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1. Conservative Government Urged To Recognize Unborn Victims Of Violence – October 17, 2007
Campaign Life Coalition Calls on Prime Minister Harper to Address
Concerns of Sesen Family and Unborn Victims of Violence Bill
Issued today by Campaign Life Coalition http://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/.
Conservative Government Urged to Recognize Unborn Victims of Violence
MEDIA ADVISORY, Oct. 17 /Christian Newswire/ – Media reports indicate that the family of Toronto homicide victim, Aysun Sesen, are asking for a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to appeal for Sesen's daughter, who was killed in utero in her seventh month, to be declared a human being. They are calling for changes to the laws that prevent her boyfriend Turan Cocelli from being charged with two murders.
"We support the family's reasonable request for their grandchild to be recognized as the second victim in this murder," said Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition. "Coincidentally, today in Alberta, closing arguments are being heard in the trial of Jared Baker who is accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Olivia Talbot and her unborn child in 2005. This case prompted Conservative MP Leon Benoit to bring forward a private members bill on the unborn victims of violence. If this bill had passed the murder of both of these babies would be recognized," he continued.
"It appeared from media reports in the Sesen case that the father directed his aim at the mother's abdomen and in the Talbot case, Baker testified that he shot Olivia five times including deliberately at her stomach 'to get the baby'," said Mary Ellen Douglas, National Organizer of CLC. "How much more evidence is necessary for the courts, the Prime Minister and the general public to recognize two victims in both of these crimes?"
Campaign Life Coalition calls on the Prime Minister to hear the request from the Sesen family and to re-evaluate the hasty removal of the unborn victims of violence bill.
Media contacts:
Mary Ellen Douglas, CLC National Organizer, Kingston, ON 613-389-4472
Marie Christine Houle, CLC Toronto Office 416-204- 9749
Source: http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/79484514.html
2. Defying The Norms Of Hollywood Comes Bella, From Metanoia Films – October 21, 2007
Defying the norms of Hollywood comes Bella, from Metanoia Films. A profound illustration of the Impact one life can have on another, Bella, is the story of José, a washed up pro athlete, who reaches out to Nina, a young waitress whose world is crashing down around her; a story of healing as both grapple with life-changing decisions in the midst of the unexpected, while an innocent life hangs in the balance.
For more information http://www.bellathemovie.com/site/#/film/synopsis/
3. Focus On The Family’s Keeping The Faith In Scary Times – November 2, 2007
How do you keep calm and spiritually cool in such chaotic times that we’re experiencing? – by Roberta Rand Caponey
A disturbed, young student unleashes his irrational, pent-up fury on fellow students, killing 31 before putting the gun to his own head . . .
A Mickey Mouse look-alike spouts hate-filled jihadist rhetoric to a classroom of Muslim preschoolers . . .
Genocide in Darfur once more instructs on the incomprehensible hatred that drives one people to systematically annihilate another . . .
The bad news is unrelenting. On TV and over the Internet we are bombarded with stories of corruption, cruelty and murder on a global scale. Paul’s exhortation to “put on the full armour of God . . . (Eph. 6:11 NIV)” takes on new urgency for Christians desiring to be salt and light in a world coming apart at the seams. But how do you stay grounded in your faith amidst the din of so much horror and pain?
Take Shelter in God’s Word
In our post-modern American culture, the word “truth” is now uttered in the lower case – viewed as subjective. With truth reduced to just another matter of personal preference, it’s no wonder people feel the earth shifting under their feet. Jesus’ words in Luke 21:33 contain a message of hope we can all carry within us – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (NIV).” For those who yearn to feel a sense of permanence in the shadow of so much impermanence, the answer is as near as your Bible. A wonderful old hymn states simply:
Upon the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand
By reclaiming Truth with a capital “T,” and steeping ourselves in God’s Word, we can remain grounded despite the chaos and confusion swirling around us.
Take Comfort in Family
Now more than ever, families need to draw together for support and comfort. Husband and wives, parents and children should be seeking each other help to process events they witness on television and in their world. Parents: take special care with impressionable young children. Don’t leave the news on as background noise during mealtimes. Guard your children from over-exposure to reports about war and terrorism. At the same time, use world events as a springboard for prayer and discussion about what both kids and adults can do individually to express Jesus’ love to others.
Explain to children who might be overwhelmed by the enormity of the world’s problems that by helping just one person in need, you are making a measurable difference for Christ’s Kingdom. The antidote to a feeling of powerlessness is action. You may not be able to help everyone in the world – but you can help one!
Go On a Media “Fast”
Being aware of what’s going on in the world is important. But hours spent in front of the TV obsessing on details of the latest weather disaster or terrorist bombing doesn’t serve God or improve the situation. Balance your news diet with lighter entertainment. Spend time in non-TV related activities. Socialize with friends, head to the gym, or better yet, pray. These activities counter feelings of helplessness and inertia. They also help you keep things in their proper perspective.
Set Goals
Having a worthwhile goal to work toward fills you with a sense of power and purpose. Working toward a goal that also glorifies God will not only take your mind off all the gloom and doom, but will energize you as you become part of the solution to what ails our planet.
Take the Eternal View
The Bible speaks of the kind of terrible events we are witnessing today. Mark 13:6-8, Jesus speaks about the abomination of desolation:
“When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains (NIV).”
Women have described the pain of childbirth as feeling like death throes. But we know that labour pains are necessary to bring forth new life. The verses in Matthew describe in harrowing detail just how bad things will get in the days before Jesus returns. The events we’re witnessing now are least in part what Jesus means when he talks about “birth pains.”
Corrie Ten Boom, the Dutch woman who lost her family to the Nazi death camps, and who herself barely escaped death at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, endured incalculable suffering and loss. She witnessed evil firsthand. Yet, she emerged from the experience with her faith in tact. Her assertion that “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still" remains one of the most inspiring statements uttered by a Christian in the 20th century. Corrie Ten Boom could have succumbed to despair, could have chosen to believe the worst about God . . . but instead, she took the eternal view.
Yes, the airwaves are rife with heartbreaking images of war, terrorism and human cruelty on an unprecedented scale. But Matthew 24:30-31 contains an image of surpassing hope:
“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (NIV).”
