NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD…

President Bush Signs Genetic Nondiscrimination Act Protecting Both Born and Unborn
Act protects women from financial pressure to abort children with genetic disorders

In an important blow to the eugenics movement, President George Bush yesterday signed into law a bill preventing health insurance companies and employers from discriminating against born or unborn individuals on the basis of genetic information.

“It protects our citizens from having genetic information misused, and this bill does so without undermining the basic premise of the insurance industry,” said Bush of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).

Proponents of the GINA have expressed fears that healthy individuals with genetic dispositions toward certain diseases could end up paying more for insurance. They also fear that employers would only hire or retain individuals without genetic dispositions towards disease in order to avoid future instances of an unhealthy workforce.

The version of the GINA signed yesterday included important language protecting families from discrimination based upon genetic abnormalities found in their unborn children or in those they were about to adopt.

Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak and his staff worked to insure that both the “embryo” and “fetus” were protected from discrimination based upon genetic information. Stupak and company also insured that soon-to-be adopted children were considered part of the family, and thus also protected from genetic discrimination.

Without important pro-life language, women could have lost health care benefits or even their jobs for refusing to abort a child found to have a genetic disorder during prenatal screening.

The signed version of GINA “provides some very important protections for all Americans who believe that the ‘pick of the litter’ approach should not be applied to human beings,” said National Right to Life Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.

Concerns about genetic discrimination emerged with the advances of human genome project.

In March of 2003, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sir Paul Nurse warned about the new opportunities for discrimination genetic research allowed. He predicted that within two decades the genetic code of every baby could be recorded.

Nurse decried a possible “genetic apartheid” in which employers and insurance companies excluded individuals based upon their susceptibility to certain diseases.

Leading GINA advocate the National Human Genome Research Institute, contends that fears about genetic discrimination also hinder genetic research directed towards treating disease.

“Public fears about genetic discrimination mean that many individuals do not participate in important biomedical research at the NIH. Many patients also refuse genetic diagnostic tests that help doctors identify and treat diseases: they worry that they will lose their health insurance if it is proven that they are genetically pre-disposed to a disease,” stated NHGRI on its website.

2001 witnessed the first lawsuit involving claims of genetic discrimination. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad employees were secretly tested for a genetic condition tied to carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as for diabetes and alcoholism.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission argued that the tests violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by considering non-job-related conditions and could lead to discrimination against individuals based upon disability.

The Council for Responsible Genetics details numerous accounts of genetic discrimination in its position paper on the subject (http://www.gene-watch.org/programs/privacy/genetic-disc-position.html). In one case, a social worker named Kim was fired from her job shortly after revealing that her mother had died Huntington’s disease and that she herself had a %50 chance of developing the same fatal disease.

Opponents of the GINA, fear that such legislation could spark a wave of frivolous litigation and force employers to offer health coverage for a host of genetically-related conditions.

Litigation and expanded health coverage fears have not prevented the GINA from receiving bipartisan congressional support. In the House, the 2007 version of the bill passed 420-3. The bill then passed the Senate 95-0 late last month.

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 “Prince Caspian” is an Extraordinary Film, a “must see” For Everyone
Temptations to abandon hope and succumb to despair and idolatry provide opportunities to develop underlying redemptive themes

http://www.catholic.org

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Crisis Pregnancy Centre Commences Legal Proceedings Against Planned Parenthood Ottawahe Crisis Pregnancy Centre of Ottawa, operating under the registered business name First Place Pregnancy Centre, issued a Statement of Claim Tuesday against Planned Parenthood Ottawa and two of its representatives before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. First Place alleges that Planned Parenthood Ottawa interfered with critical funding and defamed their charity putting the charity and the women they serve at risk.

On Monday, November 26th, 2007 the wives and girlfriends of the Ottawa Senators announced the launch of their holiday fundraiser, the “SENSational Tree Raffle”, naming First Place as one of three chosen charities. The following day, Planned Parenthood Ottawa issued a press release in which it is alleged that they made false and defamatory statements about First Place. Planned Parenthood’s actions caused First Place to withdraw from the fundraiser and forego the thousands of dollars that could have assisted First Place and its clients.

Terri Mazik, Executive Director of First Place Pregnancy Centre asks, “Why did Planned Parenthood Ottawa interfere in this way? While we do not refer for abortion we provide and have always provided nonjudgmental support to women facing an unintended pregnancy in order for them to make an informed decision. We have an obligation to our clients and to the community to realize our mandate and we have therefore decided to take legal action to protect our ability to do so.”

In an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, Terri Mazik stated that the staff at First Place Pregnancy Centre felt that they had to withdraw from the fundraiser out of respect for the reputation of the Ottawa Senator’s foundation.

“We felt, under the circumstances, [the foundation was] doing a wonderful thing by including us and they did not deserve to be receiving the negative press,” said Mazik.

