How would you feel if your daughter’s or sister’s boyfriend got her pregnant and then tricked her into taking an abortion-inducing pill?  You should take the question seriously, because this is exactly what happened recently to a young woman in Tampa, Florida.  The boyfriend responsible for forcing the miscarriage of his own child is now being charged with murder.

Make no mistake, though.  Unless we all take stand against this sort of behavior — starting with young men like myself — this type of sad story is likely to repeat itself with growing frequency across America as the administration, liberal courts, and special interest groups (all of whom purportedly support “women’s reproductive health”) pursue their commitment to make contraceptives and abortion drugs more widely available to women at an increasingly young age.  The recent ruling by federal judge Edward R. Korman — ordering the availability of the powerful “emergency contraceptive” pill known as Plan B to women of all ages — will enable situations like this to occur again far too easily.  Specifically, it reduces barriers for so-called boyfriends to simply walk into a pharmacy and acquire powerful, abortion-inducing drugs to use on their girlfriends, no questions asked.

Pimps and rapists have, for many years, abused the over-abundance of contraceptives — thanks in part to groups like Planned Parenthood — to prevent the pregnancies of their prostitutes.  Consequently, pimps can keep even their youngest victims “in business” without inconvenient questions being asked.  Making powerful and potentially dangerous drugs like Plan B even more widely available will only exacerbate the problem.  As CWA’s Dr. Janice Crouse writes:

Judge Korman is a sex abuser’s dream and a victim’s nightmare. Essentially, he creates a brand new avenue for pimps, sex traffickers, and sex predators hoping to hide the evidence of their exploitation. We are removing doctors’ examinations, one of the vital tools used to detect sexual abuse. Now, a young girl afraid she might be pregnant at the hands of her abuser will not have the opportunity to see a doctor who could offer help and protection. Instead, her abuser will feed her Plan B like it is candy. In Thailand, where the morning-after pill has been freely available since 1988, men are the largest purchasers. What is wrong with this picture? It is no secret why Thailand is considered the world’s hot spot for sex trafficking of minors.

As a young guy, I would hate to see a family member or friend coerced, manipulated, or misused, and I suspect you probably feel the same way. Twenty-something guys who oppose victimizing women need to take back the sex culture and remind both society and our leaders that it is unacceptable to treat the ladies we care about like prostitutes.  We must stand up to keep them from becoming victims of the ever-growing sex industry, enablers like Planned Parenthood, and abusive boyfriends.

However much we’d like to deny it, the truth is that young men in my age bracket have far too easy of a time acquiring the tools they need to commit atrocities like the forced miscarriage of an innocent child in Tampa.  Thanks to the efforts of liberal “reproductive health” advocates, you and I need not only keep an eye out for the traffickers, pimps, and rapists — the deceptive boyfriend has now acquired the tools to victimize your daughter, little sister, or friend in the same way, to turn her into his own personal plaything.

Don’t you wish you could click your ruby shoes together and just go home — back to a time when our government was on the right track? Unfortunately, I believe those powerful heels are property of the Smithsonian and don’t likely have enough juice left to fix the mess in which we find ourselves today.

This week topped off a trifecta of government abuse. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) targeted conservative groups seeking tax exempt status; the Department of Justice secretly led an investigation into phone records of Associated Press (AP) journalists; and the icing on the cake, which can’t be set on a back burner to cool, is the continued struggle for answers on Benghazi.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) sums it up perfectly, “Scandals represent Americans’ worst fears about big government: government is spying on you, targeting you, and lying to you.” Ouch!  You can say that again, Senator!  You know the saying, “The truth hurts.”  I hope the truths of these sandals are enough to activate the American people, because ultimately, they are the ones being abused by their government.  Let’s remember, targeting those who are criticizing our government is not just an issue of concern to conservatives, but one that should be of concern to anyone who might want to question the government.

These scandals show what happens when those in power overlook the purpose of government and, instead, see only a chance for political indoctrination.

