by Laura Beth

Getting Personal #27: Reflections, On My Birthday

Image Credit: quotesgram.com

There’s no significant holiday in August, so my birthday has always felt like one.

My parents have a beautiful frame that holds two of my footprints and my birth announcement. Around the age of 10, I remember reading it, trying to understand it, and then carefully taking the frame it to my mom, asking her what it meant.

There’s a reason why there are two footprints in that frame.

The first one, very tiny, has the following caption:

1 lb., 15 oz.

The second one, a little bigger, has the following caption:

5 lbs., 10 oz.

—

I came into this world 15 weeks too soon.

I was given a 50/50 chance of survival.

I am a survivor.

My birth announcement indicates that I came home from Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City on my actual due date – November 18th.

—

Through pictures and stories, I learned I was on oxygen for the first full year of my life. I was hospitalized twice within that first year for the common cold.

My favorite baby picture is the one where my dad’s wedding ring fit through my whole hand, hanging off my tiny wrist like a bracelet.

I first flew on an airplane when I was six months old, oxygen and all.

My parents put me in every kind of therapy program imaginable – Speech, occupational, physical. You name it, I was probably in it.

As I grew older, I simply marveled at, and was humbled by, my beginnings.

I was placed in a class called “Developmental First” at my elementary school, in between kindergarten and first grade. It technically held me back for a year, but it was a wonderful class that helped me immensely. There were about 10 other kids in the class with me, who all needed an extra boost, so to speak. My mom and my teacher, Mrs. Mansell, are still close friends to this day.

I was in occupational therapy until third grade, working on my motor skills.

I was in speech therapy until fourth grade. I still remember the day that I was pulled out of Mrs. Hartis’s class and told that I had “graduated” from speech.

Towards the end of elementary school, I discovered my passion for writing. The “Young Authors” program / contest was held every year, and each student created their own story, writing and illustrating it. Once finished, it was bound with spiral-looking plastic and sent off to be reviewed. My little book, titled “Electro Girl,” was chosen for recognition, and my parents and I were invited to an awards ceremony. That ceremony is also where I also met my best friend, Melissa.

Since then, I haven’t been illustrating any more books, but I’ve been trying to write them. I’ve kept a blue binder, covered in stickers, that’s full of stories that I wrote from age 10, all the way through the end of high school. I want to dig it out at some point and look through it again.

Reflecting on my time so far on this Earth, I feel immensely humbled and blessed. There were so many people who bent over backwards for me – My parents, my family, our friends, the doctors and nurses, teachers, and so many others. There were thousands of prayers, kind words, and constant encouragement – Then, and now.

Before I leave you on this gorgeous Sunday morning, I want to share my favorite Bible verse with you.

Jeremiah 29:11

Image Credit: lilyandval.com

Image Credit: embeddedfaith.org

I think I was in sixth grade when I was first introduced to this passage. I clearly remember the first time I read this passage in my own Bible – I immediately grabbed a pen and underlined it.

For those who know me, I almost NEVER make marks / highlights / notes in any books, at all, unless it’s super important or significant.

It’s stuck with me ever since.

On tough days, I know that I can look at this verse, and I feel peace.

God has a plan.

He always does.

—

Thanks for reading.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

06.24.16

by Laura Beth

Getting Personal #23: Home Ownership

Image Credit: pinterest.com

I wanted to give everyone an update on why my posts have been few and far between recently.

A week ago today, Al and I closed on our first house.

We’re homeowners!

With that said, we’ve dived into the world of home improvements, head-first. The Home Depot, Lowe’s, thrift stores, and Craigslist are becoming our best friends.

I’m taking all of next week off from work, and I couldn’t be more excited. We’re having someone come in to help restore the original hardwood floors. My main goal for the week is to get the entire kitchen cleaned, organized, and filled with all of our amazing wedding gifts. We’ll hopefully have some fresh paint on the walls and ceilings, too!

So, that’s the main reason that I haven’t been posting recently or regularly.

