Pro-lifers holding sponsored vigil against TV abortion ads

Today SPUC members are holding an all-day silent vigil outside the offices of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA is considering allowing abortion providers to advertise on television and radio. Sponsorship for the vigil will go towards SPUC's campaign against the ASA's proposal and to educate the public on abortion.

Pete and Anne Fearon (pictured, with their children Catherine and James) of SPUC Merseyside are leading the vigil. They have been married for 25 years and have six children, including two sets of twins. Anne says:

"Bringing up children these days is hard enough without the abortion industry targeting our sons and daughters and sending out the message that casual sex and abortion are perfectly okay. That's why I'm strongly in favour of SPUC's policy of reaching out to young people in their schools and I'm hoping the money we raise at the sponsored vigil will help them expand this vital service.

"The whole family feel very strongly that allowing abortion to be advertised on TV will have a harmful effect on society in general and will lead to more unborn babies being destroyed and more women and girls suffering the after effects of abortion.

"We will do all that we can to support SPUC's campaign to stop abortion adverts invading our homes.

"We have supported SPUC for longer than we care to remember but I started going to Crosby branch meetings about 17 years ago. After a few years I found myself branch secretary and began attending Merseyside regional meetings and then SPUC's National Council meetings (the Society's governing body). I am also chairman of Merseyside region.

"Pete is a science teacher. He was head of science for many years in a large Catholic school in Liverpool before retiring last year and now does supply teaching.

"James and Catherine have just turned sixteen and are the youngest of our six children. They will have just completed their GCSE exams a couple of days before the sponsored event. As you can imagine, things are a bit tense in our household at the moment with all that last minute cramming!

"As a family we always try to support SPUC's fundraising in any way we can and this particular event is very important to us. Last year my daughter, Siobhan, took part in SPUC's sponsored skydive parachute event."

People wishing to sponsor the vigil can donate securely online here

For many years a committed team of SPUC staff has provided regular pro-life news services via the SPUC website and email, and more latterly this blog, the SPUC Facebook group and now Twitter. While delivering news and comment in this way incurs a financial cost, we have made it our policy not to appeal directly to our readers to meet these costs. However, should you wish to do so, you can help support SPUC’s news services by sponsoring the vigil (see above). Appeal contributions will help defray the costs of SPUC's news services and our campaigning, education and caring work. What’s most important to us, though, is that you continue to have access to good quality information which leaves you better informed about pro-life matters. Whatever you decide to do, please consider forwarding this page to anyone you think may benefit from SPUC's news services (one way of forwarding this page is to click on the mail icon below).

SPUC's submission on TV abortion ads

SPUC has published its submission to the public consultation about allowing abortion agencies to advertise on television and radio. You can read SPUC's submission in full here, but below are are selection of points SPUC has made objecting to the proposal.

• "It is likely, in our view, that the public will be exposed directly to television and radio advertising which promotes abortion services.
• Both of the proposals relating to abortion advertising (permitting it on broadcast media, and imposing a special requirement on non-abortion providers) amount to unfair commercial practices. Promoting abortion providers is exploitative of several vulnerable groups: expectant mothers, women who are uncertain whether they are pregnant, unborn children and particularly unborn children with disabilities.
• Abortion also remains a criminal offence on the statute book. Advertising of illegal procedures is contrary to the public interest, advertising codes, and the law.
• Only those agencies with the financial resources would be able to advertise. Abortion providers can generate financial resources for advertising by charging more for abortions, whereas most pro-life advice services do not charge clients (or the NHS) for their services. Thus there will be a disproportionate opportunity for abortion providers to advance their cause.
• Advertising has the power to be subtly constructed so as to direct vulnerable women to these agencies where abortion may be promoted as the “best option”.
• Advertising should not be misleading, harmful or offensive.
• Abortion causes immense harm.
• Such advertisements by their nature would be objectively offensive to moral and religious principles.
• The highly contentious nature of abortion and its deep moral significance would suggest that minors not be subject to its promotion via advertising, which would undoubtedly occur if this proposal were permitted.
• Family planning centres and pregnancy advice agencies which refer women for abortion but offer no alternatives, are not required to mention the limits of their services.
• The strongly predominant wish in the community is for the numbers of abortions to decrease, not increase. However, advertising of abortion services would promote abortion, increase its incidence and thereby increase harm to all involved."

