Letters

Human rights

Maureen Federico

Contents - Aug 2008 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Humanae Vitae still a sign of contradiction - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) News: The Church Around the World Priesthood: St Louis: another US vocations success story - AD2000 Report Benedict XVI reaffirms Humanae Vitae on its 40th anniversary - Pope Benedict XVI Holy Land: Middle East Christians face a precarious future - Robin Harris Census shows a strong Church in Singapore - AD2000 Report Foundations of Faith: How much history do the Scriptures contain? - Frank Mobbs The tragic dilemmas of China's one-child policy - Babette Francis Interview: Denise Mountenay on post-abortive women: from silence to lawsuits - Luke McCormack Education: Progress continues with the new Wagga Wagga independent schools - Barbara Chigwidden Letters: Climate change - Peter Finlayson Letters: Infallible? - John Young Letters: Timeless truths? - John Frey Letters: Tradition - Anthony Bono Letters: Lebanon - Richard Stokes Letters: Body and soul - Elsie Cunningham Letters: Human rights - Maureen Federico DVD Review: APOCALYPSE? NO! Why global warming is not a crisis, by Christopher Monckton - Peter Finlayson (reviewer) Books: MYSTERY OF CREATION by Paul Haffner - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: QUESTION TIME by Fr John Flader - Fr Anthony Robbie (reviewer) Books: Books available from AD2000 Books Reflection: World Youth Day: bringing a message of hope to the secular culture - Fr Dennis Byrnes

The words 'terror/terrorist' are out and about every day in all sorts of ways. Whether fanatical murderers who use religion as a catchcry; corporate raiders who jeopardise the living of workers in an industry; the programmers of early TV where children are not spared from scary images (even in advertising) which can upset a child's equilibrium; artists who use child pornography, under the guise of their 'profession' but with the compliance of a like-minded peer group. Where are the parents here?

Then we have the 'Big Three A's', which include some artists, athletes and actors who believe that the law doesn't apply to them. But for the rest of us, we are supposed to be convinced by these pundits that such things are OK. No they are not!

However, the latest form of terrorism, causing death to the most vulnerable human being, the about- to-be-born child, is in our own patch, and to be funded by us. This is our responsibility. It is planned as the legal recognition of third trimester abortion, which is a very cruel and revolting procedure as the baby cannot legally be born alive.

What next? Will the unfortunate baby be given a funeral? Or maybe even captured as a human being with no legal status for unscrupulous scientists to play around with? What could they learn from it particularly if by 'chance' it is still alive?

It defies the collective conscience in regard to our claim to be a civilised country. I have never yet seen a letter in the media demanding third trimester abortion! It is the ultimate terror practice.

A Victorian State MP, Alistair Harkness, has sent a nice, semantically worded letter indicating that he will consider the recommendations made by the Victorian Law Reform Commission. Here is just a hint that militant feminists in and out of Parliament, not known for their love of children or respect for men (even their malleable supporters), might like to claim a victory.

Greg Byrne, Department of Justice (justice for whom I would ask!) sent a closely cloned letter of the above, but Opposition Leader Mr Baillieu's Liberal Caucus sent nothing at all.

Perhaps the people that we seem to be voting into Parliament are not terribly interested in matters of human rights, or any other matter that affects their personal convenience. I hope I am wrong. My concern is whether we are all somehow complicit in this latest terror strike by voting into positions of power people who have no respect for the human rights of the defenceless? What do you think?

MAUREEN FEDERICO
Frankston South, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 21 No 7 (August 2008), p. 16