Life Matters

In this episode of Life Matters Commissioner Johnston outlines the bright side of this unusual moment in history. Brian served as California Commissioner on Aging from 1995 to 1999. He also served on the State of California Board of Examiners of Nursing Homes from ‘95 until the year 2000.    Brian brings this experience, coupled with his active advocacy on behalf of the right to life of the vulnerable, to focus on the coronavirus outbreak of 2020. The bright side: On the deeply personal level that all of us experience in day-to-day life, the coronavirus outbreak has brought us home. The emphasis on staying domestic and focusing on the immediacy of life in our homes is of huge significance for a busy and distracted culture. Because of restrictions on church services, this has even required individuals to no longer view their faith as something that is exercised only in a special building. The advantage is it makes the living out of our faith that much more personal and an important aspect of our lives and fami

Dr. Patrick Moore was one of the founders of Greenpeace. He was the only actual scientist on their entire board. Eventually, he determined he had to leave the organization. They refused to listen to his objective scientific facts regarding the use of chemicals, biological principles, and self-evident observable facts.  He takes direct and explicit exception to the widespread ideological assertion that mankind is harming the earth and is the cause of global warming.  The last straw straw for Dr. Moore was their repeated return to the premise that human beings are in fact the enemy of the planet, that human beings are inherently bad. This is the opposite premise of the value of each and every human life, essential principles guiding the idea that there is a ‘right to life.’ Dr. Moore’s studies led him to conclude exactly the opposite of Greenpeace’s pervasive message. He has seen and demonstrates the fact that human beings are in fact the real answer to societies’ challenges and any of the environment’s problem

Dr. Patrick Moore was one of the founders of Greenpeace. He was the only actual scientist on their entire board. Eventually, he determined he had to leave the organization. They refused to listen to his objective scientific facts regarding the use of chemicals, biological principles, and self-evident observable facts.  He takes direct and explicit exception to the widespread ideological assertion that mankind is harming the earth and is the cause of global warming.  The last straw straw for Dr. Moore was their repeated return to the premise that human beings are in fact the enemy of the planet, that human beings are inherently bad. This is the opposite premise of the value of each and every human life, essential principles guiding the idea that there is a ‘right to life.’ Dr. Moore’s studies led him to conclude exactly the opposite of Greenpeace’s pervasive message. He has seen and demonstrates the fact that human beings are in fact the real answer to societies’ challenges and any of the environment’s problem

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston discusses the tendency of pro-abortion and anti-life advocates to use higher law against the principles of the right to life, inverting logic and defying their own appeals to conscience. Two recent examples are House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s condemnation of the President attempting to hold accountable the illegal gang MS-13. She insists that he referred to all illegal immigrants as animals. But she intentionally twisted the words of the President, as he was clearly referring to this particular El Salvador and criminal game. President Trump was appealing to a very basic principle of society: that individuals who use the desire to control and rule over others by violent force, or appealing to their own lower nature and seeking to employ the baser elements of humanity, or lower nature, is the reason that laws exist, to restrain those that use brute force and the “law of the jungle“ to get their way in society. Similarly, actor Joaquin Phoenix made a passionate

In this episode of Life Matters Commissioner Johnston interviews Lydia Gutierrez, a California schoolteacher and member of the California Teachers Association. Lydia outlines the extremely dangerous nature of a current phenomenon in the public school system: the establishment of school-based clinics by Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is a third-party, outside agency with very clear cultural and ethical messages for children. Planned Parenthood promotes, and in many cases provides abortion for minor children without parent’s knowledge or consent. Once introduced into a school setting, this outside, third-party agency has complete privacy and government protected secrecy for any conversations or interaction with the minor student. These counselors are not functioning in the same manner as a school counselor, school psychologist, teacher, or principal.  In fact, even the school employees are not allowed to know or be privy to the interaction between the student and the Planned Parenthood employee. The par

In this episode of Life Matters Commissioner Johnston replays the speech of President Trump at the rally and March for Life in Washington, D.C. In addition to the entirety of the President’s speech, Brian also explains the true significance of the Weldon Amendment, which the President requested be applied to the state of California on January 24, 2020. The Weldon Amendment prohibits a state from forcing private-party insurers to pay for and promote abortion. Many have mistakenly thought that it in someways cuts government funding for abortion, or in someways limits the actual practice of abortion. It does not. It is, in fact, a conscience clause for private individuals and private insurance companies. The State of California, and Governor Newsom’s insistence that not only should the state pay for abortion with California tax funding, but also force any private individuals and private insurance companies to also promote and pay for abortion is a draconian use of raw political power.

