Here are a couple of reports on the legislation recently signed in South Dakota. The law, which is to go into effect in July, requires a 3 day waiting period and also requires that women seeking an abortion receive counseling at crisis pregnancy centers. Here is the Lifenews report. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/03/22/south-dakota-governor-signs-bill-for-72-hour-abortion-wait/ Here is a report from the […]
In a prior post, I mentioned Chris Kaczor’s excellent new book entitled “The Ethics of Abortion.” See http://uffl.org/blog/?p=365 Here is a review of the book by Raymond Hain from The Public Discourse website. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2920 In Hain’s view, “Kaczor’s clear and even-handed writing makes it an excellent resource for anyone who wishes to think carefully about the significant […]
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Wesley Smith on the New Eugenics
Here is an interesting post from Wesley Smith on “The New Eugenics.” http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2011/03/09/the-new-eugenics-selecting-for-intelligence-or-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-julian-savulescu/ Smith’ post is a commentary on a recent article in an Australian paper describing the views of Oxford’s Julian Salvulescu, who believes that there is a moral obligation to use IVF to breed smarter babies. Richard M.
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recent essays on conscience
Here are two recent essays on conscience. One (The Progressive Case for Conscience Protection) is by Rob Vischer on The Public Discourse website. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2915 The other (ACLU Has Major Misunderstanding of Abortion Conscience Law) is by Matt Bowman. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/03/09/aclu-has-major-misunderstanding-of-abortion-conscience-law/ Richard M.
Professor John Keown (Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University) will be giving a lecture in London (Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, Westminster) on May 16, 2011. The lecture, which is entitled “The provision of palliative care: an ethical and legal duty?”, is sponsored by by the Anscombe Bioethics Centre. See http://www.bioethics.org.uk/ Professor Keown will also speak on […]
The feminist group The Susan B. Anthony List invites persons interested in defunding Planned Parenthood to attend its teleconference and web simulcast Monday 3-7-11, 9 PM EST. Registration is available through www.ExposePlannedParenthood.com.
Here is a link to Catholic U law professor Mark Rienzi’s recent essay on conscience. http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2854 This essay is based on a longer article, which I have mentioned before. See http://uffl.org/blog/?p=491 This essay provides a good summary of his argument. Rienzi argues that Roe and Casey, with their emphasis on autonomy arguments, provide support for a right to conscience. Richard […]
Here is link to a LifeNews story describing the Arizona House’s approval of a bill banning abortion for reasons of sex-selection or because the unborn child is of a certain race. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/02/22/arizona-house-oks-ban-on-sex-selection-race-based-abortions/ This bill deals attempts to address a growing problem. Although it seems unlikely the courts will uphold such bans, this effort serves imprtant educational goals. Richard M.
That assessment is from Frances Kissling, former head of “Catholics for Choice.” This assessment came in a recent opinion piece in the Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/18/AR2011021802434.html Kissling notes the “increasingly sophisticated arguments” of pro-lifers and also notes that public opinion is shifting toward the pro-life side. She states that “we can no longer pretend the fetus […]
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Kurt Pritzl, O.P., RIP
Father Kurt Pritzl, O.P., died yesterday after a battle with cancer. Father Pritzl was the Dean of the School of Philosophy at Catholic University. He was a member of University Faculty for Life and a gracious host for the 2010 annual meeting of University Faculty for Life. His passing is a loss to the Church […]