A U.S. military base has disavowed a presentation in which the major pro-life group National Right to Life was implied to be a “terrorist” organization.
A photo circulating on social media this week purported to show a PowerPoint slide as part of a presentation delivered at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Fort Liberty, formally known as Fort Bragg, is one of the largest military installations in the world, with over 50,000 military personnel.
The slide purported to list “terrorist groups”; among the listed organizations was National Right to Life (NRLC), a nearly 60-year-old anti-abortion group that helped launch the modern U.S. pro-life movement.
So the @USArmy is now teaching our soldiers that #prolife Americans are terrorists. According to @samosaur, this was shown at Fort Bragg this week and followed a slide on ISIS…. At what point is Congress going to hold the people in charge accountable? @SpeakerJohnsonpic.twitter.com/85DrDytXjt
The presentation drew sharp criticism for its equation of a major pro-life group with “terrorism.”
In a statement Thursday, NRLC President Carol Tobias described the slide as “deeply offensive to pro-life Americans across the nation.”
“In our over 50-year history, National Right to Life has always, consistently, and unequivocally, condemned violence against anyone,” Tobias said.
In a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon, Fort Liberty said it had “[come] to our attention that an anti-terrorism slide was posted on social media.”
“After conducting a commander’s inquiry, we determined that the slides presented on social media were not vetted by the appropriate approval authorities and do not reflect the views of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Liberty, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense,” the post said.
“The slides were developed by a local garrison employee to train soldiers manning access control points at Fort Liberty,” the statement continued.
“These slides will no longer be used, and all future training products will be reviewed to ensure they align with the current DoD anti-terrorism guidance.”
The presentation also drew criticism from Congress, where Indiana Rep. Jim Banks told media that the slide was “a national outrage.”
“Even if this slide deck was unapproved, it still exposes the Biden Pentagon for creating a politicized environment where far-left wack jobs feel they can get away with teaching our troops that conservative Americans are their adversary and legitimate military targets,” Banks said. “We are in dangerous territory.”
The military under the Biden administration has, over the course of several years, moved to liberalize abortion regulations in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in March said it was making permanent a policy to provide abortions in certain circumstances to service members even in states where abortion is illegal.
The department said at the time that the effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier in the year were “[interfering] with our ability to recruit, retain, and maintain the readiness of a highly qualified force.”
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A mother and child / Credit: Jordan Whitt / Unsplash
CNA Newsroom, Mar 5, 2024 / 09:25 am (CNA).
Ahead of a crucial vote on Friday, the bishops of Ireland have raised grave concerns about proposed changes to the country’s constitution, warning … […]
Thousands of pro-life advocates gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. / Katie Yoder/CNA
Washington D.C., Dec 2, 2021 / 08:04 am (CNA).
Anna Del Duca and daughter, Frances, woke up at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning to brave the 30-degree weather outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. They arrived hours before oral arguments began in the highly-anticipated abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
The case, which involves a Mississippi law restricting most abortions after 15 weeks, challenges two landmark decisions: Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which upheld Roe in 1992.
“We’re looking forward to the end of Roe versus Wade in our country,” Anna, who drove from Pittsburgh Tuesday night, told CNA. In her hands, she held a sign reading, “I regret my abortion.”
Anna Del Duca (right) and her daughter, Frances, traveled from Pittsburgh to attend a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
“I would like to use my testimony to be a blessing to others,” she said, so that “others will choose life or those who have regretted abortion or had an abortion would turn to Jesus.”
Anna remembered having an abortion when she was just 19. Today, she and her daughter run a group called Restorers of Streets to Dwell In Pittsburgh that offers help to women seeking healing after abortion.
Anna and Frances were among thousands of Americans who rallied outside the Supreme Court before, during, and after the oral arguments. To accommodate them, law enforcement closed the street in front of the court. Capitol police also placed fencing in the space in front of the building in an attempt to physically separate rallies held by abortion supporters and pro-lifers.
At 21-weeks pregnant, pro-life speaker Alison Centofante emceed the pro-life rally, called, “Empower Women Promote Life.” The event featured a slew of pro-life women of diverse backgrounds and numerous politicians.
