All charges against journalist Daleiden dropped
In late July, all charges against David Daleiden, the investigative journalist who broke the national story of Planned Parenthood’s trafficking in aborted baby body parts were dropped. In June, Texas Judge Diane Bull dismissed a misdemeanor charge, calling it “void on its face.” In July, Texas District Judge Brock Thomas dismissed the second charge brought against Daleiden by Harris County District Attorney (and pro-abortion donor) Devon Anderson.
Daleiden’s Center for Medical Progress responded, “The dismissal of the bogus, politically motivated charges against project lead David Daleiden and investigator Sandra Merritt is a resounding vindication of the First Amendment rights of all citizen journalists, and also a clear warning to any of Planned Parenthood’s political cronies who would attack whistle-blowers to protect Planned Parenthood from scrutiny.”
Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), chair of a special committee to investigate the abortion industry and groups that handle aborted babies’ body parts, revealed that Daleiden’s undercover video investigation has prompted many more whistle blowers to come forward.
[www.frcaction.org, 7-27-16; www.lifenews.com/2016/06/14/david-daleiden-vindicated-as-judge-dismisses-charges-against-him-for-exposing-planned-parenthood]
Canada legalizes assisted suicide
Canada has legalized physician-assisted suicide in legislation called “the most wide open [assisted suicide] bill in the world.” The Canada Supreme Court struck down a ban on assisted suicide in February, 2016, opening the door to legalization. Supported by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Bill C-14 was passed on June 17 by a vote of 44 to 28.
The legislation requires that patients be “incurably ill,” requires medical approval, and mandates a 10-day waiting period. The bill goes so far as to give medical practitioners and nurse practitioners legal immunity for decisions or acts that contravene the law and allows anyone to cause death by euthanasia or assisted suicide without facing prosecution.
It wasn’t long before assisted suicide advocates lobbied to expand the bill’s reach. “The Canadian Bar Association is urging the federal government to expand its restrictive new law on assisted dying, allowing mature minors, people suffering strictly from psychological illnesses and those diagnosed with competence-eroding conditions like dementia to get medical help to end their suffering.” (The Canadian Press, 8-11-16)
Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Albania, Colombia, and Japan have legalized assisted suicide, though many other countries practice euthanasia without legalization. In the United States, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, California, and New Mexico have legalized assisted suicide.
[http://www.lifenews.com/2016/06/20/canadian-senate-passes-bill-allowing-anyone-to-kill-someone-by-euthanasia-or-assisted-suicide]
First child dies in Belgium from assisted suicide
The first child has died under a new law in Belgium which allows doctors to euthanize children. Liberal Senator Jean-Jacques De Gucht confirmed the death of the “sick juvenile” to the Associated Press, but declined to provide any further details.
Euthanasia was first legalized in Belgium in 2002. In 2014, a vote extended euthanasia to children with disabilities and to adults with dementia, making Belgium the first country in the world to lift all age restrictions on the practice.
Many doctors, including pediatricians, voiced opposition to the measure, citing abuse of the law. Dr. Paul Saba, of Physicians for Social Justice, noted that people who are depressed or tired of life are already being euthanized and that “despite the government’s assurances that they will set very strict standards, that won’t work.”
Belgium euthanasia deaths increased 25 percent in 2012. Up to 47 percent of all assisted suicides are not reported, 32 percent of all assisted deaths are being done without request, and nurses are killing patients, even though the law restricts euthanasia to doctors.
In the Netherlands, euthanasia is legal for children over twelve. Professor Eduard Verhagen predicts that a center for euthanasia of children will open within a year, explaining, “We think that some children under the age of twelve are well able to make such important decisions.”
“Tourists” from around the world are flocking to Brussels, Belgium for lethal injections. Euthanasia in Belgium is usually free as the treatment is covered by the European Union’s health insurance card.
Both Belgium and the Netherlands have coupled lethal injection euthanasia of the disabled and mentally ill with organ harvesting.
