In This Issue:
- Breaking News
- Pro-Lifers Persevere
- PRI in the Media
- No Support for Persecution
- “Loaded Language” Tactics
- A Significant Visit
- Deepening Depopulation
- Billions for Families
- Nihilism & Antinatalism
- How to Boost Population
- Licensed to Parent
- Communist China
- Babies for Ex-Hongkongers
- Charities Under Control
- UN Misdeeds
- New Colonialism Claims
- Science Gone Mad
- AI Meets IVF
- Pro-life Around the World
- Live-Saving Transfer Denied
- Threats to Sovereignty
- Murder Rewarded
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- Coverage for OTC Birth Control
- Abortion up to Birth
- Good News
- Victory for the Sisters
Breaking News
Pro-Lifers Persevere: This week, Democrats and abortion advocates saw victories in multiple states. Ohio passed Issue 1, which enshrines abortion in the state’s constitution. In Virginia, Democrats won control of both legislative chambers which will pose problems for Republican Governor Youngkin. In Kentucky, Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won a second four-year term. Democrats are using these losses to try and convince pro-lifers to give up on a “hopeless” cause. But the pro-life movement has suffered losses before and continued to persevere. Democrats know that the pro-life movement is in this for the long haul, as evident by the fifty years we worked to overturn Roe v. Wade, and want to convince us to stop now before we come back victorious again in the future.
“Daniel Cameron lost Kentucky governor’s race for the same reason Tudor Dixon did earlier in Michigan,” says PRI President Steven Mosher. “They tried to duck the abortion issue and got clobbered. Pro-life candidates have to relentlessly point out that the Dems are the true radicals here. They support abortion past the point where babies can feel pain, past the point where they can survive outside the womb. They even support the killing of babies at birth. This would have been a winning argument. But Cameron and Dixon never made it.”
PRI in the Media
No Support for Persecution: Catholics in China obviously do not approve of the persecution of Falun Gong, but the Chinese Communist Party would like you to think they do. Last week, we shared that the CCP’s anti-cult organization republished a condemnation of the Falun Gong spiritual practice by the former head of the Patriotic Catholic Association (PCA), the government-managed church in China. The republished statement, originally issued in 2001 by the now-deceased Fu Tieshan, the former “patriotic bishop” of Beijing, effectively endorses the CCP’s effort to eradicate what Fu referred to as a “dangerous cult.” Today’s PCA leaders have not responded to this republication, but there is little excuse for them not to be aware of both this republication and the ongoing abuses against Falun Gong practitioners. Due to the PCA’s ties to the CCP, Mr. Mosher believes the Vatican should release a statement, “that the Catholic Patriotic Association does not represent the Catholic Church and that it does not approve of its attack on Falun Gong.”
“Loaded Language” Tactics: The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has declared abortion a human right—even though no such right exists. The department posted, “Philadelphians have access to safe, legal abortion services. Abortion is healthcare and access to safe abortion is a human right.” Further into the post, the department used politicized, rather than medical, language to defend this position. This falls in line with other groups that have used “loaded language” to push a pro-abortion agenda. This tactic is used to distract readers from the truth. As LifeSiteNews mentions, PRI works to reveal the truth when pro-abortion activists and groups attempt to spread lies. We do this today by reaffirming that abortion is not, has never been, and will never be a human right.
A Significant Visit: The communist state-approved Archbishop of Beijing has accepted an invitation to visit the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong. This marks yet another link between Hong Kong and the Chinese Communist Party authorities. In a very brief statement issued on November 3, the Diocese of Hong Kong announced that “Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing” would begin a five-day visit to the diocese on November 14. This visit is one of key significance and may signal Hong Kong’s further surrender to the CCP. Mr. Mosher’s comments from earlier this year once again apply, as he said, “ Of course, the United Front Department of the CCP, which is responsible for directing the activities of the Patriotic Catholic Church, will also try the same tactics on the Church in Hong Kong.” The CCP will not stop until it has complete control over all religious activities, which it sees as a threat to the establishment.
Deepening Depopulation
Billions for Families: Italy has announced a new initiative to raise the nation’s flagging birth rate. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government approved a new budget last week, setting aside €1 billion (nearly $1.1 billion) in funding to support mothers and families. The government hopes these efforts will boost the national birth rate, which is currently one of the lowest in Europe. Some of the measures include increased financial aid to working mothers with two or more children, increased government funding for daycares, and extended parental leave. When Meloni came to power as prime minister last year with the slogan “Dio, patria, famiglia” (God, fatherland, family), she pledged to make Italian families, and the nation’s birthrate, priorities for her administration. So far she has lived up to this promise.
“We at PRI have long argued that the way to raise the birth rate is to make it possible for moms to stay at home,” says Mr. Mosher. “Children of stay-at-home moms are happier, healthier, and more numerous. Direct payments to families with children help to make this possible.”