Tomorrow SPUC supporters will be holding a sponsored vigil outside the offices of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Doctor-bioethicist highlights Dutch involuntary euthanasia

On Tuesday the Times published a letter from an American doctor and bioethicist which highlights the incidence of involuntary euthanasia in the Netherlands. Dr William Reichels of the Centre for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown university, writes:

"I am a physician who has studied physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia since 1988, especially in the Netherlands ... Although the law calls for performing assisted suicide and euthanasia with the patient’s consent, it is often involuntary. The law also calls for obtaining a second opinion of another physician, but this is often never done. By 1991 the Remmelink report showed that 1,040 people (an average of three per day) were actively killed by Dutch doctors without the patient’s knowledge or consent."

SPUC has pointed out that the Remmelink Report also found that the doctor was often the person who first raised the subject of euthanasia with the patient.

A total ban on assisted suicide is necessary to protect vulnerable patients and to ensure that the law upholds the intrinsic value of human life. Please tell members of the House of Lords about Dr Reichels's letter and the facts about Dutch involuntary euthanasia - please read immediately SPUC's action alerts of 29 May and 6 June on the Coroners and Justice bill.

UN resolution saved from pro-abortion agenda

As I blogged previously, the UN Human Rights Council is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. In my previous blog, I mentioned an extreme pro-abortion anti-family report on violence against women. However, another resolution* relevant to pro-life issues has also been discussed at Geneva, a resolution on maternal mortality. As is often the case at these UN meetings, the early drafts of the resolution had strong pro-abortion language. Thanks, however, to communication between sympathetic national delegations and the pro-life/pro-family coalition, the wording has been subtly yet significantly changed in many ways. The content of the resolution's final version, whilst still containing some concerning aspects, nonetheless denies the anti-life lobby its main goals. So congratulations to Pat Buckley, who represents SPUC at the UN, and to the other pro-life/pro-family lobbyists at Geneva for their vital work in preventing abortion being declared to be a human right.

* The resolution is entitled "Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development", and the relevant part is "11. Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights".

Pro-life vigil, Maidstone, Kent, this Wednesday 17 June

"A great prayer for life is urgently needed … prayer and fasting are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil." Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae.

The Helpers of God's Precious Infants is an international pro-life group founded by Monsignor Philip Reilly under the direction of Bishop Thomas Daily of New York. Its main work is prayer vigils at abortion facilities. To date, 5 cardinals and over 100 bishops worldwide participate, including Bishop Bernard Longley of Westminster, Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood, Bishop John Hine of Southwark and Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds. The spirituality is one of solidarity with Jesus in the person of the forgotten poor: “Whatever you do for the least of these my brethren, you do for me.” (Matt.25:40).

The Helpers will be holding a vigil, with full police co-operation, this coming Wednesday 17 June at the Marie Stopes abortion facility, Brewer Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1RV. The proceedings will start at 10.00am with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at St Francis’ Church, Week Street, ME14 1RH led by Father Tadeusz Dec.
10.30am: prayerful and peaceful procession to Marie Stopes abortion facility, processing with image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Holy Rosary & hymns.
12.00pm: return procession and blessing. Refreshments in parish centre (please bring a packed lunch).

Directions: Connex South East runs a direct line from Victoria to Maidstone East Station, which is directly opposite St. Francis Church.
By road: The M20 – come off at Junction 6. Follow signs to town centre then to Maidstone East station. There is a car park at the station and also two car parks in Brewer Street and one in Wheeler Street, both of which are accessed by Lower Boxley Well road. The shaded areas on the map are pedestrian areas only.

