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Volume 21, Number 2
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March/April 2010
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Father Paul Marx Dies
In his more than 40-year pro-life career, Father Paul Marx traveled almost 3 million miles and founded Human Life International. He was singularly responsible for the planting, nurturing, and developing of pro-life movements in many of the 91 countries that he visited throughout the world. He leaves behind him a functioning worldwide organization that is building upon the seeds that he has planted.
He will be missed.
Spain – One Million March
Nearly one million Spaniards marched in cities across that nation on March 7, defending the right to life of the unborn and demanding that the government revoke its new law. This law lowered the age of abortion and made it more permissive.
The largest march was in Madrid where 600,000 people participated.
Italy is Dying
A new report shows that 53% of Italian families have no children, while an additional 22% have only one child. Overall the fertility rate in Italy is 1.3 children born per women in her lifetime.
This is progressively resulting in a largely childless and aging nation.
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Kenya Parliament Approves Pro-Abortion Constitution
This Draft Constitution does not contain any meaningful restrictions on abortion, as it permits it “for the life or health of the mother or if determined by any other written law.”
This is not the last word however, as it will be placed before the nation as a referendum in July.
Lima, Peru
Fifty-five thousand people marched in its three major cities to protest use of the morning-after pill, but the media literally ignored the March. Peru’s health minister had approved distribution of the morning-after pill in direct defiance of a Supreme Court order issued late last year.
Using a false definition of conception (not until implantation)
he is going ahead to distribute the abortifacient pill.
Taiwan Lowest Birth Rate
Taiwan with a population of about 23 million has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, being approximately 1.1 children per woman in her lifetime. In an attempt to raise this,
the government is proposing to pay the equivalent of 160 U.S.D. a month for every child under the age of 3.
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Nicaragua Under Pressure
At the recent session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, a number of major nations chastised Nicaragua and urged a repeal of its ban on abortion. This ban was adopted unanimously by Nicaragua four years ago. Since then, initial evidence has shown that it has lowered the maternal mortality rate.
Even so, international pressure continues to be applied to reverse the abortion ban.
Federal Abortion-Mandate Opt-Out Act
This is new proposed model legislation proposed by Americans United for Life. Over a dozen states had already expressed interest only one week after the U.S. national pro-abortion legislation was passed. This exploits a provision in the new federal bill that explicitly allows state-run health insurance exchanges to prevent federal
money from subsiding health insurance companies that pay for abortion.
Costa Rica – First Woman President
Laura Chinchilla, a strong pro-life advocate has been elected this nation’s first woman president. This small nation, with strong pro-life laws, has long been the target of pro-abortion pressure from the U.N.
However, with her election, unborn children there will remain protected.
Uzbekistan Orders Forced Sterilizations
In this authoritarian ex-Soviet nation the government has instructed health care workers to surgically sterilize women as part of a campaign to reduce that nation’s birth rate. Apparently, many of these are being done in a compulsory fashion and often by hysterectomy. A government decree has ordered each district physician to
persuade “at least two women” a month to have the procedure.
Dutch Euthanasia Deaths Are Up
The number of euthanasia deaths in the Netherlands in 2009 was 2,500. It is well-known that many deaths are not reported, e.g. over 500 deaths in 2005. We note also that in 2007
about 10% of all deaths in the Netherlands were connected to the practice to terminal sedation (euthanasia).
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Prague March for Life
Over 2,000 people marched in the Czech capital on March 20. Many carried white wood crosses, which the organizers prepared “as symbols of the genocide of abortion.” It had been preceded by a pro-life conference in Munster, Germany, and a pro-life march there. This was a first, organized by the Catholic Euro Pro-life to call attention to the tragedy of abortion which takes 1,000 lives in Germany each day. An attempted march last year was largely broken up by pro-abortion forces. This year adequate police protection allowed a peaceful march. It went through the old city center, drew the attention of the shopping crowd, and it halted by the river to throw 100 symbolic roses into the
river while the marchers knelt in silent prayer.
U.S. Birth Rate
Unlike Europe, the U.S. birth rate is fractionally under 2.1 babies per women in her lifetime. This is largely due to the continuing immigration of Hispanic women from the south.
Failing this, the U.S. would be starting a population decline.
Pro-Life March in Johannesburg
The newly formed South African Culture of Life Campaign held its first March for Life. Over 2,000 people marched. Sponsored by the Catholic Archdiocese,
people from more than 130 parishes and representatives of all major Catholic organizations participated.
British Pro-Life Victory
The British government has agreed to delete anti-family clauses in the “Children’s School and Families Bill.” This would have made sex education compulsory from 5 to 16 years old, including graphic images, mixed-sex classes, and graphic sexual details.
This is a significant pro-life victory.
Tasmania – A Right to Die Bill
Pro-lifers are denouncing a bill introduced into the Tasmanian Parliament.
We await more details on this “Dying with Dignity” bill.
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Mexico – Abortion Laws
The Mexican Supreme Court has rejected lawsuits filed by several of its states to overturn Mexico City’s new “homosexual marriage” law. However, this is probably a double-edged sword for it also states that homosexuals will not be able to automatically use the
Mexico City Law to impose such “marriage” on states.
U.N. Commission on Status of Women
This group closed its annual session by taking abortion out of a resolution on maternal mortality.
This was after heated negotiations over so-called reproductive rights languages.
South Korea May Crack Down
South Korea has a law which should severely restrict abortions. However, it has been almost completely ignored as 95% of recent abortions have been illegal under the law. Now a group of doctors have publicized their request for a crackdown. The reason for this is a dramatic fall in birth rate,
as officials increasingly have been discussing the economic and social cost of their rapidly aging society.
