Resolution aimed at facilitating access to abortion should be opposed - Gift of Life
An appeal for Malta’s representatives in the Council of Europe to adhere to the country’s pro-life position and work to oppose a resolution aimed at facilitating access to abortion has been made by the Gift of Life.
In a letter to the representatives, GoL said that the draft report ‘Women’s access to lawful medical care: the problem of unregulated use of conscientious objection’ was due to be tabled for debate and vote at the next Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in October.
This report, GoL said, focused on conscientious objection with regard to health and medical services, including reproductive health services.
These included abortion and other practices such as assisted reproduction, sterilisation, euthanasia and contraception, and was aimed at strongly restricting the right of medical practitioners and others to conscientiously object to providing the above-mentioned practices.
On the basis of this report, a draft resolution invited European States to restrain the exercise of conscientious objection in order to facilitate access to abortion and other practices.
GoL said that should this resolution be passed, great political pressure would be exerted on Malta in this regard.
“We are particularly concerned about the fact that this report stands on the biased assertion that practices like abortion and euthanasia are a form of health care and a human right.
“It therefore implies and promotes them as fundamental rights and as a regular form of health care that should be regulated like any other medical service.”
GoL said the report also attacked the autonomy of health care professionals and suggested that if healthcare providers were not prepared to offer legal, efficient and beneficial care to a patient because it conflicted with their values, they should not practise medicine.
“The Gift of Life foundation has full confidence that our political representatives at the CoE will once again adhere to Malta’s pro-life position and dedicate their time and efforts to work with other pro-life groups in opposing this resolution.
“We are confident that you will vote against the report as a whole and support any pro-life amendments that may be tabled,” it said.
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Edric Micallef Figallo
Sep 4th 2010, 10:13
The report is in relation to CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION with regard to health and medical services, including so called "reproductive health services". The report includes "ABORTION and other practices such as assisted reproduction, sterilisation, euthanasia and contraception". Thus, it is the report opposed by Gift Of Life and not Gift Of Life that lumps those diverse practices together. The report considers abortion as a "reproductive health service". Now, Gift Of Life is definitely against abortion and in this statement it has also spoken against euthanasia.
Yet, this report focuses on the CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS to refuse performing an ABORTION and other "reproductive health services", seeking to limit such a right to CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION and thus forcing such medical practitioners to perform mentioned "reproductive health services". Basically, what Gift Of Life is opposing here is not merely abortion and euthanasia, but the the right of medical practitioners to refuse performance of such practices when against their conscience. This report recommends limiting such right, leading to situations in which a medical practitioner would be forced to perform abortion or euthanasia against his will and conscience.
Edward Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2010, 19:33
@GOL go and Get a Life! Leave those concerned to do whatever they need to do, it is their bodies they are dealing with and not yours. Do not generalise, there are cases where abortion or assisted euthanasia are necessary. Do not try to impose yourself on others without knowing their feeling.
Raymond Bezzina
Sep 4th 2010, 11:02
@ All readers
Mr. Edward Camilleri said : quote " Leave those concerned to do whatever they need to do, it is their bodies they are dealing with and not yours. Do not generalise, there are cases where abortion or assisted euthanasia are necessary. Do not try to impose yourself on others without knowing their feeling." unquote.
Dear Reader,
Regarding the issue of divorce currently being debated in Malta, do you notice the
similarity in the type of argumentation used with regards to abortion and euthanasia,
to that of divorce ?
By this, I am not trying to say that all those who are in favour of divorce, are also in
favour of abortion or euthanasia; but I ask, isn't the style of reasoning the same,
especially by the last sentence of the above comment ?
Raymond Bezzina
Sep 4th 2010, 11:30
@ all readers
Please note that in my comment I forgot to include thus:
Divorce, abortion, euthanasia, and all that which violates any of the commandments
is called evil; and since evil begets evil, its negative consequences are inevitable.
Therefore we should always fight the good fight against evil, without any violence.
Robert Callus
Sep 3rd 2010, 18:44
Is anyone from GoL reading this? I would appreciate it if you prove me wrong:
http://robertcallus.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/gift-of-lifes-real-agenda/
C Gatt
Sep 3rd 2010, 15:40
GoL's statement is incorrect and aims at creating unnecessary alarm to breathe new life into its flagging campaign.
The resolution has absolutely no impact on the government as the Council of Europe cannot dictate any laws (and just as a reminder the CoE is NOT the EU!)
A resolution is a recommendation. The resolution DOES recommend that closer scrutiny should be given to the system of conscientious objectors because the CoE has a previous resolution on the woman's right to choose , irrespective of national identity, or financial means. BUT a CoE resolution is not legally binding, has no bearing on our legislature or in our courts. It is an opinion, a piece of paper.
Not coincidentally the CoE very specifically calls for the decriminalisation of women who have abortions. The exactly the opposite of what the GoL wants to do.
And before everyone goes approving the GoL's stand, read this story, and then decide who was right: the Archbishop or the nun?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126985072.
If GoL has its way not only would the nun be excommunicated but either the mother would end up dead,or a doctor and medical staff in jail
Robert Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2010, 16:01
Hey in that case I'd definitely allow abortion because it's obviously the right thing to do. I studied theology at Uni (it was my secondary area complementing my law course) and I had been taught this doctrine of no good can come out of bad which specifically dealt with these cases. i never agreed as it makes little sense if any. A policeman can shoot an armed attacker who is about to kill his victim. Here bad was done for the sake of good.
Therefore the Church's theory is sounds nice but does not hold water.
wally vella-zarb
Sep 3rd 2010, 14:24
If, as reported by GoL, “This report ... focused on conscientious objection with regard to health and medical services, including reproductive health services.” And that “These included abortion and other practices such as assisted reproduction, sterilisation, euthanasia and contraception”, then this draft report must have been drawn up by persons with an IQ in the single digits!