There will be pictures, I promise!

Adventure Time: Norfolk, VA Edition (Round 2 – Lantern Asia Exhibit)

Perfect slogan. It truly was art and magic.

Back in April, Al and I wanted to check out LanternAsia at the Norfolk Botanical Garden for ourselves. We had heard rave reviews and seen the advertisements everywhere. It was the first exhibition of its kind to come to Norfolk and the Garden – and it was completely worth it! It was so popular that it was decided that the exhibit would be extended for an extra week, in time for Mother’s Day. By that week, nearly 90,000 visitors had come to see the mix of art and magic.

We journeyed out to the Garden around 4:00 p.m. on an unseasonably chilly April afternoon. I’m glad we bought our tickets online. It wasn’t packed, but we knew it would be by nightfall.

Art by day.

Hanging flowers over the first footbridge.

One of my favorite pieces. This was constructed entirely of china/porcelain bowls, spoons, plates, cups, and saucers – All held together by fishing line and wires. Amazing!

Fabric on top, and thousands of glasses with colored water on the bottom. Incredible!

The magnificent dragon.

Moons and stars.

During our visit, this was one of the few roses in bloom in their amazing Bicentennial Rose Garden.

Fabulous archways at the end of the tour.

Magic by night.

Taj Mahal.

The dragon.

A fan ablaze in flowers and light.

Japan Fuji Mountain.

The moon and stars light up the night.

Amazing display towards the end of the tour. The archways are in the background.

I was in awe. I’m so glad we saw the exhibit during the day and at night. It was such a festive atmosphere. Traditional music played throughout, and different countries in Asia were represented. The information platforms were great.

I’ll have these, and the rest of my photos, in a Facebook album later today. It was an amazing experience!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.31.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #18: “Elevation Church Is Kind Of Unsettling – And Kind Of Beautiful”

Image Credit: http://www.ls3p.com

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

~Hebrews 10: 24-25 (ESV)

Freckled Italian has done it again!

Megan included this link in her blog post on Friday, March 25, as part of her recurring “Friday Favorites” series.

I took a sick day last Friday after having a massive panic attack (More about that later, in another blog post), so I was skimming through Facebook late in the afternoon and found Megan’s post. Her comments fascinated me, as well as the comments from her readers. I skimmed through the story, and let it marinate for a couple days.

Here’s the link: Elevation Church is kind of unsettling – and kind of beautiful

After the initial skim, I sat down and read through Katie’s account, and I found it fascinating. She went to Elevation Church’s Blakeney venue in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Megan lives. The photo at the beginning of this post is what you would see from your seat there on a Sunday morning.

Wow.

Katie’s main observation:

“… I thought I’d try out the Blakeney venue because it’s a broadcast location, which means it functions like an indoor concert hall that’s loaded with media equipment plus a giant camera swiveling on a long arm to broadcast the sermon to other locations, and the Internet …”

So much technology!

Don’t get me wrong – I’ve been to several Christian rock concerts in my time … but I can’t imagine experiencing that level every single Sunday.

I grew up in a traditional United Methodist Church – It’s been like a second home since I was four-years-old, and also where I married Al nearly five months ago.

However, over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to worship in multiple churches of different denominations – Catholic, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Baptist, Presbyterian, and a non-denominational church too.

In the last few years, I’ve seen the rise of more contemporary churches – Holding services in movie theaters, theater venues, and other modern spaces.

There’s a local one, called The Rising, that holds its services in The NorVa. I did some reading on it, and watched a few videos. I love the pastor’s enthusiasm and his messages about modern struggles and relating those to the Bible and Jesus’s time. I’m all for getting people interested in the church with different approaches – Rock music, modern messages, etc.

I think that’s great.

But, that’s not for me.

I agree with Sara – One of Megan’s regular readers / commentators.

She said:

“… I love how diverse they are and how enthusiastic everyone is, but it all feels like show and less like worship. I want my worship experience to feel honest, and it’s hard to feel that way when every Sunday is a production …”

She hit the nail on the head for me.

