in this issue:
abortion: RISKS
activism: SOLIDARITY
demographics: UN WARNING
eugenics: WORTHLESS CHILDREN
mifepristone (ru-486): CUTTING OFFICE VISITS
morning-after abortion pill: BRITAIN
partial-birth abortion: VIRGINIA
reproductive health: STUDIES
travel guides: ROME
unfpa: LEAKY CONDOMS
web news: PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY / RESEARCH
zinger: CHIMPS NO CHUMPS
reminder: WORLD FAMILY CONFERENCE
reflection for prayer: 1 PETER 2:9-10
abortion
RISKS: A recently published study confirms that a higher risk of clinical depression exists among those women who have had abortions. For an analysis of this study, see the Elliot Insitute. For post-abortion healing information, see Rachel’s Vineyard and the National Memorial to the Unborn.
activism
SOLIDARITY: The Supreme Court will review NOW v. Scheidler. Lower courts ruled that Joseph Scheidler and other defendants were liable as racketeers and responsible for damages from the disruption of the abortion industry. However, Scheidler and others have only been involved in peaceful protests and free speech. The tactics are similar to the methods that won social change in the civil rights movements. The Supreme Court is expected to review the case in October.
COMMENT: Voicing our unity with Joe Scheidler and all pro-life activists, American Life League issued the following statement: “So far the court system has allowed abortion advocates to redefine reason and common sense. Penalizing pro-life work as organized crime is absurd and a complete injustice. We hope and pray that the Supreme Court will vindicate the pro-life movement and overturn the case. Let’s face it. If abortion advocates are once again successful in using the highest court in the land to advance their industry and squash the pro-life movement, there will be no reason left to call America the ‘Land of the Free.'”
(Reading: Updates on the case and the needs of the Pro-Life Action League are available online)
demographics
UN WARNING: “The number of older people will increase from 600 million to almost two billion by 2050,” according to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. “The implications of this demographic shift will be that, for the first time, there will be more people older than 60 years than people younger than 15 years and 80% of older people will be in developing countries.”
(Reading: “Two billion people older than 60 years by 2050, warns UN secretary general,” The Lancet, 4/13/02)
eugenics
WORTHLESS CHILDREN: In Vienna, Austria, the remains of two children killed by the Nazis six decades ago were buried April 28. They were two “of about 600 children killed in the Am Steinhof hospital after Nazi doctors labeled them ‘worthless lives.'”
COMMENT: Now, in America, we murder them in the womb instead.
(Reading: “Austria buries remains of children killed by Nazis at Vienna Hospital,” Associated Press, 4/28/02)
mifepristone (ru-486)
CUTTING OFFICE VISITS? A recent clinical study examined whether American women could use the chemical abortion combination of mifepristone and misoprostol safely without the additional visits to clinicians currently required. Researchers speculate, “For many women, even the follow-up visit could perhaps be replaced by telephone follow-up, combined with home pregnancy tests. Alternatives to the present protocol might allow greater control, comfort and convenience at lower cost.”
COMMENT: What about the women who die? What about the babies?
(Reading: “Could American women use mifepristone-misoprostol pills safely with less medical supervision,” Contraception, 65 (2002) pp. 133-142)
morning-after abortion pill
BRITAIN: The English high court has rejected the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children’s legal challenge to the sale of the abortifacient morning-after pill from pharmacists. According to SPUC, the judge “asserted that the term miscarriage today ‘means the termination of an established pregnancy’ after implantation. This is the first time that such a concept has been applied in English law.”
(Reading: SPUC News, 4/18/02)
partial-birth abortion
VIRGINIA: After an attempt to pass a no-exceptions partial-birth abortion ban failed due to concerns that such a proposal would be unconstitutional in view of the Supreme Court ruling in Stenberg v. Carhart, Virginia Del. Robert Marshall amended his bill to include “a health exception clause for circumstances where the procedure is ‘deemed necessary for the preservation of the life or health of the mother,’ defined further to mean that ‘in appropriate medical judgment, she suffers from an illness, injury, disease, disorder or other medical condition that so complicates pregnancy as to necessitate the performance of such a procedure in order to avert her death or serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.'” Even after this language was added, neutralizing any affect the bill might have had on curbing abortion during the birth of a child, Gov. Mark Warner vetoed the bill. The state house had enough votes to override the veto, but the override vote in the senate fell three votes short.
(Reading: “Partial birth abortion ban passed with exceptions,” The Lifesaver, 4/02; “Virginia lawmakers fail to override governor’s veto of abortion measure,” Associated Press, 4/17/02)
reproductive health
STUDIES: “Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health” (formerly Family Planning Perspectives) has published analyses on which federal agencies provide funding for “contraceptive services,” and how women rate their mifepristone abortions. These plus other articles are available online.
travel guides
ROME: Pro-lifer Rich Brunn has his travel business up and running in Rome. Need a guide? E-mail .
unfpa
LEAKY CONDOMS? The Population Research Institute has issued a situation report concerning the United Nations Population Fund and condom failure.
(Reading: “UNFPA’s leaky condoms poke holes in Colin Powell’s safe sex theory,” Population Research Institute news release, 4/25/02)
web news
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY: Check out the new Foundation for the Promotion of Parental Responsibility of Catechesis web site.
RESEARCH: Chris Kahlenborn, M.D. has founded the Polycarp Research Institute. Visit online.
zinger
CHIMPS NO CHUMPS? A group of attorneys, led by Steve Ann Wise, are making headlines as they prepare to launch a spate of lawsuits, each of which will present a chimpanzee as the plaintiff. The group, Chimpanzee Collaboratory, has its own website: http://www.ddal.org/collaboratory.html.
(Reading: “Chimps should have right to attorney, say campaigners,” The Independent (U.K.), 4/26/02; background: “Cadre of lawyers working to win rights for apes,” Seattle Times, 3/19/00)
reminder
WORLD FAMILY CONFERENCE: American Life League’s next Celebration of Life World Family Conference is scheduled for July 10-14 in New Orleans. Speakers include Fr. Tom Euteneuer, Joe Scheidler, Bernard Nathanson and Judie Brown. Conference outlines and registration information may be found online.
reflection for prayer
1 PETER 2:9-10: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people at all and now you are the People of God; once you were outside the mercy and now you have been given mercy.