The Editors Eye

Though it is a little late in coming for the Church to begin discussing artificial insemination and other similar issues, Life Advocate takes a stab at it this month. Children are a blessing worth pursuing, but what price fertility?
Some have said a "revival" has broken out in Birmingham, Alabama with the explosion outside an abortuary there. The usual moans were heard from the baby killers and the usual self-serving , donor-saving denunciations have come from the pro-life movement. All this before anyone knows anything about what has actually happened. The Pavlovian responses of both sides indicates to this editor that the leaders of both sides are frozen in Bumper Sticker Rhetoric Land and have precious little time to think. If only the pro-life group leaders knew that all they had to do to "go home" to their original care for the babies was to close their eyes, click the heels of their ruby slippers together, and say, "There's no place like home."
As Michael Bray points out in his Postcard from the Edge, the pro-life and anti-abortion movements are two different things. After years of misdirecting the issues out of fear of public perception, the pro-life movement has lost, but the anti-abortion movement has not yet begun to fight.
The day of the Birmingham bombing, the FBI showed how concerned they are for my health and called me at home -- just to check whether I was at home, I suspect. As usual, they asked if I would submit to an interview, I asked if they would let me record it, they said no, and I said that I figured anyone who was afraid to have an interview recorded must have something to hide. No dice. (I had just barely heard about the event on the radio, so I would only have been able to tell them that.)
A revival rescue occurred in Washington, D.C. -- along with other activities -- in the days surrounding the yearly March for Life. Sixteen were arrested -- including Flip Benham and Pat Mahoney. A cadre of activists took the White House tour wearing pictures of dead babies. The Secret Service, ever watchful of what Boy Toy Clinton's virgin eyes might see, forbade the demonstration until the word "lawsuit" was mentioned by the inestimable Mahoney (who won a free expression battle with them before). Suddenly their objections vanished. No doubt they bought the President a pair of blinders to keep him from seeing the fruit of his labors -- possibly the same blinders worn by 80% of the nation, who now think the Chief Executive's direction of the nation's helm is just ducky.
One of our writers is in trouble -- again. Dr. Ronald Graeser, a real doctor, not the kind who kills babies, has added an artistic mural to his display of crosses on his lawn. The mural, which was commissioned through a local artist, quotes Scripture and shows developing babies, and is now the object of a criminal citation against the good doctor for erecting an illegal sign. Yes, the local constabulary is on to this evil plot of Graeser's and far be it from them to let rampant sign crimes go unpunished. Why, next thing you know, anybody -- just anybody -- will think that they can use Scripture and engage in free speech! Next thing you know, there will be roving bands of artists "making statements" all over the place and evil kingpins organizing and funding them _ a sort of wicked version of the National Endowment for the Arts. Artists and kingpins and signs! Oh, my!
The "moon" rose over a Milwaukee protest as an abortionist's wife decided to "share" the sight of her buttocks with the assembled women and children. Sorry, no photos.
A prosecutor in Oregon was evidently interested in prosecuting Kelly Keith -- who tore up child pornography being sold in Borders book stores and preserving the "free speech rights" of Borders to sell child pornography -- until Barnes & Noble, owner of the Borders chain, asked the prosecutor to back off. After all, if the jury got a chance to see the slimy stuff being sold at the stores, there might be more than a little outrage. The case was dropped.
No, we aren't going to have any stories about the Lewinsky mess -- but we couldn't resist a cartoon commentary on the matter. Just to keep you from having a completely Lewinsky-free day.

For God and for Life,

Editor-in-Chief