Pro-life people mourn the loss of two courageous, outstanding men

Assembly Health Committee kills pro-life bills - AGAIN

Pro-Abortion group backs Hillary Clinton for NY Senate

With pro-abortion Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani out of the US Senate race, leaders of the national pro-abortion movement said they had abandoned plans to remain neutral in the New York contest and would endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton over her new opponent, Representative Rick A. Lazio. Clinton said she now intended to make abortion a central issue of her candidacy. The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League endorsement shows the extent to which the political ground has shifted with Giuliani's exit from the race. Giuliani's strong abortion advocacy was an obstacle to Clinton getting support from radical pro-abortion groups.

Lazio has described himself as "pro-choice." His aides noted that during his years in Congress he has steadfastly opposed laws that would outlaw abortion. But in interviews Lazio also voiced opposition to public financing of abortion and to partial-birth abortion. This is in sharp contrast to Clinton's views on the subject, which he described as extreme.

Lazio also supports laws requiring parents of teenagers to be notified when their daughters are seeking abortions. When Giuliani was the Republican candidate, Clinton's advisers had expressed concern about the extent to which she would be able to campaign on the issue of abortion. But in an interview yesterday, Clinton pointed to the pro-abortion endorsement as evidence that there were clear differences between the two candidates, and she said she would raise them repeatedly in the months ahead.

"Abortion rights will be an important issue in this race," Mrs. Clinton said. "As the NARAL endorsement makes clear, New Yorkers will have a clear choice, and New Yorkers will always be able to count on me to protect women's right to choose in the Senate."

Clinton sought to portray Lazio as an abortion opponent, setting up a news conference in which she would receive the endorsement of both the national and New York chapter of NARAL. Officials with the two organizations provided a detailed list of votes Lazio had cast to try to show that he has "an abysmal record" on supporting abortion, in the words of Kelli Conlin, the executive director of the New York NARAL.

Dan McLagan, Lazio's spokesman, later asserted that Lazio was a supporter of abortion, and more precisely represented the views of a majority of New Yorkers on the subject. "Rich Lazio's pro-choice," Mr. McLagan said. "But he opposes taxpayer-subsidized abortion, supports parental notification and opposes the heinous practice of partial-birth abortion. Those are the abortion issues in this campaign…. that is the mainstream New York position. Mrs. Clinton is obviously staking out an extreme position."

McLagan said that Lazio would not cast votes on nominees for the Supreme Court based solely on abortion or any other issue. "Congressman Lazio opposes litmus tests of any kind."

Clinton's attempt to portray Lazio as an abortion foe were rebutted yesterday by an unlikely source: the leader of the Right to Life Party in New York, Ken Diem. He said his party was finding its own candidate to run in the race, and described Mr. Lazio as "totally unacceptable." New York Times; May 25, 2000

Pain management information

PAIN I: "The reason physicians do such a poor job in managing pain has nothing to do with drug laws or with any other legislation passed by the federal or state governments. The real culprit is the lack of sufficient education about this subject in medical schools and postgraduate training programs," comments Steven A. King, MD, MS.

PAIN II: In the same issue of JAMA, Joanne Lynn, M.D., writes, "In the wake of two U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the matter, physicians can and should provide their patients with all the pain medication they need to stay comfortable. If this ultimately requires a dose that may accelerate death, that dose would be legally condoned, provided that the physician intended to alleviate pain and suffering, not to kill the patient. Physicians also may prescribe potentially lethal drugs, risking the patient's suicide by overdose, so long as the medication is appropriate treatment and the physician did not intend its use in suicide. This was legal in Oregon prior to the physician-assisted suicide law, and will remain legal in Oregon and everywhere else in the United States, even with the PRPA (Pain Relief Promotion Act)." "Legislation and End-of-life Care," Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], 6/14/00, pp. 2933-2935, http://jama.ama-assn.org/

Pro-life leaders address genome mapping risks

Scientists cheered but skeptics of many backgrounds said a genetic breakthrough could usher in a sinister era of perfect people and death to the disabled.

