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Conscience clauses provide real choicePosted: 03.24.09 Pro-choice. Pro-choice. Pro-choice. We get a little tired of hearing that moniker for the abortion-rights movement, since it isn’t very accurate. Those who promote and support abortion on demand, especially those who actively oppose any and all restrictions to it, don’t want to hear about informed choices. They don’t, for example, want a requirement for women to be informed about the physical and mental health consequences of an abortion. Even though every other medical procedure requires informed consent and the patient’s signature on forms acknowledging potential risks and hazards, the abortion-rights crowd wants women who come to a clinic to undergo an abortion without knowing all the dangers. They also don’t want parents involved in their minor daughters’ decisions about abortion. You may have heard the argument before, but it’s worth repeating: A child cannot get aspirin from a school nurse – can’t even bring prescription drugs to school – without parental consent. However, in many places a girl – and a female person under 18 is a girl, not a “woman” – can go into a clinic and have an abortion without parental consent, sometimes without even parental notification. The parents don’t have any right to help their daughter make an informed choice about a decision that will affect the rest of her life, and will end the life of their grandchild. MORE Keep conscience regulation, USCCB comments reason Conscience rights threat requires action, says cardinal Send a comment on this issue to the Department of Health and Human Services HERE. The latest arena in which the “pro-choice” folks want to take away choice is to remove the conscience clauses for health care providers who do not want to be involved in abortion. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, pointed out in a March 16 video message that on Feb. 27, “the Obama Administration placed on a federal Web site the news that it intends to remove a conscience protection rule for the Department of Health and Human Services. That rule is one part of the range of legal protections for health care workers – for doctors, nurses and others – who have objections in conscience to being involved in abortion and other killing procedures that are against how they live their faith in God.” The message was released on the USCCB’s Web site and on YouTube. In it, the cardinal asked Catholics to let the government know that conscience protections should stay in place. Many others have the right to conscientious objection in our society, including those who cannot in good conscience fight in war, and for doctors who choose not to administer the death penalty. Health care providers ought to have the right to choose not to participate in abortions and not to provide referrals for them. Strongly held beliefs, especially those of a well-formed conscience developed by religious faith, ought to be not only protected but also respected in our society. Our laws and our actions must be guided by moral principles. Most of us learn these principles within the context of a faith system. To separate those moral judgments from us would ask us to separate ourselves from the core of our faith, the core of our religious tenets. Nothing in our Constitution can force such a choice upon us. That would be almost as ridiculous as forcing us to pay for abortions with our federal tax dollars, making us support with our taxes something we would choose never to support. Wait a moment: this administration is already doing that, by the executive order rescinding the Mexico City Policy, so that foreign aid can now pay for abortions and family planning. Real choice in the abortion debate allows women, girls and parents real information to make informed choices. It allows us to not pay for abortions with federal funds. It allows health care workers to choose not to participate in an abhorrent practice. If you support real choice in abortion, let the Department of Health and Human Services know what you think of its poor choices.
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