For further information contact:
The Helpers Of God’s Precious Infants, P.O. Box 26601, LONDON, N14 7WH
Telephone: 020 8252 3109 E-mail: info@hgpi.co.uk Web: www.hgpi.co.uk

Rally for Life, Dublin, Saturday 4 July

Below is a message on behalf of http://www.rallyforlife.net

Against all odds, and because Irish people have made their pro-life views heard, Ireland remains one of the only EU countries that protects its unborn children from abortion. Under constant pressure from the EU and the powerful pro-abortion lobby, the Irish people have maintained their pro-life ethos. But we need to act to keep it that way, and to ensure that we also speak up against the anti-life threats of euthanasia and stem cell research.

We invite you to join with thousands of others to speak up for the right to life. As pro-life people we say no to abortion. On 4 July let's do it together!

Day programme:
1pm Mass at St Saviour’s Church, Dominic Street, Dublin 1.
2pm Rally for Life, Garden of Remembrance.

Bring your family and friends for a great day out, with a powerful message. Hear great speakers including Dr Eoghan de Faoite, Fr Brian McKevitt (editor, Alive paper), Bernadette Smyth, and more, including some surprise guests!

Evening programme:
8pm Celebrate Life Reception and Guest speaker, Morrison Hotel, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1.

Contact 01 8730465 (Republic of Ireland) and 028 90278484 (Northern Ireland) or email info@rallyforlife.net for more information.

Rally for Life is under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Patroness of the Unborn. Rally is supported by Life Institute, Precious Life, Ultrasound - Students for Life, Youth Defence, Family First, Cóir and more.

Speak up for unborn babies. Keep Ireland abortion free.

Ed Balls contradicts health department report on teenage pregnancies

Ed Balls, secretary of state for children, schools and families, has contradicted the department of health by claiming that teenage pregnancies "have come down substantially" nationally. He made the comments as he announced that his department is helping fund a Birmingham school to open its own centre offering "a full range of sexual health services". The department of health's annual report, published yesterday, admits that "the most recent quarterly data from 2007 indicates a worrying reversal of this downward trend." It also admits that more teenage pregnancies are ending in abortion.

Paul Tully, SPUC general secretary has responded to Mr Balls's claims:

"Mr Balls, the minister for one department, has contradicted another department in making this claim, and at the same time he has contradicted academic research and official health data. Mr Balls should retract his claim immediately. The latest data shows that, with respect to under-16s, pregnancy and abortion rates are actually higher now than when the government's teenage pregnancy strategy was published in 1999. The records show that the number of teenage pregnancies had already started falling before the strategy began; and the rate of decrease started to slow once the strategy began to be implemented on the ground.

"Mr Balls should also retract his claim that "The places where we have got teenage pregnancies down faster are where you've had a much closer working of schools and health services." In fact the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) has published data showing that the region with the lowest rate of under-18 conceptions (32.8 per 1000 girls) - which also had the lowest abortion rate (14.8 per 1000 girls) - was the East of England. The APHO report also found that when questioned, East of England school children were the least likely to say they relied on schools for sex information and the least likely to know about local sexual health services. This region also had the fewest young women approaching family planning clinics for contraception.

"Academic studies indicate that abstinence-promotion, parental involvement, higher general educational standards and improved social conditions reduce teenage pregnancies. Professor David Paton of Nottingham university has argued this convincingly in published research.

"The contradiction between Mr Balls and the department of health, as well as the government's increasingly radical gimmicks, is yet further evidence that the government's strategy is in disarray. It should be scrapped immediately."

Considering this shocking new example of Mr Ball's blind promotion of anti-life and anti-family policy, and considering his determined and well established policy commitments in this area, I am very concerned about the cooperation between the Catholic authorities and Mr Balls's department.

Extreme pro-abortion ideologue appointed head of government-backed family institute

I am grateful to Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications officer, for spotting this and carrying out some research on the Family and Parenting Institute.

Dr Katherine Rake (pictured) has been chosen as the new head of the Family and Parenting Institute, a government-funded body. Dr Rake is an extreme pro-abortion ideologue. Here's just a sample of her views on abortion:

"The right to an abortion is vital in itself ... We must continue fighting to ensure that these rights are built upon, not eroded, in the coming years."