Finally, consider Jesus’ promise to all of us determined to remain faithful in these scary times:
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NIV)."
Hold on to Jesus’ promises. He will deliver us from evil.
Roberta Rand Caponey is Senior Editor at Family Life Communications in Tucson, AZ. She is formerly Online Editor of Focus Over 50.
4. It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without 'Noëlle' – October 31, 2007
The One Movie You're Sure to Fall in Love with This Christmas
LOS ANGELES,October 31 /Standard Newswire/ – "If you're fond of sand dunes, and salty air, quaint little villages, here and there," you're sure to fall in love with Gener8Xion Entertainment's latest release, Noëlle.
A fully integrated family/faith-based entertainment company, Gener8Xion Entertainment, Inc. recently announced that Noëlle – its newest acquisition, a Volvo Films production – will open in select theatres nationwide on December 7th...just in time for Christmas. A cross between Waking Ned Devine and It's a Wonderful Life, Noëlle is an enchanting family drama set against the breathtaking, icy backdrop of a tiny, sand- dunned Cape Cod village.
Amid the homey imagery made famous in Patti Page's classic tune Old Cape Cod, Noëlle inspires viewers to ask themselves not what they are doing, but why they are doing it. Laced with comedy, mystery, and a splash of romance, Noëlle is a stirring motion picture that will entertain and challenge the hearts of young and old alike.
The movie's story revolves around Father Jonathan Keene (played by the film's writer, director, and producer, David Wall). A cold, impatient Catholic priest, Keene arrives in a tiny fishing village the week before Christmas to do what he does best: shut down a dying parish. But he quickly becomes entangled in the lives of the village's eccentric characters – among them, the childlike priest (Sean Patrick Brennan) he is replacing, and a beautiful librarian (Kerry Wall) who harbours a secret that could profoundly change Keene's life.
Award winning director David Wall flexes his dramatic skills as he seamlessly glides from Charlie Chaplin- like tumbles in the snow, to dialogue reminiscent of Richard Burton in his heyday.
"The film is not only about discovering who we really are; it is about realizing who we are not," says Wall.
A movie not to be missed, Noëlle will leave no one untouched this Christmas season. It is a film that soars far above the usual feel good Christmas flick, offering authentic, real-life challenges that are sure to resonate with viewers.
"We believe that everyone deserves a second chance," says Matt Crouch, chairman and CEO of Gener8Xion Entertainment. "Noëlle is a film about hope - a story that will inspire everyone to realize that a second chance is always an option in this life."
About Gener8Xion Entertainment
Gener8Xion Entertainment, Inc. (OTC BB: GNXE.OB – News) is an integrated media company engaged in various operating activities including feature film and television production and distribution, sales and rentals of film and video equipment, systems integration and studio facility management. CEO and chairman of Gener8Xion Entertainment, Inc., Matthew Crouch first won the acclaim of audiences and critics alike with the 1999 runaway hit The Omega Code, named that year's top limited release motion picture by Hollywood's Daily Variety. Warner Brothers called The Omega Code the "grandfather" of inspirational movies. In 2006, One Night With The King, eclipsed Omega in beauty, drama, and inspiration. Interested investors are invited to visit the following web page to request an investor relations kit, receive GNXE press releases by email immediately upon release, and/or have an investor relations representative contact them directly: http://8x.ir.stockpr.com/request_info .
For more information, please visit www.8x.com or www.Noëllethemovie.com.5. Lifeissues.Net Newsletter #347 – October 28, 2007
Greetings from LifeIssues.net (www.lifeissues.net)
Dear Friends for Life,
RU-486 And Cytotec: The first drug, RU-486, mifepristone, kills the baby. This second drug, Cytotec, misoprostal, causes contractions of the uterus and expels the baby parts. The maker of Cytotec, Pfizer, has said publicly and repeatedly that it is not indicated for abortions. "We would not recommend it outside of the use for stomach ulcers." "We cannot vouch for the drug=D5s safety when it is misused by abortion practitioners, as such miscarriages can be dangerous." Indeed, women have died from using the abortion drug in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and elsewhere.
World Congress Of Families in Warsaw: Its closing declaration stated that various threats to the family in Europe are creating a demographic winter that can only be healed by the protection and nurturing of the natural family. Healthy natural families are the natural essence of a community of love and life and only this can produce a rebirth of society. The congress called for governments to mainstream the family as public policy and to protect every human from conception to natural death, as well as to defend the fundamental rights of parents to bring up their children. – Jerry Novotny, omi Thought: Amazing World Clock... http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf
Lifeissues.Net Newsletter #347 – October 28, 2007
Table Of Contents:
1. Pro-Life Group: Canada's Bishops Should Address Abortion, Communion
2. New HIV Cases Among Married Couples In Thailand Increasing
3. Death Penalty "Utterly Obnoxious", PM
4. American Life League Says Birth Control Pill Can Kill; Suggests Legal Action
5. Love Isn't Enough: 5 Reasons Why Same-Sex Marriage Will Harm Children
6. Europe: 'Third Of Pregnancies Terminated'
7. Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute Said To Play "Fast And Loose" With Abortion Stats
8. Two Underage Girls Pregnant A Week
9. Nobel Laureate To Chair Science And Ethics Institute
10. Planned Parenthood-UN Worldwide Abortion Study Draws Pro-Life Criticism
11. Prescribe 'The Pill' At Middle School?
Focus On Asia: Women Speak Out - "[The abortion] gave me grief and sorrow beyond expression. I have committed the most heinous of all crimes - I killed my own child. Yet, the Lord forgave me, just as he forgave Paul. Yet I will always regret what I did and will probably always feel grief. But I pray that my experience can somehow prevent other women from making the same fatal mistake. I'm a nurse now, so I wear my uniform to all the pro-life things I do!"
For information on healing after abortion, see www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org.
Item #1. Pro-Life Group: Canada's Bishops Should Address Abortion, Communion
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) meets next week for its annual Plenary Assembly and a leading pro-life group says they should take up the issue of pro-abortion politicians and communion. Vote Life Canada wants the bishops to call an emergency session to address what it calls an "ongoing scandal."