I don’t feel that way with Aldersgate, but I can see how that perception can be formed.

I’m on the team that runs the computers and projectors for the 8:30 and 11:00 services, and I’ve gotten a great perspective from sitting in the booth and watching everything unfold.

Our 8:30 service is contemporary – The praise band has guitars, electric drums, bass, and keyboard. It’s more relaxed – Come as you are.

Our 11:00 service is traditional – Our long-time organist plays, we sing the hymns. Most people dress in their Sunday best.

I feel comfortable, and it makes sense when you’ve attended the same church for over 20 years.

I thought Megan’s take was interesting:

“I tend to get obsessed with churches that end up with cult followings and this one is no different. I’ve been listening to podcast episodes and reading everything I can about Elevation ever since we moved here in 2014, so I was excited to see this piece on my Twitter feed. (Also I love the way Katie worded her beliefs: ‘be kind, love more, try to see the divine in others.’)”

I wasn’t sure about the “cult followings” comment at first, but after reading Katie’s account, it makes sense. She almost didn’t get into the venue that Sunday because of capacity. In seeing Aldersgate’s membership numbers go up and down over the years, I can understand how Elevation Church is attractive to many different people.

Again, I think that’s awesome that they’re booming and seeing overflow crowds, but that’s not for me. I’ve found that I prefer smaller gatherings, and Aldersgate fills that need for me, for now.

I loved Katie’s account, and I’m glad I read it and took the time to write this post.

“Be kind, love more, try to see the divine in others.”

Sounds perfect to me.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.23.16

by Laura Beth

Hot Topic #13: The Heroin Epidemic

Image Credit: yourliferecoverycenter.com

This was a tough one to write about. It took a long time, I’m talking a couple of months, to get these words together.

Full disclosure: I cannot speak from experience here. I have never done any type of drug. I have not been directly affected by heroin addiction, in terms of my family or my friends.

However, my heart goes out to everyone who have been affected.

The main origin for this post started with a tragedy: One of my friends lost her sister to a heroin and cocaine overdose in 2015. Through her grief, she started a blog, called An Addict’s Sister. Her words have made me laugh, and they have made me cry. I look forward to every post, and I read every word. I never met her sister, but I feel like I’ve been introduced to her through these words.

I’ve said before that writing is one of my therapies. In this case, I truly believe this is helping her with the loss of her sister, and it has helped me learn about her, her sister, and learn a little bit about how destructive heroin can be.

Then, in early February, I found this piece on CNN.com:

An addict’s lifeline: New Hampshire town’s surprising warrior against heroin

I read this on my lunch hour at work, and I immediately wanted to dive into researching. It appeared that this new and different approach was becoming a success for this little town called Laconia – I wanted to see what else was being done.

I got my wish five days later – One of my local TV stations had this piece on their website:

Fingernail testing brings battle on drugs within arm’s reach

This was fascinating to me. I’m a huge fan of Forensic Files. The show has profiled several cases where hair and fingernail testing was conducted to look for the presence of arsenic, or ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze. But, this is the first time that I have heard of fingernail testing for drugs, particularly in Virginia. The best part, as they mention in the piece, is this kind of testing is a lot cheaper. I look forward to hearing more about this down the road.

Then, at the end of February, that same station reported something exciting:

Virginia Beach police get device to prevent fatal heroin overdoses

I was thrilled. So many die of overdoses. Many of them die alone.

I’m happy that my state, and a city a stone’s throw away from me, is jumping on board. This is a good step forward.

The best news – Less than three weeks days after that story aired, this happened:

VBPD reports first success story using drug to reverse overdose

Success! I’m sure that felt good. And so quickly! It’s nice to see actual good news.

However, the battle is far from over.

In my city alone, Chesapeake, 23 people died from heroin overdoses in 2014. That year, there were 132 deaths in the “seven cities” of Hampton Roads.

