Category Archives: Legal Issues

Tough To Put Opinion Toward This Lawsuit

I can’t even bring myself to comment on this disgusting lawsuit. – Ed

Lawsuit filed over display of Bible at veterans hospital

A Bible on display at a memorial at New Hampshire’s veterans hospital should be removed because it is a violation of the First Amendment, a U.S. Air Force veteran said in a federal lawsuit Tuesday.

The Bible was carried by a prisoner of war in World War II and became part of the Missing Man Table honoring missing veterans and POWs at the entranceway of the Manchester VA Medical Center. The Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday the table was sponsored by a veterans group called the Northeast POW/MIA Network.

The lawsuit filed in Concord by James Chamberlain against the center’s director, Alfred Montoya, says the Bible’s inclusion is in violation of the Constitution. The First Amendment stipulates “that the government may not establish any religion. Nor can the government give favoritism to one religious belief at the expense of others,” according to the suit.

Chamberlain, a devout Christian, said in the lawsuit the table should be a memorial to all who have served, regardless of their beliefs. The suit said the original POW/MIA table tradition was started by a group of Vietnam combat pilots and didn’t include a Bible as one of the items.

The medical center initially removed the Bible in January after another group, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, objected, saying it got complaints from 14 patients who felt it violated the First Amendment. A variety of religions were represented among the 14.

But the Bible reappeared on the table in February. It had been removed “out of an abundance of caution,” Curt Cashour, a Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman, said in an emailed statement Tuesday. Afterward, the medical center received an outpouring of complaints from veterans and others, “many of whom dropped off Bibles at the facility” in protest, Cashour said.

After consulting with lawyers, the medical center put the Bible back on the table indefinitely, Cashour said. He called the table “a secular tribute to America’s POW/MIA community.”

He apologized to those were offended by the Bible’s “incorrect” removal.

But Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said it is the presence of the Bible that is offensive.

“It’s incredibly disrespectful, dishonorable, and most importantly, it’s illegal,” he said.

Huge News About Friend of the Podcast Michael Behenna

It’s been a long, long time coming but today, President Trump gave an Executive Grant of Clemency for friend of the podcast, Michael Behanna. I, along with numerous other members of the then called “Cyber Crew” worked hard to defend Michael from nearly the very beginning of this horrible ordeal to a true Military Hero.

A trip to DC in support of Micheal, walking the halls of the Congressional Office Building to speak with Congressmen and their staffs about the grave injustices that were placed on our friend, having Michael’s parents on the podcast more than once to keep us updated (once Michael himself got on the line to thank us for our support), and regular prayers are some of the things we’ve done on behalf of this amazing former Military Officer.  We once had former Congressman and retired LTC Allen West on the podcast just to talk about Michael.

This grant of clemency serves as a complete pardon for Michael. While he can never get back the years of pain and suffering he has endured because of this disgrace of a miscarriage of justice, I am so pleased that he can now have this part of his life behind him.

May God’s blessing always be with Michael, Vicki, Scott along with the rest of the family, friends, and fellow soldiers that were so affected by this ordeal.

Pastor Ed Boston

Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Clemency for Michael Behenna

Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency (Full Pardon) for former Army First Lieutenant Michael Behenna of Oklahoma.

In 2009, a military court sentenced Mr. Behenna to 25 years in prison for unpremeditated murder in a combat zone. After judgment, however, the U.S. Army’s highest appellate court noted concern about how the trial court had handled Mr. Behenna’s claim of self-defense. Additionally, the Army Clemency and Parole Board reduced his sentence to 15 years and paroled him as soon as he was eligible in 2014—just 5 years into his sentence. Upon his release, dozens of Patriot Guard motorcycle riders met Mr. Behenna to escort him back to his home in Oklahoma.

Mr. Behenna’s case has attracted broad support from the military, Oklahoma elected officials, and the public. Thirty-seven generals and admirals, along with a former Inspector General of the Department of Defense, signed a brief in support of Mr. Behenna’s self-defense claim. Numerous members of the Oklahoma congressional delegation, Oklahoma’s then-Governor Mary Fallin, and current Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter have also expressed support for Mr. Behenna. Further, while serving his sentence, Mr. Behenna was a model prisoner. In light of these facts, Mr. Behenna is entirely deserving of this Grant of Executive Clemency.