“It’s funny, there were so many diverse speakers today that the only unifying thread was that we want to protect preborn children,” Centofante told CNA. They included Democrats, Republicans, Christians, Catholics, agnostics, atheists, women who chose life, and women who regretted their abortions, she said.
She recognized women there, including Aimee Murphy, as people who are not the typical “cookie cutter pro-lifer.”
Aimee Murphy, 32, founder of pro-life group Rehumanize International, arrived at the Supreme Court around 6:30 a.m. She drove from Pittsburgh the night before. Her sign read, “Queer Latina feminist rape survivor against abortion.”“At Rehumanize International, we oppose all forms of aggressive violence,” she told CNA. “Even as a secular and non-partisan organization, we understand that abortion is the most urgent cause that we must stand against in our modern day and age because it takes on average over 800,000 lives a year.”
She also had a personal reason for attending.
“When I was 16 years old, I was raped and my rapist then threatened to kill me if I didn’t have an abortion,” she revealed.
“It was when he threatened me that I felt finally a solidarity with unborn children and I understood then that, yeah, the science told me that a life begins at conception, but that I couldn’t be like my abusive ex and pass on the violence and oppression of abortion to another human being — that all that I would be doing in having an abortion would be telling my child, ‘You are an inconvenience to me and to my future, therefore I’m going to kill you,’ which is exactly the same thing that my rapist was telling me when he threatened to kill me.”
On the other side of the police fence, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the National Abortion Access Coalition and NARAL Pro-Choice America participated in another rally. Yellow balloons printed with the words “BANS OFF OUR BODIES” escaped into the sky. Several pro-choice demonstrators declined to speak with CNA.
Voices clashed in the air as people, the majority of whom were women, spoke into their respective microphones at both rallies. Abortion supporters stressed bodily autonomy, while pro-lifers recognized the humanity of the unborn child. Chants arose from both sides at different points, from “Whose choice? My choice!” to “Hey hey, ho ho, Roe v. Wade has got to go!”
At 10 a.m., the pro-life crowd sudddenly went silent as the oral arguments began and the rally paused temporarily as live audio played through speakers.
Hundreds of students from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, traveled to Washington, D.C. for a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, in conjunction with oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case. Katie Yoder/CNA
During the oral arguments, students from Liberty University knelt in prayer. One student estimated that more than a thousand students from the school made the more than 3-hour trip from Lynchburg, Virginia.
“Talking about our faith is one thing, but actually acting upon it is another,” he said. “We have to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. So to me this is part of doing that.”
Sister Mary Karen, who has been with the Sisters of Life for 21 years, also stressed the importance of prayer. She drove from New York earlier that morning because, she said, she felt drawn to attend. She came, she said, to pray for the country and promote the dignity of a human person.
“Our culture is post-abortive,” she explained. “So many people have suffered and the loss of human life is so detrimental, just not knowing that we have value and are precious and sacred.”
Theresa Bonopartis, of Harrison, New York, was among the pro-life demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. She runs a nonprofit group called Entering Canaan that ministers to women and others wounded by abortion. Katie Yoder/CNA
She stood next to Theresa Bonopartis, who traveled from Harrison, New York, and ministers to women and others wounded by abortion.
“I’ve been fighting abortion for 30 years at least,” she told CNA.
Her ministry, called Entering Canaan, began with the Sisters of Life and is observing its 25th anniversary this year. It provides retreats for women, men, and even siblings of aborted babies.
Abortion is personal for Bonopartis, who said she had a coerced abortion when she was just 17.
“I was kicked out of the house by my father and then coerced into getting an abortion,” she said. “Pretty much cut me off from everything, and that’s something people don’t really talk about … they make it try to seem like it’s a woman’s right, it’s a free choice. It’s all this other stuff, but many women are coerced in one way or another.”
She guessed that she was 14 or 15 weeks pregnant at the time.
“I saw my son. I had a saline abortion, so I saw him, which I always considered a blessing because it never allowed me to deny what abortion was,” she said. Afterward, she said she struggled with self-esteem issues, hating herself, guilt, shame, and more. Then, she found healing.
“I know what that pain is like, I know what that experience is like, and you know that you can get past it,” she said. “You just want to be able to give that message to other people, that they’re able to heal.”