"The further science goes, the further the worst case scenario goes," said Steve Jenkins, a spokesman for the Church of England. "I'm not anti-science but there is no way that God is now out of a job." He spoke after an international team of researchers said they had mapped 97 % of the human genome -- the genetic makeup of the human body --in a scientific accomplishment on a par with the discovery of penicillin …"

"This is the outstanding achievement not only of our lifetime but in terms of human history," said Dr. Michael Dexter. His Wellcome Trust funded the British arm of the project. Carried out in 16 centers around the globe, the researchers have effectively whittled down the human body to a complex string of letters that should revolutionize the way doctors see the body and treat its shortfalls.

The potential benefits are huge: drugs tailor-made for individuals, predictive testing, improved understanding of disease along with gene therapy to put built-in wrongs to right. Others fear the possible misapplication of science in man's drive to create a perfect world and say few will benefit.

"It's the difference between using genetics to correct something that has gone wrong and using them to create something considered perfect," said Jenkins, who trained in science. "The idea of designing humans from scratch along with the prospect of an enormous increase in abortion is not the world we want."

While the scientists emphasized their so-called "book of life" was just the beginning of a long road ahead, doubters said it would benefit few and could turn out to be a giant step back to the sort of eugenics practiced in Nazi Germany. "Mapping the human genome is a great human achievement," Richard Nicholson, editor of the Bulletin of Medical Ethics, said. "Like climbing Mount Everest, it will benefit few people, leaving most untouched. But unlike climbing Mount Everest, it has the potential to damage large numbers of people."

Designer babies could be created; flawed unborn children killed; killing anything less than perfect could soar. "Disabled people feel a responsibility to raise the alarm," said Agnes Fletcher: Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation. "New hope' for disabled people is accompanied by the danger of disabled people and others experiencing increased discrimination in employment, insurance, healthcare provision and education."

U.S. lawmakers have already raised the alarm about medical insurers screening out high-risk groups and employers passing over genetically flawed staff. Social policy must keep pace with science.

Yet scientists say they are a long way from making sense of their new alphabet soup and putting it to practical use. They point out that the anatomy of the heart was worked out in 1543, while the first heart transplant did not come until 1967.

English statistician Francis Galton in 1869 proposed a system of arranged marriages between men of distinction and women of wealth to produce a gifted race. Indeed it was Galton who coined the term "eugenics," and the American Eugenics Society took up his baton in 1926 by proposing restrictions on immigrants from "inferior" stock, along with sterilization for the insane, retarded and epileptic.

The German Nazi party of the 1930s went to the wildest extremes, using eugenics to justify its attempted extermination of European Jews and other groups of people.

"While we might have the scientific basis for a whole new revolution in medicine, we might find that nobody wants to participate because of their fears of misuse," said Dr. Francis Collins, head of the National Human Genome Research Institute. He and others believe that a federal law forbidding genetic discrimination is "absolutely essential" for people to take full advantage of the genetic revolution. "Without a law, the public is going to be fearful of having this information derived from them."

President Clinton has issued an executive order forbidding genetic discrimination against federal employees. But for the rest of the public, there is no such federal protection.

"The Human Gene Project must not be used in any way to discriminate against or to destroy human life," said Father Joseph Howard, director of the American Bioethics Advisory Commission. "For example, it has become common malpractice to generate human embryos by in vitro fertilization (IVF), and test them immediately for abnormal genes. Once found and tested, these human beings are destroyed. There is the real concern of misusing science to generate 'designer babies' with preferred genetic traits. This unseemly practice of eugenics is gravely immoral since it fails to show unconditional respect for all human life without exception," Father Howard concluded.

