From 1789 to 2009 - A proclamation to give thanks for all that God has given us
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
- George Washington
A footnote - Without the right to life, there are no other rights, no other duties, no other opportunities.
Remember these words during this Thanksgiving as you look about you and thank God for His many blessings.- John J. Jakubczyk
Fort. Hood Massacre - 14 people died
Major Nidal M. Hasan has been charged with the murders of thirteen people. Yet 14 people died on that bloody day. So why won't federal prosecutors charge the Muslim extremist with the death of the unborn child who was killed by Hasan as well?
It is a serious and legitimate question given the intentional effort of Hasan to kill as many as possible. The child was wanted by his mother and the child is a human being. The federal government also has a law on the books to address just this problem. Further the killer did not give the mom a choice. He just acted in the same way abortionists do. So prosecutors need is to look like they can file a case against this killer for destroying not only the adults but the child in the womb as well.
Anything less is cowardice.
The health care issue - now what?
With the passage of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to the health care bill, the house narrowly passed the entire bill 220-215. The bill is seriously flawed, including from a strictly pro-life perspective and it is a mistake to think that simply because the Stupak amendment was attached, we have dome all we can do. There is still so much that needs to be added to the bill to eliminate any possibility that abortion and euthanasia will be funded or promoted by any federal legislation.
Now for the record, I do not like this bill or any of the Senate versions. I think that the federal government corrupts most of what it touches, be it education, energy policy, you name it. I think that the most effective government efforts are at the local and state levels and that the principle of subsidiarity should apply. Further the private sector, the churches and the public charities should take up the slack as they all are more effective and efficient than government bureaucracies.
But it seems that my voice and opinion are not shared by those in Washington, D.C.
The following Pro-life amendments were voted down in the Senate Finance Committee. However, they should be presented as absolutely necessary to address our minimum concerns as pro-lifers.
Abortion Mandate
Hatch Amdt. #C14 (355): Prohibits authorized or appropriated federal funds under this Mark from being used for elective abortions and plans that cover such abortions.
Enzi Amdt. #12 (426): To ensure that mandates on abortions are prohibited.
Enzi Amdt. #C13 (427): To ensure that abortions are not paid for with federal funds and for the purchase of supplemental abortion coverage without federal funds.
Enzi Amdt. #C14 (428): To ensure state abortion laws and regulations are not preempted by provisions in the underlying bill.
Conscience Protections
Enzi Amdt. #C15 (429): To ensure that conscience protections are applied.
Hatch Amdt. #13 (354): Non-discrimination on abortion and respect for right of conscience.
Physician Assisted Suicide
Hatch Amdt. #C12 (353) [Accepted in Concept]: Prohibits federal funds under this Bill from being used to pay for assisted suicide and offers conscience protections to providers or plans refusing to offer assisted suicide services.
As my friends over at A.U.L.said "The abortion lobby is using health care reform to try to end-run around the Hyde Amendment which has been a thorn in their side. Their ultimate objective is to define abortion as basic health care, which Americans do not support." In fact he latest
polls show that the American people not only oppose the health care bills but also supported the ban on use of federal dollars for abortion.
The pro-abortion side intends to strip the bill of the Stupak amendment in conference committee after the Senate does its thing. Whether it ever gets through the Senate will depend on you and me and the 52% of the American people on record opposing socialized medicine. And the Left will argue to remove the ban of abortion funding. But we have other concerns about the bill as we ell.
We are concerned about the cost and the burden it will place on the next generation of taxpayers - our children. We are concerned about the whole end of life emphasis on "end of life" counseling. Now to be candid, if I were giving the end of life counseling, everyone would consider it a good conversation. after all who we are and what we should do in our last days is very important and both relationally and spiritually significant. Words like reconciliation and forgiveness and restoring relationships with loved ones so that love and peace will mark the end of one's life should be the focus of a conversation. Addressing the issues of planning and finances and making sure there are those to care for survivors are essential to the process. But we must always recognize the dignity of the person and his intrinsic worth as a human being.
So we must demand strong conscience provisions for health care providers.
We must make sure there is no push to define our elderly and those disabled as burdens to their family and society.
We should demand that Planned parenthood receive absolutely NO money from this Health care bill or any more money from HHS or the federal government.
Finally we must demand that the Senate respect the citizens of this country and have a fair and open debate on the entire bill- all 1900 plus pages, so that the American people will actually know what the bill states and what the impact will be on the average citizen.
The people deserve nothing less.
WASHINGTON (November 7, 2009) — The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of right-to-life organizations in the 50 states, issued the following statement regarding today's actions in the House of Representatives on the health care restructuring legislation, H.R. 3962.