View full article at LifeNews.com: http://www.lifenews.com/int462.html
Item #2. New HIV Cases Among Married Couples In Thailand Increasing
Thawat Suntrajarn, chief of DDC, said the agency has a plan in place to prevent the spread of the virus, particularly among married couples. The DDC and Ministry of Public Health plan to provide 20 million condoms in hospitals to couples living with HIV/AIDS to combat the spread of the virus. In addition, the health ministry will provide HIV-positive people with 10 condoms monthly and antiretroviral drugs at no cost. DDC also will provide 10 condoms monthly to HIV-positive people who do not show symptoms and will encourage their partners to receive HIV tests.
Comment: If the HIV virus is 450 times smaller than a sperm, how can providing 20 million condoms in hospitals to couples (HIV patients and AIDS patients) combat the spread of the virus? – Editor
View full text at kaisernetwork.org:
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=3D48171
Item #3. Death Penalty "Utterly Obnoxious", PM
Prime Minister Helen Clark marked World Day against the Death Penalty by calling the practice "utterly obnoxious" and vowed the government will push for a global death penalty moratorium. Ms Clark said the Government will be working with other abolitionist countries on a resolution on abolition of the death penalty to be considered by the UN General Assembly later this year. "The resolution will ask countries to implement a global moratorium on executions as a first step towards the eventual abolition of the death penalty."
View full text at Epoch Times: http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-10-15/60793.html
Item #4. American Life League Says Birth Control Pill Can Kill; Suggests Legal Action
In a press release from the American Life League, Andrew F. Flusche, J.D., recommended that Americans sue birth control pill manufacturers in order to protect the health of women throughout the United States. Even as lawsuits have forced increasing restrictions on the tobacco industry as a result of the number of deaths that can be directly tied to tobacco consumption, the birth control industry has managed to largely avoid the same scrutiny.
View full text at AC:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/413865/american_life_league_says_birth_control.html.
Item #5. Love Isn't Enough: 5 Reasons Why Same-Sex Marriage Will Harm Children
Proponents of same-sex marriage believe the only thing children really need is love. Based on that supposition, they conclude it's just as good for children to be raised by loving parents of the same sex, as it is to be raised by loving parents of the opposite sex. Unfortunately, that basic assumption - and all that flows from it - isn't true. Because love isn't enough!
View full text at Christian Newswire (Oct 15): http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/245974480.html
Item #6. Europe: 'Third Of Pregnancies Terminated'
A study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that 90% of women globally will have had an abortion by the age of 45, and that 20% of pregnancies are aborted. It estimated that 20 million "unsafe" abortions occurred in 2003, and that 97% of these were in developing regions or areas where the procedure is banned. Mr Paul Van Look, director of WHO's department of reproductive health and research, claimed that 70,000 women die each year as result of unsafe abortions. The report also claims that international abortion totals have dropped from 46 million in 1995 to under 42 million in 2003.
See the full article at ITN: http://itn.co.uk/news/b29ae755b205f79348d2b757737659d2.html
Item #7. Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute Said To Play "Fast And Loose" With Abortion Stats
The Population Research Institute has questioned figures cited by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, which calls itself the research arm of Planned Parenthood. Mr Stephen Mosher, institute president, claims that it is impossible to know how many abortions are performed worldwide each year because only countries with socialised healthcare keep reliable statistics. Mr Mosher was told by the vice minister for health of Colombia that, since the legalization of abortion in that country in May last year, government clinics had performed about 50 abortions, whereas it had been claimed that 450,000 illegal abortions had been taking place each year. Mr Mosher suggests that abortion figures for the developing world "are simply bogus" and are used in an attempt to show that legalising abortions saves lives.
Full Article at LifeSite: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/oct/07101109.html
Item #8. Two Underage Girls Pregnant A Week
A campaign providing contraceptives to teenagers has failed to curb the rate of teenage pregnancies in Lothian, which has the highest number of teenage pregnancies in Scotland. Figures show that teenage pregnancies were highest in most deprived areas. The Conservative health spokesperson said that the current policy was not working, and suggested that the girls might be choosing to become pregnant. A spokesman for the Catholic Church called for a change of direction in tackling the problem.
Full Article at News.scotsman.com: http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=3D1626042007
Item #9. Nobel Laureate To Chair Science And Ethics Institute
An institute has been set up to examine the social and ethical consequences of science and technology. The Institute of Science, Ethics and Innovation at the University of Manchester, UK, will investigate issues such as the genetic selection of human embryos and the conflicts of interest between parents, the unborn child, social groups and society, as well as the genetic manipulation of humans and animals, including hybrids. Sir John Sulston, a Nobel laureate who researched the human genome, will be chairman and Professor John Harris will be research director.
View entire text at Guardian: http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2188782,00.html
Item #10. Planned Parenthood-UN Worldwide Abortion Study Draws Pro-Life Criticism
A new study conducted by a Planned Parenthood affiliate and released by a United Nations agency is continuing to draw intense criticism. The World Health Organization says the Alan Guttmacher Institute study shows abortions are just as frequent in nations where they are prohibited as those that legalize them.
View entire text at LifeNews.com: http://www.lifenews.com/int474.html
Item #11. Prescribe 'The Pill' At Middle School?
Student health officials say a broad contraceptive program is 'totally needed.'
View entire text at Portland Press Herald:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=3D140910&ac=3DPHnws
Get Involved:
1. Be Informed: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6. Go to Lifeissues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net.
2. Pray Daily: for the courage to be God's presence in society and strongly support those who are deemed "unworthy of life". "If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
3. Be Involved: "Journey for Life into the Heart of Asia" is a project, which appeals for donations to help finance travel expenses for talks to developing countries in Asia. Strong focus is placed on reaching Asian Catholic Major Seminaries, Schools and Family related groups. A series of lectures places emphasis on "The Asian Family at Crossroads: Trends and Challenges". For inquires about no-cost Pro Life Talks to your group within Asia: contact Fr. Jerry at jerry@star.quolia.com.