Residents of Mississippi, where the Dobbs v. Jackson case originated, also attended.
Marion, who declined to provide her last name, drove from Mississippi to stand outside the Supreme Court. She said she was in her early 20s when Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973.
“At the time, of course, I could care less,” she said. Since then, she had a change of heart.
“We were the generation that allowed it,” she said, “and so we are the generation who will help close that door and reverse it.”
Marion, who declined to provide her last name, was among those who attended a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, from Mississippi, where the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization abortion case originated. Katie Yoder/CNA
The crowd at the pro-life rally included all ages, from those who had witnessed Roe to bundled-up babies, children running around, and college students holding up homemade signs.
One group of young friends traveled across the country to stand outside the Supreme Court. They cited their faith and family as reasons for attending.
Mathilde Steenepoorte, 19, from Green Bay, Wisconsin, identified herself as “very pro-life” in large part because of her younger brother with Down syndrome. She said she was saddened by the abortion rates of unborn babies dianosed with Down syndrome.
Juanito Estevez, from Freeport, a village on Long Island, New York, at a pro-life rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021. Katie Yoder/CNA
Juanito Estevez, from Freeport, a village on Long Island, New York, arrived Tuesday. He woke up at 6 a.m. to arrive at the Supreme Court with a crucifix in hand.
“I believe that God is the giver of life and we don’t have the right [to decide] whether a baby should live or die,” he said.
He also said that he believed women have been lied to about abortion.
“We say it’s their right, and there’s a choice,” he said. When girls tell him “I have the right,” his response, he said, is to ask back, “You have the right for what?”
Mallory Finch, from Charlotte, North Carolina, was among the pro-life demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021.
Mallory Finch, from Charlotte, North Carolina, also woke up early but emphasized “it was worth it.” A pro-life podcast host, she called abortion a “human-rights issue.”
“I hope that it overturns Roe,” she said of the case, “but that doesn’t mean that our job as pro-lifers is done. It makes this, really, just the beginning.”
Whether its source is a low ranking military education programmer, that person is a government official [any federal govt employee] who conveys the mind of the current administration. We’ve had prior experience of FBI surveillance inside Catholic churches. A top marker is the night assault by swat team to arrest a pro life man involved in a pro death man’s provoked altercation at an abortion clinic. We have the federal government pressing the judiciary to investigate birth center funding. No word about investigating George Soros for financing anti Catholic organizations and anti life judiciary.
As feeble minded as America’s smirking president Biden may be he’s morally responsible for this persecution of the Church. Perhaps he’s managed by more mentally competent persons. Nevertheless he’s not above culpability. The best favor clergy, especially bishops can do is announce his excommunication. Cardinal Archbishop Wilton Gregory who has canonical jurisdiction regarding Biden plays the Who am I to judge card allowing him holy communion. Is it a wonder that His Holiness didn’t appoint someone like Paprocki or Cordileone to the Wash DC diocese? Biden and his Leftist government appointees, elected officials represent an insidious evil masking itself as proponents of liberty and human freedom, when its actual agenda is license to deform creation and murder the innocent.
Department of Defense 2022 statement: “…the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade… were “[interfering] with our ability to…maintain the readiness of a highly qualified force
How is ‘readiness’ improved by taking time off, with pay, to kill one’s unborn child? And just who, or what, are we defending now?
This is not some isolated incident caused by a civilian employee who was not sufficiently “vetted” by higher ups. There is a visceral and widespread hostility towards Christians in the military. It emanates from the very top at the Pentagon, and permeates all branches, all ranks, and all installations of the military. Anyone who disputes this has not been in uniform recently. There is a reason for the severe recruiting shortfall: The traditional sources of military service – conservatives, religious people, people from traditional families with a history of military service, people from rural areas, people from the “Bible belt” – are not welcome and are looked at as enemies by our government. And people from these groups are starting to figure that out.
From what I have read, one reason, not the only one, but a reason to enforce the vax mandate was to see who the more religious/conservatives were and broom them out.
As a veteran of 25 years, and working as a consultant for the armed forces for 21 of 25 years after that, it is 100% true that the US military, especially since Obama, has been handed over to amoral, “queered” generals and admirals, and is being politicized and brainwashed against men and women who profess Christian morality and the principles defending a constitutional republic.