Another post about this topic can be found here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pardons-the-former-soldier-who-was-convicted-of-murdering-an-iraqi-prisoner/2019/05/06/158765f8-705e-11e9-9f06-5fc2ee80027a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e7a271341b53

Here is the Facebook page dedicated to this cause: https://www.facebook.com/Free-Michael-Behenna-286735434685704/

Unplanned Off To A Great Start

Box Office Shocker: UNPLANNED gives birth to fifth-place finish

Despite Twitter ban, paid media blackout and R rating, abortion biopic earns rare A+ CinemaScore and highest per-screen average of any indie-wide release film; expands in second week

LOS ANGELES, Ca. – The controversial abortion biopic UNPLANNED over-performed its pre-release projections to become the #5 movie at the box office this weekend. The film took in an estimated $6,110,000 or a cumulative per-screen average of $5,770 on only 1,059 locations across the country. The film received a rare A+ CinemaScore.

Industry projections underestimated the film’s performance, predicting $2 million to $3 million. Despite a widespread paid media blackout across mainstream and some faith-based outlets and a Saturday morning Twitter ban that was quickly lifted after online outrage, the film’s strong word-of-mouth propelled audiences to fill theaters across the country. Next week the film’s distributor plans to add an additional 600 screens for a count of 1,700 screens.

Partially financed by MyPillow executive Mike Lindell, the film is the true story of Abby Johnson, a former rising star in the Planned Parenthood corporation. As one of the youngest clinic directors in the nation, Johnson was involved in upward of 22,000 abortions and counseled countless women on their reproductive choices. Her passion surrounding a woman’s right to choose led her to become a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, fighting to enact legislation for the cause she so deeply believed in, until the day she saw an ultrasound guided abortion that changed everything.

“We are very happy for the success of this film,” said Pure Flix president Michael Scott. “To bring the story of Abby Johnson to audiences and have them show up in such large numbers shows how the topic of abortion is so important to our nation. We hope that those on both sides of the pro-life and pro-choice debate will see Unplanned and begin to have a productive dialogue. This film can be that spark to bring more hearts and minds to understanding the value of life.”

The film made national news last year when its lead actress Ashley Bratcher revealed that it wasn’t until she was on set and filming that she learned that when her mother was pregnant with her, she nearly aborted her. Controversy has subsequently dogged the film, first when it earned an R rating from the MPAA, then when several television and radio networks refused to air commercials for the film and most recently on Saturday when Twitter suspended the film’s page only to reverse itself an hour later after fan outcry and media inquiries. Going into the weekend, trailer views for the film had reached 250K. By Saturday morning, after an evening of strong word-of-mouth, trailer views climbed to 1.7 million. The film has a 93% positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

“I am blown away by the public response to UNPLANNED as well as the box office numbers,” said Bratcher. “Not only is it beyond my wildest dreams, but it has surpassed the expectations of critics across the country. Despite biased critic reviews written more like op-eds, the audience has spoken. I just learned that Unplanned received a coveted A+ CinemaScore. While that is truly an honor, the most rewarding thing about this weekend’s opening is the flood of messages I’ve received from people experiencing healing and a change of heart.”

UNPLANNED was written and directed by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman, the writers/co-producers of God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2, also distributed by Pure Flix Entertainment.

“We are thrilled, gratified and humbled,” noted Solomon and Konzelman. “We are so pleased that the American people have responded with such an enormous outpouring of support at the box office. It humbles us, and we look forward to seeing what happens in the weeks ahead.”

UNPLANNED stars Ashley Bratcher (WAR ROOM, 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN) as Johnson; Brooks Ryan as her husband, Doug; Robia Scott (CSI, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) as Abby’s superior at Planned Parenthood; Emma Elle Roberts (HUNGER GAMES:MOCKING JAY, I AM NOT ASHAMED,) as Marilisa Carney, Kaiser Johnson (LITTLE BOY, VAMPIRE DIARIES, SLEEPY HOLLOW); and Jared Lotz (OF LITTLE CONVENIENCE, THANKSGIVING) as Shawn Carney.

