Wednesday February 16, 2000
See today’s LifeSiteNews stories
LIBERALS MAY RAM THROUGH HOMOSEXUAL LAW NEXT WEEK
OTTAWA, Feb 16 (LSN.ca) – LifeSite has learned that the Canadian government legislation which would give practicing homosexuals all significant benefits of marriage is scheduled to continue second reading debate on Monday, February 21. Parliamentary insiders informed LifeSite that the government may also invoke closure Monday on Bill C-23 (The Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act). The legislation would then be moved to committee and according to Peter Stock of the Canada Family Action Coalition (CFAC) could be voted on as early Thursday of next week.
The Globe and Mail today notes that the Prime Minister is not going to respect the consciences of Liberal MP’s by allowing a free vote on the issue. “Mr. Chretien had been considering allowing MPs to vote with their conscience on the controversial issue, but he told reporters outside cabinet yesterday that he’d decided against it,” reported the Globe. Laughably, Chretien went on to feign fairness as he said of pro-family MP’s within his party, “if there are some who abstain [on the vote], we understand.” “I’ve given more freedom to my MPs than all my predecessors, and in certain cases I’ve shown a lot of flexibility, and I’ve shown it in this one,” added Chretien. This totally contradicts the fact that he has prohibited his MP’s from voting against it.
All pro-family groups in the country are urging supporters to contact their MP’s immediately with their concerns. Dr. James Dobson, Founder and President of Focus on the Family and Dr. Darrel Reid, President of Focus on the Family Canada discussed the federal same-sex omnibus legislation (Bill C-23) on today’s broadcast of the Focus on the Family radio program. They were joined by Gwen Landolt, Vice-president of REAL Women Canada. The broadcast explains how this bill attacks marriage and the traditional family. A Real Audio version of the broadcast will be available soon at:
https://www.fotf.ca/RADIO/REALAUDIO/INDEX.HTM
In a press release yesterday, REAL Women of Canada noted that Justice Minister Anne McLellan’s same-sex legislation directly contradicts the findings of the poll her own department requested Angus Reid to conduct last June. The poll found that: “57% of Canadians believe that benefits should be based solely on economic dependence and need, not sexual activity, even if this means extra cost to the taxpayer” and that “67% of Canadians believe that “marriage is the union of one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others” and that the extension of benefits should take place only if this definition of marriage remains the law in Canada. “
Pro-family leaders urge those contacting MP’s on the issue to note that abstaining from the vote will in effect support the legislation. MP’s must be encouraged to vote against the legislation; thereby putting the good of the nation ahead of party dictates.
For a detailed Action Guide on the issue see Focus on the Family at:
https://www.fotf.ca/PPOL/ACTION/021000.HTM
Bill C-23 is now available on line at:
https://www.parl.gc.ca/36/2/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/gover…
PRO-LIFE UBC STUDENTS SUE OVER FREEDOM OF SPEECH
VANCOUVER, Feb 26 (LSN.ca) – On Monday, three students at the University of British Columbia filed a lawsuit against the university’s Alma Mater Society (AMS), the UBC student government, and several individual students. The Plaintiffs, Stephanie Gray, Athena Macapagal and Michelle Laroya are all undergraduate students at UBC, and members of the Pro-Life groups “Students For Life” and the “AMS Lifeline Club”. On the morning of November 23rd, 1999, they set up an informational display on abortion that was destroyed by several members of the Alma Mater Society.
The attack was captured on videotape and broadcast nationally on televised newscasts and is also available on LifeSite. In the video, Erin Kaiser, the head of UBC Student’s for Choice, along with at least two other self-appointed UBC Thought Police, can be seen knocking down, kicking and ripping up signs as well as sweeping literature off tables and turning the tables over.
The pro-life students claim the University and the student government denied them their rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The suit suggests further that the Defendants conspired against the students and their pro-life club by canceling and denying room bookings, and refusing to allow certain signs or even certain words to be displayed in the Student Union Building.
The students are seeking damages, as well as an injunction to prevent the AMS from continuing to stifle their speech on campus.