Nihilism & Antinatalism: Two Finnish bioethicists made news with an anti-natalist publication in one of the world’s leading bioethics journals. Joona Räsänen and Matti Häyry have proposed a way to end all issues suffered on Earth: voluntary human extinction. The two believe it is immoral to reproduce and it would be better if everyone on the planet agreed to stop. In their own words, “It appears clear that numerous problems plaguing humanity—such as wars, famine, crime, discrimination, and cruel treatment of animals, to name a few—would vanish if humans would not exist. The adoption of antinatalism would, therefore, truly solve ‘everything.’” Michael Cook, the editor of Mercator, argues that this ridiculous proposition is a product of a nihilist attitude. It can only be understood if one assumes the two are caught in despair or are truly evil.
“Having spent the first part of my life in academia, I can guarantee that there’s no fool like an educated fool,” says Mr. Mosher. “There are also very few original ideas, and the idea that humanity would do the planet a favor by offing itself is not original with the two Fins. Groups with this ‘end’ in mind have been around since the 1960s. If they took themselves seriously, you would think they would have died out by now.”
How to Boost Population: Like every other developed country, Canada is experiencing a demographic decline. But a Canadian lobby group has set an ambitious population goal to prevent future economic issues: 100 million by 2100. Century Initiative believes that more than doubling the current population will set the country up for the future. This organization has recognized the value of more humans. “Growing our population to 100 million by 2100 would reduce the burden on government revenues to fund health care, old age security, and other services. It would also mean more skilled workers, innovation, and dynamism in the Canadian economy,” the organization states on its website. This group has this part correct, but instead of supporting families and motivating couples to organically boost the population, it has suggested flooding the country with immigrants. This is a band-aid solution for a dying country, and would also make no difference for the global fertility rate problems.
Licensed to Parent: A doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder published a paper proposing a dystopian idea for parenting. In his article, in the latest issue of Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy, “The Kids Aren’t Alright: Expanding the Role of the State in Parenting,” Connor Kianpour claims that parents have no right to rear their children. He goes further to suggest that parents should be required to have a license to care for their children. Kianpour explains, “Certain individuals are unfit to rear children because they are objectionably intolerant of certain backgrounds and ways of life.” His definition of “objectionable” includes homophobic, transphobic, and more. Kianpour’s proposal is unacceptable, as well as unrealistic. But his views may become more mainstream, especially as states start to legitimately prioritize transgender ideology over familial bonds. For example, California now actually has judges “weigh parental affirmation of a child’s gender identity or expression… when determining visitation and custody arrangements.”
“The Left has completely run out of idea, and continues to recycle old ones,” says Mr. Mosher. “The idea that the state should control the education of children goes all the way back to Karl Marx himself, who wrote in Das Kapital that ‘Freedom of education shall be enjoyed … under the supreme control of the state.’ Regardless of what this childless, twenty-something student says, parents are the first and best educators of their children.”
Communist China
Babies for Ex-Hongkongers: China as a whole is struggling to boost the birth rate, but it seems that couples are eager to have babies outside of the country. More than 144,000 Hongkongers moved to the U.K. during the first two years of the British National Overseas visa scheme, and government data shows that they seem keen to start families. In 2022, almost 2000 babies were born to couples in the U.K. where one or both were from Hong Kong. Several anonymous individuals have given their reasons for why this is. They cited the freer environment, better education system, and affordable birth options. Each of these reasons has to do with the freedom of choice that parents have in England. They feel they can have a family because they know their children won’t be brainwashed and parents can choose the best courses of action for their families.
Charities Under Control: A new law in China is going to bring all charities under CCP control. Until now, charities operated with some leeway, despite regulation by the Chinese Charity Law of 2016. Now, a draft amends this 2016 law and states, “All charitable work should be put under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.” In addition to the existing supervision by civil affairs agencies, tax authorities, cyberspace administration, and others, charity organizations will now be directly controlled by police and public security. It is clear that the CCP is worried about outside influence via charitable organizations abroad communicating with charities within the country. The 2016 law was already one of the most restrictive in the world. The fact that it was amended just seven years after its enactment offers additional evidence of the CCP’s decision to strictly control civil society in all possible areas.
UN Misdeeds
New Colonialism Claims: According to a recent UN human rights report, traditional marriage, laws against sodomy, and social norms about gender are Western colonial impositions. UN “expert” Victor Madrigal-Borloz claimed that sexual deviance in recorded history is evidence that these practices should be allowed today. He went even further to say that the restriction of these practices was part of European colonialism. But Madrigal-Borloz’s argument has a major flaw because sin has existed since the fall of man. A history of sin does not mean that man is meant to perform those actions. Everyone has the choice to live an ordered or disordered life. Yet Madrigal-Borloz believes that his findings are enough to justify the decriminalization of sodomy laws and adoption of progressive legislation on LBGT issues in 67 countries, all in the name of “decolonization.”