For the head of our government to tell the American people he “found out” about the IRS overreach of power at the same time they did, when it was leaked, is simply inexcusable — especially since that same sentiment seems to have become a favorite last line of defense: “I don’t know.”  Eric Holder, who has been caught with his hands in the proverbial cookie jars of multiple scandals, recently told elected officials during Congressional hearings that he doesn’t know the specifics within his own department regarding the AP phone grab. Hillary Clinton said the same when she was asked questions about the State Department’s involvement in Benghazi, and President Obama can’t say whether the White House had any involvement in this trio of scandals.

This is not about partisan issues; the buck stops with the person in charge. The fact of the matter is, unfortunately, that this administration cannot run its offices with integrity. It’s time for those who have been entrusted with authority to take responsibility for the positions they’ve chosen to accept; and with that responsibility comes accountability.  An answer like, “I don’t know,” is simply unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. They’re not figureheads; it’s part of their job to know.

And if everyone is on the same page, uttering the same “I don’t know/it wasn’t me/mistakes were made” mantra, then it stands to reason that they’re not just protecting themselves; there must be someone else, higher up, pulling the strings … someone else, higher up, who will ultimately be damaged by these scandals … someone else, higher up, who doesn’t want to be seen … someone else, higher up, who doesn’t have the moral fiber or requisite integrity to take responsibility for his brazen and foolish actions.

So it’s “Deflect, deflect, deflect.”  Pay no attention to the little tyrant behind the curtain.

CWA’s Alison Howard speaks at the House Triangle before the coalition delivers hundreds of thousands of petitions to the Chinese Embassy.

What if I told you there were millions of girls who were never given a chance to “lean in”? … Left out of the conversation. … Not invited to the table.  What if I told you they were systematically being eliminated not only from the workforce but from life itself?

I didn’t believe it either, until a friend pointed me to a movie that sounds about as “girly” as one can get.  “It’s a Girl.”  Those are words usually met with joyous applause, right?  Wrong.  It’s a Girl is a film documenting how, in many parts of our world, those three words are a death sentence.

Concerned Women for America is made up of over 500,000 members, many of whom were shocked to hear — like you will be — that there are over 160 million missing girls in this world, missing just because they were born female.  It is a sad reality, but in India, China, and many other parts of the world, girls are killed, aborted, and abandoned simply because they are girls.  The United Nations estimates that as many as 200 million girls are missing in the world today because of “gendercide,” the deliberate extermination of girls in favor of boys.  This is the true “war on women” — a long war, rooted in centuries-old tradition and sustained by cultural and government policies that value little boys over little girls.

But thanks to the efforts of a coalition against gendercide, especially that of the newly released It’s a Girl movie and movement, we are no longer uninformed and unaware.

Did you know that India and China kill more females every year than the number of girls born in the U.S in a year?  China also has the highest female suicide rate in the world, with over 500 women ending their lives every day in China according to the World Health Organization.  We have a real human rights problem and are seeing the systematic elimination of women and girls. Concerned Women for America has and will call discrimination out when we see it.  And if we do not join hands on this devastating issue and condemn the sex-selective practices in this world, we will fail future generations of mothers, sisters, teachers, doctors, and leaders.

It is because of this gendercide that we see, in countries like China and India, an unnatural ratio of men to women.  There are 37 million more men than women in each of these countries today, leading to devastating societal consequences.

You can easily see how a rising population of frustrated single men spells trouble.  We’ve seen an increase in the horrors of sex trafficking, forced marriages, and the kidnapping of women.  This is all very, very real for women across those countries.

This is not a Left or Right issue; this is common ground.  Even Hillary Clinton lamented the practice of sex selection in China and India.  All of the talk of reaching across  the aisle for positive change in this world can start right here on this issue.  On Tuesday, April 23, members of Congress, led by Reps. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) and Jim McDermott (D-Washington) joined with the Coalition Against Gendercide to highlight this tragedy by screening It’s a Girl.

On April 24, I had the honor of speaking at the House Triangle before the coalition delivered hundreds of thousands of petitions addressed to China to the front door of the Chinese Embassy (petitions which the Chinese Embassy refused to receive, by the way).

So how can a girl “lean in” if she can’t even get out?  Protecting a girl in the womb and at birth is the first chance at giving her a fighting chance in this world.  Today, I challenge you to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.  The film, It’s a Girl, is a great tool to help people understand why those are the three deadliest words to hear in many places today.

Encourage everyone you know to see it, and then take action to end this horrific practice.