To become a supportive Missionary participant for Human Life in Asia, kindly send your donations directly to: Fr. Jerry Novotny, OMI; LifeIssues.net, Editor; Akebono-cho 1-15-9; Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072; (or transfer donation directly to ProLife bank account: Jerome Novotny, Shikoku Bank, Asakura Branch, No. 102-1-0080824)
Contact Editor: Jerry Novotny, OMI; Akebono-cho 1-15-9; Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072; Tel/Fax: 088-843-0406; E-Mail: jerry@lifeissues.net
Websites by Editor: English LifeIssues Site:http://www.lifeissues.net,
Japanese LifeIssues Site:http://www.japan-lifeissues.net,
OMI Site:http://www.omijapankorea.net/index.html.
6. Lifeissues.Net Newsletter #349 – November 11, 2007
Greetings from LifeIssues.net (www.lifeissues.net)
Dear Friends for Life,
Rwanda Population Control: Rwanda has 8.8 million people with an average fertility rate of six children per woman. The government has announced a campaign to promote family planning in order to hold down the population growth.
Ireland, Ulster Will Stay Pro-life: The Westminster government in the UK has assured Northern Ireland that there are no plans to extend the pro-abortion law into that area. We note that both North and South Ireland are strongly pro-life. In fact, the Presbyterians in the North are probably more vigorously so than the Catholics in the South. – Jerry Novotny, omi
Thought: Clear Teaching – "We need to continue to teach clearly and help other Catholic leaders to teach clearly on our unequivocal commitment to the legal protection of human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Our teaching on human life and dignity should be reflected in our parishes and our educational, health care and human service ministries. We need to do more to persuade all people that human life is precious and human dignity must be defended. This requires more effective dialogue and engagement with all public officials, especially Catholic public officials. We welcome conversation initiated by political leaders themselves." – United States Catholic Bishops, June 18, 2004
Lifeissues.Net Newsletter #349 – November 11, 2007
Table Of Contents:
1. There Is No Such Cell As A Human Embryonic Stem Cell – At Least, Not Yet.
2. Centre Offers Dignity In Death
3. UK Scientists Debate Whether 24-Week Limit On Abortions Is Too Long
4. Former British Abortion Practitioner Pleads For Late-Term Abortion Ban
5. Mercy Killing: A Reasonable Request Or Murder?
6. Lab Suspends DNA Pioneer Watson
7. NHS Nurses Given Power To End A Life Under Controversial New Guidelines
8. Whatever Happened To Common Sense At The End Of Life?
9. More 15-Year-Old Girls Seeking Contraception
10. HLI Condemns Action Of NI Governor And State Senator As 'Tyranny'
11. More Than 21,000 Prescriptions For Morning-After Pill Last Year For British Girls Under 16.
12. Why Is Chastity Important To The Christian Life?
Focus On Asia: Boycott Beijing Olympics to free Myanmar – Friends write to me from Burma: "Help us! It's a question of life or death!” One of them who is well informed writes to me from Yangon: "Economic sanctions against Burma mean nothing, because the regime can still crush the people whenever and however it wants. It has decimated the only force of opposition the Buddhist monks and it can import and export all that it needs from China: its capital is drawn above all from trade in opium, gas and petrol. It something is not done on an international level soon that can free us from this slavery then, within a few months everything will go back to the way it was before! For us, the slaves of the times, it seems that the only option is to boycott the Chinese Olympics. We believe that it is the only threat that can bring China and the Burmese regime to listen to the people and give us freedom which is our right!"
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10566&size=A
Item #1. There Is No Such Cell As A Human Embryonic Stem Cell – At Least, Not Yet.
The promotion of using early human embryos as "stem cells" or to obtain so-called "stem cells" has led to the public debate over obtaining these wrongfully labelled blastomeres by killing human embryos; in fact, killing human life. Thus, to buttress the arguments for using early human blastomeres, for example, the many spare embryos preserved in IVF laboratories, stem cell research advocates have reduced the significance and value of human life to somewhat ridiculous levels, such as the small size of the early human embryo, or, as some pundits claim, that life does not exist unless the embryo is implanted in the uterus. Such claims have no scientific merit... The tenets of human embryology should be publicly endorsed. Political parsing of those tenets has been rampant and happening all too frequently for many years. But that is separate and apart from the scientific truths which are taught to all of our medical students by lecture and text. It is time to reclaim those tenets before it becomes too late."
View full article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/kisc/kisc_30nosuchcell.html
Item #2. Centre Offers Dignity In Death
Comment: In the early 90's Dr John F Scott took me on a tour of his palliative care ward in Elisabeth Bruyre Health Centre. I was very impressed. It's good to know the goals he set out for that centre are still being met. Still Scott was already then very concerned that "the term, palliative care, will be "hijacked" by the euthanasia lobby." Scott said, "Unless we issue a strong challenge, palliative care may soon become a euphemism or synonym for choosing death, thus making a mockery of its origin as the active alternative to euthanasia." - Cheryl, CHN View full text at Ottawacitizen.com: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/business/story.html?id=75e0789c-73d7-4df9-b66f-9c334811321e&p=2
Item #3. UK Scientists Debate Whether 24-Week Limit On Abortions Is Too Long Scientists in England are debating whether the 24-week limit on doing abortions is too long and goes into the time period during which unborn children are considered viable. Some doctors are saying babies can survive at that time period and shouldn't become victims of abortions.
View full text at LifeNews.com: http://www.lifenews.com/int476.html
Item #4. Former British Abortion Practitioner Pleads For Late-Term Abortion Ban
A former British abortion practitioner is pleading with members of parliament to ban late-term abortions there. Professor Stuart Campbell revealed Tuesday how doing late-term abortions haunted him because the unborn baby is so well developed and he wants abortions prohibited after 20 weeks into pregnancy.
View full text at LifeNews.com: http://www.lifenews.com/int477.html
Item #5. Mercy Killing: A Reasonable Request Or Murder?
Euthanasia, sometimes called mercy killing. The very words conjure up emotional visions of desperate parents and children, caring for a loved one or the spectre of Dr. Jack Kervorkian and his suicide machine.