Among the Family and Parenting Institute's trustees is Anne Weyman, formerly head of the Family Planning Association (FPA), the UK affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the world's largest abortion promoter. In 2002, Anne Weyman told a parliamentary committee that she "found the concept of 'children's innocence' to be a strange one, because why should sex be associated with guilt?"

So we have anti-family and anti-parenting campaigners appointed to a body ostensibly set up to promote family and parenting. Such euphemistic tactics reminds me of the Communist Chinese regime's petition offices, ostensibly set up to promote citizens' rights, but in reality used to identify people the regime would like to lock up.

Brazilian archbishop thanks SPUC and others for their support

I have received a letter of thanks from Archbishop José Cardoso Sobrinho of Olinda and Recife (pictured), thanking SPUC and others for their support of his actions in the case of the nine-year old girl whose twins were aborted in March this year, which I blogged about on 7 March and 18 March. I reproduce a translation of the archbishop's letter in full below:

"After have received messages of solidarity and congratulation from several national and international organizations and mainly from hundreds of brothers and sisters – from Brazil as well as from various other countries - due to my position in relation to the recent clamorous event which has happened in the archdiocese of Olinda and Recife (i.e., the violation of canon law – on abortion) – when I publicly mentioned the legal position of Our Holy Church, which establishes the application of automatic excommunication – I wish to express my profound gratitude to each and everyone, invoking upon you the many blessings of Our Saviour Jesus Christ who has “come so all would have life and have it abundantly” [John 10:10].

"The application of canon law penalties is a way used by our Holy Church, since the apostles’ time, to lead Christians to follow God’s law and to eternal salvation. “God wants all be saved” [1Tm 2:4] , and for this, conversion is necessary, in other words a behaviour change, of no longer practicing evil and conforming one’s life to God’s laws. Mercy is not a connivance with evil, of violations of God’s laws.

"Article 1398 of the Code of Canon Law is a current law of our Holy Church, approved by the Vicar of Christ on earth, the servant of God John Paul II (He promulgated the new Code in 1983). This law aims to help spiritually all Church members to avoid a very grave violation of the 5th commandment of the Decalogue, the suppression of defenceless and innocent lives. It is a spiritual “medicine” (“remedy”) used by the church to lead a sinner to conversion, to lead him to change his behaviour. To ignore this automatic penalty – or even worse, to wish its abolition is a great evil to the common good of ecclesiastic society and the eternal salvation of God’s children.

"To lead his disciples to do good, by conforming their lives to the demands of the Law of God, Jesus Christ himself clearly talked about the real dangers of eternal damnation (Mt 11:23; 13:41-42; 25:31-46; Mc 9:43-48; Lc 16:19-31). This is the aim of the penalties established by the Church.

"We have ample proof that the great publicity of the event which happened in our archdiocese is producing very good fruits in the spiritual lives of many individuals.

"I would , therefore, like to repeat my profound gratitude first of all to the Author of Life, “the Father of light from who comes all perfect gifts” [ 1 John 1:14]. I also thank all my brothers and sisters who sent me messages of solidarity which witness their total fidelity to God’s Law and the Canon Law of our Holy Church.

"May God grant us, all, the grace of continuing to work together in defence of life."

Recife, May 19, 2009

(signed)

Dom José Cardoso Sobrinho
Archbishop of Olinda-Recife

A tribute to Kathy Sinnott

Kathy Sinnott, the pro-life politician, failed narrowly to be re-elected as member of the European Parliament for Ireland South last weekend.

Pat Buckley of the European Life Network, said: "The outcome of the election was greatly influenced by the current economic crisis and Kathy was the target of a deliberate smear campaign which cost her critical support."

SPUC wishes to pay tribute to Kathy's sterling witness for the pro-life and pro-family cause as an MEP. A captivating speaker and tireless worker, she was always seeking to promote new, dynamic ways to promote the cause of life, such as Amnesty for Babies. On behalf of SPUC, I thank Kathy for her support of SPUC and wish her all the best in the future.

