Topics timely and evergreen, posts new and old: the most popular posts on Leaven for the Loaf in 2016 cover a wide range. Today begins the countdown of the posts that drew the most viewers this year. Look for part 2 tomorrow.
#10: Court rebuffs suit against buffer zone law
In March, with no abortion facility in New Hampshire willing to use the buffer zone law that abortion advocates fought so hard to get, a federal judge dismissed a suit against the law. The law had not been used, said the judge, so no one had yet suffered any actual injury from it.
Update: attorneys for the pro-life plaintiffs have appealed the March decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Legislatively, a bill to repeal the buffer zone law passed the House in March but failed on a tie vote in the Senate in May. Another repeal bill will be considered in 2017.
#9: “My job is to inform, not convince”
This post from 2014 continues to attract readers. It’s by Catherine Adair, taken from one of her Facebook posts (and used with her permission). “While walking with my family today we were greeted by two young men wearing Planned Parenthood t-shirts trying to raise money to ‘fight back.’ I engaged one of them in conversation and was able to plant some seeds.”
Catherine describes a moment of grace: a spontaneous conversation between people who disagreed with each other but listened to each other with respect.
#8: Uncertain future for four bills limiting mid- and late-term abortions
New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee recommended “inexpedient to legislate” on three bills to limit mid- and late-term abortions, while making no recommendation on a fourth (a “pain-capable” bill).
Update: all four bills were killed by the full House, with the most lopsided vote coming on a bill to ban eugenic abortion. Only 66 House members thought that bill was a good idea.
#7: What the New Hampshire Democratic Party sent out on Primary Day
The state’s Democratic Party paid to mail a letter from a pro-abortion physician attacking U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte. He conflated abortion and health care, attacked Ayotte’s attempt to address the HHS contraceptive mandate, and accused her of being insufficiently deferential to abortion providers. I posted the full text of the letter.
#6: After November, we march
I caught a fair amount of criticism (and temporarily lost some readers) when I announced mid-year that I refused to support either major party’s candidate for president. In August, I followed up with something all pro-lifers could get behind, regardless of their candidate: whoever wins the presidential election needs to see a big March for Life in Washington in January.
“Peaceful, as always, but disruptive by its sheer volume and the determination of the marchers. It wouldn’t hurt for members of Congress to see that, too, particularly the Senators who will vote on any Supreme Court nominees….Public witness to the right to life is becoming more important, not less.”
Update: I’ve got my bus reservation in hand. How about you?
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