Chesapeake
Hampton
Newport News
Norfolk
Portsmouth
Suffolk
Virginia Beach

Personally, as happy as I am with the recent success of the VBPD, I believe in establishing programs like Laconia. I hope that a similar type of program is introduced to every police force, eventually. I realize that this kind of effort will take time, and money.

But, I think it’s worth it, don’t you?

One overdose is too many.

For more information:

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

02.28.16

by Laura Beth

Commentary #16: “The Roots of ‘America’s Best Idea'”

Yellowstone National Park. Image Credit: nationalparks.org

“Keep close to Nature’s heart … and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”

~John Muir

In the beginning of February, I stumbled upon this article on CNN.com:

The roots of ‘America’s best idea’

I didn’t know that the National Park Service was turning 100 in 2016, so that grabbed my attention immediately.

I love that CNN is launching a year-long series to celebrate. I can’t wait to see what they publish.

This first kick-off article focuses on Yellowstone National Park, the first federal park to be created, in 1872.

Its anniversary, the 144th this year, is March 1st.

The National Park Service was established on August 25, 1916, by way of the Organic Act. Back then, it protected the existing 14 national parks, 21 monuments, two reservations, and “those yet to be established.”

While reading this article, I recognized John Muir’s name immediately. I remembering researching him and the Sierra Club in high school. I took Visual Arts in my junior and senior years, and I had to have a focus, or an overall theme, for my final presentation at the end of my senior year. I was drawn (no pun intended) to flowers, nature, and landscapes, so I made environmentalism my overall theme. I remember being fascinated by Muir and his work to help conserve our land, dreaming of the day that I would get to experience the lands that he worked to protect.

Sadly, Muir died two years before the National Park Service was created. He died on Christmas Eve 1914, at age 76, of pneumonia.

However, his legacy lives on.

He helped establish Yosemite National Park in 1890, and has been lauded as an inspiration to both Scotland and the U.S.

His name, in the U.S., is on a 211-mile hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada, a national monument, a beach, a glacier, a college, a camp, and a mountain.

In Scotland, his name is on a 130-mile long distance route. In 2013, the first ever John Muir Day was celebrated in the country, to mark the 175th anniversary of the conservationist’s birth.

Reading this article, it’s chock full of history that you just don’t see in the history textbooks today. Personally, this article has inspired me to dig deeper. I want to learn as much as I can about the National Park Service, Hetch Hetchy Valley, artist George Caitlin, Stephen Mather, and the National Geographic Society.

It also makes wanna get away. Between reading this article and recently chronicling My Bucket List, I want to go West as soon as possible!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

02.24.16

by Laura Beth

Getting Personal #19: My Bucket List

6358505699688845531579553235_bucket-list

Image Credit: theodysseyonline.com

This post was inspired by a blog that I’m loving right now:

28 and Counting …

While browsing through her posts a few weeks ago, I found this gem:

My Bucket List

She inspired me to write down my list, all in one place.

I also liked the way she categorized her list, so, here goes …

Travel Experiences

Go on a cruise as an adult.

Image Credit: expedia.com

I’ve been fortunate to have gone on two cruises already, but the last time, I was 9-years-old. Yup. It’s beyond time to experience one as an adult. There are so many amazing places! And a cruise ship is just awesome – It has everything in one place!

Al and I have talked about going on one in the next year or so, so I think we need to pay another visit to Jody at AAA – She helped us plan our awesome honeymoon!

—

Visit as many of America’s national parks as possible.

Image Credit: worldtravellist.com

This has always been a life-long dream. I’ve been fortunate to see several of the states so far, but I haven’t had the chance to see the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and others, not yet.

I did a Google search of America’s national parks recently, researching for an upcoming blog post, and I wanted to pack up and head West!

—

Experience Cedar Point.

Image Credit: cedarpoint.com

This obsession / quest started years ago. I love roller coasters! Cedar Point currently has 16 of them, and 72 rides total! I think I’ll need to stay close to the park in Sandusky, Ohio, for more than one day!

—

Set foot in every U.S. state.