First Place Pregnancy Centre is a registered Christian charity providing fully informed choice and compassionate service to anyone facing an unintended pregnancy. “We provide information about all pregnancy options, including abortion, in order to support women at a very difficult time in their lives”, says Marlene Caicco, Client Services Director.

As a policy, referrals for abortion are not made by the charity and all clients are thus advised before they meet with a counsellor. First Place offers non-judgmental support regardless of the outcome. In all cases clients are referred to a medical professional and are offered support following their decision. If a client chooses abortion, First Place offers post-abortion support. In fact, post-abortion support is offered to anyone dealing with an emotional response to their abortion, whether they’ve been a client of First Place or not.

Terri Mazik states,”We don’t want anyone to be isolated and alone in their time of need. Women are confronted with difficult choices when faced with an unintended pregnancy. We believe it is our responsibility to provide a safe and confidential place where women and men explore all their options and make a fully informed choice. For years the community has supported First Place in fulfilling our mission as our organization depends entirely on individual donations to survive. As a result we have been privileged to serve thousands of men and women, many of whom have been repeat clients. The people of Ottawa deserve to benefit from the diverse services of a variety of charitable organizations. Our services are vital and we are passionate about serving our community”.

As a charitable organization, First Choice Pregnancy Centre is sustained primarily through donations while Planned Parenthood is known to be among the wealthiest of non-profit organizations in the world. Last year alone, Planned Parenthood received $18 million from Canada’s taxpayers. Planned Parenthood is not only heavily supported through funding by the Canadian government, but the organization directly caused a sharp decline in the clientele at First Place Pregnancy Centre following the erroneous and unjustly condemnatory press release.

To Contact First Place:

Erica Terris Director of Operations 889 BANK STREET SUITE 201 OTTAWA ON K1S 3W4 http://www.first-place.ca t 613.228.7475 info@first-place.ca f 613.228.5590

For additional background information: http://www.prowomanprolife.org/?p=645

See First Place Pregnancy Centre website http://www.first-place.ca/

Pro-Life Crisis Pregnancy Centre Bullied out of Fundraiser by Vicious Abortion Crusaders http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/dec/07120705.html

Abortion Campaigners Launch Attack on Hockey Wives’ Charitable Support for Crisis Pregnancy Centre http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/dec/07120511.html

HTTP://WWW.LIFESITENEWS.COM

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CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY THE UN IS SENDING CONDOMS AND ABORTION MACHINES TO MYANMAR INSTEAD OF REAL AIDE??

UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Sending 220,000 Condoms to Myanmar Survivors
Also providing portable abortion devices

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

YANGON, May 22, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – “The United Nations will send nearly a quarter of a million condoms into cyclone-hit Myanmar to help needy survivors with no access to contraceptives,” a UN official says.

UNFPA aid advisor Chaiyos Kunanusont said 72,800 condoms had so far been delivered to “survivors struggling to maintain their family planning after the storm hit in early May.”

“We don’t want regular use of contraception disrupted. An emergency usually damages the health system, so people don’t have access to condoms and contraceptives,” said Chaiyos.

“Reproductive Health Kits” developed for “the initial acute phase of an emergency,” are also high on the UN’s list of priority relief supplies. These kits include condoms, oral and injectable contraceptives (including the abortifacient morning-after pill) and IUD’s, as well as supplies and equipment such as razor blades and clean sheets to help in the safe delivery of babies.

UNFPA also provides “manual vacuum aspirators, portable abortion devices that are easily used in primitive conditions such as refugee areas,” in its kits. (see LifeSiteNews.com coverage of the tsunami disaster of 2004 in Indonesia: UNFPA Calls for US $28m in Funding to Supply Condoms to Victims of Tsunami:http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05010606.html)

Cyclone Nargis left at least 133,000 people dead or missing and an estimated 2.5 million in desperate need of clean water, food, medicine and shelter, 500,000 of which are children, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross.

For these millions that have been left homeless and in desperate need of food, the idea of using what precious distribution resources there are to pass out condoms and “manual vacuum aspirators” to add to the death toll, must seem absurd.

The Red Cross says an estimated 375 tons of food a day are needed in the hardest hit areas of Yangon and the Irrawaddy Delta to hold off starvation, but the Myanmar government continues to impede international aid by refusing to grant visas to international aid workers.

UNFPA’s response to the deadly earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, that affected some 5.7 million people, was to “provide reproductive health supplies” as well as to ensure that pregnant women “receive proper emergency obstetric services (that is, abortion) when necessary,” according to the UNFPA website (http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=1132)

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WELL WE ALL SAW THIS COMING, DIDN’T WE?!