Comment: Note "Sources: Right To Die Society and Canadian government." CityNews gives a direct link to RTD – typical! It's as if no opposition exists. Time to write more letters! BTW Dr Genereux was the first doctor in North America to be convicted of assisting a suicide. When he committed the offences, Dr. Genereux had already been found guilty of sexual misconduct and was practicing medicine under the following restrictions: that he receive psychotherapy and that he not be alone with patients during examinations. Cheryl, CHN
View full text at CityNews.ca: http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_15844.aspx
Item #6. Lab Suspends DNA Pioneer Watson
There's a big story in Oregon, but you wouldn't know it from the amount of coverage it is getting. Dr Watson has drawn severe criticism over remarks he made in a British newspaper at the weekend. In the interview, he was quoted as saying Africans were less intelligent than Europeans. The Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory had already distanced itself from the scientist's comments but its trustee board has also now suspended him. A statement from the Long Island, New York, institution said the action was being taken "pending further deliberation by the board".
Unreserved apology: Dr Watson was due to give a lecture at the Science Museum in London on Friday as part of a book tour. But the museum cancelled the event, saying the scientist had gone beyond the point of acceptable debate.
See the full article at BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7052416.stm
Item #7. NHS Nurses Given Power To End A Life Under Controversial New Guidelines Nurses will be able to decide that a dying patient should not be resuscitated under controversial new guidelines. Until now, only GPs and consultants could say whether there was any point in continuing efforts to save a life. But guidance issued last night by the British Medical Association will allow 'suitably experienced nurses' to make this crucial decision.
Comment: It's becoming painfully obvious that the big nursing organizations – both in the US and abroad – will not forcefully uphold ethical standards that protect both the nurses and the general public. Here in the US, we have the National Assn. of Prolife Nurses (www.nursesforlife.org) I would encourage all nurses to join organizations like this. By the way, several years ago, there was a case of several Austrian nurses accused of euthanasia. The authorities said that, at first, the nurses killed the patients that they felt sorry for but later killed the patients that caused the most trouble. A cautionary tale, indeed. – Nancy Valko, RN
Full Article at Daily Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/thehealthnews.html?in_article_id=490022&in_page_id=1797&ct=5
Item #8. Whatever Happened To Common Sense At The End Of Life?
Withdrawal of treatment, "living wills", terminal sedation, assisted suicide, organ donation, etc. Currently, it's virtually impossible to escape all the death talk in the media and elsewhere. For example, if you are admitted to a hospital for almost any reason, you or your relatives will be asked if you have or would like information about documents formalizing your "end-of-life" choices.
But despite all the hype, not every situation involving end-of-life issues has to involve wrestling with big ethical dilemmas. Many times, there are relatively simple considerations or strategies that actually used to be commonly employed until the introduction of the so-called "right to die". Accurate information, common sense and a good understanding of ethical principles can cut through the "right-to-die" fog and make a person's last stage of life as good as possible both for the person and his or her family.
Here are just four examples:
Full Article at LifeIssues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/val/val_31commonsense.html
Item #9. More 15-Year-Old Girls Seeking Contraception
More than 80,000 girls aged 13 to 16 attended contraception clinics in Britain last year. The proportion of under 16s seeking advice has risen from six percent to 8.5% over the last decade. Mr Mike Judge of the Christian Institute said that children had been let down by not being empowered to delay sexual activity.
View entire text at Telegraph.co.uk:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/30/nabort230.xml
Item #10. HLI Condemns Action Of NI Governor And State Senator As 'Tyranny'
The Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL, president of Human Life International, (HLI) today said, "When a state rejects the protection of individual consciences, that state loses its soul." Father Euteneuer was commenting on a New Jersey law sponsored by state Senator Joseph Vitale and signed into law by Governor Jon Corzine that effectively forces pharmacists in that state to violate their consciences by filling prescriptions for abortifacient\abortion-causing\contraception.
"In a free society, the rights of conscience are recognized. When the state abrogates those rights forcing citizens to violate their consciences as a condition for employment, then that state is no longer a free society," said Father Euteneuer.
View entire text at Christian Newswire:
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/24284691.html
Item #11. More Than 21,000 Prescriptions For Morning-After Pill Last Year For British Girls Under 16.
Almost one in six 15-year-old girls were given contraception last year, despite being too young to legally have sex. Recent figures show that 50,000 girls aged 15 attended contraception clinics in 2006-07, along with another 31,000 aged 13 or 14. There has been a rise in girls seeking advice in the past decade. In 1995-96, six per cent of those aged 15 and under attended contraception clinics, compared with 8.5 per cent in 2006-07.
View entire text at Telegraph.co.uk:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/30/nabort230.xml
Item #12. Why Is Chastity Important To The Christian Life?
Why is chastity so unpopular? And why does God seem to care so much about it?
View entire text at Focus on the Family:
http://www.family.org/lifechallenges/a000000196.cfm
Get Involved:
1. Be Informed: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6. Go to Lifeissues.net: http://www.lifeissues.net.
2. Pray Daily: for the courage to be God's presence in society and strongly support those who are deemed "unworthy of life". "If My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
3. Be Involved: "Journey for Life into the Heart of Asia" is a project, which appeals for donations to help finance travel expenses for talks to developing countries in Asia. Strong focus is placed on reaching Asian Catholic Major Seminaries, Schools and Family related groups. A series of lectures places emphasis on "The Asian Family at Crossroads: Trends and Challenges". For inquires about no-cost Pro Life Talks to your group within Asia: contact Fr. Jerry at jerry@star.quolia.com . To become a supportive Missionary participant for Human Life in Asia, kindly send your donations directly to:
Fr. Jerry Novotny, OMI; LifeIssues.net, Editor; Akebono-cho 1-15-9; Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072; (or transfer donation directly to ProLife bank account: Jerome Novotny, Shikoku Bank, Asakura Branch, No. 102-1-0080824)
Contact Editor: Jerry Novotny, OMI; Akebono-cho 1-15-9; Kochi City, Japan, 780-8072; Tel/Fax: 088-843-0406; E-Mail:jerry@lifeissues.net
Websites by Editor:
English LifeIssues Site: http://www.lifeissues.net,
Japanese LifeIssues Site: http://www.japan-lifeissues.net,
OMI Site:http://www.omijapankorea.net/index.html.
7. New Sight Organization: Please Send Us Your Old Prescription Glasses And Lenses - October 21, 2007
It’s not often we get a chance to make such a huge difference in another persons life with such little effort.