But unborn children need you more.

I thought it would be a lazy Tuesday morning; I thought everything would go smoothly.  But then, “You’ve got Mail!”  And, well, I’ll let you read it for yourself:

“There won’t be as many babies killed this year, but the slaughter is still moving forward.  We have made big strides, but our work isn’t finished yet! … 2013 must be the last year that the … slaughter takes place — and with your help, we can save … lives.  Please donate now — help us stop the senseless slaughter. … Unless something changes, without more help from … defenders like you, this horror will occur again.  Please donate today so that we can ramp up our campaign to stop the slaughter.  This massacre is a terrible price to pay. …”

Despite what you may think, this isn’t from any of the pro-life groups with which you’re familiar.  However, it is a pro-life message … for baby seals.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the adorable baby seals just as much as anyone else, but the Left’s obsession with saving anything but human babies is beginning to wear my patience thin.  I’m tired of hearing the women of my generation being urged to give up their world in order to “save the earth” — “courageously” killing our future in the name of “freedom of choice.”  I’m also tired of hearing about women like 29-year-old Jennifer Morbelli walking into abortion clinics and dying days later from “complications” after having their late-term children ripped from their wombs.

Over 4,000 children are aborted each day in America — over 4,000 children crying, screaming — no, shrieking in horror — for a chance at the same life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that the Left has twisted into a license to kill.  Over 4,000 children a day.  Is this not a “senseless slaughter”?  Is this, too, not a “massacre” in the truest sense of the word?

Groups like PETA bemoan the slaughter of baby seals and condemn the women who wear the furs.  But Left-leaning groups support the slaughter of innocent human children and ignore the women who are forced to wear their decision to abort on their hearts and consciences for the rest of their lives.

Where, oh liberal Left, is your compassion?

This hypocrisy — this cultural insanity — is what first drove me to work with groups like Concerned Women for America (CWA), which was founded after Beverly LaHaye heard NOW’s founder, Betty Friedan, claim to speak for the women of America.

Like me, Beverly knew this Leftist woman didn’t represent her beliefs or those of the vast majority of women.  And they still don’t.  NOW … NARAL … Planned Parenthood and the rest. … They don’t speak for me.  They don’t think for me.

And they shouldn’t speak or think for you.

It’s time to rise up, ladies.  It’s time to stand and take the microphone back from loudmouthed, liberal feminists who hate children.

It’s time to stand with Concerned Women for America.

Seal the deal.  Donate here.  But for pity’s sake, don’t just throw money at the problem.  Get involved in a state chapter of CWA or, if you’re in college, check out Young Women for America.  But whatever you do, do it today.  Because, “unless something changes,” the horror of abortion will occur again … and again … and again.

Today’s guest blogger is Christian Shelby, a volunteer with Concerned Women for America.

“Do you know someone who’s had an abortion?” The question caught me off guard as I shook my head up and down. As a devout pro-life advocate, I have met many women who have suffered the emotional and physical wounding of an abortion. But I wasn’t prepared for a 13-year-old to ask so boldly, and it didn’t appear he was ready for the answer.

I teach Sunday school to a bunch of bright middle school kids. And that question was posed to me last week by a student. The topic of our discussion was seeking God’s discernment and recognizing right from wrong. Naturally — ok, not so naturally — I switched gears and brought up Planned Parenthood’s history of lies to women. I wanted these kids to realize how discernment is our lifeline when it comes to the skillful deception of our society.

Unorthodox as it is to tie these two subjects together, I won’t allow my students to enter high school and college without knowing what Scripture tells us about the sanctity of life. Because as I looked out at the faces of my seemingly naïve students, I knew that most had already come face to face with the realities of pre-marital sex, unplanned pregnancies, and girls considering abortions. I was reminded of this fact by a pro-life leader I greatly admire, Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America (SFLA). In SFLA’s new book Courageous: Students Abolishing Abortion in this Lifetime, Kristan writes, “Our nation’s schools are the Ground Zero of the abortion wars.”

Kristan would know. Along with SFLA staff and student members, she manages 637 pro-life student chapters in 48 states, with the purpose of educating, equipping, and empowering students to end abortion and help women and their families have all the resources they need to choose Life.