Image Credit: geology.com

By my count, I have set foot in approximately 17 states so far, plus one Canadian province (British Columbia, 1998).

“Setting foot in” doesn’t count layovers in airports, though (Texas, that means you). I also like scarletpen’s idea of visiting every Canadian province!

—

Go to Costa Rica.

Image Credit: travel.nationalgeographic.com

I remember writing stories as a child about adventures in the rainforest. Costa Rica is one of those places that I have dreamed of.

—

Go on an Alaskan cruise.

Image Credit: princess.com

I was so jealous when my cousin Missy got to go on an Alaskan cruise with her parents and our grandparents when she was 11. Since then, I’ve always wanted to go!

—

Kayak in a bioluminescent bay.

Image Credit: puertoricotourdesk.com

I learned about this experience just a few years ago, when one of my PEO sisters recounted her travels to Puerto Rico. I enjoy kayaking, and the photos I’ve seen are just breathtaking.

—

Spend a week at a Disney Resort.

Image Credit: disneyworld.disney.go.com

I’ve been to Disney World multiple times, but I’ve never stayed at any of the Disney Resorts. After seeing some of them on our honeymoon whilst traveling between Hollywood Studios and Epcot, Al and I decided that’s what we want to do, the next time we head to Orlando. The trouble is, which resort to pick?

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Go to Disneyland.

Image Credit: disneycentre.com

I’ve been to California three times in my life, but I haven’t experienced Anaheim yet! I can’t wait to experience Disneyland, and California Adventure.

—

Go to Key West, Florida.

Image Credit: keywest.com

Florida has been the state that I’ve visited the most times. I think I can easily count over 100 times, since I was a baby. The perks of having both sets of grandparents live down there! Key West has been a dream of mine for a long time. My parents have visited several times, and I was envious of their pictures from a few years ago. See my friend Megan’s recap of her recent Floridian adventure!

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Go to at least one amusement park in another country.

Image Credit: thesun.co.uk

The closest I’ve gotten to this goal was seeing Disneyland Paris in 2008, and that was only their equivalent of Downtown Disney. The tickets were so expensive!

—

Zip line (in as many places as possible!).

Image Credit: zipline.com

Since I love roller coasters, zip-lining has been one of the top things that I’ve wanted to do. My mom has even beaten me to it! She got to zipline FIVE TIMES across a river in Canada!

—

Go white water rafting.

Image Credit: blueheronwhitewater.com

I wasn’t able to go on the white water rafting trips to Tennessee in high school, but I wish I had! I would love to experience this in a natural setting.

However, closer to home, there is a place in Charlotte, North Carolina called the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

Their official description on Google: “Recreation grounds with whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, rappelling, rock climbing & more.”

Yes, please!

—

Re-visit several places.

Image Credit: visitphilly.com

Image Credit: hersheyentertainment.com

Image Credit: local10.com

Image Credit: tripadvisor.com

I could go on, and on, and on … But I definitely want to re-visit:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hershey Park
Chicago, Illinois
Washington, D.C.
Miami, Florida
Los Angeles, California

And more! This particular list will continue to grow, I have no doubt. I look forward to writing many more Adventure Time posts!

Personal Development

Finish editing my three NaNoWriMo novels (2012, 2013, and 2014).

Image Credit: nanowrimo.org

Curious about what I’ve written, so far?

Well, guess what, you’re in luck!

I did a series of blog posts, called Writing Wednesdays, that attempted to capture these three novels. There are 25 posts!

Granted, I have a long way to go with these three. The longest one, the 2014 one, currently stands at 16,000 words and some change. I want to get each of these to at least 50,000 words (the goal for NaNoWriMo) before considering publication.

—

Self-publish those three novels.

Image Credit: go-publish-yourself.com

Again, I need to finish those three, and then edit them.

However, I’m looking at you, Amazon, when the time is right.

—

Knock NaNoWriMo 2016 out of the park.