Simply by sharing your old glasses you can literally change someone’s life. Your old glasses can mean the world to someone who needs them.
A trained volunteer assisting a recipient view a sight chart to make sure her new glasses are appropriate for her needs.
You may think that your old glasses aren’t worth anything to anyone but you would be surprised how many people could benefit from your gift.
For someone who can’t afford a pair of glasses, your gift might mean they are able to become a productive member of their community again or the option to continue a valuable family supporting vocation that would otherwise be lost due to poor sight.
To donate a pair of glasses you can contact your local Optometrist, Service Club or Eye Care Center to locate an appropriate organization who are collecting glasses for this purpose or simply send them to us and we will make sure they find their way to those who need them.
Each pair of glasses is tested for prescription strength, sorted and then distributed to someone who needs them. All we ask is that they be in good condition.
You may send your glasses to:
Karen and Earle Illsley
12 Glenlee Drive
Kentville, Nova Scotia
Canada, B4N4Y5
902-678-3791
theillsleys@eastlink.ca
What can happen (stories of success). Submitted by Earle Illsley .
A local volunteer tests a recipient’s vision prior to receiving a new pair of glasses.
Thank you for considering this simple and potentially life-changing act of compassion.
8. Poll Results – Canadian Women Don’t Support Current Abortion Policy – October 31, 2007
For Immediate Release – October 31, 2007
Canadian women don’t support current abortion policy: poll
Two-thirds of Canadian women support legal protection for unborn children, according to an Environics poll released last week. A smaller majority of men (57%) support legal protection. Currently in Canada there are no legal restrictions on abortion at any stage of pregnancy.
More than one-third (34%) of women support legal protection from conception onward, 21% after three months of pregnancy and 12% say babies should be protected after six months. Overall, 62% of Canadians supported legal protection at some point before birth.
The Focus Canada poll of 2,047 Canadians was conducted between September 17 and October 14, with a margin of error of ±2.2% nineteen times out of twenty.
The poll also asked about legislation that would make it a separate crime to kill or injure a foetus during a violent attack on a pregnant woman. Seventy-five percent of women and 72% of men said they would support a foetal protection law.
In the past three years at least five pregnant women have been killed along with their babies in violent attacks. The most recent occurred earlier this month in Toronto.
“Most Canadians support the families of these murdered women who grieve not only for the sudden and violent loss of their daughters and sisters but for the baby whose birth they looked forward to,” said LifeCanada President Joanne Byfield. “Canadians see this as a violent attack on two people, members of a family, and it is outrageous that the law denies the humanity of one of those family members.”
The poll, the sixth one commissioned by LifeCanada, also found majority support for informed consent legislation for women considering abortion, and parental consent for abortion for girls under 18. Environics also asked about tax-funding for abortions. Most of the over 100,000 abortions performed each year in Canada are paid for by taxpayers through the publicly funded system. Almost two-thirds polled said that abortions should be privately funded except in cases of medical emergencies or for rape and incest.
“This week marks the anniversary of the famous ‘Persons’ case which overturned a court decision that found women were not persons,” said LifeCanada President Joanne Byfield.
“Canadian law now says that babies in the womb are not persons until birth. That means that they can be shot, stabbed, kicked and punched with no repercussions. In this poll, Canadians are saying that this is not acceptable. We need a new ‘Persons’ case to end this injustice.”
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For more information contact Joanne Byfield at 780-445-0344 or Gudrun Schultz at 613-722-1552.
LifeCanada – VieCanada; 310 – 376 Churchill Avenue N.; Ottawa ON K1Z 5C3; Tel: 1-866-780-5433 Fax: 1-613-722-2201 ; E-Mail: info@lifecanada.org
PDF Version of this item: Canadian Women Don’t Support Current Abortion Policy
9. Pope Objects to Dispensing Immoral Drugs – November 1, 2007
6 hours ago
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI urged Catholic pharmacists on Monday to use conscientious objection to avoid dispensing drugs with 'immoral purposes such as, for example, abortion or euthanasia.' In a speech to participants at the 25th International Congress of Catholic Pharmacists, Benedict said that conscientious objection was a right that must be recognized by the pharmaceutical profession. Such objector status, he said, would 'enable them not to collaborate directly or indirectly in supplying products that have clearly immoral purposes such as, for example, abortion or euthanasia.'
In his speech, the pope also said that pharmacists have an educational role toward patients so that drugs are used in a morally and ethically correct way.
'We cannot anaesthetize consciences as regards, for example, the effect of certain molecules that have the goal of preventing the implantation of the embryo or shortening a person's life,' he said.
Emergency contraception pills, which can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, work by preventing ovulation or by preventing the embryo from being implanted into the womb.
The pope said pharmacists should raise people's awareness so that 'all human beings are protected from conception to natural death, and so that medicines truly play a therapeutic role.' The issue has been debated extensively in the United States.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich introduced the rule more than two years ago requiring pharmacists to fill all prescriptions. Pharmacists challenged the rule, and a legal settlement earlier this month allowed pharmacists who object to dispensing emergency birth control to step aside while someone else fills the prescription. In Washington state, pharmacists have filed a federal lawsuit sued over a regulation requiring them to sell emergency contraception, saying it violates their civil rights by forcing them into choosing between 'their livelihoods and their deeply held religious and moral beliefs.'
Earlier this year in Georgia, activists called on the Kroger Co. grocery chain to make the so-called 'morning after pill' more readily available after a 42-year-old married mother of two from Rome, GA., complained that a store manager in her hometown told her she could not buy it there because the store's pharmacist refused. In response, Kroger said it was clarifying its policy and pharmacists who object may ask another employee to sell it.
Hosted by
Michael Izzotti, BSc (Pharm); Coordinator, PFLI/Canada
Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
10. PRI Weekly Briefing – October 24, 2007
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11. The Age Of Protection Act C22, Has Been Dealt A Blow By The Conservative Government – October 27, 2007
Bad news: the Age of Protection Act C22, has been dealt a blow by the Conservative government. It has been made part of an Omnibus bill. Although the bill originally passed the house and was in the senate, the government decided against reinstating it from where it left off before parliament was prorogued. To understand the whys and wherefores of the Omnibus bill please the article below which came from the EFC website. This bill had the support of many groups outside of parliament but still did not make it past the gate, so to speak. – Herm
The Age of Protection Act, proposed legislation that could have offered children from 14 to 16 years of age protection from sexual exploitation, has suffered a setback. In spite of the efforts of groups such as The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), the Bill has not been reinstated for quick passage through Parliament. Instead it has been made part of a larger package of proposed legislation, which will be more difficult to pass, says the EFC’s director of public policy, Douglas Cryer.