The famous Roe versus Wade and Doe versus Bolton twin-decisions of January 22,1973 are a black mark on American history. Since 1974, pro-life individuals from across the nation have gathered in Washington, D.C. on that anniversary. They have gone from the ellipse at the White House (often hearing a speech from the President and others) and then they march up to Capitol Hill.  The reason this is done is because an unjust law went into effect on this anniversary, the right to life was suspended by those twin decisions, and American citizens come as concerned individuals to their nation’s Capital. We gather in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the innocent child and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Legal protection must be restored for the unborn.  In subsequent years there have been many other walks assembled in the emulation of the March in Washington. In California, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego have all established local walks as a local substitute for the D.C. March For Life,

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston interviews Sheila Green, Esq., Central Vice President of the California ProLife Council, and Bob Cièlnicky, a long time life activist and volunteer and formerly Southern Vice President for the California ProLife Council. Relatively few pro-life individuals understand the deep significance of local elections. Yet, many abortion businesses receive direct authority and government funds from not only the federal and state governments, but counties and cities. Often, permission to operate within school districts is decided directly by the local districts themselves. In December 2019, the Los Angeles County Board of Education announced it was allowing Planned Parenthood to directly insert 50 school-based clinics into Los Angeles county high schools. The permission and funding for this third-party access to California school children was determined solely by the vote and authority of the local school board. If Pro-life individuals have understood the importance

In this episode of Life Matters Commissioner Johnston (former Commissioner an Aging for California) interviews Sheila Green, J.D., Central California Vice President of the California ProLife Council and Right To Life Federation.  Attorney Green explains the actual state of abortion law in California, a situation that both the media as well as the abortion industry and the government do not wish to have publicly discussed. Citing government statute, and the Medi-Cal handbook for abortion providers, Ms. Green explains that abortion in California is unregulated. It is legal through all nine months of pregnancy, and there is no requirement for medically indicated reasons, even in late-term. It is any abortion at any time, for any reason, or for no reason in particular. All abortions in California are available for payment by the California tax-payer. Ms. Green also explains that there are existing statutes that would require a child born in the course of an abortion to be protected, but given the fact that all ot

In this episode, Commissioner Johnston discusses that aspect of abortion which the abortion industry seeks to hide, the media rarely discusses, and yet, is the most shocking and appalling aspect of abortion.     It is an area on which the majority of Americans agree - killing a child, big enough to hold in your arms, is killing a vulnerable human baby. Most Americans – even those who self-identify as pro-choice – oppose this practice. Yet, this is exactly what is allowed under Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton.   Included is a presentation by Gianna Jessie, who was born in 1977 during a saline abortion. Her comments are riveting and incontrovertible: our nation is legally killing human babies who are wanted. Gianna was adopted and there are 2 million couples hoping for and awaiting adoption each year.     Dr. Patrick Marmion OB/GYN joins Commissioner Johnston for a second interview regarding the dramatic change in obstetrics, and the oppressive nature of current medical training. Dr. Marmion considers the current

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston conducts an extensive interview with Dr. Pat Marmion, OB/GYN. Dr. Marmion, who has been involved as a pro-life physician for almost 40 years, explains the real facts regarding the routine killing of older children, children who could survive outside the womb, children big enough to hold in your arms.   Dr. Marmion describes the Weisberg incident of 1982, when a shipping container left in a storage facility in Los Angeles was found to contain over 16,000 young, aborted baby corpses. The media did cover that incident at the time, but most recently when an abortionist was found to be storing thousands of aborted fetuses at his home, the major media employed a media blackout.  It was not to be made known.    The issue for our culture is quite simple - when your fellow citizens see human babies, they do not want those babies wantonly killed. If the debate is only words, semantics and numbers, your neighbors’ attention span is brief. The media and the abortion

The State of California will pay for any abortion, at any time, regardless of the gestational age of the child. There need be no medically indicated reason for the killing of that child. Do your friends know that that’s the law? Do your neighbors understand that they’re paying for unlimited abortion in California? Do they really know what Roe versus Wade and Doe versus Bolton has done to the law and to the practice of medicine?  In this edition of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explores the real facts of how late abortions are being performed. He points out the inescapable fact that the media and the abortion lobby minimizes the humanity of the child, and will rarely, if ever, use any human terms in referring to the baby. In a callous and dismissive way they intentionally want to make the debate about tangents: “When does life begin?” etc. but that, as he points out, has nothing to do with when the killing begins and when it is authorized.  It is as much a tangent as killing any person is not a debate ab

In 1973, the Roe versus Wade decision overturned the protective laws of all fifty states. These laws respected the humanity of a child in the womb and had been established immediately following the Civil War. That War established that black human beings who were innocent could not be owned or killed at will. Medical science and the medical profession, through the American Medical Association and other advocates, had insisted after the Civil War, that now a vulnerable and innocent human being in the womb also needed the protection of the law. Roe versus Wade in 1973 ignored the humanity of the child and gives this vulnerable human being absolutely no protection whatsoever throughout the United States. Many people have come to disagree and bemoan this legal situation. But being pro-life is much more than merely a feeling or opinion about that decision. The essential question for the pro-life movement is, “What shall we do now?” While there are many projects and social work proposals that are pursued, failure to

In this episode, Brian explores some interviews with abortion advocates in which they admit that the use of language is what scares them the most. Drawing from a podcast interview from VICE media, abortion advocates publicly admit that the words “prolife” and “Right to Life” are themselves deeply harmful to the “pro-choice” cause. Even the phrase “right to choose” has become less powerful in their vocabulary. They are now adjusting to use “reproductive liberty.” But is an abortion, in anyway, reproductive? Isn’t it in fact the exact opposite of reproduction? The need for abortion advocates to deceive and misrepresent their true goals can only be fulfilled through their manipulation of language. Commissioner Johnston, whose undergraduate degree was in Comparative Linguistics, explores the power of language and the need for all of us to listen carefully, and weigh the meaning of the words that are being used in this very important battle, a battle that indeed will either cost or save lives.

