in this issue:
activism: WISCONSIN LOBBY FOR LIFE DAY
bioethics: ORCHESTRATING THE END OF LIFE
birth control pills: ROCK FOR LIFE SPREADS TRUTH
civility: JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS
congress: PILL BILL UPDATE
imposed death: ADVANCE DIRECTIVES
pregnancy: ACOG DEFINITIONS
selective reduction: MULTIFETAL PREGNANCY AND DISCORDANT SIZE OF EMBRYOS
stem cell research: ETHICAL SOURCES
web news: HUMAN LIFE MATTERS
zinger: INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD SAYS
reflection for prayer: THOMAS A KEMPIS
activism
WISCONSIN LOBBY FOR LIFE DAY: March 22 is the date, ending the killing of the innocent the reason; for details on how to be involved in Lobby for Life Day, contact “>Pro-Life Wisconsin. The E-Update service PLW provides is invaluable to activism in the state and a good model for the 49 other states. Request a sample copy.
bioethics
ORCHESTRATING THE END OF LIFE: In a chilling commentary, physician Erich Loewy describes the exact definition of “terminal sedation.” “Terminal sedation essentially places a patient under anesthesia during the dying process. Supportive care is stopped and patients are given a sufficient amount of drugs to render them unconscious. The expression ‘terminal sedation’ is, I find, peculiar. Terminal sedation is done with the full knowledge that no further active treatment will be done and that patients, as rapidly as possible, will now die as a result of their underlying disease process. The claim is made that such a way of proceeding is aimed at providing maximal relief of pain and suffering — the death of the patient is ‘not intended.’ But that is, to say the least, disingenuous. Patients are intentionally kept asleep, their vital functions are deliberately not artificially supported, and they are allowed to die in comfort. That they should die in comfort is clearly the goal — and I would argue the legitimate goal — of terminal sedation.”
(Reading: Terminal Sedation, Self-starvation, and Orchestrating the End of Life,” Archives of Internal Medicine, 2/12/01, pp. 329-332; available online only with paid subscription)
birth control pills
ROCK FOR LIFE SPREADS TRUTH: The following letter makes it clear that truth is always effective in stopping the abortion of babies by birth control pills: Kristen Engquist of Rock for Life’s Kansas City, Missouri, chapter writes, “I can’t wait to tell you about my weekend. We set up at a local show. I can not tell you how many people were talking to me about the birth control pills — older women who had been on it and had found out the truth, young girls who I must have talked to for an half an hour about everything. And then when I told them about the pill, it was like they had seen a dead person, saying things like “why didn’t anyone tell us this?” They were going home to tell their mothers. There was also a guy who overheard me talking, then came back. He asked how he could get his wife off the stuff.”
(Rock for Life, a division of American Life League, has more than 40 chapters in the United States)
civility
JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: “Again, by yielding to a false form of ‘civility,’ we sometimes allow our critics to intimidate us. As I have said, active citizens are often subjected to truly vile attacks; they are branded as mean-spirited, racist, Uncle Tom, homophobic, etc. To this we often respond (if not succumb), so as not to be constantly fighting, by trying to be tolerant and nonjudgmental — i.e., we censor ourselves. This is not civility. It is cowardice, or well-intentioned self-deception at best.”
(Reading: Justice Clarence Thomas, Francis Boyer Lecture, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 2/13/01)
congress
PILL BILL UPDATE: Senators Harry Reid and Olympia Snowe have reintroduced the infamous “pill bill,” known on Capitol Hill as the Equity in Prescription and Contraceptive Coverage Act of 2001 (S 104). To review the bill, see U.S. Congress and search for the bill by number (or, go directly to S. 104). The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by pro-abortion Republican Sen. Jim Jeffords (Vt.) and Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Mass).