Protection of Youth Delayed with Government Omnibus Bill
The Age of Protection legislation has not been reinstated in Parliament. Quick passage of the Bill now becomes more difficult. – by Douglas Cryer
A Bill that could provide significant protection for children and youth in Canada received a major setback just one day into the new session of Parliament. Bill C-22, Age of Protection, died in the Senate after the Prime Minister prorogued Parliament, ending its first session. Bill C-22 would have raised the age of consent for sexual activity with an adult from age 14 to age 16, helping protect children from sexual exploitation by adults and from sexual predators who use the Internet to lure children and youth.
...this legislation has been combined with four other pieces of legislation... |
Many had hoped that the Bill would have been reinstated and fast-tracked through the House of Commons to resume its hearings in the Senate. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada wrote to the Prime Minister and to each Member of Parliament requesting that they reinstate Bill C-22 Age of Protection, but it didn’t happen.
Instead of reinstating Bill C-22 so that it could pass quickly in the House, the government combined it with four other pieces of justice legislation, creating omnibus Bill C-2, The Tracking Violent Crime Act. Quick passage of age of protection legislation now becomes more difficult. C-2 combines legislation from the previous session of Parliament, which had majority support in the House, with other legislation that had received significant opposition.
Omnibus Bills are bills that combine a number of different, often unrelated provisions, into one bill. This is done either for housekeeping purposes to pass a wide-range of legislation under the heading of one bill, or as might be the reason in this case, to combine popular legislation with unpopular legislation for political purposes.
Rather than fast-tracking a bill that would help protect youth, this legislation has been combined with four other pieces of legislation that also died on the Order Paper. C-2 is a combination of five Bills that died on the Order Paper when Parliament prorogued:
· C-10, Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Firearms Offences;
· C-35, Reverse Onus on Bail for Firearm Offences;
· C-27, Dangerous Offenders;
· C-22, Age of Protection; and,
· C-32, Drug Impaired Driving.
These bills were at various stages of debate in both the House of Commons and the Senate and received varying degrees of support from the political parties.
Bill C-22, Age of Protection, received unanimous consent and was in the Senate when it died. However, Bill C-27, Dangerous Offenders, did not have the support of the Opposition and was stalled in Committee Hearings in the House. With the introduction of the Omnibus Bill, Prime Minister Harper indicated he is ready to face a showdown and is unwilling to allow amendments to the bill. So, by combining bills that received all-party support with bills that received opposition, the Prime Minister is setting the stage for a battleground.
If there is not all-party agreement on Bill C-2, the provisions to protect children could become bogged down with the other legislation. The Prime Minister has warned that the Bill C-2 is a confidence bill, meaning that if the bill does not pass, it would trigger an election -- further delaying passage of legislation to protect children.
Age of Protection legislation should have been fast-tracked through the House and brought immediately before the Senate. Delaying its passage by combining it into an omnibus bill has the potential of bringing about an election. Unfortunately, it also comes at the price of further delaying the protection of our children and youth.
Douglas Cryer is the Director of Public Policy for The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
Used with permission. Copyright © 2007 Christianity.ca.
12. Toronto To Test Later-Starting School – October 31, 2007
Today’s Family News – October 31, 2007
The Toronto District School Board is poised to become the first in Canada to experiment with a later start to the school day to accommodate teenagers’ natural need for more sleep, the Toronto Star reported.
In a pilot project that could start as early as next September, one high school yet to be selected will move its class start-time back by possibly one or two hours later than other schools. The goal of the experiment will be to see if this helps lower the dropout rate and improve students’ performance and attendance.
“There’s been a lot of research on the adolescent brain . . . that indicates kids’ brain patterns are such that the early morning is not an optimal time,” Gerry Connelly, the board’s director of education, told the Star.
Among adolescents, the chemical in the brain that induces sleepiness begins secreting later at night and switches off later in the morning than it does for adults. The result is “sleep phase delay.”
“School times are set for the convenience of parents and teachers, not students,” said University of Toronto psychiatrist Dr. Colin Shapiro, who describes most teens as being “biologically sleep-deprived.”
“It’s often because they take on a lot of activities,” he said. “It’s positive that kids are doing well in school, taking on a part-time job and are involved in sports, but then they come home and do their homework and find it hard to squeeze all that in and have a social life, so they compromise on sleep.”
Shapiro said teenagers need at least 8.5 hours of sleep a night. And yet a study he co-authored involving 3,235 students found that 70 per cent of them got about one hour less on average than they needed. The study also showed that they felt “really sleepy” between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Trustee and mother of three Cathy Dandy, who first proposed the idea, said while she would prefer an 11:30 a.m. start-time, this would not be decided without prior extensive consultation with staff, students and parents involved in the pilot project.
Still, Gerald Mak, one of two student trustees, is worried that starting later “could be disastrous in terms of schedules,” as well as cause problems for students with jobs.
Dandy suspects that is not the view of the majority. “The teenagers I’ve talked to about it, they say, ‘That would make so much sense for me,’ ” she said.
But it is not just teenagers who may be sleep-deprived. As the Ottawa Citizen reported, a new Environics Researchstudy has concluded that about 23 per cent of adults have the same problem.
Unlike most teenagers, 37 per cent of the 1,003 people surveyed described themselves as “morning people,” with their mental alertness and physical energy peaking between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. For most, the low point of the day occurred between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
To compensate for a lack of sleep at night, they dozed off where they could during the day, including in buses, boats or planes (19 per cent); public parks, stadiums or theatres (13 per cent); on the sofa (12 per cent); and in the car (eight per cent).
The survey was commissioned by Better Sleep Council Canada.
