Have you been following the Amnesty International (AI) abortion debate?
If not, let me bring you up to date on the controversy. In April of this year, AI released a series of documents and directives explaining their new position on abortion. Prior to this, AI had always declared itself abortion neutral. In fact, its founder, Peter Benenson, was a staunch Catholic. However, their new position states that AI wants to remove any form of punishment for the physician that performs an abortion or the patient that undergoes it – thus allowing legalized abortion.
On May 18th, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights and International Relations, responded by calling AI “just another pro-abortion organization.” He very succinctly points out, “when you decriminalize, you legalize.”
On June 1st, the National Catholic Register conducted an email interview with Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. In this interview, Cardinal Martino encouraged Catholics to withdraw their support from AI if it persists with its new pro-abortion stance.
On July 2nd, Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement urging AI to reverse its change of position at its August International Council meeting in Mexico.
On July 6th, AI dug its grave a little bit deeper. In an attempt to justify its new position, Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, responded to Bishop Skylstad. In this communication, Mr. Cox presented the AI party line and then added insult to injury. Mr. Cox confirmed AI’s support of partial-birth abortion stating, “AI opposes the specific provisions of the federal law upheld by the US Supreme Court in Gonzales v. Carhart that criminalizes doctors who perform particular types of abortions.” First, it supports the gruesome human rights abuse of partial-birth abortion. Second, though AI denies this, they’re advocating abortion-on-demand by opposing any law that “criminalizes doctors who perform particular (read any) types of abortions.”
ACTION ITEM
Help us send a strong message to AI when they meet in Morelos, Mexico from August 14th to August 20th. Please click on this link* to sign a petition that will be delivered to delegates at this meeting. We want to collect 50,000 signatures, so please share this email with your friends and family. Time is short, so please act quickly!
* The petition drive ended on August 20th, 2007.
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