New Feature “Anti-Christian News” To Start on EdBoston.com

An 84-year-old woman is being threatened with eviction from the California Veterans Home where she lives if she continues to host Bible studies there.

The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) is standing up for the religious rights of Artis Breau in this case.

“For much of the past decade, Artis has volunteered with the chaplaincy program and led Bible studies in the Home,” PJI reports. “She began encountering opposition from officials last September when it was claimed that a discussion between herself and another resident about heaven and hell had allegedly caused him to lose sleep and therefore was elder abuse, emotional abuse, and otherwise illegal.”

We are going to start a new weekly feature here at EdBoston.com called “Anti-Christian News”. The more that Christians ignore or are not informed of these types of incidents – the worse it will continue to get.

The purpose of this new feature will not be just to get Christians riled up but to put out information for Christians to share and get involved with helping fight for the God-given rights that we have.

This week we will just have one story but in the future, there will be multiple stories linked and sharable.

It’s time for the “silent majority” to no longer be silent AND to sit around and not take action when these things happen.

Here is this week’s Anti-Christian News:

H/T to CBN News:

‘Deeply Disturbing:’ 84-Year-Old Widow Faces Eviction from Veterans Home for Her Voluntary Bible Studies

PJI points out Artis and her husband both served the US military honorably throughout their lives:

“Artis and her late husband moved to the Veterans Home about nine years ago. Her husband had served as a Merchant Marine in World War II, served in the famed 82nd Airborne Division overseas, and then served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Meanwhile, Artis worked as a civilian employee in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon during the Korean War.”

But officials are labeling her conversation with the other resident as “abuse.”

In December, her volunteer status at the home was suspended indefinitely and three months later she remains barred from serving in any official role.

“On Friday, March 1, PJI received an alarming e-mail from an attorney for CalVet, claiming Artis’ Bible studies were in violation of prior directives and would subject her to ‘involuntary discharge’ from the Home if they continued,” the PJI statement explains. “The Home claims it needs to protect residents from this elderly widow, even though attendance at her Bible studies is entirely voluntary.”

Meanwhile, Artis says that she’s been attacked because she’s “an evangelical Jewish believer in Jesus, which does not sit well with some of the chaplains.”

Brad Dacus, president of PJI, stated, “This shocking attack from the State against our client’s exercise of religious convictions is deeply disturbing. The State seeks to punish Artis based on non-existent directives and deprive her of a personal ministry to the veterans who have benefited from her religious services for years. Artis isn’t fighting just for herself, but for the Gospel and for the residents who are unable to fight for themselves against the State’s attempted intimidation.”

Attorneys are weighing all legal options in the case.

Why We Need the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

Opponents of the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act say that it’s unnecessary and there are laws that already address the situation. Let’s look a just few reasons they are wrong.

The reason we need this:

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act would have required that “any health care practitioner present” at the time of a birth “exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age.”

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-to-vote-on-born-alive-bill-to-protect-infants-who-survive-a-failed-abortion

Is because of this: 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker promised to make his state the most “abortion-friendly” in the nation, and a pro-life law firm warns a new bill would do just that going far beyond the scope of Roe v. Wade, including legalizing self-abortions.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/illinois-abortion-bill-will-make-state-the-abortion-capital-of-america-pro-life-group-warns

And this:

The legislation was introduced after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, endorsed post-birth abortions while discussing The Repeal Act, a state bill which sought to repeal restrictions on third-trimester abortions. Virginia Democratic Del. Kathy Tran, a sponsor of that bill, was asked at a hearing if a woman about to give birth and dilating could still request an abortion.

“My bill would allow that, yes,” Tran said. Northam, in a later interview with a radio station, backed up Tran.

“When we talk about third-trimester abortions, these are done with the consent of, obviously, the mother, with the consent of the physicians, more than one physician, by the way,” Northam said. “And, it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus that’s non-viable.”

