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Friday February 28, 2003
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Print- CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY PRO-LIFE GROUP CHARGES ADMINISTRATION DESERTED IT
- RYERSON UNIVERSITY PRO-LIFE STUDENT GROUP DENIED OFFICIAL STATUS
- U.S. HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO BAN CLONING OF HUMAN EMBRYOS
- CANADIAN PRO-LIFE MP CONDEMNS LIBERAL 'ANTI-AMERICAN BIGOTRY'
- DUTCH SURVEY OF DOCTORS REVEALS EUTHANASIA SEVERELY UNDERREPORTED
- PRO-ABORTION SPITZER WITHDRAWS FROM CATHOLIC ENGAGEMENT
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY PRO-LIFE GROUP CHARGES ADMINISTRATION DESERTED IT
TODAY'S HEADLINES
TORONTO, February 28, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Saint Michael's College Students for Life (SMCSFL) has sent an open letter to the Catholic College's Principal Mark McGowan and his Sexual Orientation Committee. The open letter comes as a response to the failure of the Principal to defend the pro-life group from charges of inciting hatred by inviting the world renowned Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft to give a talk on campus. During his presentation Dr. Kreeft answered questions about homosexuality from a Catholic perspective which enraged homosexual activists who targeted the meeting.
"Having brought a Catholic professor to speak at a Catholic campus, we have been portrayed as so dangerous that we should not be allowed to speak. People are not challenging our position; people are challenging whether or not we should even be allowed to state our position," says the SMCSFL letter. In the letter SMCSFL challenges Professor McGowan's sexual orientation committee to at least publicly acknowledge that they accept the Catholic Catechism's teaching that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered"
In the most succinct and clear summary of the situation the letter states: "By simply witnessing to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the members of SMCSFL have been subject to insults and accusations far out of proportion to anything we may have done. Our mission, to present the teaching of the Church with respect to all aspects of life and therefore sexuality, is an important one at a university where one view is aggressively trying to silence those of others. At a Catholic college, we rely on and expect the support of our college when we are accused of being hate-mongers for having the courage to put forward the Catholic position. Instead, the administration has turned away, without even the courage to say that they agree with the fundamental principles to which we are witnessing. This is a grave concern for academic freedom, religious freedom and the Catholicity of Saint Michael's College."
See the full open letter by SMCSFL:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/feb/030228a.html
See previous LifeSite coverage of this matter:
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY PRINCIPAL SLAMS RENOWNED CATHOLIC PROF
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/feb/03020401.html
ALUMNI AND PROFS SUPPORT TORONTO CATHOLIC CAMPUS PRO-LIFE GROUP RE: PETER KREEFT
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/feb/030214a.html
Back to TopRYERSON UNIVERSITY PRO-LIFE STUDENT GROUP DENIED OFFICIAL STATUS
Mother Teresa quotes against abortion called 'hateful'
TORONTO, February 28, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-life students at Ryerson University in Toronto have been turned down in their bid to achieve official group status at the university. On Thursday February 20, 2003 the RyeSAC (Ryerson Students' Administrative Council) held their monthly Board of Directors meeting during which the ratification of Ryerson University Choose Life Association (RUCLA) was on the agenda.
One of the 24 members of the Board of Directors, Ken Marciniec (an executive of RyeSAC) called in around 20 "pro-choicers" to attend the meeting. One was a representative of the Coalition of Abortion Clinics; another was a professor of Moral Philosophy at Ryerson. Nearly 20 people spoke on the issue in the form of a debate. (8 for: 12 against)
The main argument raised against the group was the 'hateful nature' of the pamphlets distributed by the group as they solicited signatures on Campus Caravan Day in mid January. One of the pamphlets described as "hateful" was a pamphlet containing quotes from Mother Teresa on abortion.
The ratification vote was conducted through a secret ballot. The results were 11 against ratification and 6 for ratification.
U.S. HOUSE APPROVES BILL TO BAN CLONING OF HUMAN EMBRYOS
WASHINGTON, February 28, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - By a decisive, bipartisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to prohibit the creation of human embryos by cloning yesterday. The House approved the Weldon-Stupak Human Cloning Prohibition Act (H.R. 534), 241-155. The House first rejected, 174-231, the Greenwood Substitute which aimed to allow human cloning for research purposes and ban it for reproductive purposes.
"We applaud the lawmakers who heeded President Bush's call to ban the creation of human embryos," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC). "Polls show the public is overwhelmingly opposed to the cloning of human embryos, but some senators are threatening to filibuster the bill in order to allow biotech firms to open up cloned human embryo farms."