True love of relatives shows why assisted suicide is unnatural

A British television presenter has written how caring for his sick mother has led to his opposition to euthanasia. Charles Ottley has cared for 14 years for his mother, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Mr Ottley wrote:

"I can tell you that after years of caring for my grievously ill mother, I am more opposed to euthanasia than ever ... Mum devoted 18 years of her existence to me when I was growing up. Life may deal us some tough choices, but putting my life on hold to care for my mother has never been one of them."

It is a tribute to Mr Ottley that he has the wisdom and maturity to understand and follow our human nature. While our first instincts are often to flinch at the burdens of suffering, our deeper instincts move us to sacrifice some of the control we have over our lives. Assisted suicide and euthanasia fail at the first hurdle of suffering, by abandoning the vulnerable and rejecting true compassion. "Compassion" comes from the Latin words cum pati, which mean "to suffer with".

So please show your solidarity with the vulnerable and your belief in true compassion by contacting members of the House of Lords today, urging them to reject pro-suicide amendments to the Coroners and Justice bill. Please read and act upon SPUC's action alerts of 29 May and 5 June.

Not too many people: synopsis of major paper on population questions

Jim Moreton, who was until recently for many months a volunteer at SPUC HQ, has written an extremely clear synopsis of "Too many people?", a major paper on population questions by Dr Nicholas Eberstadt (pictured), a leading demographer, who holds the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute.

One of the points made by Dr Eberstadt which struck me that rapid population growth has actually helped increase the availability of resources and this is simply because a larger and healthier population is inevitably a more productive one.

It is therefore very disappointing to read that political and religious authorities in Syria are promoting population control, with the argument that conditions in Syria are too harsh for Syrians to have large families. Perhaps Dr Eberstadt's paper needs to be translated into Arabic. Do read Jim's synopsis of his paper in full here.

Amoral political masters hurting young people with failed reckless strategies

The government, with the help of Brook, the abortion referral agency, is drawing up guidelines which include making free condoms available to teenage boys just about everywhere, including football grounds, barber’s shops and scout huts. Boys will be issued with a card entitling them to the condoms after they have attended a so-called safe sex lesson. The scheme has been set-up so that obstacles - such as parents - are removed from boys' access to condoms.

This scheme will result in more hurt to young people, especially young girls who so often become the victim of brutish male behaviour, more sexually transitted infections, and more abortions.

Like the expenses scandal, this scheme also shows how amoral many of our political masters have become. Such amoral behaviour is irrational, flying in the face of facts and common sense. Government officials are in denial that their teenage pregnancy strategy has failed, despite irrefutable evidence. And as those MPs implicated in the expenses have found out, living in denial simply makes the day of reckoning worse. However, those who suffer will be the unborn, young people and their families - not the politicians pursuing these cruelly reckless policies.

Pro-abortion lobby tries again to deceive Polish women

Early last month Anand Grover, United Nations special rapporteur "on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health" visited Poland and told the country that its access to abortion is unsatisfactory. He admitted that he had not obtained official data on the number of illegal abortions performed in Poland, but added that Polish nongovernmental organizations put the figure at anywhere from 80,000 to 180,000 a year. The Warsaw Voice newspaper, reporting Grover's visit, failed to mention that these "nongovernmental organzations" are in fact the same ones campaigning for greater access to legal abortion.

We are sure that many Polish people, whose natural instincts are pro-life, will see through this ruse. Firstly, let's look at the facts of the current story: an incredibly rough estimate (80,000 to 180,000) without comparison to official figures. Secondly, let's look at the history of abortion law in Poland. Before the passing of a law restricting abortion in 1993, a concerted campaign by pro-life groups and the Catholic Church resulted in a steady decline in the number of legal abortions from 105,333 in 1988 to 777 in 1993. Thirdly, let's look at the history of the campaign to legalise abortion in the US before the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling. Dr Bernard Nathanson, the abortion pioneer who became pro-life, admitted that he deliberately exaggerated the estimated number of illegal abortions five-fold.