It is not unreasonable to envisage a situation where a person is vehemently against abortion, possibly even euthanasia, stretched to include assisted suicide, but is totally in favour of assisted reproduction, voluntary sterilization and contraception. Why lump all of them together? Should we now ban the condom or the pill?
I have not seen the original draft but, IF it really is as GoL are claiming, how are our MEPs expected to vote, assuming that they conform to the description of the hypothetical person mentioned the paragraph above?
Dr. John Zammit
Sep 3rd 2010, 13:43
Everybody should be free to do what he needs to do.
We are in the EU and in the Council of Europe for diversity and free choice and also for civil rights of the minorities - www.freewebs.com/maltaabortionrights - Abortion is going to be discussed on Wednesday 15th September on Calypso TV at 8.30 p.m. It is going to be a hot discussion.
Robert Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2010, 13:30
Why do you put contraception and sterilisation in the same pot as Abortion?
In my opopinion this approach is a mistake as I think a lot of people are against abortion but have no problem whatsoever with contraception. Is this a religious saga??? I surely hope not, I don't think we need to invoke religion or religious belief to advocate against Abortion. Just by using one's own sense, one can realise that you are "killing" an unborn child; without considering any excuses or providing reasons for such motives, a person with an ordinary level of intelect can realise that it is inherently wrong and unnatual to prevent a birth, in fact women often are inflicted with deep remorse after going through an abortion.
If anything I think we should promote and teach abortion regardles of any religious beleif, the advantages will definitely outweigh the disadvantages... Maybe there would be less desire for abortions then
Ramon Casha
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:42
"... and other practices such as ... contraception."
I knew it was only a matter of time before GoL started a condom crusade.
Miguel Micallef
Sep 3rd 2010, 13:28
Well, if one believes that abortion is murder, then using contraceptives for that person should also amount to murder, because in effect it is the same thing. I am speaking about early , controlled, abortions. In both cases we are throwing cells down the drain.
Unfortunately most peope are totally uneducated about this, and think that abortion means killing babies. Far from it.
Robert Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2010, 13:51
As if how silly! once the male and female gametes fuse you have the start of life, a human is being formed, now the debate of when a human is considered alive and a person is one that will never be resolved, the easiest two arguments are either when there is fusion of the 2 cells or when the baby is borne.
How the hell can you compare that with contraception? the cells would have never met there is no life, only the potential for two cells to meet!
Lets get this straight ... the only reason abortion is legal in many countries is because it is convenient and solves problems full stop. If one had to analyse what goes on in abortion clinics one would't argue to strongly in favour of it. If anything pro choice advocates should consider abortion a necessary evil and not try to portray abortion as a human right.
Miguel Micallef
Sep 3rd 2010, 16:21
I think your argument lacks substance.
"If one had to analyse what goes on in abortion clinics one would't argue to strongly in favour of it." I agree. Looking at what goes on during ANY kind of procedure is not nice, but that doesn't reduce it's need or usefulness. It should not affect legality either. Are you saying you don't want it legal just because visually, you don't like the process? That's a really lacking argument to use. Haven't got any better?
For your information, sperm is alive, before it enters the woman. So contraceptive = abortion = murder in that case. If you use contraceptives, morally it's the same thing as aborting really early on.
Abortion should be legal and controlled, period. As should Euthanasia for that matter.
Ramon Casha
Sep 4th 2010, 07:05
@Robert Spiteri: There's another - when there is a functioning brain, which is about 5 months into pregnancy. Since we consider a person to have died when their brain stops functioning (brain death), it makes sense that there isn't a living person until there is a functioning brain either.
@Miguel Micallef: (in my best South Park voice) Oh my god, I'm a mass murderer!!
Paul Barrett
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:37
It does not matter if you personally are for or against abortion or contraceptives etc, there can be no question in my mind that to force a Doctor or other medical staff to individually carry out any task which is totally against their own belief and conviction is wrong. The whole paper (if it is as summarised in this article) should be thrown out.
Ramon Casha
Sep 4th 2010, 07:07
Then perhaps they should choose a different profession, or work at a place which shares their ideas about morality. What you're saying is like a Muslim or Jew working at a bacon factory but then refusing to touch pig meat.
Edric MIcallef Figallo
Sep 4th 2010, 10:32
@Ramon Casha
Let us forget for a moment the licitness and/or legality of certain mentioned practices. Yet, have you considered that there are medical practitioners who have chosen their profession way before above practices were included in their professional obligations? That would be especially so in the case of Maltese legislation and Maltese medical pratictioners. So, if the law and/or practice would eventually be amended to suit your views, should those who sought such profession before such amendment leave their profession as a result? Perhaps they can work in a bacon factory instead, unless they're Jews or Muslim.
Also, since you seem to invite certain people to stay out of such profession because they don't fit your views and they have ones divergent from yours, have you considered that from what it is generally perceived there's actually a lack of medical practitioners and that if you had to have your way there would be a further decrease in the availability of otherwise good medical practitioners? Perhaps for you medical practitioners that do have qualms in relation to "reproductive health services" (including abortion) are not good enough. Unfortunately for your position, for patients in generals they're much needed.
M.Fenech
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:25
Issa se tibdew inthom?
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:06
The Council of Europe should promote life and not prevent it, oneway or another !! Abortion is intentional systematic murder, nothing else. The Council of Europe should also concern itself more about why pregnant mothers in African countries die during child birth, if not the new borns themselves. Europe needs babies and healthy stable families in order to consider itself a peace and life promoter to the rest of the world.