Politics
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Monday February 2, 2004
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Print- Canada's Top Court Criminalizes Spanking Under 2, Over 12 and With Any Objects
- Legalization of Surgical Abortion Promoted in Peru by USAID
- Chicago Cardinal George Mulling Action on Catholic Pro-Abortion Politicians
- Georgetown Pro-Life Students Incredulous Over Use of Aborted Baby Cell Lines
- Archbishop Burke Says No Communion for Pro-abortion Kerry Even If He Becomes President
- Pope Praises Large Families in 2004 Lenten Message
- South African Pro-Lifers Hold Vigil, Marches on Anniversary of Legalized Abortion
- Utah Prohibition of Federal Funding for Abortions Bill 68 Passes House Committee
- LifeSite NewsBytes
Canada's Top Court Criminalizes Spanking Under 2, Over 12 and With Any Objects
Supreme Court press release mislead public on ramifications of spanking case decision
TODAY'S HEADLINES
OTTAWA, February 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Supreme Court of Canada has now criminalized following the biblical direction, "spare the rod and spoil the child."
The original press release from the Supreme Court of Canada on its June 30 ruling in the case seeking to overturn the law permitting parents to use spanking as a form of discipline, failed to mention critical information. In effect, the Supreme Court has once again donned its activist hat and written law in Canada banning spanking of children under 2 and over 12 and criminalizing it at any age with an implement such as the common 'wooden spoon' - effective immediately.
The ruling states: "Generally, s. 43 exempts from criminal sanction only minor corrective force of a transitory and trifling nature. On the basis of current expert consensus, it does not apply to corporal punishment of children under two or teenagers. . . . Discipline by the use of objects or blows or slaps to the head is unreasonable."
Gwen Landolt, Vice President of REAL Women Canada, one of the interveners in the case, told LifeSiteNews.com in an interview today that while pleased with certain aspects of the ruling she has concerns. While she stressed that "no one wants children to be abused or hurt" she noted that the ruling seems culturally insensitive particularly for some faith groups which regard use of the hand in spanking as a problem.
Canada Family Action Coalition President, Dr. Charles McVety echoed the sentiments saying, "Many child-rearing experts recommend that the hand should not be used for corrective discipline. Instead an inanimate object, such as a wooden spoon, could be used. However, the child should never be damaged. The hand should be reserved for loving and caring. The Courts have now made criminals of those who obey such logical advice."
Landolt also wondered if the definitive cut-off dates of 2 and 12 were not more in keeping with political correctness rather than an understanding of child development and family life.
"The 22 month old who is consistently scratching at his newborn brothers eyes, may find reasoned arguments more difficult to follow than a tap on the hand to reinforce a 'NO'," LifeSiteNews.com was told by a child clinical psychology MA graduate who wished to remain unnamed.
Dr. McVety said, "I applaud the effort to protect children, however, I do not want to see mothers go to jail for using a corrective, non-damaging tap on a 23-month-old child who needs to learn to stay away from danger".
The Canada Family Action Coalition warned parents in a release saying, the Court's Citation gives "guidelines" to Canadian judges on how to rule in related cases. "This Citation makes it very clear that the law has been changed and "immunity" from criminal prosecution will no longer be granted if a parent uses non-damaging physical corrective measures on a child under two years of age or over twelve or if an instrument is used at any age.
"Suspiciously, none of these changes to the law were mentioned in the Supreme Court's press release. Only after reading the lengthy full decision are Canadians realizing that parents are now in danger of criminal prosecution and having their children removed from their custody. These changes are in effect as of January 30th, 2004, so parents must beware."
Dr. McVety stated "I believe the Supreme Court of Canada has grossly breached democratic principles by not simply interpreting law but rather blatantly rewriting it. These new laws are not mentioned anywhere in Section 43 or any other area of the criminal act. In a democracy, the writing of laws is strictly reserved for elected members of legislatures. No hired or appointed individual should enact laws. That is only found in dictatorships."
Back to TopLegalization of Surgical Abortion Promoted in Peru by USAID
LIMA, February 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com/pop.org/cwnews.com) - The Population Research Institute and Catholic World News have both reported today that the U.S. Agency for International Development (Catalyst Project) funded an October, 2003 event aimed at the promotion of legalization of surgical abortion there.
A letter from 10 members of the Peruvian congress addressed to Andrew Natsios, administrator of USAID, expressed concern over the USAID sponsorship of an event aimed at promoting a new proposed law, Bill 7869. In the letter, the members highlight sections of the proposed bill which states that "reproductive health should include measures to promote…abortion…" and that "legal barriers to reproductive health include laws prohibiting abortion," and that "reproductive health services such as abortion can only be put into practice when they are carried out in properly equipped facilities that are authorized to perform these procedures." Conference speakers are said to have lamented that the illegality of abortion was a "social problem."