Because of the strong emotions that are associated with the abortion issue it is tempting to overlook how we got here and why. There are so many abortions daily.   Instead of working to end this tragic chapter in American history: government sponsorship and protection of the entire abortion industry, we might simply get caught up in ‘cleaning up’ after the ongoing human tragedy.  It is very easy to become obsessed only with helping the young mothers and their children whenever an abortion is being considered. Secondarily, when a young mother succumbs to emotional or social pressure with the tragic mistake of having an abortion, the emotional and psychological counseling necessary can consume the resources of many.  Dr. Mildred Jefferson, M.D., a former president of the National Right Life Committee, and the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School, put it succinctly: “The crisis pregnancy centers of America are the Red Cross in this important battle for life, but the Red Cross never won any b

In this episode Commissioner Johnston discusses recent events in the news that involved mass shootings. The popular media, in examining the cause and the issue, neglected to point out a common factor between the two gunmen. While one seemed to be on the “right,” and the other on the “left“, in reality both in their writings admitted to being environmentally concerned and deeply troubled over the issue of overpopulation. They both expressed a pressing need to lower the population and saw their acts as doing so.  While a handful of outlets did make known these express writings of the killers, the popular media by and large ignored these express statements of motivation and instead focused on other topics.  Troubling in all of this is the fact that the current push in the American educational system imbuing a sense of social justice regarding the environment, global warming, and overpopulation, has created a culture with the not so subtle message: human beings themselves are a problem, and the number of human be

In this episode of Life Matters, Commissioner Johnston explains exactly what happened in the closing days of the California state legislative session of 2019.  Brian reminds listeners that if they really care about human life and consider themselves to be pro-life they need to take the time to look into how laws are made because it is the laws that are designed to protect innocent lives. Once Roe v. Wade is overturned each of the states will have an opportunity to again protect innocent lives.  Senate Bill 24, which authorizes the distribution of the chemical abortifacient RU 486 in all state university and state college campuses, was passed in the wee hours of the final evening of the session.  Brian reminds us that the old saying “if anyone likes either sausages or laws they should never watch either one being made.” What this means is laws are often made in a very uncomely, inappropriate manner and it is up to us to watch and hold accountable, lawmakers who make this mess.  Brian also reminds us that we sh

In this episode Brian outlines the direct legal and historical connection between the banning of slavery and the banning of abortion in the United States. It is critical to understand that it was the British who first ended slavery in the western European world. That happened in 1807 with the Slave Trade Act, and in 1833, ended throughout the Empire via  The Slavery Abolition Act, which ended slavery in all UK possessions as well as on the high seas.  A young Bostonian physician who had graduated from medical school and began practice in 1857 decided to specialize in childbirth.  He went to Edinburgh University, the finest medical school at that time. In 1857, even though the British had ended slavery 30 years earlier, the United States had cemented slavery through the terrible Dred Scott Decision of 1857, as well as attempting to expand slavery through the bloody Kansas-Nebraska Act.  Senator Douglas, the sponsor of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, said he was ‘personally opposed to slavery’ and he only wanted state

Commissioner Johnston discusses the tragedy of socialized medicine and its failure wherever it has been employed. Brian relates personal stories of Canadian healthcare and the healthcare system of the NHS in the UK as well as the similar system in Ireland. Professor David Warner, a dear friend and colleague with whom the Commissioner had worked, received an appointment to a professorship in Canada. While there, David Warner was diagnosed with multiple myeloma bone cancer. The Canadian health service did indeed treat him. It did indeed diagnose as well as treat the cancer. But David suffered and ultimately succumbed under the extremely common phenomenon of “queuing.” Queuing refers to the wait time between diagnosis, treatment, ongoing tests, and ongoing treatments. The extreme lag time between each procedure increases the likelihood of ineffectual treatment and non-curative care. The National Health Service in the UK  has a very similar procedure.  The government offers less medicine to more people. Recently,

In this episode, Brian Johnston reminds us of the actual nature of the Roe versus Wade decision and the companion decision, Doe versus Bolton. Unfortunately, the major media has misrepresented these decisions since they came down on January 22, 1973.  Brian points out the amazing fact that the average person, when fully informed just how far Roe and Doe reach, does not agree with these Supreme Court findings. What that means is your neighbors, and the average person, even in California, more than seventy percent of Californians do not agree with unlimited abortion on demand. In Roe v. Wade, Justice Blackmun declared he did not know when life began, and from that point on, the entire decision refuses to recognize the life of the child or the rights of the child at any time within the womb. In Doe v. Bolton, again Justice Blackmun, the author, wrote it as a companion decision to work with Roe and it then institutionalized a new abortion law across the entire nation - overturning the laws of every state.   Such