ACTION: Because this bill, if passed, would require insurance companies to cover chemical abortions by paying for the pill, IUD, Depo Provera, Norplant, and other abortion agents, it is imperative that the pro-life movement shows a united front. Please contact the following national pro-life groups and request their outline for action so that all pro-life leaders and groups are pressing for the death of this bill, thus preventing the deaths of countless numbers of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
- Concerned Women for America: “>,
- Eagle Forum: “>
- Family Research Council: “>,
- National Right to Life Committee: “>
- Priests for Life: “>
- Republican National Coalition for Life: “>,
- United States Catholic Conference Pro Life Activities office
COMMENT: Together we can beat this death bill.
imposed death
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES: An analysis of the outcomes with 401 patients and their expressed desires as enunciated in Living Wills and similar documents reveals, according to researchers, that advocacy for signing such documents is not effecting in the question to “improve” surrogate decision making with regard to “patient self-determination.”
(Reading: “Advance Directives as Acts of Communication,” Archives of Internal Medicine, 2/12/01, pp. 421-430; summary only without paid subscription)
pregnancy
ACOG DEFINITIONS: The February 2001 ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) Practice Bulletin clearly states: “Broadly defined, pregnancy loss includes any type of loss of the conceptus from fertilized ovum to neonate.”
For purposes of aborting a child prior to implantation, the same professional organization has argued since 1965 that conception is the implantation of the fertilized ovum, thus approving early abortions by pills, IUDs, etc.
(Reading: “Management of Recurrent Early Pregnancy Loss,” ACOG Practice Bulletin, 2/01, p. 2 — ACOG Practice Bulletin not on the web for general public; ACOG position in 1965 is quoted in Declaration of Life)
selective reduction
MULTIFETAL PREGNANCY AND DISCORDANT SIZE OF EMBRYOS: Researchers find that in pregnancy with more than one embryo observed, when multifetal pregnancy reduction is called for, deviations from the standard CRL (crown-rump length) measurements can predict the incidence of preterm delivery in mothers carrying two or more fetuses. Researchers point out that “variations in embryo growth are observable even in the first trimester.” The same researchers suggest multifetal reduction based on criteria recommended by them in their earlier studies as well.
(Reading: “First-trimester Embryo Size Discordance: A Predictor of Premature Birth Following Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction,” Fertility and Sterility, 2/01, pp. 391-393, online access to summaries only for non-members)
stem cell research
ETHICAL SOURCES: Paul R. Sanberg, known for his extensive work with neural stem cell research, recently pointed out that umbilical cord cells might be a resource for treating brain-damaged victims. Dr. Sanberg explained that he hopes to test the theory on patients within a year or two.
(Reading: “Umbilical Cords Could Repair Brains,” Associated Press, 2/18/01; background article by Sanberg, “The Rising Star of Neural Stem Cell Research,” Nature Biotechnology, 11/98, pp.1007-1008)
web news
HUMAN LIFE MATTERS: For the most amazing message ever presented in a video presentation, we encourage you to visit this site and order “To Be or Not to Be: The Human Family.” The site also features an article about the man in the video, Mark Pickup, an incurably ill Christian who is a principled advocate for life with dignity.
zinger
INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD SAYS: When asked what she thought about cutting taxpayer dollars to overseas groups promoting abortion, Pramilla Senanayake, Ph.D., of International Planned Parenthood said, “We thought that Mr. Bush would refrain from pampering the anti-choice movement, who wrongly believe that by denying agencies like us they will prevent abortions around the world. That’s what we’re all looking for — preventing abortions.”
COMMENT: And, Pramilla, the moon is made of green cheese!
(Reading: “We’re All Working to Prevent Abortions,” Newsweek, 2/5/01, p. 4; see Consortium for Emergency Contraception to examine Senanayake’s commitment to chemical killing through promotion of morning after abortion pills and to access the IPPF web site and her private email address.)
reflection for prayer
THOMAS A KEMPIS: “Imitation of Christ,” Book II, Chapter 11, Section 5:
Let him not make great account of that which may appear much to be esteemed, but let him in truth acknowledge himself to be an unprofitable servant, as Truth itself has said: “When you shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants.” — Luke 17:10
Then may he be truly poor and naked in spirit and may say with the prophet: “I am alone and poor.” — Psalm 24:16
Yet, no one is indeed richer than such a man, none more powerful, none more free, who knows how to leave himself and all things, and place himself in the very lowest place.