In their new book, Courageous: Students Abolishing Abortion in this Lifetime, SFLA highlights the importance of spreading the pro-life message among students by profiling 12 young people in their courageous decisions to either 1) stand up for life on their campuses/in their community, or 2) choose life. One chapter features Rebekah, who was raped in college, became pregnant, and chose life. Another profiles Andrea, a girl who always thought she was pro-life until she got pregnant. And another chapter profiles Caroline, a physician-assistant student who was also expelled for wanting to host a pro-life doctor on campus.

In an e-mail to Concerned Women for America (CWA), Kristan told us that she decided to write Courageous, to inspire pro-lifers — young and old — who face challenges every day to continue on, and to show the nation the real, emotional stories of this pro-life generation.

Encouragement is what pro-life, pro-family Americans need during these tumultuous cultural times and that is exactly what I gained from reading Courageous. Facing everything from expulsion from medical school to abuse and even death threats, these students were unwavering in their struggle to preserve life.

Look out, though, because the students who share their stories in Courageous are the nation’s up-and-coming pro-life leaders. They are the next Kristan Hawkinses and Penny Nances in training. I can tell you from experience that from middle school, young people are facing intense pressure from pro-abortion lobbyists disguised as teachers and school administrators. They are like present-day Daniels imprisoned in the Lions’ Den, Esthers in the King’s Court, and Davids facing their Goliaths — Planned Parenthood.

Pray for them, that like the Godly men and women of old, they too will receive the strength and power to persevere, despite intense pressure to cave in to the lies of anti-life abortionists.

*To buy your own paperback or an e-book version of Courageous: Students Abolishing Abortion in this Lifetime, visit www.courageousthebook.com.

Warning: Pro-life advocates, or anyone who possess an ounce of compassion, will find the content of this blog post difficult to stomach.

It’s horrifying enough to have innocent children aborted inside their mother’s womb. But now we’ve learned United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) hospitals have employed a post-birth abortion procedure called “death pathways” to dispose of sick, disabled, and simply unwanted newborn babies, as well as elderly patients, according to The UK Daily Mail.

To spare you the gruesome details, I will simply tell you that a newborn whose parents choose to place their child on a “death pathway” is essentially starved and dehydrated to death, either in neonatal units, a hospice center, or a family home. The starvation process typically lasts ten days before the child dies.

An anonymous U.K. doctor, who felt remorse after supervising over ten newborn deaths, blew the whistle on “death pathway’ procedures in the British Medical Journal, writing:

“Like other parents in this predicament, they are now plagued with a terrible type of wishful thinking that they could never have imagined. They wish for their child to die quickly once the feeding and fluids are stopped.

“They [parents] wish for their child to die quickly once the feeding and fluids are stopped. They wish for pneumonia. They wish for no suffering. They wish for no visible changes to their precious baby.”

“I know, as they cannot, the unique horror of witnessing a child become smaller and shrunken, as the only route out of a life that has become excruciating to the patient or to the parents who love their baby.”

U.K. Ministers have dubbed death pathways “controversial” and are launching an investigation. But we know there is nothing controversial about this homicidal scheme. “Death pathway” is another term for “infanticide” or “euthanasia.”  Folks, nationalized health care and government-sanctioned abortion have a ghastly dark side.  While Americans choose to ignore it, we are watching it play out in Great Britain.  And the bitter irony of a world that celebrates Kate Middleton’s pregnancy while quietly allowing the brutal, barbaric starvation and dehydration of children is not lost on those of us who fight daily against such atrocities.

In the United States, on January 25, 2013, Americans will gather in our nation’s capital to commemorate the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  Forty years of innocent bloodshed — nearly 55 million lives — is 40 years too many.

Protect innocent life. Join with Concerned Women for America (CWA) this January to remember Roe and recommit to life.

Hey baby, you’re cool.  You’re hip.  And you’ve come a long way.  You deserve … a Grande.  At least, that’s what Starbucks would have us believe.  The liberal little coffee roasters have introduced their “Geisha” blend, and at seven bucks a cup, it is the thing to have in your hand as we hit the gas and drive straight for the fiscal cliff like Thelma and Louise.