Image Credit: metrokelan.com

I already have a big idea percolating, and it’s something completely different from my first three novels. I’ve vetted it by a few VIPs of mine, and all seem to be very intrigued. Bring it on!

—

(Finally) Finish my paralegal studies degree.

Image Credit: paralegal.eku.edu

I’m SO CLOSE. I’m taking Family Law right now, online, which is going great.

The only classes I have left are Legal Research (Summer 2016), Legal Writing, and Trial Prep & Discovery.

My hope is to earn the degree some time in 2017!

—

Become certified with the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

Image Credit: aapc.com

I have been interested in becoming a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) since 2013. However, I’ve done quite a bit of research over the years, and my manager has given me some great advice. I look forward to pursuing this in the next couple of years. At a minimum, I would like to be a CPC before we start having children!

—

Chronicle my experiences from July 2006 – July 2010.

Image Credit: sdplotts.wordpress.com

I’ve shared part of my story already, through this post: Book Review #8: Tornado Warning: A Memoir of Teen Dating Violence and its Effect on a Woman’s Life.

However, I was recently given some great advice by a good friend, Mike H., who wrote this via Facebook message: “Write that book. Even if you don’t publish it, it can be cathartic or therapeutic.”

He’s exactly right.

And I plan to do that. I already know how I want to write it.

And, eventually, I’d like to share it on the blog, as well.

Lifestyle

Find a house!

Image Credit: hookedonhouses.net

What a journey we’ve been on in the last year, Al and I .

We are FINALLY seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, however, and we will be getting a home of our own in 2016!

—

Learn new recipes.

Image Credit: joyfulbelly.com

I enjoy cooking, so I’m on a mission to learn new recipes!

If you have any favorites, please, share!!

Make a Difference

Volunteer with Faith Works Coalition.

Image Credit: faithworkscoalition.org

This is something new. Our associate pastor has been involved before, and we are in the planning stages of getting our church involved. It’s exciting!

—

Make a blood drive happen at Tidewater Comicon.

Image Credit: tidewatercomicon.com

It may not happen this year, since the 2016 event is May 21-22 (Less than three months away!), however, it’s exciting to think about. Similar conventions in Florida have reported success, and we’d love for it to happen in Virginia Beach!

Final Thoughts

This list will continue to grow and change. However, for now, I’m very excited that I have most of my ultimate goals here, in one space.

I will be reviewing this list often, holding myself accountable!

I look forward to publishing future blog posts with accomplishments!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

01.23.16

by Laura Beth

Hot Topic #12: Planned Parenthood

This photo was taken in December 2013. Faye Wattleton is the first African-American and youngest president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Image Credit: advocatesaz.org

This photo was taken in December 2013. Faye Wattleton was the first African-American and youngest president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Image Credit: advocatesaz.org

This has been brewing inside my head, inside my whole body, for a while now.

As you read this, please know that I’m trying to be as factual and objective as possible here. I have put hours upon hours of research into this post. I hope you find this informative.

Your comments are appreciated!

First and foremost, I encourage everyone who reads this to educate themselves about Planned Parenthood (PP, or PPFA) straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

This is the international organization’s website: Planned Parenthood.

Before starting to write this post, I took a lot of time to review their site. Doing this helped a lot, learning exactly what they do, and how they work every single day to help people in need. And, being naturally curious, I immediately wanted to explore deeper into their history and their work.

I enjoy history and research, so I wanted to share a bit of a historical look into PP first thing.

PP began as a birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York. It was established by Margaret Sanger, her sister Ethel Byrne, and Fania Mindell in October 1916.

From there, the Brooklyn clinic became the American Birth Control League, and then the name officially changed to the PPFA in 1942.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) began in 1952.

PP has certainly experienced its share of protests, violence, and other attacks.

On the same day as the Colorado Springs PP shooting, U.S. News and World Report published a well-informed and researched Q&A on PP and its experiences with violence:

Q&A on history of violence against Planned Parenthood as anti-abortion videos renew criticism.

Not all articles or interviews related to PP are negative, however.