In his January 28 State of the Union address, President Bush repeated his past calls for Congress to approve legislation to ban all human cloning. On February 26, the White House issued a statement strongly condemning the substitute proposal, saying: "The Administration unequivocally is opposed to the cloning of human beings either for reproduction or for research. . . . The Administration is strongly opposed to any legislation that would prohibit human cloning for reproductive purposes but permit the creation of cloned embryos or development of human embryo farms for research, which would require the destruction of nascent human life."
Roll call vote by which the U.S. House of Representatives rejected, 174-231, the NRLC-opposed Greenwood Substitute, a bill to allow the cloning of human embryos and human embryo farms (February 27, 2003)
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=37
Roll call vote by which the U.S. House of Representatives passed, 241-155, the NRLC-backed Weldon-Stupak bill (H.R. 534), a bill to ban the creation of human embryos by cloning (February 27, 2003).
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=39
CANADIAN PRO-LIFE MP CONDEMNS LIBERAL 'ANTI-AMERICAN BIGOTRY'
OTTAWA, February 28, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In responding to the controversy surrounding Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish's remarks, the Canadian Alliance today called on Prime Minister Jean Chretien to put an end to the "endless stream of anti-American bigotry" coming from the Liberal Party. As LifeSite reported yesterday, Carolyn Parrish, a pro-abortion MP said before television cameras, "Damn Americans .. I hate those bastards." Speaking in the House of Commons, Alliance MP Jason Kenney (Calgary Southeast) said that Parrish's remarks "once again show the ugly side of Liberal anti-American bigotry."
"Had Parrish expressed her hatred for any other identifiable group she rightly would have been turfed from her caucus, but in the Liberal Party there seems to be an exception for hate speech if it's aimed at Americans," said Kenney. "What is it about this government that sees its members constantly expressing their hatred for our American allies," Kenney asked. "And would the government defend this comment as 'free speech' if it was made about any other national group?"
Kenney questioned the sincerity of Parrish's later apology, noting that she first threatened journalists with being banned if they reported her remarks, and later claimed that her statement did not reflect "her personal views." "The problem here is not an isolated 'heat of the moment' comment from one MP. This reflects a systematic pattern of anti-Americanism on the part of Liberals, from calling the US President a 'moron,' to comparing American foreign policy to that of Nazi Germany, to saying that the United States is a greater security threat than Iraq," Kenney said.
"The time has come for the Prime Minster to tell his caucus in no uncertain terms that such harmful comments are totally unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated."
DUTCH SURVEY OF DOCTORS REVEALS EUTHANASIA SEVERELY UNDERREPORTED
AMSTERDAM, February 28, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Doctors in Holland, where euthanasia is permitted, are illegally euthanizing patients since they feel the required reporting procedure is bothersome, according to an investigative television program which aired in Holland last night. The television program "Reporter" said that thousands of cases of life-shortening acts are not being reported to the regional committees which are to judge whether the euthanasia in the particular case is allowable under Dutch law.
According to official statistics, the number of reported euthanasia cases reduced by 8 percent last year. However, according to doctors, the official figures do not present a reliable picture. An anonymous survey of 355 lung specialists, cited by the program, found that many doctors resent the official euthanasia protocols and duty to report. They find them too time-consuming.
In order to evade the procedure, doctors, under the pretext of pain management, give severely ill persons a lethal dose of morphine. Patients are also rendered unconscious with a sedative and then receive no food or fluids.
(With files from the Dutch daily newspaper De Volkskrant of 27.02.03 - translation by Gregor Wolbring - Founder and Executive director of the International Center for Bioethics, Culture and Disability see his website at:
http://www.bioethicsanddisability.org )
PRO-ABORTION SPITZER WITHDRAWS FROM CATHOLIC ENGAGEMENT
ALBANY, February 28, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - American Life League (ALL), one of the largest pro-life groups in the United States has saved the New York Archdiocese from falling into a scandalous situation. Vehemently pro-abortion New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer was to be an honoured guest at a prominent Catholic function that was to be attended by New York's Cardinal Edward Egan. However, after a press release by ALL pointing out the error in judgment two days ago has prompted a 'joint decision' for Spitzer to withdraw from the March 16 Friendly Sons of St. Patrick dinner.
In a press release and letter to the Cardinal, ALL pointed out Spitzer's pro-abortion record. Columnist Michelle Malkin once called Spitzer a "loyal water boy for pro-abortion groups." Spitzer issued subpoenas to 34 pro-life pregnancy care centers, following up on the abortion industry's bogus claim that these centers deceive women and practice medicine without licenses. Planned Parenthood and NARAL affiliates praised Spitzer's friend-of-the court brief in Stenberg v. Carhart, the case in which the Supreme Court tossed out Nebraska's partial-birth abortion ban. NARAL quotes Spitzer as being "committed to taking all measures necessary to protect a woman's right to reproductive freedom." He set up a special unit to "promote access to reproductive health."
See related Newsday coverage:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--irish-ire0228feb28,0,5621306.st...
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