12/14/01
in this issue:
abortion: BREAST CANCER LINK -- BRITAIN / DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS /
PRACTITIONERS IN TROUBLE abortion
BREAST CANCER LINK -- BRITAIN: Life, the leading pro-life charity
in the U.K., is providing the media with copies of an important new study,
"Abortion and Other Pregnancy-Related Risk Factors in Female Breast
Cancer." The study is authored by Patrick Carroll and is available online,
along with other related materials.
DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS: David Reardon, Ph.D., announces that
"Detrimental Effects of Abortion" is now available for $35 (shipping and
handling included). To place a credit card order, call 888-412-2676. For
information, e-mail books@afterabortion.org.
PRACTITIONERS IN TROUBLE: The Boston
Rescuer publishes an ongoing, updated and accurate report on
abortionists facing criminal charges or other problems.
activism
JANUARY 22: In Atlanta, Georgia pro-lifers are sponsoring an event
called "Strolling for Life." There will be a procession of EMPTY baby
strollers representing children list to abortion since the 1973 Roe and
Doe decisions. For details, contact Michele
Roman.
PROTESTING IVF: Come to the December 28 pro-life protest in Norfolk, Va.,
sponsored by American Life League, and learn how to speak out against the
mass killing that results from in vitro fertilization.
bush watch
RACICOT: Pro-abortion former Montana governor Marc Racicot is the
new head of the Republican National Committee. Though Racicot is confused
about when a person is a person and when that person's life begins,
National Right to Life says he was "a strong pro-life governor."
(Reading: "Bush's
choice for RNC Chairman draws fire from conservatives," Cybercast News
Service, 12/5/01; also see "How Ashcroft
Happened," The American Prospect, 2/26/01)
contraception
ACCESS: NARAL has posted a state-by-state review of access
to contraception.
down syndrome
TARGETING: Researchers and editorial writers suggest that
fine-tuning the first trimester screening process has advantages,
including "an early diagnosis with consequent safer and less traumatic
therapeutic abortion."
(Reading: "Time for total shift to first-trimester screening for Down's
syndrome," The Lancet, 11/17/01,
pp. 1658-1659, and search for title; "Absence
of nasal bone in fetuses with trisomy 21 at 11-14 weeks of gestation: an
observational study," The Lancet, 11/17/01)
eugenics
PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS: Australian researchers claim
that analyzing the genetic makeup of previously frozen human embryos prior
to thawing and placing them in the mother's womb allows the elimination of
chromosomal anomalies by eliminating the embryos diagnosed as having the
problem. "The embryo diagnosed as normal by comparative genomic
hybridization was thawed and transferred and resulted in a pregnancy." An
accompanying editorial states: "In contrast to amniocentesis and
chorionic-villus sampling, techniques for preimplantation genetic
diagnosis are performed before the establishment of a pregnancy, thereby
sparing women from carrying a pregnancy to the first or second trimester
before learning of a serious genetic abnormality. This distinction is
especially important to some couples who find termination of even a
genetically abnormal pregnancy unacceptable for religious, moral or other
reasons. Only embryos found not to be affected by the genetic abnormality
in question are selected for transfer to the uterus."
COMMENT: According to this eugenic standard, only perfect people are
allowed to continue living. The embryo is, after all, a human being
regardless of his or her chromosomal anomalies.
(Reading: "Birth of a health infant after preimplantation confirmation
of euploidy by comparative genomic hybridization," New
England Journal of Medicine, 11/22/01, pp. 1537-1541; "Preimplantation
Genetic Diagnosis by Comparative Genomic Hybridization," New
England Journal of Medicine, 11/22/01, pp. 1569-1571, click on
article)
stem cell research
ETHICAL: Researchers working with rats at McGill University in
Toronto are heartened by initial results using adult stem cells from the
bone marrow to generate new heart cells, suggesting a possible treatment
for heart disease.
(Reading: "Adult stem cells
may help regenerate heart tissue," C-Health, 11/13/01)
KILLING HUMAN BEINGS: New Republic published a column by Andrew
Sullivan entitled "Only
Human." Sullivan argues against embryonic stem cell research, writing,
"Some may say that nature itself allows many blastocysts to die. What else
are miscarriages? It is true that such tragedies happen all the time. But
just because earthquakes happen doesn't mean massacres are justified."
sterilization
ESSURE: Conceptus, a California-based company, told the media that
FDA approval of its coil, designed to block the fallopian tube, is
expected early in 2002. See Essure for
details about the method.
web news
CLONING HUMANS: See the new web site, constructed by Americans to
Ban Cloning, for well-developed arguments against any type of human
cloning: Cloning
Information.
CONSCIENCE LAWS: A
virus has destroyed much of the information on the Protection of
Conscience Project web site. Please visit their web site to be restored to
their contact list.
GOD'S PLAN FOR
LIFE: Check out this solidly pro-life educational web site.
HEALING THE CULTURE: Human Life
of Washington is posting a series of articles by Dan Stevenson
analyzing the book, Healing the Culture. To learn more, see the web site
dedicated to Father Robert J. Spitzer's work: Life Principles.
PREGNANT AND NEED HELP? The timeless book, "You Can Have Your Baby
When Others (or You) Say No," by Madeline Pecora Nugent, is now
available on the internet. Theresa Burke, Ph.D., of Rachel's Vineyard
points out that the book empowers the woman to maintain her pregnancy
despite pressure from professionals and others.
zinger
KILLING A PATIENT AS A CARING ACT: Peter Wright asks readers of The
Lancet, "How can it be the duty of a caring doctor who respects his
patient's autonomy to refuse the help to a good death that only a member
of his profession is in a position to give?"
(Reading: "Challenge to law on right to die," The Lancet, 11/17/01, search by title
or writer)
reflection for prayer
THOMAS MERTON: "What is uncertain is not the 'coming' of Christ but
our own reception of Him, our own response to Him, our own readiness and
capacity to 'go forth to meet Him.' We must be willing to see Him and
acclaim Him, as John did, even at the very moment when our whole life's
work and all its meaning seem to collapse."
(Reading: "Seasons of Celebration," pp. 90-91, quoted in Vatican II
Daily Missal, p. 105)
©2001 American Life League, Inc.
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