Virginia House of Delegates Passes “Personhood” Bill

Virginia State Legislature Building

Just last week I posted a piece about my home state of Virginia and it’s stand on a number of the most significant issues in our nation’s history since slavery.  Richmond is changing. When I go home to Virginia to visit family I often feel like the state is becoming more diverse, tolerant, liberal and open.  Richmond, the capital city, now has some great bars and clubs, ethnic restaurants, a performing arts scene.  But seated there is a state legislature that does things like those described in this report.

On a 66-32 vote, the state’s House of Delegates has passed legislation to define life as beginning at conception.

After a passionate debate, the House also voted 63-36 to pass legislation to require women to undergo ultrasounds before abortion.

Why, Virginia, why?

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Mother’s Day for Peace

from Mother's Day Gift Store

Happy Mother’s Day! Have you visited your mother yet? Maybe taken her out to eat? Or sent her flowers? Chocolates? A card? Or even bought her jewelry? Your wife too, if she’s a mother or mother to be. On Mother’s Day we honor our mothers, and this is how we do it. You have no excuse for having forgotten. Television commercials have been reminding you since Easter!

Unfortunately the economy sucks right now and a lot of in this country are out of work, underemployed, struggling with tuition increases at our colleges, paying off student loan or credit card debt, stretched thin because we are trying to help family and friends get by, trying to get by on insufficient retirement assets, or whatever. If that’s the case, just go see or call your mother. Mothers are always happy to hear from their children.

But if you want to be creative and distinct, tell your Mom you are going to take her to celebrate Mother’s Day in the way it was historically conceived, and take her to a peace rally!
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Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Review

January 8 – 15, 2010
Compiled by Scholars at Risk

(Expand the post for clickable links)

Iran arrests father of U.S. think tank scholar
Laura Rozen, Politico, 1/14

When Tenure Means Nothing
Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed, 1/14

Academy’s freedoms threatened as libel law lands scholars in dock
Zoe Corbyn, Times Higher Education, 1/14

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