The Sally Ann and abortion
In the June 10 edition of its newspaper Warcry, the Salvation Army printed its stance on abortion. This position is highlighted by the first sentence which says that the Salvation Army believes in the sanctity of all human life. It further goes on to state that they “support measures necessary to prevent any crisis pregnancy but are opposed to abortion on demand or as a means of birth control.” However, the declaration does mention that they support abortion in “those rare instances” of “proven rape or legally defined incest or where diagnostic procedures determine that a fetal anomaly is present which is incompatible with the post-natal survival or where there is total or virtual absence of cognitive function.” Basically, the Sally Ann is opposed to abortion but still leaves the door slightly open.
Hyde Amendment withstands challenge
The Hyde Amendment, which bans U.S. federal financing of abortion, has withstood a major challenge from the Clinton Administration.
Pro-life forces in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to retain the Hyde Amendment which restricts government funding of abortions except in the case of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger.
According to The New York Times, the vote, which was 255-178, means the House position on abortion is virtually unchanged in spite of a pro-abortion Administration.
Despite the fact that three recent polls, ABC/Washington Post, Reader’s Digest and New York Times/CBS show that 69,55 and 72 per cent of Americans surveyed were against the use of public funds to pay for abortions, Clinton was determined to repeal the 16-year-old amendment. This comes as a major blow to Clinton who made state abortion funding a campaign promise.
Representative Henry Hyde, (R. Illinois) sponsored the initial legislation which restricted financing abortions through the federally funded Medicaid, He has also encouraged federal funding for unwed mothers.
If the restrictions were repealed “You’re going to get a million more abortions,” he said. “We’re awash in a sea of blood.” Representative Nancy Johnson (R. Connecticut) said low-income earners should have the same opportunities to kill their unborn children as their middle and upper-class neighbours.
The easy win in the House has indicated that the Freedom of Choice Bill, which would override most State restrictions on abortion would probably be defeated. Don Edwards (D. California), sponsor of the Freedom of Choice Act in the House, would wait before attempting to get it passed.
The vote was marked by an acrimonious debate which began after a budget proposal which had provisions for federal funding of Medicaid abortions. The Times said abortion rights supporters in the House generally respect Hyde and “consider him sincere and readier than most conservatives to support spending for children.”
Hyde mocked the notion pro-abortionists have that abortions should be free to the poor because “there are too many of you people and we want to refine, refine the breed.”
China crisis
An article in the Beijing-based Yan-cheng News reports that many Chinese are using ultrasound to test the sex of their unborn child – and then having an abortion if it is a girl. Population figures show that for every 100 girls born in China in 1990, 113.8 boys were born. Because China’s harsh one-child-per-family policy and the fat that boys are favoured over girls, more and more couples are opting for the ultrasound test. Though the government has “officially” ordered an end to this practice, private businesses have begun to make a great deal of money from it. Census figures show that in 1990 China had 36.2 million more males than females and experts predict that if this trend continues, there will soon be 48 million men unable to find wives. This, of course, is the unhappy yet inevitable result of the country’s “acclaimed” population control program.
PEI court case postponed
Henry Morgentaler’s court case against the province of Prince Edward Island has been postponed. He is attempting to force the government to pay for abortions at his out-of-province clinics. The province dies pay for some out-of-province abortions, but only in cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Health Minister Alan Buchanan has maintained that the government’s policy on abortion is not open to change. The hearing was to have begun on June 1. However, it has been delayed until the fall because Morgentaler’s Halifax lawyer, Anne Derrick, is on maternity leave. Oh, the irony of it all.
