Tentative schedule for 2017 University Faculty for Life conference is now available
Here is a link to the tentative schedule for the upcoming University Faculty for Life conference on June 9-10, 2017 at St. Thomas Law in Minneapolis. The schedule includes a rich collection of papers on various pro-life topics. Father Robert Spitzer S.J. will receive the Smith Award and the conference features plenary talks by Dr. David Prentice, Patrick Lee, […]
The legalization of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide is a sideshow in end-of-life care
Here is a good piece by Paul Russell discussing an article by Ezekiel Emanuel. Emanuel’s article notes that “legalising euthanasia and [physician assisted suicide] is really a side-show in end-of-life care–championed by the few, extensively covered by the media, but not targeted to improve the care for most dying patients who still suffer.”
John Noonan, R.I.P.
Here is an obituary for Judge John Noonan Jr. from the New York Times. John Noonan was a great advocate for the pro-life cause. In an article I wrote some years ago, I noted that Noonan had written with eloquence about the dignity of the human person and about the need for natural law to […]
good essay by Hadley Arkes
Here is a link to an excellent essay by Hadley Arkes in the May 2017 issue of First Things. The essay is entitled “The Moral Turn” and it is a thought-provoking essay on natural law and the judicial role, with considerable focus on abortion. The essay is definitely well worth reading.
“A Reality Check on Assisted Suicide in Oregon”
Here is a link to Richard Doerflinger’s analysis of assisted suicide in Oregon. Here’s a bit from his conclusion: “In short, despite a thoroughly inadequate reporting system designed to cover up rather than reveal problems, Oregon shows exactly the problems that critics predicted: No meaningful protection against coercion, influence by others on patients with depression and […]
Roe v. Wade is not settled law
Here is a very good piece by Clarke Forsythe (from Americans United for Life) explaining why Roe v. Wade is not settled law, and why there are good reasons to believe that Roe will eventually be overruled.
Trump Administration to defund UNFPA
Here and here are links (from LifeNews and the National Right to Life News) to stories about the Trump Administration’s plans to defund The United Nations Population Fund, which has been complicit in China’s forced population control activities for many years. In explaining the decision, the US State Department stated:“This determination was made based on […]
UK High Court rejects challenge to assisted suicide law
Here is a link to a blog post from Alex Schadenberg about a March 30, 2017 decision from the UK High Court rejecting a challenge to the law banning assisted suicide. Here is a link to the opinion.
New York assisted suicide case update
In May 2016, in Myers v. Schneiderman, an intermediate appellate court in New York upheld the constitutionality of New York’s ban on assisted suicide. (I discussed the case in this paper presented at the 2016 University Faculty for Life conference.) The New York Court of Appeals, which is the highest court in the state, has […]
Hawaii House tables physician-assisted suicide bill
Here is a link to a story in the National Right to Life News about a positive development in Hawaii. The Hawaii House tabled a bill that would have allowed physician-assisted suicide. This follows a recent decision by the New Mexico Senate to reject an effort to legalize assisted suicide.