Pro-Life News Briefs on Abortion, Stem Cell Research, Euthanasia

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 18, 2005   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Pro-Life News Briefs on Abortion, Stem Cell Research, Euthanasia Email this article
Printer friendly page

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 18, 2005

New Jersey First State to Spend Tax Money on Stem Cell Research
Trenton, NJ (LifeNews.com) —
Although California voters were the first to allow it and Wisconsin and Illinois are close behind, New Jersey is the first state in the nation to fund stem cell research with taxpayer funds. The state announced $5 million in grants for 17 stem cell research projects. Most of the projects involved adult stem cell research but pro-life groups are upset some of the funding will be used for projects involving embryonic stem cells. Not only have the cells never cured a patient, they are only obtained by destroying the lives of unborn children. The state Senate has approved spending $350 million more, but the state Assembly has yet to sign off on it.

California Republicans Want Mel Gibson to Consider Governor Bid
Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) —
Mel Gibson, actor and director of the blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" is being urged to run for Governor of California next year if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger decides not to run for a second term. Gibson has not commented on the "Draft Mel Gibson for Governor" campaign by the California Republican Assembly, the largest Republican volunteer organization in California. "Elections are about having choices," said California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence. "With the governor’s appointment of Susan Kennedy, his talk of a $100 billion bond, and his special election defeats, people are speculating that he may not run again. We’re looking for choices."

Pennsylvania Town Won’t Overrule Decision on Abortion Center Protests
West Chester, PA (LifeNews.com) —
By unanimous vote, the West Chester Zoning Hearing Board refused to overrule a zoning officer’s decision not to issue a cease-and-desist order on a local abortion facility. Members of the Chester County Pro-Life Coalition had asked Borough Zoning Officer Michael Perrone to issue the order after Planned Parenthood of Chester County began performing second-trimester abortions, although it only stated it would be performing first-trimester abortions when it applied for zoning approval. "In 1996, when Planned Parenthood of West Chester began committing abortions, they repeatedly declared that only first trimester (12 weeks after conception) abortions would be done," said, Jo Cristof, president of the Chester County Pro-Life. "We believe that this fact made voting to allow abortions at their facility more palatable to members of the Borough of West Chester’s Zoning Board and to the community at large."

Harvard University Spent Millions on Embryonic Stem Cell Lobbying
Cambridge, MA (LifeNews.com) —
According to a study by the Center for Public Integrity, Harvard was one of the top spenders for lobbying among educational institutions. Between 1998 and 2004 Harvard spent $3.52 million on lobbying efforts, primarily in the area of Science and Technology. The school relies on $450 million in annual federal grants for research, including funding for stem cell research.

Pro-Life College Professor Receives National Teacher Award
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) —
Professor Lawrence F. Roberge of Goodwin College, a pro-life author and advocate, has been awarded the 2005 Connecticut Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Professor Roberge is the author of "The Cost of Abortion: An Analysis of the Social, Economic, and Demographic Effects of Abortion on the Unites States," and has researched and written several pieces on the dangerous effects of RU-486, abortion vaccines, and human cloning.

New Israel Law Allows Terminal Patients to Decline Life Support
Jerusalem, Israel (LifeNews.com) —
Under a new law passed, terminally ill Israelis can now choose whether or not to continue life support. The new law allows patients that are considered to have six months or less to live may choose to have a time installed on their life-support systems that can be set to continually extend the countdown. After several years of debate, the bill passed 22-3 with one abstention. As the device gives the option of not continuing life support, instead of actively ending the patient’s life, some ethicists consider the new law to be consistent with Jewish religious teachings.

New Antigua and Barbude Minister of Government Pro-Life
Saint John’s, Antigua (LifeNews.com) —
The first female minister of government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced that she is pro-life, though she believes abortion should be available in cases of rape, incest, or threat to the woman’s life. Dr. Jacqui Quinn Leandro, Minister of Labour, Public Administration, and Empowerment announced her views last week during the Reproductive Health and Gender Equality workshop sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).