Ellen McCormack, pro-life Democratic presidential candidate, dead at 84
Ellen McCormack, pro-life candidate in the Democratic primaries for president in the 1970s, has died. Interested persons may wish to balance the obituary of the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/us/30mccormack.html?_r=1) with that of Dr. Michael New (http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/263499/ellen-mccormack-rip-michael-j-new). Thanks to Dr. Jane Gilroy, author of the definitive biography about Ellen McCormack’s presidential bids, for this information.
Kurt Pritzl, O.P., RIP
Father Kurt Pritzl, O.P., died yesterday after a battle with cancer. Father Pritzl was the Dean of the School of Philosophy at Catholic University. He was a member of University Faculty for Life and a gracious host for the 2010 annual meeting of University Faculty for Life. His passing is a loss to the Church […]
Bernard Nathanson, RIP
Bernard Nathanson, a former abortionist who became an influential pro-life advocate, died today at age 84. http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/bernard-nathanson-dead-at-84/ Richard M.
Live Action, Planned Parenthood, and the Morality of Lying
There has been a lot of discussion about Live Action’s videos that reveal some shocking practices by Planned Parenthood staffers. On the Public Discourse website, Christopher Tollefsen has criticized Live Action’s practices. Others, including Christopher Kaczor, have defended Live Action’s approach. While admitting that this is a very difficult issue, I am inclined to think Tollefsen has […]
Celia Wolf-Devine: scholarship on the life issues
Students who desire a deeper understanding of the philosophical bases of the life issues and academics who wish to demonstrate the diversity of perspectives within the pro-life movement may want to review Dr. Celia Wolf-Devine’s website: http://www.celiawolfdevine.com.
Joseph Bottum’s analysis of the Gosnell arraignment
Here is Joseph Bottum’s analysis of the Gosnell arraignment. Bottum explains that these revelations shouldn’t really have been a surprise. As Bottum writes– “Ever since the Supreme Court issued its Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, ending states’ power to outlaw abortion and making it instead an individual right, abortion has distorted American law and snarled […]
“Across Country, Lawmakers Push Abortion Curbs”
That’s the headline of a New York Times article from Jan. 21, 2011. The November elections brought pro-life gains in many states and this has improved the climate for pro-life legislation. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/us/politics/22abortion.html?_r=1 Richard M.
Abortion doctor charged with 8 counts of murder
This story, which has been generating an enormous amount of media coverage, is almost beyond belief. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/us/20doctor.html Here is a story from the National Right to Life Committee. http://www.nrlc.org/news_and_views/Jan2011/nv011911.html Here is commentary from Wesley Smith. http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2011/01/21/philadelphia-abortion-abattoir-consistent-with-peter-singer-values/ Richard M.
Wesley Smith’s response to Jack Kevorkian’s lecture at UCLA
Here is Wesley Smith’s response to the news that Jack Kevorkian will be lecturing at UCLA on January 15, 2011.http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2011/01/12/kevorkian-demonstrates-that-killing-can-be-a-path-to-fame-and-fortune/ Smith comments near the conclusion of his post: “Few things better illustrate the degradation and degeneration of our culture than the elevation of Kevorkian in the media and popular culture to respectability and adulation. ” Richard M.
Vanderbilt forces nursing students to participate in abortions
That is the allegation made in a complaint filed with the Department of Health and Human Services. Here is the LifeNews.com story. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/11/vanderbilt-university-requires-nursing-students-to-do-abortions/ UPDATE: Apparently, Vanderbilt has responded to this complaint by making it clear that nursing students will not be required to participate in abortions. http://www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/Jan2011/nv011411.html Richard M.