The House adopted the NRLC-backed Stupak-Pitts Amendment, 240-194. The Stupak-Pitts Amendment removed two major pro-abortion components from H.R. 3962. Specifically: (1) the amendment would permanently prohibit the new federal government insurance program, the "public option," from paying for abortion, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest; and (2) the amendment would permanently prohibit the use of the new federal premium subsidies ("affordability credits") to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest). The amendment was sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mi.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.). It was supported by 176 Republicans and 64 Democrats. It was opposed by 194 Democrats. One Republican withheld his support by voting "present."
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson said: "The Obama White House and top congressional Democratic leaders spent months concealing and misrepresenting provisions that would directly fund abortions through a government plan, and subsidize premiums for private abortion plans. Today's bipartisan House vote is a sharp blow to the White House's pro-abortion smuggling operation. But we know that the White House and pro-abortion congressional Democratic leaders will keep trying to enact government funding of abortion, and will keep trying to conceal their true intentions, so there is a long battle ahead."
The Associated Press reported, "Abortion rights advocates called the measure the biggest setback to women's reproductive rights in decades."
In addition to working hard to remove abortion subsidies from the bill, NRLC has sought to educate lawmakers and the public about components of H.R. 3962 that could result in rationing or discriminatory denial of lifesaving medical care. A letter sent by NRLC to the House late today, summarizing objectionable elements of the amended bill, is posted here. The letter states: "We will continue to work to correct provisions that we find objectionable in this area, both in the health care legislation that will come before the Senate, and in any conference committee on health care legislation. We reserve the right to score the roll call vote on the conference report, or on any Senate-passed bill, if these concerns are not
adequately resolved."
PHOENIX (November 8, 2009) Arizona Right to life noted passage of the House bill on Health care reform after adoption of the Stupak-Pitts amendment by blasting the House leadership for the late night tactics and continued deception of the American people. John Jakubczyk stated, " The late night vote over this weekend orchestrated by Nancy Pelosi reflects a desperation on the part of pro-abortion democrats who want to pass a bill that still contains objectionable and unconstitutional elements that offend the sensibilities of the American people. So their answer to representative government is to meet in the dead of night and pass a 2000 page monstrosity and call it serving the people. Aside for m the conscience clause problems and the "death panels" still in the bill, the punitive use of the tax code to scare people into subjugation has yet to be digested by the American people. When it is, there will be a roar that will make the August recess look like a walk in the park."
Jakubczyk also commended Doug Johnson and the NRLC staff for their efforts to keep pro-lifers focused on getting the needed votes to pass the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. Jakubczyk also stressed that the Democratic leadership could attempt to jettison the amendment if the bill gets to a joint conference committee with the Senate version and reminded everyone that vigilance is required along with eliminating other objectionable parts of the bill.
Since many people have heard of the
The Hippocratic Oath, I thought it would be appropriate with all this discussion of Health care to provide it to the reader so that one would know exactly how the classical and modern versions read.
I SWEAR by Apollo the physician, Aesculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation.
TO RECKON him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look up his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according the law of medicine, but to none others.
I WILL FOLLOW that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give a woman a pessary to produce abortion.
WITH PURITY AND WITH HOLINESS I will pass my life and practice my Art. I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves.
WHATEVER, IN CONNECTION with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
WHILE I CONTINUE to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!
Here is a modern version of the same oath.
I SWEAR in the presence of the Almighty and before my family, my teachers and my peers that according to my ability and judgment I will keep this Oath and Stipulation.
TO RECKON all who have taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents and in the same spirit and dedication to impart a knowledge of the art of medicine to others. I will continue with diligence to keep abreast of advances in medicine. I will treat without exception all who seek my ministrations, so long as the treatment of others is not compromised thereby, and I will seek the counsel of particularly skilled physicians where indicated for the benefit of my patient.
I WILL FOLLOW that method of treatment which according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patient and abstain from whatever is harmful or mischievous. I will neither prescribe nor administer a lethal dose of medicine to any patient even if asked nor counsel any such thing nor perform the utmost respect for every human life from fertilization to natural death and reject abortion that deliberately takes a unique human life.
WITH PURITY, HOLINESS AND BENEFICENCE I will pass my life and practice my art. Except for the prudent correction of an imminent danger, I will neither treat any patient nor carry out any research on any human being without the valid informed consent of the subject or the appropriate legal protector thereof, understanding that research must have as its purpose the furtherance of the health of that individual. Into whatever patient setting I enter, I will go for the benefit of the sick and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief or corruption and further from the seduction of any patient.
WHATEVER IN CONNECTION with my professional practice or not in connection with it I may see or hear in the lives of my patients which ought not be spoken abroad, I will not divulge, reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
WHILE I CONTINUE to keep this Oath unviolated may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art and science of medicine with the blessing of the Almighty and respected by my peers and society, but should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse by my lot.
One will note that the act of procuring or committing an aboriton is strictly forbidden.