As I've said before, the pro-abortion lobby should stop patronising Polish women with its deceitful, death-dealing agenda. The people of Poland have, in large numbers, this very week celebrated both the 20th anniversary of the end of Communist rule and the 30th anniversary of the first visit of the late Pope John Paul II to Poland. The last thing Polish people want is to return to a culture of death.

Obama-Clinton's worldwide abortion propaganda unit

The US House of Representatives is due to vote this week on the establishment of an Office of Global Women’s Issues within the US State Department. The office will be responsible for coordinating efforts “relating to gender integration and women’s empowerment in United States foreign policy.” The head of the new office is Melanne Verveer (pictured), former chief of staff to Hillary Clinton, and reported to be pro-abortion Catholic. With Barack Obama as President and Mrs Clinton as Secretary of State, we can expect this new office to engage in a worldwide campaign to make abortion on demand a universal human right.

This is yet more evidence that, for Obama and Clinton, a pro-abortion position is not just something to be expected of a Democratic party administration. They now appear to be making the promotion of a so-called right to abortion among the highest priorities of US domestic and foreign policy, something the mainstream media has generally failed to report. The courageous opposition, however, of thousands of people, including scores of bishops, to Notre Dame university honouring Obama turned the world's spotlight on Obama's anti-life reputation. That is why at Notre Dame Obama felt it necessary to try to spin convincingly about common ground. All the more reason why we must debunk his spin and warn the world about the abortion-centred new world order he is working to create.

Political leaders who've misunderstood human sexuality

It was reported recently that David Cameron, the Conservative party leader, will be the first Tory party leader to attend the London's annual Gay Pride march this summer. In a similar move, President Obama recently proclaimed June to be "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month".

These political leaders believe that they are advancing an agenda of respect for individuals relating to choice around sexuality. In this they are, unfortunately, misguided and in error: they have misunderstood the true nature and purpose of human sexuality. They also posit a false choice and a false freedom.

In Evangelium Vitae paragraph 97, Pope John Paul II taught that it is an illusion to think that we can build a true culture of human life if we do not offer adolescents and young adults an authentic education in the true nature and purpose of sexuality, and in love, and the whole of life according to their true meaning and in their natural interconnectedness. These political leaders are also raising very profound questions which anthropologists must begin to address - in addition to the analysis and commentary given by courageous theologians, clergy and demographers.

The truth of Pope John Paul II's teaching can be understood in moves to recognize marriage between same sex couples by changing the natural and legal meaning of marriage. The achievement of such an objective necessarily involves changing the nature and understanding of sexual intercourse, so that the conception of children through sexual intercourse becomes all the more clearly an optional add-on, yet another manifestation of personal choice in the individualistic society in which we now live. In such a social environment unborn children are certain to become all the more disposable.

History shows just how quickly and comprehensively a society can move to disposing of human beings once it abandons pro-life and historical family values for centuries upheld by the world's major religions. Mr Obama himself saw proof of this when he visited (pictured) the remains of Buchenwald, the Nazi concentration camp.

SPUC in Northern Ireland goes to court to challenge abortion guidelines

SPUC in Northern Ireland is going to court to challenge government guidelines on abortion. Liam Gibson of SPUC Northern Ireland says: "The law in Northern Ireland not only safeguards the lives of unborn children but also protects women from the terrible damage which abortion can cause. By issuing guidance that distorts the law, the department of health has created a grave threat to unborn children, to the safety of women and to the rights of medical professionals." You can read more about our challenge in an SPUC press release, which includes links to relevant documents.

Nancy Pelosi's stem cell spin wins her the latest George Orwell Prize

Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the US House of Representatives has implied that embryonic stem cell research has saved lives. Paying tribute to Nancy Reagan (pictured with Pelosi), widow of Ronald Reagan, the pro-life former president, Mrs Pelosi said:

"Your support for stem cell research has made a significant difference in the lives of many American people. It has saved lives, it has found cures, it has given hope to people."

Mrs Reagan is a prominent promoter of embryonic stem cell research.

Yet, as has been pointed out repeatedly, embryonic stem cell research has yet to produce any benefits in human patients.