New dads want more family time
Today’s Family News – October 31‚ 2007
More and more fathers with newborns at home want to take paternity leave from their jobs but are being thwarted by their workplace, the National Post reported recently.
As Dr. Karen Benzies, a professor in the faculty of nursing at the University of Calgary, discovered in a just-completed study, “A lot of [new dads] . . . would say, ‘My dad was always at work, he never had time for me. I’m going to do it different. I’m being to be more involved in my child’s life.’”
But despite research showing that babies greatly benefit from fathers who spend more time with them – such as improved cognitive skills – Benzies also told the National Post that “there aren’t a lot of supports for first-time dads who are undertaking that involvement.”
Statistics Canada has noted that the number of men opting for paternal leave, whether due to birth or adoption, keeps rising, going from 37.9 per cent of new fathers in 2001 to 55.2 per cent in 2006. (For women, the proportion taking maternity leave remained steady at around 90 per cent.)
Dr. Andrea Doucet, a sociologist at Carleton University, suspects that the percentage would be higher for men were it not for a work culture that still largely fails “to recognize that raising a child, even in the first year, is also a father’s responsibility.”
Doucet calls this changing attitude among men a revolution, even if it is slow-paced.
Neil Campbell, the founder of Dads Can, a group in London, Ontario, that promotes responsible and involved fathering, agrees. “In the 1990s, there weren’t dads talking about staying at home,” he said. “But what we’re witnessing now is a whole new generation with a sense of permission that it’s OK.”
Foster parents quit over homosexuality law
Today’s Family News – October 31‚ 2007
A Christian couple in the United Kingdom has decided to give up foster parenting rather than bow to legislation requiring them to treat homosexuality the same as heterosexuality, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Since 2001, Vincent and Pauline Matherick had provided a home for 28 children in the care of their local council. They resigned after being told that if children in their care expressed an interest in homosexuality, they had no choice under the law but to take them to gay support group meetings.
The couple is alleging discrimination because of their faith. “We have never discriminated against anybody, but I cannot promote homosexuality when I believe it is against the Word of God. It’s terrible that we’ve been forced into this corner,” Vincent Matherick, a pastor and primary school governor, told the Daily Telegraph.
He added: “They were saying that we had to be prepared to talk about sexuality with 11-year-olds, which I don’t think is appropriate anyway, but not only that, to be prepared to explain how gay people date.”
British government regulations which came into effect earlier this year forbid every supplier of goods or services to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation.
The Mathericks, who have three children of their own, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, plan to challenge the law in court, the Daily Mail reported.
In the meantime, their 11-year-old foster son is being moved from their home to a children’s unit.
“Aren’t they the sort of people desperately needed to take on the often thankless task of caring for other people's children?” the Daily Mail asked in a comment. “But in politically correct modern Britain, sanity leapt out of the window long ago.”
13. UN Conference Lays Out Strategy For International Abortion Rights – October 25, 2007
Friday Fax – October 25, 2007 – Volume 10, Number 45
Dear Colleague,
We will not name her since she asked us retroactively not to, but a well-recognized pro-abortion leader told Susan Yoshihara last week in London, "This is a pro-choice conference." Susan responded, “I thought this was about maternal health.” This was the Women Deliver Conference sponsored in part by UNICEF and was supposedly about "maternal health." Of course, that is the cover language that overt abortion promoters, like IPPF, and their covert allies, sadly like UNICEF, use to cloak their true agenda. This conference was almost totally about abortion.
Spread the word.
Yours sincerely, Austin Ruse, President
UN Conference Lays Out Strategy for International Abortion Rights – By Susan Yoshihara, Ph.D.
(New York – C-FAM) A United Nations sponsored meeting on maternal mortality ended last Saturday with a pledge by the organizers to promote “comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services” as the primary way to reduce maternal mortality. To achieve their goal, organizers and select participants of the “Women Deliver” conference in London laid out several initiatives for the coming years in order to overcome political and religious resistance to abortion rights including the use of UN human rights treaties and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
Frances Kissling, former president of “Catholics” for a Free Choice, was responsible for the conference agenda and summarized the three-day event saying, “Sex, money, power, and religion are the driving forces in reproductive health.” Pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood, absent from Kissling’s list, were likewise overshadowed in most of the discussions as panellists focused on themes of securing funds and “political will” for reproductive rights, which is used by UN committees to include abortion on demand. In fact, one of the main organizers of the event said privately, “This is a pro-choice conference.”
The next step, according to conference organizer Family Care International, will be creating “synergies between health and other sectors” including human rights law. A new “International Initiative on Maternal Mortality and Human Rights” was launched to “look beyond the delivery of quality health services, and embrace the language and norms of human rights” in order to “hold governments accountable.”
The group that launched the initiative included Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Paul Hunt, UN Special Rapporteur for Health, who was given credit for masterminding the initiative, Nancy Northrop, President of the pro-abortion law firm Center for Reproductive Rights, which will serve as secretariat. According to Mary Robinson, they will attempt to hold governments accountable for including reproductive rights in programs to reduce maternal mortality by re-interpreting existing human rights in binding and non-binding UN documents such as the rights to life and the right to the highest attainable standard of health, among others.
One purpose for the conference was to get African and South Asian officials and health workers to accept the reproductive rights agenda. Some 1500 of the 1700 conferees, largely from these regions, reportedly attended the very expensive event courtesy of corporate sponsors such as Brazil’s Tibotec, Exxon Mobile, and GlaxoSmithKline. A Spanish delegate told the Friday Fax, “It seems Europeans have been completely ignored since we already have widespread abortion, and this is about English speaking elites trying to convince elites in the developing world to accept abortion in their countries.”
Around thirty government officials attended the conference including three members of the U.S. Congress. The delegates announced a strategy for access to “family planning and reproductive health services” and the “reduction of the stigma associated with abortion” that included plans to call for a UN General Assembly special session on maternal health that would result in a global plan of action, and the creation of a global fund for women’s health, focused on maternal health. Conference organizers pledged to meet again within two years.
For more news visit us at www.c-fam.org
Copyright 2007 Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.
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40. Sobey's Receipts Are Valuable
Please don't throw away your Sobey's receipts. Click here and see why!
Amount of receipts collected to date: $582,085.92
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