It is suggested that a law which Senator Barack Obama would sign if elected president could lead to the closure of Catholic hospitals.
The Freedom of Choice Act would make abortion a right and Mr Michael Moses, the American Catholic bishops' lawyer, says it would not allow conscientious objection. Every medical facility would have to provide abortion, making it impossible for Catholic hospitals to function. Catholic Family News said clergy should warn people about this. [LifeNews, 2 November]
The Scottish government opposes a parliamentarian's proposal to bring in a law next year which would legalise assisted suicide. Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP, health minister, says it would not be possible to have "sufficient safeguards" but she welcomes the debate begun by Ms Margo MacDonald, independent MSP for Lothians, who has Parkinson's disease. Ms MacDonald says it is inhumane not to have such a law. [Herald, 2 November] A disabled person has warned of eugenic activities resulting from the legalisation of assisted suicide. Dr Alison Morton-Cooper of Dumfries and Galloway says disabled people are "socially negated" and that their suffering could be alleviated if others tried to understand their difficulties. People's fears of becoming disabled played a part in support for such policies. She concludes: "However bad my disability gets, I want to be living when I die, and that depends on the rest of you being enlightened and prepared enough to take that on board." [Herald, 3 November]
The Freedom of Choice Act would make abortion a right and Mr Michael Moses, the American Catholic bishops' lawyer, says it would not allow conscientious objection. Every medical facility would have to provide abortion, making it impossible for Catholic hospitals to function. Catholic Family News said clergy should warn people about this. [LifeNews, 2 November]
The Scottish government opposes a parliamentarian's proposal to bring in a law next year which would legalise assisted suicide. Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP, health minister, says it would not be possible to have "sufficient safeguards" but she welcomes the debate begun by Ms Margo MacDonald, independent MSP for Lothians, who has Parkinson's disease. Ms MacDonald says it is inhumane not to have such a law. [Herald, 2 November] A disabled person has warned of eugenic activities resulting from the legalisation of assisted suicide. Dr Alison Morton-Cooper of Dumfries and Galloway says disabled people are "socially negated" and that their suffering could be alleviated if others tried to understand their difficulties. People's fears of becoming disabled played a part in support for such policies. She concludes: "However bad my disability gets, I want to be living when I die, and that depends on the rest of you being enlightened and prepared enough to take that on board." [Herald, 3 November]
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