCon
9:11am

"We have helped 419 people leave the abortion industry." #ProLifeCon
9:11am

"Choose life, so that you and your children may live." - Book of Proverbs #ProLifeCon
9:12am

"The pro-choice movement doesn't have to masquerade as pro-lifers to sabotage the movement, we have enough of our own to do that." #ProLifeCon
9:14am

"People (and the pro-choice movement) are watching you." #ProLifeCon
9:15am

Blaming the mother for poor choices and lack of self-restraint (or calling them "baby killers") is counter-productive. #ProLifeCon
9:16am

"I prayed every day that I might be able to speak to some of these women, that there were some of us who genuinely cared about them." #ProLifeCon
9:18am

After three years of writing letters to these women, finally got a response. #ProLifeCon
9:19am

"She was seeing what you were writing, and was looking for a sign of hope." #ProLifeCon
9:21am

"We are pro-life, but we must also be pro-love. People are watching. Choose well." #ProLifeCon
9:22am

David Daleiden, Founder, Center for Medical Progress #ProLifeCon
9:23am

(Dude, is this thing on?) #ProLifeCon
9:24am

Planned Parenthood has violated federal law with the documented harvesting of vital organs of the unborn for sale and profit. #ProLifeCon
9:26am

Two partnering companies with PP in Orange County, CA, have pleaded guilty. #ProLifeCon
9:28am

Half the undercover video footage have yet to come to light due to a court-imposed gag order. The truth will come out. #ProLifeCon
9:30am

centerformedicalprogress.org #ProLifeCon
9:33am

cmp.org #ProLifeCon
9:35am

Anna Hoduski, Campaign Speaker & Runner, Project If Life #ProLifeCon
9:36am

projectif.life #ProLifeCon
9:40am

Shares experience of running across America, including the deserts of southern California. #ProLifeCon
9:41am

"Don't be discouraged about the times of the deserts in your life." #ProLifeCon
9:43am

Back to our correspondent Patrina Mosley at the Mall. There is now a crowd, at least around her, from Arizona and Tennessee. #ProLifeCon
9:46am

INTERMISSION #ProLifeCon
9:47am

And ... we're back! #ProLifeCon
9:59am

“Using Social Media to Advance a Culture of Life” Panel with three guests. #ProLifeCon
10:00am

1. Brynne Krispin, Social Media Manager, Family Research Council (Moderator)
2. Andrew Moore, Digital and Creative Director, SBA List
3. Lyndsey Fifield, Social Media Manager, The Heritage Foundation #ProLifeCon
10:01am

Use of social media platforms such as Twitter. #ProLifeCon
10:04am

With the use of Facebook, the power is back to the individual (at the @Heritage Foundation). #ProLifeCon
10:05am

Putting out an advertisement on Twitter, the conversation remains on Twitter. #ProLifeCon
10:08am

Still having problems with blocked content (because it's "sensitive"). Screenshots of the suppression are encouraged. #ProLifeCon
10:09am

"Our facts about Planned Parenthood are coming from their own annual reports." #ProLifeCon
10:11am

"The younger generation can see the details in the sonograms, and that is very powerful." #ProLifeCon
10:17am

Beyonce showed her unborn child as a sonogram on Instagram. "How cool is that?" #ProLifeCon
10:19am

Leah Jacobson, Founder, The Guiding Star Project #ProLifeCon
10:22am

theguidingstarproject.com #ProLifeCon
10:23am

"I didn't set out to do pro-life work. Young women who found themselves pregnant would approach me on campus, with questions about what they didn't know?" #ProLifeCon
10:24am

"We believe in a model of holistic women's health care." #ProLifeCon
10:25am

"Wholistic Women's Healthcare" provides complete women's health care from the time just prior to the first onset of menses. #ProLifeCon
10:27am

"We do not reduce women to their reproductive body parts. That is a narrow and self-destructive outlook." #ProLifeCon
10:29am

Available on Facebook and Twitter. #ProLifeCon
10:30am

Missy Stone, Spokesperson, Students for Life of America #ProLifeCon
10:31am

"I worked with a lot of students around the country on a personal level." #ProLifeCon
10:31am

A young lady who was pregnant asked a student leader: "Aren't pro-life people supposed to help?" #ProLifeCon
10:32am

It used to be "click and send and I'm done," but social media has become more engaging. #ProLifeCon
10:34am

"Being where they are, showing them what is happening, and getting them involved." #ProLifeCon
10:35am

More activists are using Snapchat. #ProLifeCon
10:37am

"One of our messages with young audiences is, for example, 'Planned Parenthood, go fund yourself.'" #ProLifeCon
10:38am