One suspects that Mrs Pelosi was trying to mislead people about embryonic stem cell research, just as she tried to mislead people about Catholic teaching on abortion. So for her spin I've awarded Mrs Pelosi the latest George Orwell Prize.

“Political language ... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." George Orwell

Thanks that cardinal won't be joining Blair foundation

I've relieved to read that Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the former archbishop of Westminster, will not, as previously announced, be joining the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. I've blogged before about the dangers that the Blairs and the Foundation pose to life and family. I hope the cardinal's decision marks the beginning of the end of the Blairs' campaign to inveigle themselves into high ecclesiatical places, and will help convert them into true pro-life/pro-family advocates.

Standing up for life around the world

People all around the world are prepared to stand up for life, as can be seen from the following news:

• Legislators in the Dominican Republic vote to modify the constitution to guarantee the right to life from conception to natural death. Catholics pray that those legislators who voted against the pro-life move will "reflect upon their decision".
• Thousands of Poles brave a torrential downpour to march for life through the centre of Warsaw, the capital (pictured).
  
• Polls in Spain find that a majority of Spaniards are against the government's plan to allow abortions for children without parental consent.

So there's every reason for hope when there are so many people around the world who support pro-life values.

Video of 2nd International Student Pro-Life Conference, March 2009

In March, SPUC Scotland organised the 2nd International Student Pro-Life Conference. Attendance was up markedly on last year's well-attended conference and it was judged a great success. Do watch the video summarising the conference clicking below.

Extreme pro-abortion anti-family report presented at Human Rights Council meeting

A report into violence against women has been used to promote an extreme pro-abortion agenda at the United Nations Human Rights Council, currently meeting in Geneva. The report, by Yakin Ertürk, the council's special rapporteur on violence against women, attempts to link bans on abortion with violence against women. The report is entitled "15 Years of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (1994-2009), a critical review".

Pat Buckley, representing SPUC at the council meeting, commented:

"Irrespective of what the report says, there is not and never can be a human right to abortion. The idea of trying to create a right to terminate the life of the most vulnerable human beings, by tearing them from their mothers' wombs, is in fact the very essence of violence against women and their babies."

The report refers to "violations related to reproductive rights pertain[ing] to violence occurring directly and indirectly as a result of State action/inaction in the context of reproductive health policy", such as "criminal sanctions against all forms of abortions".

The report has yet to be approved by the council, which will meet until 19 June. SPUC is urging government representatives to study the report carefully, as it appears to contain many unacceptable and disturbing claims against the value of human life, the status of the family and the dignity of women.

Culture of neglect of the elderly will add to assisted suicide death-toll

An inquest into the death of Harry Denton (pictured), an elderly man with Alzheimer's, has heard claims that carers left him alone at home without food or drink for five days before he died in hospital of pneumonia. As the case is currently under inquest, I don't propose to comment further on the reported claims. What I wish to underscore is that there is evidence of a culture of neglect in Britain of elderly, disabled and vulnerable people; and that such neglect will become more common if assisted suicide is allowed.

People with degenerative diseases, or in advanced age, will feel under pressure to agree to an assisted suicide, with the implicit or even explicit message that it's better that they agree to die before they become too much of a burden. As Baroness Warnock said in September:

"If you're demented, you're wasting people's lives – your family's lives – and you're wasting the resources of the National Health Service ... [I]f somebody absolutely, desperately wants to die because they're a burden to their family, or the state, then I think they too should be allowed to die ... [T]here's nothing wrong with feeling you ought to do so for the sake of others as well as yourself."

Dame Joan Bakewell, the anti-life broadcaster appointed by Harriet Harman to be a 'Voice for Older People', has referred sinisterly to "an old age that brings with it all the humiliations of being helpless, incontinent and in pain."

And in a parliamentary debate in November, Baroness Greengross spoke of people "losing their dignity at the end of life".

So some of the most prominent and senior figures in our society are already trying to convince the vulnerable that they would be better off dead, shamelessly exploiting them for political capital in the parliamentary campaign to legalise assisted suicide. Let's stop that campaign in its tracks - please see and act today upon SPUC's action alert on the Coroners and Justice bill.