I witnessed first-hand flag officers openly threatening uniformed members that there will be “no religious exemptions” for the tyranny of the Covid jab.
The “queered” generals and admirals seem to believe that the purpose of the US Armed Forces is to serve the Empire, but NOT to defend the Republic.
This event simply shows the “queered” political purposes they serve.
I got out in 2010 after 21 years in reserve components. The Obama purge of good officers and NCOs, and the promotion of the homosexual element, was revolting and infuriating. The transformation of the military from a strict meritocracy to a DEI social experiment was well under way. Today, it is much, much worse. When one of my USMC sons graduated from boot camp at Parris Island, the Catholic chaplain there told me that the lesbian base commander was constantly threatening him should he ever preach anything bad for “unit morale” (i.e. tell Catholic troops about Catholic teaching).
Deep State has totally permeated the US Military. Don’t for a minute buy the Defense Department’s attempt to explain away the vile indoctrination that they overtly and covertly promote.
I would encourage every young person to have nothing to do with our US military. It no longer shares the values that were once time-honored among our military class.
It’s similar to the FBI’s Latin Mass infiltration memo. They only admit to these things after being caught.
There are good and brave people on the ground in our military and law enforcement who put their lives on the line for us every day. But the same purveyors of Wokeness that afflict every institution in our nation have sold their goods to our defense department as well.
Fort Liberty said that it had “come to our attention that an anti-terrorism slide was posted on social media. Yada yada yada, bs, yada yada yada, more bs, ad infinitum, ad nauseam.”
Rep Banks is correct.”We are in dangerous territory.” There has been a sick turn to the left in this country over the last several years, more and more with each elected democratic President, governor, senators and judges. They seek to control not only everything that we do ( covid jabs, electric cars, etc) but also felt comfortable closing our churches in a fit of hysteria.They have destroyed girls sports and subject girls to sexual intimidation by their legal enforcement of support of “trans” ideology. Even trying to discuss the matter was grounds for firing, or public cancellation. Catholics and others who dont believe in the murder of babies are sentenced to jail terms for trying to speak to pregnant women, and accused of being terrorists. Meanwhile its apparently ok to appoint mental nut jobs to top cabinet positions. Like those who dress like women and steal luggage at airports. How low this ideology can go is only limited by the number of people who are fool enough to surrender their votes to them. For which, some day, I hope they will be held accountable.
What happened to Trump yesterday did not happen in a vacuum. Even if the shooter was emotionally troubled, it is certain he had to hear Trump demeaned as a liar, felon, Hitler and potential dictator. Did this play into his action? Hopefully we will find out. With so many voters ill-informed, truth has become unnecessary. Only the accusation, repeated over and over, is required.
That our military is being indoctrinated with gross untruths to see a significant percentage of its population as the enemy should concern EVERY thinking American. Remember this when you vote.
“Roe” is misspelled in their Terrorism placard.
Pretty typical example of our education system today.
I saw that the DOD schools are using materials from the SPLC now.
Whether its source is a low ranking military education programmer, that person is a government official [any federal govt employee] who conveys the mind of the current administration. We’ve had prior experience of FBI surveillance inside Catholic churches. A top marker is the night assault by swat team to arrest a pro life man involved in a pro death man’s provoked altercation at an abortion clinic. We have the federal government pressing the judiciary to investigate birth center funding. No word about investigating George Soros for financing anti Catholic organizations and anti life judiciary.
As feeble minded as America’s smirking president Biden may be he’s morally responsible for this persecution of the Church. Perhaps he’s managed by more mentally competent persons. Nevertheless he’s not above culpability. The best favor clergy, especially bishops can do is announce his excommunication. Cardinal Archbishop Wilton Gregory who has canonical jurisdiction regarding Biden plays the Who am I to judge card allowing him holy communion. Is it a wonder that His Holiness didn’t appoint someone like Paprocki or Cordileone to the Wash DC diocese? Biden and his Leftist government appointees, elected officials represent an insidious evil masking itself as proponents of liberty and human freedom, when its actual agenda is license to deform creation and murder the innocent.
Father Morrello: brilliantly said! Thanks.
Thank You Fr. for speaking out as so many of today’s clergy are indifferent to positive causes but don’t hesitate to support blasphemous Fr. Martin.
