Abortion in Australia

Miranda Devine has written a great article (January, 2012) in response to recent attacks on Melinda Tankard-Reist - well worth a read!

Read article here     

The Blaze (Feb 27, 2012) has reported that "Two ethicists working with Australian universities argue in the latest online edition of the Journal of Medical Ethics that if abortion of a fetus is allowable, so to should be the termination of a newborn".

The two ethicists are Alberto Giubilini, working with Monash University in Melbourne and Francesca Minerva (at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics) at the University of Melbourne. They write that in “circumstances occur[ing] after birth such that they would have justified abortion, what we call after-birth abortion should be permissible.”

The article says that they "are quick to note that they prefer the term “after-birth abortion“ as opposed to ”infanticide.” Why? Because it “[emphasizes] that the moral status of the individual killed is comparable with that of a fetus (on which ‘abortions’ in the traditional sense are performed) rather than to that of a child.”

Giubilini and Minerva also "do not agree with the term 'euthanasia' for this practice as the best interest of the person who would be killed is not necessarily the primary reason his or her life is being terminated. In other words, it may be in the parents’ best interest to terminate the life, not the newborns."

They also state that "The circumstances, where after-birth abortion should be considered acceptable include instances where the newborn would be putting the well-being of the family at risk, even if it had the potential for an “acceptable” life". The example they go on to give is in the case of a baby with Downs Syndrome: "while the quality of life of individuals with Downs is often reported as happy, “such children might be an unbearable burden on the family and on society as a whole, when the state economically provides for their care.”

The article goes on to say that "Giubilini and Minerva believe that being able to understand the value of a different situation, which often depends on mental development, determines personhood" and that "Both a fetus and a newborn certainly are human beings and potential persons, but neither is a ‘person’ in the sense of ‘subject of a moral right to life’.

They do not comment on when the baby becomes a "person".

The National Catholic Register highlighted that the two ethicists position "is almost pro-life in that it highlights the absurdity of the pro-abortion argument”.  

Life Network Australia supports their statement: "The second we allow ourselves to become the arbiters of who is human and who isn’t, this is the calamitous yet inevitable end. Once you say all human life is not sacred, the rest is just drawing random lines in the sand".

 Is it really any wonder we have arrived at this alarming discussion?!

Given that: Babies can now be legally aborted up until birth in Victoria; that the state government continues to ignore the plight of babies being born alive (after "failed abortions") and left to die; and the inaction of the vast majority who know about this but do nothing - it was only a matter of time.

If we have any hope of preventing live babies from being killed on demand in Victoria and Australia, now is the time to act to wind back the current abortion laws, which already allows for infanticide (babies who survive failed abortions - as recorded in the Victorian Health Department's own 'Infant mortality and morbidity' Reports).

Again I urge you to please contact:

 Vic Premier, Ted Baillieu ted.ballieiu@parliament.vic.gov.au  

Health Minister, David Davis david.davis@parliament.vic.gov.au and politely ask them to change the law to reinstate protection for babies and their mothers.

Please also get involved with a pro life organisation of your choice and with pro life action (see the LNA website for ideas) to fight against this cruel abuse of our unborn (and born) - and their mothers. 

While some might argue that this would never be allowed to happen, who would ever have thought abortion up until birth would? And yet, here we are...the conversation has begun!

Related article by Bill Muehlenberg - comments welcome: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=13312 

Andrew Bolt's blog: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/on_lawfully_killing_small_babies/

 Sydney Morning Herald: http://whadu.com/?q=sydney+morning+herald+abortion+birth 

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8428050/melbourne-abortion-author-gets-death-threats