While reading one of the more recent issues of Glamour magazine on the plane ride to my honeymoon, I discovered it was their annual “Women Of The Year” issue. They featured what turned out to be an excellent profile of Cecile Richards, the current president of the PPFA.

I say that because I originally intended to gloss over her profile, but I’m glad I didn’t. I learned so much about her and her rise to her current position. She’s been president of the PPFA since 2006.

Re-reading that profile for this post was refreshing. Re-reading it solidified my belief in Richards’ leadership, as well as my own position/opinion on PP.

As with many of my Commentary posts, I attempt to thoroughly research the subject at hand, reading as much as I can to solidly form my own opinions, and then share my knowledge with you, my readers.

I started writing this post shortly after the November 27, 2015 attack on a Colorado Springs, Colorado PP clinic. I wanted to feature some coverage of that event here.

My intent in my research was to use a variety of sources and news outlets.

CBS News, November 27th: FBI warned of Planned Parenthood attacks months ago
TODAY.com, November 28th : Colorado Planned Parenthood shooting eyewitness barricaded door with table to survive
thinkprogress.org, November 29th: Republican Candidates Finally Comment On Shooting, Continue False Attacks on Planned Parenthood

In addition to the coverage of the Colorado Springs clinic attack, I wanted to go deeper and look for other recent information/coverage about PP. I was most interested in researching the controversy that has brewed throughout 2015 over supposed undercover videos, along with the calls to eliminate federal funding for PP.

Please note: Several of these links are opinions or editorials, but I included them due to their overall value.

Powerful testimony, in 21st century form: A Former Planned Parenthood Employee Tweeted This List of Acts of Terrorism She Survived
An op-ed from a CNN political commentator: Incendiary rhetoric can produce violent results
Opinion: Violent anti-choice rhetoric must end, or anti-abortion violence never will
Opinion: Abortion clinic are burning but no one seems to care
Published in August 2015: Abortion foes can’t release undercover videos, judge rules
One of my college professors has a long-standing blog, focusing primarily on women and feminism. This was her post that was published on September 15th: Planned Parenthood
Published December 1st: Sanders Eviscerated Republicans Trying To Defund Planned Parenthood In Fiery Senate Speech
For a scholarly in-depth look: The Attack on Planned Parenthood: A Historical Analysis. This was published by the UCLA Women’s Law Journal.

I hope you found these links to be informative.

My position/opinion is that PP should, basically, be left alone. The clinics should remain open. They shouldn’t be attacked. They do much more public service than I think many people realize, but the square focus has been on abortion for some time now. I wish people would take the time to understand that PP does perform abortions, but they also provide birth control, and also work very hard to educate people about reproductive health.

However, I realize that abortion has been a hot topic for decades in both the United States and around the world. There have been calls for changes, but unfortunately, the controversy will likely never end. Everyone is absolutely entitled to their own opinions and positions, but I wish innocent people didn’t have to be injured, or killed.

I have extensively researched both the pro-life and pro-choice movements, and tried to understand and educate myself on the history of abortion in both the United States and around the world.

Personally, I believe that a woman has a right to choose. This is especially true if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, or if the pregnancy is endangering the mother’s health in any way.

I’m glad that abortion is legal in the United States, along with a handful of other countries in this world.

Many women around the world simply do not have this freedom.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

The map above was captioned as follows:

International status of abortion law
UN 2013 report on abortion law

Legend (The colors wouldn’t copy over):

Blue – Legal on request.
Green – Illegal with exceptions for maternal life, mental health, health, rape, fetal defects, and/or socioeconomic factors.
Yellow – Illegal with exceptions for maternal life, mental health, health, rape, and/or fetal defects.
Brown – Illegal with exceptions for maternal life, mental health, health, and/or rape.
Orange – Illegal with exceptions for maternal life, mental health, and/or health.
Red – Illegal with no exceptions.
Dark Grey/Black – Varies.
Light Grey – No information.

Thanks for reading.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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