Anniversary highlights government role in abortion history

Today is the 42nd anniversary of the first day of the Report stage of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill, the bill authored by David Steel which became the Abortion Act 1967. The bill was effectively talked out by a small group of dedicated pro-life MPs, who easily managed to keep the debate going until 4pm. Had the Labour government of the day not been persuaded by Roy Jenkins MP, the anti-life Home Secretary, to provide additional parliamentary time, the bill would have fallen on this day. (The full debate can be found here.)

SPUC in assisted suicide case in Lords today

SPUC will today be represented in a House of Lords hearing which concerns assisted suicide.

SPUC is the intervenor in Ms Debbie Purdy's appeal concerning whether her husband will be prosecuted if he takes her overseas to commit suicide.

SPUC argues against weakening the law which prohibits assisted suicide, as this would seriously undermine legal protection of the right to life. One result of this would be to threaten vulnerable people.

The principal issue is whether the Law Lords will overturn the ruling of the High Court and the Court of Appeal that the Director of Public Prosecutions is not required to issue a prosecuting policy on assisted suicide. The judges have so far held that the way the existing law is applied is sufficiently clear to enable Ms Purdy and her husband to know the likely outcome of their proposed actions.

Surprising support from the green left on population control

Further to my blog on the threat of population control in Australia, an interesting article has appeared on an Australian website called Green Left Online. Simon Butler, the author, starts by arguing that man-made climate change is a great danger. Unlike David Attenborough, however, Mr Butler gives ten reasons why population control is not the answer. Below are the ten reasons, but do read the arguments for them in full. I don't agree with some of the article's points, not least because not all them are pro-life/pro-family, but it is refreshing that some people on the green left are opposed to population control.

From "Ten reasons why population control can’t stop climate change", Simon Butler, Green Left Online, 31 May 2009:

1. Population does not cause climate change
2. The world is not 'full'
3. Social justice and women’s equality are the best contraception (JS: though, of course, actual contraception and a contraceptive mentality are, as I've argued before, bad for humanity.)
4. The climate emergency demands immediate, transformative action now
5. Population arguments wrongly downplay the potential to win
6. Population control is an old argument tacked onto a new issue
7. Arguing for tighter migration restrictions in Australia is a dangerous policy
8. Population control has a disturbing history
9. People in the global South are part of the solution, not the problem
10. Who holds political power is the real ‘population’ issue

Life is not a disposable consumer product

George Pitcher, the religion editor of the Daily Telegraph, has an excellent article on why assisted suicide is wrong. Among other things, he says:

"Fear leads us to consider that life can be treated as a consumer product, to be disposed of when it turns rotten, and to kid ourselves that there is 'dignity' in doing so ... The mistake is in thinking that our life is our own, to do with as we wish, when actually it is only defined in relationship to those around us. To commoditise life is to disown it and to deny others their duty of care."

It is therefore disturbing to read in the Guardian that there are almost 800 British members of Dignitas, the Swiss suicide company, with 34 of them ready to travel to Zurich and take a lethal drug overdose.

We have seen how abortion and IVF are now regarded are public services, with a focus by government on waiting times, waiting lists, equitable provision in all regions, etc. Without a prohibition on assisted suicide, the culture of death will spread yet further from the unborn to the born. This is something which is already happening in various ways, of course, but it will acclerate if an amendment is passed to the Coroners and Justice bill next week - please see and act today upon SPUC's action alert.

SPUC condemns shooting of Dr George Tiller

SPUC has condemned the shooting in Kansas, USA of George Tiller, a prominent abortion provider.

Although the motivation behind the killing of Dr Tiller has yet to be established, SPUC, in common with other pro-life groups, condemns his killing as a crime against life. SPUC has always condemned violence, whether against abortionists or unborn babies. Acts of violence towards the staff of abortion facilities are isolated. Those responsible have on each occasion acted as individuals, and not members of any pro-life group.

Our sympathy goes out to Dr Tiller's family.