Seriously, I can’t imagine why, during an economic downturn of epic proportions, Starbucks would float a new coffee blend that you had to pay for with your firstborn child.  My taste buds are just as discriminating as the next customer’s, although Starbucks pointedly avoids using that term.  We mustn’t discriminate.  That’s bad, bad, bad … and so very old, white, and Republican.  No, Starbucks has “loyal reserve customers who are interested in any opportunity to try something as rare and exquisite as the Geisha varietal.”  Well lull me into submission; that was so slick I almost reached for my credit card.

But I can’t.  Not at seven-dollars per Grande.  Nope.  Something must be done about this.  So let’s put on our thinking caps.  (Cue the Jeopardy music.)

A-ha!  I have it!  We’ll get it written into ObamaCare!  Don’t laugh yet.  If we can squeeze an HHS Mandate for birth control out of ObamaCare, why can’t we get one for coffee?  And now that the elections are over, we might even be able to get Sandra Fluke as our poster girl!

Follow the logic.  As a cash-strapped law student, Sandra Fluke already can’t afford Walmart’s nine-dollar-per-month contraception prices.  Hence the HHS Mandate.  Well, if she can’t afford nine dollars for birth control, then she certainly can’t afford seven dollars for a cup of coffee.

And let’s be frank, as a law student, she needs coffee more than she needs birth control.  Copious amounts of java are needed to keep a law student awake all night cramming for those finals.  If Fluke can’t get her coffee, she can’t score well on her exams.  And would you be able to sleep at night knowing that you deprived her of the ability to do her best in school?  I thought not.

So let’s rally the troops and get Sandra to get us some free, overly expensive coffee.  She may not be a slut or a prostitute, but in this case, maybe she wouldn’t mind being our Geisha girl.

Today’s guest blogger is Christian Shelby, a volunteer with Concerned Women for America from Virginia.

According to poll results tweeted by CNBC last night, 56 percent of viewers herald Paul Ryan as the winner of the first and only vice-presidential debate, and only 36 percent determined Biden the champ.  Yet, due to Vice President Biden’s rousing display of eccentric claims, this morning, mainstream media outlets are calling the debate a draw.

In truth, the winner of this debate depends on who you ask.

Women took note that in this debate a wide-range of issues important to us were brought to the table.  After last week’s presidential debate failed to focus on abortion or religious liberty, it was heartening to hear both Biden and Ryan respect the sanctity of life.  But it was Ryan who came across as steadfast on faith and the need to protect life, “Our faith informs us in everything we do.  My faith informs me about how to take care of the vulnerable, of how to make sure that people have a chance in life.  Now, you want to ask basically why I’m pro-life?  It’s not
simply because of my Catholic faith.  That’s a factor, of course.  But it’s also because of reason and science. … I believe life begins at conception.”

But the major sticking point for women in this debate had more to do with style than actual substance.  Vice President Biden’s unprecedented strategy called for 82 interruptions, eye-rolling, and laughing during serious discussion of the War Against Terror.  Not the type of behavior voters found flattering to America’s second in command.

Women were unconvinced by Biden’s over-the-top antics.  All of the women on a CNN post-debate panel criticized Biden’s rude behavior and condescending tone.  Though Ryan remained composed, he was not short of quips and snarky remarks, going so far as to say, “I know you are under duress to make up for lost ground, but I think people would be better served if we don’t interrupt each other.”

Undecided voters, too, found Biden’s tone unprofessional.  Every undecided women participating in a CNN focus-group panel criticized Biden for his distasteful manner.  One undecided woman commented, “I thought Paul Ryan … was trying to educate us, teach us, until Joe Biden would bumble in and tried to distort things by overriding him, talking, and being a buffoon in general.”  Another undecided North Carolina voter, Nella Stevens, commented, “I’m not totally decided, but the vice presidential debate has swayed me toward Romney/Ryan.”  When Stevens was asked how she graded the candidates, she answered, “C– for Biden , if for no other reason than rudeness and aggression; B+ for Ryan for poise, articulate answers, calmness and overall good sportsmanship.”

Overall, many believe Ryan could have aggressively tackled Biden’s points with potency, but his restrained attitude showed a humility and respect not normally seen in politicians.  Ryan’s strategy was simple.  Knowing his off-the-cuff attitude, Ryan let the truth shine through facts and statistics and sit back and allowed Biden to self-destruct.  American women and undecided voters needed to see steady, consistent leadership.