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-to-vote-on-born-alive-bill-to-protect-infants-who-survive-a-failed-abortion

And this: 

The seven (now eight) states that have no gestational limits on abortion are: Alaska, Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vermont, along with Washington, D.C.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/7-states-already-allow-abortion-up-to-birth-not-just-new-york.html

And this:

House Bill 51, sponsored by Representative Joanne Ferrary, does away with a state statute from 1969 that made abortion a fourth-degree felony in New Mexico (except in cases of rape, incest, and harm to the mother’s health). However, being that the statute originated in 1969, the 1973 case of Roe v. Wade essentially did away with the statute – meaning that the 1960’s law is unenforceable currently.

However, fear of Roe v. Wade being overturned has led extreme abortion supporters to file for such outrageous abortion laws. HB-51, if passed, would allow for abortion without restriction up to birth in New Mexico.

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/new-mexico-latest-state-to-propose-extreme-late-term-abortion-bill/

And this:

Vermont’s new abortion bill is under fire from pro-life advocates as it would effectively sanction late-term abortion procedures and bar prosecution of “any individual” who performs or attempts an abortion.

The bill, named H. 57, which went before the state’s House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, was introduced just after New York and Virginia came under fire for bills making it easier to perform late-term abortions and – as in Virginia’s proposal – even allowing abortions up until the birth.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pro-life-advocates-fear-as-vermont-considers-bill-sanctioning-late-term-abortion

And do you want to take the word of the pro-death side of the equation? Well apparently President Trump didn’t:

The Trump administration announced Friday that it intends to bar taxpayer-funded family planning centers from promoting or perfoming abortions or referring women to other clinics for them — a move that is likely to yank money from groups like Planned Parenthood.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Title X program, a family-planning grant that helps approximately four million women a year, would be subject to a revision of regulations — including one that “prohibits the use of Title X funds to perform, promote, refer for, or support abortion as a method of family planning.”

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-administration-to-ban-abortion-referrals-by-taxpayer-funded-family-planning-clinics

Finally, go here and look at these pictures and come back and tell me you are still pro-death: 

http://www.100abortionphotos.com/

 

This Comes From A Civilized Nation???

I found the following article at Breitbart while I was researching a story about abortion being the Number 1 cause of death in the world. The original story I planned to write on can be found by clicking here: Abortion was the number one cause of death worldwide in 2018, with more than 41 million children killed before birth, Worldometers reports.

I couldn’t let the story below go without commenting on it, but I really have no idea where to begin. I am angry, confused, appalled, and sad. I could take each of those topics and talk at length on why I have those feelings, but I want to look at the real reason for abortion being the number one cause of death AND the totally outrageous remarks made in the article that follows.

THE REASON IS SATAN and EVIL IS REAL.

Ephesians 6 –  10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Put on the “full armor of God” and get ready! It’s easy to be blind-sided by Satan while being angry at an abortionist who says things that should never come from the mouth of a human!
Pastor Ed Boston

Abortionist: ‘God Performs Way More Abortions than I Do’

by Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.

In the midst of an ongoing Twitter war, an American abortionist said that God performs “way more” abortions than she does, suggesting that miscarriages are God’s abortions.

Responding to a Twitter comment last week wondering aloud of what “God thinks” of her profession, Utah abortionist Leah Torres said, “God performs way more abortions than I do, so there’s that.”

Attributing every natural death to God’s direct intervention could seem a bit much, and numerous social media users took issue with Dr. Torres’ logic. It would seem to suggest — some argued — that anyone who kills another human being at any time is doing no more than God does when people die of cancer or heart failure.

Dr. Torres is vocal in her defense of abortion as healthcare, even when it is used as birth control, and feels no need to apologize for what she does.

“Abortion is used as birth prevention. I feel fine about that,” she tweeted last week.

Last March, however, Torres got particularly detailed in her description of the abortion procedure, describing how she cuts babies’ vocal cords so they have no chance to scream.

“I transect the cord 1st so there’s really no opportunity, if they’re even far enough along to have a larynx,” she wrote. The tweet has since been deleted, presumably by its author.

As Breitbart News reported earlier this week, abortion was the number one cause of death worldwide in 2018, with more than 41 million children killed before birth in the course of the year.

As of December 31, 41.9 million infants had died at the hands of abortionists, whereas 8.2 million people died from cancer, 5 million from smoking, and 1.7 million from HIV/AIDS.

The Latest In Pro-Life News: Issue 2

Email from ACLJ on Planned Parenthood

Ed,

We’re on the precipice of devastating Planned Parenthood, but we need you.

