Beethoven says, "Vote No on Prop 4"

Cute! No on 4 to Beethoven's Fifth.

Cute Bird in British Colombia

Reminding myself that I didn't really set out to blog about politics...here's something from a Beautiful Day last summer in British Columbia.

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

Colin Powell not only endorses Obama, he also speaks out for religious liberty. I am so grateful for that, I got tears in my eyes. Worth listening to the whole 7 minutes, because the tears came during the last two.

Got hope? Oh yes.

This is how bad it would be if Prop 4 passes

For background on Prop 4, please see my previous post here.

I found this set of diagrams here. Even without reading the text, they show the mind-boggling hurdles Prop 4 would put in place of California minor teens seeking an abortion...and their doctors.

To start with, simply compare what happens today with what would happen if Prop 4 passes, even for a teen who is able to tell her parents:

Today: If Prop 4 passes:
Even the minor teen who can involve her parents would have to be very careful to document and verify that she and her doctor are following the law, or the doctor could be sued decades later. And that's the easy case!

Here's what it looks like if a minor teen seeks a judicial by-pass:

Here's what it looks like if she chooses to notify an alternate adult relative (this one takes THREE pages):


We need to make sure people understand how this law would really work (or not work)! To find out how you can help, go to www.noonprop4.org

Mystic Forest

This mystic forest is along the hike to The Chief in Squamish, B.C. It's a strenuous hike -- I can't even imagine the climb up the face, which is what Stawamus Chief is famous for! But after either one, dinner and a beer at the Howe Sound Inn can't be beat!

Vote NO on California's Prop 4

No matter how you feel about abortion, if you care about teen safety, you should Vote NO on Prop 4.

This election marks the third time a handful of anti-choice men have paid millions of dollars to signature gatherers to put a Parental Notification Constitutional Amendment on the ballot. Like Propositions 73 (2005) and 85 (2006) before it, Proposition 4 would prohibit young women from obtaining an abortion without government-mandated parental notification -- unless they go to court or document charges of parental abuse.

California voters defeated the previous two attempts because we understand that although parental notification laws may sound good, in the real world they put teenagers in danger. While we hope our teens will tell us if they are facing an unintended pregnancy, more than anything, we want them to be safe.

Most pregnant teens do involve their parents. But sadly, of the teens who don’t, most have very good reasons not to. Some fear being kicked out of the house, beaten, or worse. Others are faced with a difficult family situation, like parental substance abuse or serious health or financial problems, and simply cannot go to their parents.

Laws cannot force family communication! But they can cause desperate teens to do desperate things. We know from experiences in other states with parental notification laws in place that rather than tell a parent, teens:

• Delay care until their 18th birthday, greatly increasing the risk of complications
• Travel to other states where parental notification is not required
• Take matters into their own hands, or seek illegal providers – putting their lives at risk.

Proposition 4 threatens the safety and well being of California’s teens, especially those who need our help the most. I have four children, ages 9 through 16. I certainly hope that my daughter will come to me if she is faced with an unintended pregnancy, but if for whatever reason she chooses not to, more than anything, I want her to be safe. And I realize that some teens cannot safely involve a parent. Those teens need to access to counseling, support, and responsible medical care. That’s why I’m voting NO on Prop 4.

The more people learn about Proposition 4 (and Propositions 73 and 85 before it), the more they oppose these dangerous laws. But in this presidential election, we need to reach millions of new voters. Find out how you can help at www.noonprop4.org.