"The funding of this conference, and of organizations that are pushing for abortion on demand in Peru, is a blatant violation of U.S. law," said Population Research Institute president Steve Mosher.
The US pulled all funding from the UN Population Fund for its participation in China's coercive abortion policy, which under the U.S. Kemp-Kasten amendment, forbids funding for any organization which promotes coercive abortion or forced sterilization. The funds slated for UNFPA were redirected to USAID.
In prior, related coverage, LifeSiteNews.com reported on USAID's support for forced sterilization in Peru. Read the report at: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2000/mar/00031602.html
Also read the LifeSiteNews.com report "White House Transfers UNFPA Funding to USAID" at:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/jul/02072305.html
Chicago Cardinal George Mulling Action on Catholic Pro-Abortion Politicians
Reminds Lay Catholics of Duty to Vote Pro-Life
WASHINGTON, DC, February 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - At the Vigil Mass for the recent March for Life in Washington, DC, LifeSiteNews.com spoke with Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. Asked about the American and Canadian experiences of Catholic politicians having for years been prominent in pro-abortion legislative efforts, the Cardinal noted that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was discussing that very topic and considering strategies.
"It's not a question of separation between church and state institutionally, that's taken for granted," said Cardinal George. "It's a question of the relationship between life and faith, so you have to work with peoples' conscience and try to inform their conscience so that they understand the obligations of their faith that apply to their life no matter what form of life they are in, be it political life or economic life or the entertainment arts."
The Cardinal continued, "once you bring that home they have a conscience problem and they have to work it out." He noted that "the usual platitudes" such as 'I am personally pro-life but...' or 'I can't enforce my morality.' "simply aren't enough" to excuse such behaviour.
But as to what the bishops should do he said, "that's a question we're still working on."
He did, however, remind Catholics of their obligation to vote pro-life. "I'd like to say that both Canada and the United States are more or less functioning democracies and finally it's the people who elect those office holders and the people have to take that obligation to heart when they vote." Not only politicians and bishops, but all the faithful must make their faith evident in their lives, said the Chicago Archbishop. "Sometimes people get all excited and say why don't the bishops do something, but who elected them, the bishops didn't. So it goes all the way up and down the line - this obligation to put together life and faith."
Georgetown Pro-Life Students Incredulous Over Use of Aborted Baby Cell Lines
Petition Launched
WASHINGTON, DC, February 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Georgetown University Right to Life, the official pro-life club of the Catholic University, was incredulous that their Catholic school was using cell lines from aborted babies and found it even more unbelievable that the university would continue to use the cell lines after the research was recently publicly exposed.
In related news, Children of God for Life, the pro-life group which initially discovered Georgetown's unethical research and brought it to the attention of Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, has launched an online petition to stop the university's use of aborted fetal cell lines. They request that signers go to: http://www.cogforlife.org/georgetownpetition.htm
Laura Peirson, President of Georgetown University Right to Life, told LifeSiteNews.com today, "I was very surprised when I found out about it." Referring to the initial report that Cardinal McCarrick had seemingly put an end to the controversial research, she said, "it seemed that things had been pretty much resolved after the first story came out." She described her reaction to the university's decision to continue the research saying, "I was very disappointed that Georgetown as a Catholic institution was compromising on this issue."
"I understand the great temptations of health benefit potentials, grants and needing researchers, but the ends do not justify the means," she said. "This creates in people's minds some kind of justification for abortion, seeing it has some sort of positive outcome."
The pro-life student group's board is meeting tonight to discuss its strategy on the matter.
See related LifeSite coverage:
Catholic University Continuing to Use Cell Lines from Aborted Babies - Cardinal Approves
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jan/04013001.html
Archbishop Burke Says No Communion for Pro-abortion Kerry Even If He Becomes President
Archbishop Raymond Burke continues to make waves with his stand regarding pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians. He is quoted in an article in today's online edition of the St Louis Post Dispatch stating that he would refuse John Kerry Holy Communion if he were to appear in the Archbishop's Communion line.
"I would have to admonish him not to present himself for Communion," said Burke. "I might give him a blessing or something," he said.
John Kerry is moving into the front of the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination and is a Catholic who has vociferously defended his pro-abortion stand.
The response from the Kerry Campaign team was unapologetic. Kim Molstre, a Kerry campaign spokeswoman, said Friday, "The archbishop has the right to deny Communion to whoever he wants, but Senator Kerry respectfully disagrees with him on the issue of choice."
Catholic pro-life activists have repeatedly said that the problem is not simply one of personal pastoral care of those in politics, but one of grave scandal. Burke said, "On life issues, this is a serious issue for bishops, a grave problem for the church, which has to be addressed."