Department of Defense 2022 statement: “…the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade… were “[interfering] with our ability to…maintain the readiness of a highly qualified force
How is ‘readiness’ improved by taking time off, with pay, to kill one’s unborn child? And just who, or what, are we defending now?
This is not some isolated incident caused by a civilian employee who was not sufficiently “vetted” by higher ups. There is a visceral and widespread hostility towards Christians in the military. It emanates from the very top at the Pentagon, and permeates all branches, all ranks, and all installations of the military. Anyone who disputes this has not been in uniform recently. There is a reason for the severe recruiting shortfall: The traditional sources of military service – conservatives, religious people, people from traditional families with a history of military service, people from rural areas, people from the “Bible belt” – are not welcome and are looked at as enemies by our government. And people from these groups are starting to figure that out.
From what I have read, one reason, not the only one, but a reason to enforce the vax mandate was to see who the more religious/conservatives were and broom them out.
As a veteran of 25 years, and working as a consultant for the armed forces for 21 of 25 years after that, it is 100% true that the US military, especially since Obama, has been handed over to amoral, “queered” generals and admirals, and is being politicized and brainwashed against men and women who profess Christian morality and the principles defending a constitutional republic.
I witnessed first-hand flag officers openly threatening uniformed members that there will be “no religious exemptions” for the tyranny of the Covid jab.
The “queered” generals and admirals seem to believe that the purpose of the US Armed Forces is to serve the Empire, but NOT to defend the Republic.
This event simply shows the “queered” political purposes they serve.
I got out in 2010 after 21 years in reserve components. The Obama purge of good officers and NCOs, and the promotion of the homosexual element, was revolting and infuriating. The transformation of the military from a strict meritocracy to a DEI social experiment was well under way. Today, it is much, much worse. When one of my USMC sons graduated from boot camp at Parris Island, the Catholic chaplain there told me that the lesbian base commander was constantly threatening him should he ever preach anything bad for “unit morale” (i.e. tell Catholic troops about Catholic teaching).
Deep State has totally permeated the US Military. Don’t for a minute buy the Defense Department’s attempt to explain away the vile indoctrination that they overtly and covertly promote.
I would encourage every young person to have nothing to do with our US military. It no longer shares the values that were once time-honored among our military class.
Revealing. The military puts out its instructional material first and proofreads it after.
It’s similar to the FBI’s Latin Mass infiltration memo. They only admit to these things after being caught.
There are good and brave people on the ground in our military and law enforcement who put their lives on the line for us every day. But the same purveyors of Wokeness that afflict every institution in our nation have sold their goods to our defense department as well.
Fort Liberty said that it had “come to our attention that an anti-terrorism slide was posted on social media. Yada yada yada, bs, yada yada yada, more bs, ad infinitum, ad nauseam.”
IOW – we got caught.
Rep Banks is correct.”We are in dangerous territory.” There has been a sick turn to the left in this country over the last several years, more and more with each elected democratic President, governor, senators and judges. They seek to control not only everything that we do ( covid jabs, electric cars, etc) but also felt comfortable closing our churches in a fit of hysteria.They have destroyed girls sports and subject girls to sexual intimidation by their legal enforcement of support of “trans” ideology. Even trying to discuss the matter was grounds for firing, or public cancellation. Catholics and others who dont believe in the murder of babies are sentenced to jail terms for trying to speak to pregnant women, and accused of being terrorists. Meanwhile its apparently ok to appoint mental nut jobs to top cabinet positions. Like those who dress like women and steal luggage at airports. How low this ideology can go is only limited by the number of people who are fool enough to surrender their votes to them. For which, some day, I hope they will be held accountable.
What happened to Trump yesterday did not happen in a vacuum. Even if the shooter was emotionally troubled, it is certain he had to hear Trump demeaned as a liar, felon, Hitler and potential dictator. Did this play into his action? Hopefully we will find out. With so many voters ill-informed, truth has become unnecessary. Only the accusation, repeated over and over, is required.
That our military is being indoctrinated with gross untruths to see a significant percentage of its population as the enemy should concern EVERY thinking American. Remember this when you vote.
Permission vs Forgiveness calculation.