By Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation A Pennsylvania teenager with Down syndrome and a noted disability rights activist from Ireland came together to make history on St. Patrick’s Day. High school sophomore Chloe Kondrich joined Michael O’Dowd of Disability Voices for Life to sign the historic Global Declaration on Eradicating the Genocide …
Continue reading "Making pro-life history on St. Patrick’s Day"
By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation One of the pivotal events in my life occurred when I was in college, and a drunken driver demolished my parents’ car. My mother and father could have been killed, since the impact of the collision sent their car crashing into a utility pole. My father was …
Continue reading "A disability should not be a death sentence, whether someone is at the dawn or twilight of life"By Benjamin Portelli “Women considering an abortion must be provided with accurate information about the procedure and its possible effects on their health.” This is the opening line of Abortion and Women’s Health: An evidence-based review for medical professionals of the impact of abortion on women’s physical and mental health written by Dr. Greg Pike …
Continue reading "Serious questions for the British Department of Health on Abortion and Disability"By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director – Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The New Zealand government is now officially debating a bill to legalize euthanasia. Recently Stuff News published an excellent article by Claire Freeman, who writes from the disability perspective. Freeman opposes euthanasia based on her personal experience. Freeman notes that the bill is not limited to …
Continue reading "Disabled lives are worth living. Euthanasia implies otherwise"By Andre Woolgar Editor’s note. This appeared on the blog of The Christian Medical Fellowship and is reposted with permission. Late in June, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) abolished the role of Disability Commissioner. This happened 36 hours before Lord Shinkwin, newly appointed to the role, was due to hold his first board meeting. …
Continue reading "Seeing the Person behind the disability"By Taylor Hyatt Last week, the death of 19-year-old Tommy Swales made headlines in the UK. He had been diagnosed with Friedrich’s ataxia – a rare genetic disorder that causes heart disease and a gradual loss of mobility – four years ago. The teen fell easily and walked with a slouch, using a backpack to …
Continue reading "Disability bias killed UK teen"Assisted suicide laws are at their core about disability By Liz Carr Editor’s note. Liz Carr is a British actor, comedian and disability rights activist, perhaps best known as forensic examiner Clarissa Mullery in the BBC’s “Silent Witness.” She is pro-choice, an atheist and a vocal opponent of the legalization of assisted suicide. Carr explains …
Continue reading "‘It’s about people like me’: disabled and dead against euthanasia"By Texas Right to Life On Friday, Senator Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) and Representative Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler) filed the Disabled Preborn Justice Act in the Texas Senate and House, respectively. Senate Bill 1427 and House Bill 1971 would ban the practice of discriminatory abortions in Texas, protecting babies from abortions due to disability, ethnicity, …
Continue reading "Texas state Senator Kelly Hancock and state Representative Matt Schaefer file Disabled Preborn Justice Act"By Jay Hobbs A child born Monday morning in a Miami hospital was given the perfect name by her mother: Destiny. After all, it wasn’t just the baby girl’s lot to enter the world on an early March day, she’s already brought her family together in ways she won’t realize for years to come. It …
Continue reading "Rescued from Abortion, Baby Destiny is Already Changing Her World"Editor’s note. Last Friday the “Abortion (Disability Equality) Bill” had what’s called its “Second Reading” in the House of Lord. Votes, I’m told, are not ordinarily taken after the second reading and none was taken October 31. NRL News Today has carried multiple posts about this extremely important measure. Lord Shinkwin explains with great insight …
Continue reading "Lord Shinkwin’s opening speech in support of the “Abortion (Disability Equality) Bill”"By Danny David This Friday, the United Kingdom’s House of Lords is set to debate a bill that would prevent preborn babies from being targeted for abortion due to disability. The bill, proposed by Lord Kevin Shinkwin – who has a disability – would remove two clauses from the UK’s 1967 Abortion Act. First, the …
Continue reading "UK lawmaker with a disability proposes bill banning abortions on babies with disabilities"By Paul Russell Editor’s note. The following is excerpted from a post on Mr. Russell’s blog. Today a diverse group of disability activists assembled in the South Australian [SA] Parliament to deliver a very clear message to politicians about their concerns with the euthanasia legislation currently under debate. The Voluntary Euthanasia Bill 2016 was tabled …
Continue reading "Disability activists tell South Australian MPs ‘No’ to euthanasia. Australian AMA agrees."