For access to the video on LifeSite go to:
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/1999/dec/99121002.html
See the Vancouver sun coverage of this story at:
https://www.vancouversun.com/newsite/news/000215/3596263.html
EUGENICS IN THE US AND NAZI GERMANY: THEN AND NOW
PHILADELPHIA, Feb 16 (LSN.ca) – A Yale University study in the current Annals of Internal Medicine has found that eugenics has been practiced in the US longer than was previously believed. The study reports that state-authorized sterilizations were carried out from the first state eugenics law in Indiana in 1907 till as late as 1963. Forced sterilization was once legal in 18 U.S. states. By 1963 some 62,000 Americans underwent sterilization. The study also compares the US eugenics program to the one practiced in Nazi Germany.
The study suggests that eugenics in the US it came to an end through public rejection. However, although physical “forced sterilization” for mentally “defective” individuals is now not practiced in the US, pro-life observers argue that the large-scale promotion of contraception and abortion coupled with financial restraints almost requiring a two-parent income, have produced an atmosphere of forced sterilization under the illusion of choice.
The authors mention that in order “to avoid conflict, the Nazis decreed that Catholic surgeons would not be required to perform sterilizations.” Today, however, those with religious objections to assisting in contraception and abortion decisions have no conscience legislation to protect their job security when they refuse to participate.
Of note, one of the greatest proponents of eugenics in America was none other than Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger.
See the article in the journal at:
https://www.acponline.org/journals/annals/15feb00/sofair.htm
For more on Sanger’s promotion of eugenics see:
https://www.hli.org/issues/pp/bcreview/bcr08.html
APA ISSUES “FACT” SHEET ON HOMOSEXUALITY
DAYTON, Ohio, Feb 16 (LSN.ca) – Last week the American Psychiatric Association updated a “fact” sheet on homosexuality. Rather than facts, the sheet presents politically correct homosexual advocacy and repudiation of reparative therapy that has helped thousands of persons with homosexual tendencies to end their destructive lifestyles.
The sheet called “Homosexual and Bisexual Issues,” says, “relief of homophobia allows for better psychological functioning.” The APA dismissed the noted success of reparative therapy saying that it works only “for some motivated individuals for limited periods of time,” and “such changes often are accompanied by depression, anxiety and other symptoms.”
Psychological expert
For more see the Cox News Service story at:
https://www.phillynews.com/daily_news/2000/Feb/15/national/GA…
LIFESITE NEWSBYTES
Catholic World News reports that Bishop Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, was named by Pope John Paul II as the successor to the late Cardinal Basil Hume of Westminster. Bishop Murphy O’Connor is known for his vocal opposition to abortion and euthanasia. https://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=46717
WorldNetDaily reports today that the parents of Samuel Armas, the infant whose in utero surgery made history after a photo of the pre-born baby grasping the finger of his surgeon through an opening in Mrs. Armas’ uterus, are pro-life. The couple said their decision to go public with their story “stemmed from the fact that it is believed that the vast majority of babies with spina bifida are aborted in this country. … We wanted people to know that there is an educated, professional couple out there who love and value their child even though he is ‘defective’ by society’s definition …,” the mother wrote. https://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_fosterj_news/20000216_x…
A Toronto City Hall committee has recommended that a nude beach pilot project on Centre Island in Toronto should be extended for another two years to accommodate the swelling ranks of “naturalists,” National Post reported yesterday. Those opposed to the measure are failing to contact the city gov’t leaving the impression there is no opposition, allowing for extension and permanence. https://www.nationalpost.com/news.asp?f=000215/205454&s2;=nati…
US NEWS ROUNDUP
FoxNews reported yesterday that the US House voted Tuesday to award 80-year-old Cardinal John O’Connor, a staunch defender of life and family, the Congressional Gold Medal, the body’s highest civilian honor. In 1990, he wrote that anyone “advocating legislation supporting abortion, or by making public funds available for abortion … must be warned that they are at risk of excommunication.” https://www.foxnews.com/national/0215/d_ap_0215_280.sml
Idaho has overwhelmingly passed legislation requiring parental consent for abortions for minors. https://www.spokane.net/news-story.asp?date=021500&ID;=s743947…