Pro-life Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), author of a bill to prevent genetic discrimination, welcomed the breakthrough and its "potential for new and better lifesaving treatments for patients." He cautioned, however, that "we should keep in mind that it also elevates the importance of protecting the privacy of medical information and prohibiting genetic discrimination. Patients must feel secure that when they undergo genetic testing, their personal information will not be used to discriminate against them."

Frist's bill on genetic discrimination would prohibit health insurers from requiring patients to disclose genetic test results and would prevent insurers from using predictive genetic information to deny coverage or set rates.

"Advances in scientific technology must be accompanied by advances in moral sensitivity," said Father Frank Pavone, Director of Priests for Life. "To 'be able' to do something does not necessarily mean we 'should' do it. The guiding questions must always be whether our actions enhance the dignity of the human person and preserve the difference between a person and a thing." Associated Press, Reuters, Conservative News Service, Pro-Life Infonet; Various Dates

Change in area leadership

Suzanne Schnittman resigned from her position of Consistent Life Ethic Coordinator for the Diocese of Rochester. She effectively accomplished many pro-life initiatives; she served the community of Catholics and persons of other faith bases with vigor and love. Thanks and best wishes, Suzanne.

Her position was filled by Jann Armentrout to whom we extend our greetings and best wishes. Jann will convene the Monroe County Coalition for Life as Suzanne had done.

RARTL Committee news

For terms beginning on 7/1/00, The RARTL Board of Directors has elected the following:

Anne LeBlanc: President
Wilda Liana: Vice-President
Patricia Amato: Secretary
Robert Burke: Treasurer
William Purcell: Delegate to NYSRTL Committee

Congratulations and a warm word of appreciation to these people for their willingness to take these volunteer positions.

In May, George W. Green resigned from the Board position of Treasurer. George has been a member of the Board for 17 years and has served in many positions, i.e. Treasurer, President, Delegate to NYSRTL, Fund Raising Chairman. His contributions have been numerous and very beneficial.

At the elections for FY 2000-01 positions, Ed Franus did not seek re-election. First an Advisory Board member, then serving on the full Board, Ed has been creative and resourceful in numerous areas and will be missed. Ed and his wife, Gwen, are enthusiastically anticipating a move to New Orleans.

Also not seeking re-election was Geraldine Oftedahl. She has been RARTL Board President for 24 years. Gerry will continue writing LIFE-LINES and working with RARTL on various committees/activities but will not be a board member.

The RARTL Officers and Board Members for FY 2000-01 are skilled, dedicated and creative. They, working with many of you on programs, make the future for RARTL look quite bright.

Please become a prayer partner by spending 5-10 minutes daily in prayer about life issues. We hope this partnership will fill 24 hours of each day to have a prayer shield over the area. Please join in the following suggested weekly prayer themes that:

July 23 – We, individually, respond to give help to those we know who are enduring trials and pain;
July 30 – Members of political parties pick candidates and platform planks respectful of innocent, human life;
Aug. 6 – All who recognize the gift of life will be candid in reminding others of the value of this gift ;
Aug. 13 – All persons will speak out boldly for the protection of innocent human life from conception to natural death;
Aug. 20 – We recognize the common humanity we share with our unborn brothers, sisters and all mothers;
Aug. 27 – Parents may faithfully teach their children to always choose life and resist the culture of death;
Sept. 3 – Abundant blessings are received by all adopted children and those who adopt them;
Sept. 10 – Those struggling with an unexpected pregnancy may seek to understand God’s will in their situation;
Sept. 17 - Those responsible for the souls of others will lead along the path of life.

In Memoriam John J. Durkin Thomas P. Durkin Anna M. Mattes (mother) Alton Matteson Mary Cilano (wife) Richard Cilano George Mooney Marilyn A. Doyle

In Celebration Therese Mary Purcell Lisa & William Purcell: parents Joseph Infantino - retiring after a long career as a pro-life physician (Mistakenly listed as deceased in the paper newsletter.) David & Nancy Cragg In Prayer Mary Studier’s health & comfort

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