The statement comes on the heels of a spate of announcements from U.S. bishops regarding the scandal of politicians using their denominational identity to woo Catholic voters, while maintaining a position directly contradictory to Catholic moral obligations. Timothy Dolan, the recently appointed Archbishop of Milwaukee, has praised Burke's strong stand in an interview appearing in the January 24th edition of the Milwaukee
Sentinal Journal.
Kerry's own Archbishop Sean O'Malley, was interviewed by LifesiteNews.com the day after the annual March for Life in Washington. He said of the issue, "These politicians should know that if they're not voting correctly on these life issues that they shouldn't dare come to Communion." O'Malley, however, declined to go so far as to refuse Communion.
See full story on Burke:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/B9DFA84EABE0727886256E2C0...
See also Lifesite interviews Archbishop Sean O'Malley:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jan/04012301.html
Pope Praises Large Families in 2004 Lenten Message
VATICAN CITY, February 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - With large families often experiencing vocal societal disapproval of their generosity towards new life, the Pope's praise for large families last week came as a welcome assurance. Pope John Paul II issued a message of praise and admiration for large families in his 2004 Lenten Message released Saturday in anticipation of Lent which commences February 25 - Ash Wednesday. The Pope noted that this year's Lenten theme - 'Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.' (Mt 18:5) - "invites us to reflect on the condition of children."
The Pope said that "the Lord repeats to his disciples in our time" the call "'to become' one of the least and 'to receive' the little ones.'" He noted "Only the one who makes himself one of the "least" is able to receive with love the "least" of our brothers and sisters."
He then praised large families, saying: "Many believers strive faithfully to follow these teachings of the Lord. Here I would mention those parents who willingly take on the responsibility of a large family, mothers and fathers who, rather than considering success in their profession and career as the highest value, make every effort to pass on to their children those human and religious values that give true meaning to life."
See the full Lenten message:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/lent/documents/hf_jp-ii_...
South African Pro-Lifers Hold Vigil, Marches on Anniversary of Legalized Abortion
BRAAMFONTEIN, South Africa, February 2 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - As part of nation-wide protests commemorating the legalization of abortion on demand in South Africa seven years ago, the Christian Democratic Party held a prayer vigil in front of Constitutional Court.
"On February 1, 1997, abortion on demand was legalized in South Africa," CDP national director Denise du Plooy said. "It will be recorded in history to have been even more controversial than the apartheid laws of old."
Ms. du Plooy also said that "This South African holocaust of baby murders is even more atrocious than the Jewish holocaust because here we are killing off young unborn people who are not even afforded an opportunity to have a say in their own lives."
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) held pro-life marches in Douglas and Kimberley in the Northern Cape on Saturday. ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley, a member of the parliamentary health portfolio committee, said that "While the present government congratulates itself on legislating and implementing the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act (1997), 350,000 babies have been mercilessly killed."
Christians for Truth also held a pro-life march in Boksburg on Saturday morning. Their placards displayed the slogan, "Abortion kills babies".
Read local coverage at: http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimes/newsst/newsst1075704247.asp
Utah Prohibition of Federal Funding for Abortions Bill 68 Passes House Committee
SALT LAKE CITY, February 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In the wake of a South Dakota legislative decision last week to outlaw abortion, the Utah House Committee has passed the Prohibition of Federal Funding for Abortions Bill 68. Senator Curtis Bramble (R-Provo), the sponsor of the bill, said that the bill has been around for more than a year. It would make illegal any funding by the federal government, either directly or indirectly, of abortion. The bill still has to be passed by the House floor.
In response to Democrat David Litvack's (D-Salt Lake) proposed amendment to remove the term "indirect funding" from the bill, Steven R. Mascaro (R-West Jordan) said that "We need to see that we represent the correct will of the people, not the will of special interest groups. We end up making decisions," Mascaro continued, "and if we're going to err, I want to err on the side of the unborn child." The House committee voted 6-3 against the amendment.
The bill also includes provisions that any agency using state funds to perform abortions will forfeit further funding from the legislature. "Should a state agency use their funds to provide abortions," Bramble explained, "they put their budgets at risk."
Read about the South Dakota decision at:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jan/04012601.html
Also see the local coverage of the Utah bill at: http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/47946
LifeSite NewsBytes
FCC launches investigation into halftime show
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/entertainment/7856257.htm
Urge FCC to Fine CBS for the Super Bowl Indecency
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL04B01&f=PG03I03
Selling sex and corruption to your kids
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=36598
Massachusetts Democratic Leaders Back Gay 'Marriage'
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0030356.cfm
D.C. Voucher Plan Threatened
http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0030354.cfm
Foes Plan to 'Mute' Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ'
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/2/2/142127.shtml
Threats Linked to Uncovering of Organ-Trafficking Network Women Religious in Mozambique Report Ambush Attacks
http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=48378
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