Remove Crucifixes and Ban Public Prayer to Solve Immigrant Tensions – Quebec Report
Every religion but Christianity should be welcome in public life in Quebec

By Hilary White

MONTREAL, May 22, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Every religion but Christianity should be welcome in public life in Quebec, according to a government report. Crucifixes must be removed from the National Assembly and classrooms and Christian prayers banned from city council meetings but students should be allowed to wear their Islamic hijabs, Jewish kippas, Sikh turbans and even the ceremonial dagger called a kirpan. 

The report says, “Under the principle of the neutrality of the State, religious displays linked to the functioning of public institutions should be abandoned.” But because “Catholicism has left an indelible mark on Québec’s history,” the huge crucifix on top of Mount Royal in Montreal and the town and village names derived from the Catholic calendar of saints can stay. These were deemed to “no longer fulfil an obvious religious function”.

The famous crucifix in the National Assembly can be put in “a room devoted to the history of Parliament”.

The core values of Quebec society should be the “rule of French, gender equality (and) the separation of church and state.”

Titled “Building the Future: A Time for Reconciliation”, the 307-page report on immigration and minorities by sociologist Gerard Bouchard and philosopher Charles Taylor cost the Quebec government $5 million. Premier Jean Charest promised to act quickly to implement the report saying it has the “greatest impact and most immediate impact.”

“We are proposing neither a break nor a radical shift but only measures to facilitate intercultural relations and the normal development of a pluralist, modern society,” Taylor said.

Judges, Crown prosecutors, police officers, prison guards and the president of the National Assembly should be barred from wearing religious symbols, but other public sector employees and students may be allowed to wear religious signs if they do not hinder their jobs or their safety. Quebec should adopt “basic texts” that define “open secularism” and “typically Quebec-style interculturalism,” and the government should produce “a multidenominational calendar” of public religious holidays.

Despite the dramatic decline in the Francophone population of Quebec, the plunging birth rate, the rise of mass immigration from non-Christian cultures and a growing number of inter-cultural clashes between the indigenous French Catholic culture and immigrant populations, the report concluded that there was no cultural crisis in Quebec. Only a “crisis of perception” exists on ethnic and religious integration the report said. 

“What we are facing, instead, is the need to adapt,” the report said. The growth of secularism and the fading of the traditional French Catholic culture of Quebec means that greater accommodation must be made to non-Christian immigration. The proposed solution is radical secularisation. “Our society is sufficiently divided at present and we must seek to reduce splits and tensions instead of exacerbating them. The time has come for compromise, negotiation and balance.”

Meanwhile, the report did not mention the fact that demographers continue to predict that the native French population of Quebec has only a few decades more life left. The sudden plunge of the birth rate at the end of the 1960s, the abortion rate well above the Canadian national average, divorce, and an aging population spell the impending end of Quebec as a “distinct society”.

In 2005, a group of Quebec’s leaders in politics and business warned that the province would soon see the end of its economic prosperity because of the drastic drop in the birth rate. Economist Pierre Fortin warned that it is already too late and the trend is irreversible, “It is written in the sky.” By 2025, Fortin said there would be two workers for every retiree. “The aging population will tear Quebec apart.”

“Unfortunately, most [Quebeckers] continue to deny or ignore the danger, and this is cause for deep concern,” the group stated in its report. “That’s the peculiarity of the current situation: the danger does not appear imminent but rather as a long slow decline. At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be any risk. But once it begins, the downward slide will be inexorable.”

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I REALLY HOPE THAT THE INDIA HIGH COURT DOES NOT CAVE IN TO THE GAY AGENDA! India High Court Considers Legalizing Sodomony Under International Pressure

 

NEW DELHI, May 22, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The South Asian pro-homosexual group, Naz Foundation, has once again petitioned to the Delhi High Court regarding section 377 of the India Penal Code, which deems homosexual activity illegal and punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

In response to the petition, which demands section 377 be struck down as “unconstitutional”, the Delhi High Court has invoked the aid of the Attorney General in a ruling on the case because two of India’s ministries, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Health ministry, have contrasting stances on the decriminalization of homosexual acts.

In 2001, Naz first filed a petition to the Delhi High Court demanding the removal of section 377. The foundation has since filed several subsequent petitions on the issue, such as in 2003 when the Court ruled, “Indian society is intolerant to the practice of homosexuality/ lesbianism.”

The Government again ruled against the petition in 2004, on grounds that Indian citizens did not favour homosexual acts. As observed from a statement issued by a government defense lawyer, “Indian society, by and large, disapproves of homosexuality and justifies it being treated as a criminal offence even when adults indulge in private.”

In 2005, the Government appealed to the same argument, saying India “does not favour” the legalization of homosexual acts.

The Indian Government has over the years remained defiant in upholding the 145-year-old rule criminalizing homosexual activity, amid pressure from many pro-homosexual groups, government ministries and even the UN, which in 2006 condemned section 377 as “puritan” and a “head in the sand” approach to homosexuals.