Saturday, April 30, 2005

Florida girl has abortion blocked

By Jeremy Cooke
BBC News, New York

Some say forcing a 13-year-old to give birth is illegal and cruel
A pregnant 13-year-old girl in Florida has been told she cannot have an abortion because she lacks the maturity to make such a decision.
A state court granted an injunction which prevents the girl from terminating her pregnancy.

She is three months pregnant and had planned to have an abortion on Tuesday of this week.

The American Civil Liberties Union says it will launch an urgent appeal against the ruling.

'Too young to choose'

Florida's department of children and families intervened and took the matter to court, arguing the teenager, who is under the care of the state, is too young and immature to make an informed medical decision. Judge Ronald Alvarez in Palm Beach accepted that argument and has granted a temporary injunction and psychological evaluation, which effectively blocks her from terminating the pregnancy.

It is a case which, once again, plays into the heated and divisive debate about abortion in America.

The judge's ruling comes in spite of Florida state law which specifically does not require a minor to seek parental consent before an abortion.

The American Civil Liberties Union 's executive director in Florida, Howard Simon, said forcing a 13-year-old to carry on an unwanted pregnancy to term, against her wishes, is not only illegal and unconstitutional, it is cruel.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

Priest Says Terri Schiavo's Last Days Were Agonizing

Christian Communication Network

In response to the criticism some have voiced to his statements that Terri Schiavo's death was a murder, Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, issued the following statement this morning:

"Yes, Murder.

"Terri Schiavo was in fact murdered by being deprived of food and water for 13 days. The reason Michael Schiavo's attorney George Felos was so upset that I said this is because he is a euthanasia advocate, and the only way to advance euthanasia is to sugar-coat it, and never call it murder. But it is. Moreover, it is inaccurate to describe Terri Schiavo's death as peaceful and gentle. I was with her for several hours the night before she died and again the next morning up until ten minutes before she died. She was in an agony unlike anything I have ever seen, and to describe it in any other way is irresponsible and dishonest.

"As for Mr. Felos' plea that I speak words of compassion and reconciliation, I have indeed done so publicly over recent months. But compassion does not mean compromising the truth, and reconciliation is possible only when one repents of doing evil acts like killing. The role of a priest, moreover, is not simply to make people feel good, but to denounce injustice and proclaim truth, no matter how discomforting it may be."