[www.lifenews.com/2016/09/19/first-child-dies-after-belgium-approves-measure-allowing-doctors-to-euthanize-children; www.lifenews.com/2016/09/07/belgium-and-netherlands-are-euthanizing-mentally-ill-patients-and-harvesting-their-organs]
Bioethicists say doctors must be forced to do abortions
Two leading Canadian and British bioethicists argue that abortion and euthanasia should not be matters of choice to doctors. Professors Udo Schuklenk and Julian Savulescu maintain that governments must force doctors to perform or at least refer patients for abortions, euthanasia, and other practices they may object to. In the journal Bioethics they argued, “Doctors must put patients’ interests ahead of their own integrity. If this leads to feelings of guilty remorse or them dropping out of the profession, so be it. There is an oversupply of people wishing to be doctors.”
The scientists also propose that medical schools screen applicants for religious and moral values and reject those who refuse to perform or promote procedures such as abortion and euthanasia. Larry Worthen, of the Christian Medical and Dental Association of Canada argues, “In every jurisdiction in the world, conscientious objection is recognized in some form. The only governments in the history of humanity that have stripped away conscience rights in this way are totalitarian governments.”
We are seeing similar proposals being pushed in the United States. The Obama administration is trying to force nuns and California churches to violate their consciences by paying for abortion and abortion drugs in their health plans and is pressuring doctors and hospitals to promote and fund abortion or risk losing Medicare and Medicaid funding. Many health care employees have been coerced into violating their consciences.
[www.lifenews.com/2016/09/22/bioethicists-say-doctors-should-be-forced-to-do-abortions-and-if-they-quit-so-be-it]
Zika funding battle over
A months-long battle over funding the Zika virus was resolved on September 29 when the Senate passed a $1.1 billion continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 9. The heated debate and gridlock was fueled by the Democrats’ insistence that funding for Planned Parenthood be included in the legislation.
The Zika virus was originally discovered in Uganda in 1947. In May 2015, the virus was discovered spreading in Brazil. The U.S. reported its first case of Zika infection in Texas in February 2016.
In April 2016, the World Health Organization announced that the Zika virus causes microcephaly (where a baby’s head is smaller than expected). The controversy surrounding the Zika virus has caused abortion advocates to use the virus as an excuse to push for more abortions on pregnant women with Zika and on babies with disabilities.
As the number of Zika cases rose, Republicans and Democrats called for immediate aid to combat the virus that would provide money for vaccine development, mosquito control and other prevention, and health and treatment services for people who contact the virus.
But, in May, Democrats in both the U.S. House and Senate abruptly shifted positions and began blocking the GOP’s $1.1 billion aid bill because it did not include funding for a few Planned Parenthood facilities in Puerto Rico.
In what was neither a total victory nor a total loss, many consider managing to prevent Planned Parenthood from outright lining its pockets with more tax dollars to be a minor victory. Though the abortion giant is eligible to receive money, there’s no guarantee it will receive any because its “services” have nothing to do with preventing, screening for, or treating the Zika virus itself.
[www.lifenews.com/2016/09/09/speaker-paul-ryan-refuses-to-fund-planned-parenthood-in-zika-bill-that-something-we-wont-do; www.lifenews.com/2016/09/13/senator-slams-pro-abortion-media-they-just-want-to-abort-disabled-babies-with-zika; NationalReview.com, 9-30-16]
Obama’s proposed new rules force states to fund Planned Parenthood
President Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has introduced a proposal that will prevent states from blocking Title X funding to abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood.
Title X is a federal program that uses tax dollars to provide quality and cost-effective family planning and related preventative health services for low-income women and men. Its purpose is to support full-service public clinics and hospitals which provide a full range of health care, not to be an entitlement program for Planned Parenthood.
Following last summer’s exposé that Planned Parenthood traffics in aborted baby body parts, some states stopped giving Title X funds to the abortion giant. Instead, they have identified and funded community health centers and other providers that provide a full range of health care including mental health, pediatric care, nutrition information, and geriatric care for women and men.
Planned Parenthood only provides a narrow range of gynecological services, including abortion. These states were sued by Planned Parenthood.
Now, the HHS wants to step in and force those states to re-fund Planned Parenthood. Representative Diane Black (R-TN) charges, “This latest stunt from President Obama’s HHS should surprise absolutely no one. We’ve known all along that the Obama administration will go to untold lengths to protect its friends in the big abortion industry.”
[www.lifenews.com/2016/09/06/admin-proposed-rule-prohibiting-states-from-defunding-planned-parenthood; www.lifenews.com/2016/09/14/obama-admin-proposal-would-nullify-pro-life-state-laws-that-defund-planned-parenthood]