Planned Parenthood aborts – kills – 321,384 babies a year – nearly 900 lives a day. It takes $543 million of your tax dollars a year – nearly $1.5 million every single day.

Planned Parenthood is profiteering from abortion, padding its bottom line by selling aborted babies, and bragging about taking your tax dollars.

This indescribable evil must end. Now.

For decades, we’ve been fighting in Congress and at the Supreme Court to defund Planned Parenthood. Now in a stunning reversal, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new pro-life rule defunding more than $60 million of our tax dollars from Planned Parenthood – all of Title X.

This is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood. But they won’t go down without a fight. In just weeks, we’re making a critical public legal filing to defend this new pro-life rule.

We also have a critical case pending at the Supreme Court – that could be decided any day – which could devastate Big Abortion by saving countless babies.

We need your voice. Demand Planned Parenthood be defunded now.

Sign Our Petition: Defund Planned Parenthood and Big Abortion.

Jay Sekulow
ACLJ Chief Counsel

 

Email from Live Action on New Expose

Live Action released two videos today showing Planned Parenthood employees, caught on camera at 15 different facilities across the country, willing to cover up child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking.

Recorded in 2008 and 2011, today’s videos include an investigation of child statutory rape reporting as well as child sex trafficking aiding and abetting at Planned Parenthood, adding to the mounting body of evidence that the corporation’s culture of cover up is systemic and widespread.

It’s critical with the narrative of #MeToo and #Time’sUp that America knows Planned Parenthood is part of the problem when it comes to perpetuating sexual abuse – not the solution.

These investigative videos show a corporation that is so intensely focused on profiting from the killing of preborn children, that it is willing to exploit the pain of abuse victims as a part of its corporate culture. Watch these videos, and all of the videos in our docuseries, by clicking the link below.

Watch the docuseries: https://www.liveaction.org/aidingabusers/

 

Majority of Americans want abortion ‘more restricted,’ Gallup finds

A majority of U.S. citizens continue to favor banning most abortions, according to new polling data from Gallup.

On Monday, Gallup released a new report on its annual survey of American abortion attitudes. While respondents’ self-labeling remains evenly divided, with 48% each identifying as “pro-life” and “pro-choice,” more specific questions reveal that a clear majority wants to ban most abortions.

A combined 53% of Americans favor legal abortion in “few” or “no” circumstances, while just 43% think abortion should be legal in “all” or “most” circumstances.

Further probing of American attitudes found the public “favoring more restrictive rather than less restrictive laws.”

These findings have been remarkably durable for more than two decades, as 54% or more have given Gallup the same answer every year from 1995 through 2017.

Full article at LifeSiteNews.com.

 

U.S. blocked Canada’s abortion agenda at G7 negotiations

In the lead-up to this year’s G7 summit in Quebec, Canadian officials were explicit: women and children were going to be central, and an essential component of their health and empowerment is abortion. But when the final declarations were released, all language about “reproductive rights” was removed, and, according to Devex, “the U.S. delegation…was responsible for the softer official language.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, following the famous example of Sweden, has characterized his government and its foreign policy as “feminist.” He employs quotas to ensure that half his cabinet members are women and imposes regulations on his party to support only pro-abortion policies and candidates.  For the first time, as G7 host, Canada established a Gender Equality Advisory Council which submitted its recommendations to integrate gender into the G7’s work. Other inputs included a statement from more than sixty feminists that included a call for an end to the “criminalization or restrictive regulation of abortion.”

Full article at LifeSiteNews.com.

 

Texas abortionists sue to destroy decades of pro-life laws

The abortion lobby in Texas launched a new legal strategy this week it hopes will invalidate scores of pro-life laws that have been on the books for years.

On Thursday, attorneys representing the infamous Texas abortion provider Whole Woman’s Health filed a lawsuit against the state’s ultrasound requirement, 24-hour waiting period, licensing standards, requirement that abortions be performed only by doctors rather than clinic staff, and more.

The basis of the new challenge is the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2016 decision to strike down the state’s requirement that abortionists have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and abortion facilities adhere to the same building standards as ambulatory medical facilities.