"We can't be afraid of the comments section. We're going to be honest about pro-life issues." #ProLifeCon
10:42am

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) #ProLifeCon
10:43am

"If you want to know a lawmaker's true pro-life views, ask their wife what theirs is. That's very wise advice." #ProLifeCon
10:44am

"You're only as happy as your unhappiest child. You feel the pain with the child." #ProLifeCon
10:47am

"At twenty weeks, a baby feels pain." #ProLifeCon
10:47am

As a chemical engineer with Procter and Gamble, a personal donation of a box of shampoo saved a baby's life. #ProLifeCon
10:51am

From the Gospel of Luke: "When Elizabeth greeted Mary, the baby lept in her womb, and Elizabeth cried out with joy." #ProLifeCon
10:53am

He told his colleagues to just Google "20 weeks" on the floor of the US Senate. #20Weeks #ProLifeCon
10:55am

Sen Lindsey Graham (R-SC) #ProLifeCon
10:57am

Author of the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act" on the floor of the Senate. #ProLifeCon
10:58am

"I don't think we're gonna get sixty [votes], but we're gonna get over fifty." #ProLifeCon
10:58am

Seven countries allow abortion on demand at 20 weeks. #ProLifeCon
10:59am

"Remember the partial-birth abortion debate?" #ProLifeCon
11:01am

"Laws against partial-birth abortion because of people like you." #ProLifeCon
11:02am

"This [bill] is the centerpiece of the pro-life movement. Our time is now." #ProLifeCon
11:04am

David Scotton, Producer, I Lived on Parker Avenue #ProLifeCon
11:04am

ILivedOnParkerAvenue.com #ProLifeCon
11:06am

The mother was told by a sidewalk protester that "your baby has ten fingers and ten toes." Scotton was that baby 24 years ago, and is now sharing the truth about "the adoption option." #ProLifeCon
11:09am

Lila Rose, President, Live Action @LilaGraceRose #ProLifeCon
11:12am

"Abortion advocates paint this as a positive thing. But women don't walk into an abortion clinic because they feel powerful, but because they feel powerless. This is what actually happens in an abortion clinic." #ProLifeCon
11:18am

Pro-choicers encountered on the street in Berkeley(!!!) were shown a video of an abortion procedure. They were interviewed both before and after. #ProLifeCon
11:24am

AbortionProcedures.com #ProLifeCon
11:24am

Tony Perkins of FRC: "We are closer than ever to defunding Planned Parenthood." #ProLifeCon
11:28am

@LilaGraceRose receives this year's Digital Pro-Life Pioneer Award. #ProLifeCon
11:28am

"Thank you for being a part of this." - Tony Perkins, FRC #ProLifeCon
11:29am

Sarah Perry: "Let's go March. See you soon." #ProLifeCon
11:30am

And ... we're out! #ProLifeCon
11:30am

Thanks to all who followed our annual “Twitcast,” and a special welcome to 7 new followers. Catch the complete summation at manwithblackhat.blogspot.com. #ProLifeCon
11:31am

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A Tale of Two Weddings

The wedding of my parents was a relatively simple affair.

My father's Air National Guard unit had been activated, and he was heading off to join the occupation forces in Germany. But about a week before he shipped out, he married Mom. When I was a boy, I would ask him where they went on their honeymoon. He said he was still on it. Only years later did I learn, that it too was rather scaled-down as well.

IMAGE: The wedding of Dorothy Rosselot to Paul Alexander, with their attendants, Margery Rosselot and Raymond Alexander, St Patrick Church, Fayetteville, Ohio, June 1952.

That was sixty-five years ago this past summer.

Closer to the present, it was just thirty-five years ago today, that I was treated to the most fun I have ever had at a wedding -- believe it or not, my own.

The day was picked out well in advance using The Old Farmer's Almanac, and we got the sunny and mild weather that was predicted. It was meticulously planned to the last detail, with invitations personally silk-screened by the groom, and addressed by hand in calligraphy. As it was a daytime wedding, the groom and his attendants wore morning coats. God forbid they appear in black tie before six in the evening. There were little more than a hundred people in attendance, making the little church just over half full. The choir from the parish in Georgetown where I sang was present, singing Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus and Duruflé's Ubi Caritas in Latin, as the Divine Liturgy was chanted throughout in English and Slavonic. We exchanged custom-designed rings, each bearing a simulation of the wreathed crowns that we wore as the Gospel was proclaimed.

IMAGE: A scene from the author's first marriage, Epiphany Byzantine Catholic Church, Annandale, Virginia, September 1982.