HIV Infection in Nation’s Blood Bank
Responding to a wave of political correctness, which is demanding that blood with HIV infection be allowed in the nation’s blood bank,
the Washington Times noted that men who have sex with men, “have an HIV prevalence 60 times higher than the general population, 800 times higher than first time blood donors, and 8,000 times higher than repeat blood donors.”
Common sense argues that this blood should not be allowed in the general pool.
Vietnam Now a Two-Child Family?
Officials in Vietnam have proposed a two-child limit for couples similar to China. Vietnam has one of the world’s highest abortion rates which will probably increase further if this is adopted. Further the traditional cultural preference for boys could be exacerbated.
It now stands at 112-100 male/female ratio.
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Abortion - Congress Makes it Legal
On Sunday, March 21, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 219-212 to pass HR3590, the pro-abortion Senate health care bill. The executive order promised by President Obama, which would supposedly prevent abortion funding under the bill was issued for political affect. It actually changes nothing. It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions of the bill. The President simply cannot amend a bill by issuing an order.
Now we are faced with the fact that federal courts will enforce what the law says.
Size of March for Life
We now hear that the production company of 2009 Washington, D.C. March for Life documentary, “Thine Eyes,” used seven cameras to film that event from street level and high above. From their footage, they estimated that there were over 300,000 participants in the 2009 march. This helps to underscore organizer
Nellie Gray’s estimate of the 2010 march when she stated that this year’s march was larger still.
Catholic Nuns Divided on Health Care
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a leftist national organization of Catholic nuns has joined the Catholic Health Association in supporting the awful pro-life bill recently passed in Washington. In reaction to this, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, which claims to represent 20% of U.S. nuns, took an opposing position and publicly stood with the U.S. bishops in opposing Obama care, stating that,
“We join the bishops in seeking ethically sound legislation.”
Italy – A Sign of Hope
Italy’s Parliament has just passed an emphatic measure directing the Italian government to push in the U.N. General Assembly for a resolution that “condemns the use of abortion as an instrument of demographic control, and affirms the right of each woman not to be forced to undergo abortion.” Well, this is a pleasant development, as Italy has in the past
invariably supported the European Union majority in any and all anti-life measures.
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A New Windpipe?
A ten-year-old British boy has a new windpipe. Born without an adequate airway, he is the first child to be given a new windpipe that was created from his own stem cells. Stem cells from the boy’s bone marrow were injected into a fibrous collagen scaffold created from a donor trachea. The boy’s cells were mixed with a growth medium and applied to the scaffold. A few hours later, the old trachea was stripped of donor cells and was implanted surgically into the boy. It apparently is growing normally.
Assuming it holds, this is being called a milestone moment, much simpler, and cheaper than previous attempts.
Lithuania – Child Protection Law
This was in June. Its President vetoed it, but the Parliament overrode the veto. In reaction, the European Parliament has voted 349-218 to condemn Lithuania for this “law on the protection of minors,” which punishes anyone who promotes “homosexual, bi-sexual,
or polygamist relations among children 17 and under.”
Natural Family Planning Very “Effective”
Researchers from the University of Heidelberg studied 900 women and report in the journal, Human Reproduction. They found that the correct use of symptom thermal method, (STM), lead to a rate of 0.4 pregnancies per 100 women per year. They compared this to a consistent, skillful use of a barrier method such as a fresh condom, which had a pregnancy rate 0.6. Sex without contraception, during the fertile period, had a pregnancy rate of upwards from 7.5 pregnancies; however, many studies have found considerably higher percentages. The Couple to Couple League which teaches Natural Family Planning to married and engaged couples, said that “natural” and “contraception” are at “totally opposite ends of the spectrum.”
NFP is really fertility awareness and can be used to increase the chance of conceiving or temporarily delaying it.
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Newborn Lung Disease
Adult stem cells may be useful for treating various types of newborn lung disease according to several recent studies which have used animal models.
This is according to the Gen Feb Stem Cell Research Report, Volume 6, No. 1.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
An advanced form of in vitro fertilization is being over used and may pass on infertility and other genetic defects. This is from the doctor who pioneered the technique. This method called “intracytoplasmic sperm injection” involves injecting a single sperm cell directly through the wall and into the egg. However, a recent study of over 20,000 such pregnancies, found a four-fold increased risk of stillbirths for these women compared to women who had conceived spontaneously or after other fertility treatment
not involving such injection technique.
Legal Abortion Equals Higher Maternal Mortality
The World Economic Forum has released a report showing that the nations with pro-life laws have fewer maternal deaths. Those with permissive abortion laws have higher rates. As an example, the nation of Mauritius in Africa with a strong pro-life law has a maternal mortality rate
48 times less than Ethiopia which has completely decriminalized abortion.
Poland – Scientists Condemn In Vitro Fertilization
A group of 100 prominent Polish scientists have issued a document demanding that the government legislate a statutory ban on in vitro fertilization procedures. With it, they request government-funding of NaPro technology which
is acceptable ethically and proven successful as a method of treating infertility.
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www.internationalrighttolife.com
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J.C. Willke, President,
International Right to Life Fed.
1821 West Galbraith Road
Cincinnati,
Ohio 45239 USA
Phone +1 (513) 729-3600
Fax +1 (513) 729-3636
e-mail:
IRTLF@lifeissues.org
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International
Right to Life Fed., International Office
Ruitersweg 35-37 1211 KT Hilversum
The Netherlands
Phone +31 35 624-4352
Fax +31 35 624-9141
e-mail:
info@schreeuwomleven.nl
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