Science Gone Mad
AI Meets IVF: Researchers are now using artificial intelligence with reproductive technology. According to their preliminary research, “Artificial intelligence can accurately predict the optimal retrieval date in fertility treatment cycles.” This means AI may be more able to accurately predict when eggs are at their “peak day” of fertility for retrieval. As demand for IVF goes up, researchers are turning to technology to fill in the gaps where human efforts fail. However, whether or not AI increases the success rate of egg retrieval, embryo creation, or embryo implantation, the process is still immoral. If AI assistance does increase success rates, the demand for IVF may further increase. This will lead to the creation of many more embryos, many of which will never be implanted. Instead, they will join millions of babies that are destroyed, perpetually frozen, or experimented upon.
Pro-life Around the World
Life-Saving Transfer Denied: A British judge has ruled that life support should be withdrawn from a baby girl with a rare mitochondrial disease. The case has gotten global attention, as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni obtained both citizenship and a spot at the papally-sponsored Bambino Gesù pediatric hospital for baby Indi Gregory. But the judge presiding over the case has ruled that Indi can not be transferred to Italy, despite the fact that her transfer would involve no cost to the taxpayer or NHS. To make matters worse, her parents are also not allowed to take her home for end-of-life care. This decision shows how anti-life legal authorities have become in England. There is no reasonable explanation for this ruling. One can only assume it is a power move to demonstrate the level of control that the British legal system holds over the public.
“There’s no reason for a British judge to sentence this child to death,” says Mr. Mosher. “As we learned during Covid, when British hospitals were intubating–and killing–Covid patients left and right, the medical establishment does not always put the patient first, but rather its own institutional interest. Would British hospital administrators be pleased if Gesu Bambino were able to save this child and give her a chance at life? Not necessarily, since this would raise questions about the quality of their own care.”
Threats to Sovereignty: Namibia has rejected a treaty with the European Union (EU) that could impose an anti-life and pro-LGBT agenda on the African nation. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced that the country would not sign the New Partnership Agreement (NPA) between the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) and the EU. While most African countries are set to sign the agreement on November 15, Nandi-Ndaitwah revealed that she told the EU in February 2022 that Namibia would not sign the 20-year agreement due to concerns that it would undermine the country’s sovereignty. She further shared that the NPA suggests “over eighty (80) regional and international treaties/strategies/initiatives and programmes” that Namibia may not wish to implement in its country. This move is unsurprising as Namibia is one of several African countries pushing back against the LGBT agenda.
Murder Rewarded: An American abortion provider and advocate has made the finals for a top European humanitarian award. Dr. Colleen McNicholas, the chief medical officer for the St. Louis branch of Planned Parenthood, is among three of the finalists for The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The EU website states that this award “gives recognition to individuals, groups, and organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to protecting freedom of thought.” McNicholas is being praised for her work as a murderer. According to the Free Press, this move is significant as it also signals how central abortion is to the globalist agenda. Leaders in the EU, and the UN, see abortion as a way to combat “climate change” and push “sustainable development.”
Pro-Life on the Home Front
Coverage for OTC Birth Control: A group of Democratic senators has asked the Biden administration to require insurance companies to cover over-the-counter (OTC) hormonal birth control. In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first non-prescription oral contraceptive, called “Opill,” which is expected to be available in 2024. Before this, oral contraceptives required a doctor’s visit and a prescription for women to access them. The FDA’s ruling paves the way for such drugs to be available in pharmacies and drugstores for purchase without any oversight from a doctor. Over-the-counter access makes hormonal birth control more available than ever before, but this isn’t enough for this group of senators.
Abortion up to Birth: A radical new law in Maine took effect at the end of October that will permit abortions up to the moment of birth at the discretion of abortionists. Maine’s LD 1619 was signed by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in July. State law previously specified that abortions after a baby was deemed viable, usually about 20 weeks gestation, could only be performed if a woman’s “life or health” were at risk. That language, as well as criminal penalties for any non-licensed person who performs or helps to perform an elective abortion, have been removed. Unborn babies in Maine are now left with virtually no protections under the new law, which authorizes abortionists to kill unborn babies at any stage of pregnancy as long as they determine the procedure “necessary in [their] professional judgment.” Abortion is never medically necessary, but this vague language is sure to be abused in the coming years, to the detriment of preborn babies in the state.
Good News
Victory for the Sisters: This past Wednesday, the Sisters of Life won a victory against the state of New York. In June of 2022, the state passed a law that targeted pro-life pregnancy centers. It authorized the New York Commissioner of Health to demand private information from pregnancy centers that do not offer abortion services, which included the Sisters of Life’s Visitation Mission. To fight this invasion of privacy, with the help of attorneys at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, the Sisters of Life asked the federal court for an order that would protect them and the women they serve. After a year of delay, the State of New York finally agreed to a court order that forbids them from demanding the Sisters’ information or punishing them for refusing to provide it.
Quote of the Week
“We believe every person is valuable and sacred. We believe that every person’s life has deep meaning, purpose and worth. In fact, we give our lives for that truth.”
~ Profession of the Sisters of Life, source