The reception was held at the old Evans Farm Inn in McLean, Virginia. (A luxury townhouse neighborhood now stands in its place, for reasons that defy all good sense.) Papa was a rough-edged steel mill foreman from Cleveland, who dropped out of school in the ninth grade when his father died, leaving him to support the family. By this time retired, he would accept nothing less than a show of his generosity. And so, the bridal couple's choice of chicken cordon bleu for dinner was abandoned in favor of prime rib, and the event is, to this day, the only wedding I have ever attended, with an open bar.

You read that right. Open, as in, all you can drink without falling down.

We had an old-fashioned square dance. Obviously the amplification did not blow the doors off the place, so people of all ages could relax and hear themselves think. Indeed, it was a central tenet of the couple's plans, that everyone of all ages and stations in life would feel comfortable at the event. Even the priest stayed for dinner. (They don't always, usually for reasons stated above.) As for the then-happy couple, they were last seen at ten o'clock in the evening, dancing with "Doc" Botzer on the piano, doing the Salty Dog Rag.

VIDEO: Dancing to Red Foley's 1952 hit song, "The Salty Dog Rag" has been a Dartmouth College tradition since 1972, where it is taught to freshman during orientation. Don't ask me why.

The total cost of the 1982 event was roughly four thousand dollars, an expense shared between the bride's parents, the groom's parents, and the couple themselves (with descending percentages of the share in that order). Using the consumer price index, this amount would translate in 2017 to just over ten thousand dollars. The average cost of a wedding in the United States is presently estimated at just over twenty-seven thousand dollars.

The bride's sister later said that the wedding was not only excruciatingly correct, but was one where everyone was made to feel at home. The marriage was a complete disaster, but the event that started it, in this writer's estimation, is a model for all the world to follow.

The marriage lasted just under ten years. After twenty-five years, if I tell a devout Catholic that I've been divorced all this time, they'll go "Awww" and tell me how sorry they are. I state here for the record that, first, she left me, and second, after a quarter of a century I'm not sorry anymore.

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It is the observation of this writer, generally speaking, that there are only six kinds of people for whom a Catholic wedding in this day and age, especially in North America, is suited in terms of feeling at home.

1) The bride and groom (we can only hope),

2) The bridal party, as the event revolves around them, if to a lesser degree than the couple,

3) The families of the bride and groom,

4) Single young men and women of marriageable age, as such events tend to inspire them to follow suit,

5) Other married couples, for whom this occasion is to welcome the newlyweds to their mutual state in life, and finally

6) Two or more women in a group, if only to talk about what everyone else is wearing.

IMAGE: The author plays his great-uncle's 1916 Stewart banjo with the band. Fiddler-pianist Dennis "Doc" Botzer is to his left. Opposite is the renowned dance caller Louis Shapiro.

Now that may appear to cover a lot, but you may notice the absence of two categories.

One of them is celibate clergy. Priests who officiate at weddings are often invited to the reception, but they usually leave as the party is getting started. Such events as these are not the most comfortable for those who choose the celibate life, and after some years of taking the cloth, they develop an aversion to very loud music, (I'm a musician by avocation, and even I don't get the idea of cranking up the volume.)

The other is divorced or unmarried people of middle age, especially men, especially when unaccompanied. The best dancer among them will be turned down, either by many a married woman for whom this is not her husband or close friend, or an unmarried and eligible woman who does not see her unborn children in his eyes. (See item 4.) Of course, it is ill-mannnered to presume to bring a guest who is not invited by the bridal couple. It is certainly not for relationships that are less than serious, and publicly so. The guest must receive a separate invitation, or the invitation may be addressed to the invitee "and Guest."

IMAGE: In an old Eastern European custom, the bride relinquishes her veil for the babushka, signifying her entry into womanhood. Note the bridesmaids' dresses (from Garfinkles), in a style which they would be most likely to wear again.

A few years ago, one of the best friends I ever made in this God-forsaken city after more than three decades, married a young woman who is just right for him. I had occasion to meet her and her mother for brunch after Mass. The groom has also met Sal, and we have both been to his house. Our association was no secret, and he had no cause for that association as a source of scandal. So when I received the invitation, I was taken aback that it was addressed to me alone. Now, Sal is a woman of a rather high degree of breeding, born and raised in the Philippines to be well-versed in old world Spanish manners. If she was insulted by the exclusion (and she was), then she had a reason.

Nevertheless, it was the prerogative of the happy couple to decide that which was in their interest, and one should take pains here to lay stress. Mine was to decline the invitation, send them a very nice gift, and wish for them nothing but the best. He and I are still friends, but it's not the same.

Harry Truman was right about this town. If I had a much bigger place, I'd get a dog.