Apparently, those who saw the debate via split screen opined that Ryan won, while those who watched the debate without a split screen labeled the debate a draw.

Independents finally woke up during last night’s presidential debate.

This debate wasn’t a popularity contest or one of those “let’s see who has the last word” kind of things. It was about providing Americans with real solutions to the ever-increasing fiscal crisis. Let’s face it, Romney hit this one out of the ball park as he reminded Americans of the limited role of government and the liberties endowed by our Creator, stating, “We are endowed by our Creator with our rights, I believe we must maintain our commitment to religious tolerance and freedom in this country.”

Obama appealed to his audience, wishing his wife a happy anniversary, but failed to woo all other women when he was unable to articulate his economic policies. Women make 80 percent of all consumer purchasing decisions and needed to hear how the president will overhaul the nation’s ever-increasing spending habits.

According to a Las Vegas-area focus group, America’s moms have a new perspective on this presidential election after watching last night’s debate. The focus group was comprised of moms who shop at the discount retail chain Wal-Mart (a.k.a., “Wal-Mart moms”) and have children under the age of 18. Such women represent 27 percent of all registered women voters. Many of these Wal-Mart moms were undecided before this debate, but they now favor Romney, saying that he “seemed more aggressive and very forthright,” and “I was undecided and [now] I’m more leaning towards Romney.”

For us Wal-Mart moms and all Americans across the country, this debate was about answers to jobs and desperately needed leadership.

Finally, we have some answers and direction. Even if you disagree with Romney’s policies, you must admit he successfully communicated his economic recovery plans and addressed the president’s failing policies over the last four years.

Yesterday, I gathered all of the Concerned Women for America (CWA) staff to pray that God would grant both candidates wisdom and peace of mind as they entered the debate. But above all, CWA prayed that truth would shine through the candidates’ answers. That prayer was answered.

One down, two debates to go.

Have no fear, the federal government is here! Wait… that isn’t right.

I’m no damsel in distress, and neither are you. The days of a masked hero helping those in need are, so it seems, nonexistent. But that is exactly what’s unfolding before our very eyes.

The government wants to tell “we the people” how to live. Citizens, if you think politics won’t directly affect you, think again.  New York City’s mayor decided to ban sugary drink sizes to 16 ounces, putting a limit on buying soda in order to thin out an obese New York populace.  Michelle “The Lunch Lady” Obama has implemented an Orwellian lunch program to regulate what American children can and cannot eat, and health (for the mother, not for the abortion-targeted baby) mandates are being shoved down citizens’ throats despite how deeply they offend citizens’ religious convictions.

And it doesn’t stop there.  As if forcing you to pay for abortions weren’t enough, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius blatantly ignored — and arrogantly violated — federal law by using her Cabinet position to tell Americans to vote for President Obama.

Where are the outraged media elites?  Where’s the lone, masked hero who fights against those who abuse their power?  As you’ve heard, time and time again, this election is one of the most important elections of our life time.  We cannot allow our government to keep implementing laws that go against “we the people.”

Americans, listen up!  If you want a government that will cater to your every need, you’re living in the wrong country.  This country — the one built on freedom and liberty, bought by the blood and sweat of our ancestors, and lusted after by the rest of the world — is not a country of equal handouts, but of equal opportunity to work hard to achieve our ambitions.  Yet, that is not what we are seeing.  Instead, we have an administration that has implemented more federal control over American citizens’ everyday lives, and what are Americans doing about it?  Nothing!

It’s the American citizens’ choice, but I urge you to take a good, hard look.  It’s time to bring our country back to its founding.  Ben Franklin once said, “It is a republic, if we can keep it.”  So, I ask, can we?

Concerned Women for America (CWA) is doing what it takes to keep our government accountable to the taxpayers.  CWA’s She Votes 2012 project is working to make sure Americans are registered to vote in this extremely important election.  Are you ready?  Are you registered?  With voter registration ending on October 8 in most states, now is not the time to idly wonder.  Click here now to see if you’re registered. … And if you aren’t, stay on the site and do something about it.