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Pro-Life Update A government’s policies affect its citizens, and history shows us many atrocities sanctioned and even executed by governments, such as the eugenic policies towards disabled citizens discussed in last month’s Pro-Life Update. Unfortunately, we don’t even need to look to the past to see such atrocities. China currently enforces their one-child policy through coercion, forced abortion, and infanticide. They are now realizing some of the unintended negative economic affects of this policy and are considering gradually changing it. We must vigilantly monitor the policies of our own government, especially here in the states, where the citizens can seriously affect our policies. A recent Pro-Life amendment, entitled the Vitter Amendment, was just passed in the U.S. Senate, which will keep our money from being used for abortions on American Indian reservations.
Please read this issue of the Pro-Life Update carefully to understand some of the challenges we now face and how you—an educated Pro-Lifer—can advance the Culture of Life. Please share this information with your family, friends, and church congregations. Make copies. Spread the news.
China Considers Changing One-Child Policy The Chinese government, once concerned that their population would outnumber their resources, has long prohibited families from having more than one child. They have enforced this policy through coercion, forced abortion, and infanticide. With the prospect of just one child, most families hope for a boy to carry on their family name; girls are therefore seen as “undesirable.” Even though ultrasound for non-medical purposes has been illegal in China for 10 years, many families undergo them to determine the gender of their unborn child. Often, if that child is female, she will be aborted. As Americans, we are rightly appalled that citizens could be coerced either not to have children or to abort their unborn children.
The Chinese government is now realizing that limiting the number of children will quickly affect their working-age citizen population. They are worried that China will “get old before it gets rich.” The rapid aging of the population is expected to result in one in five Chinese citizens being over the age of 60 by the year 2030.
Reuters reported that the Chinese family planning vice-minister, Zhao Baige, stated, “I cannot answer at what time or how, but this has become a big issue among decision-makers.” Some officials think that the one-child policy should be gradually and cautiously eased, while others still stress the need for its continuity.
Currently, about 30 or 40 percent of the Chinese citizens are permitted to have two or more children. In most rural areas, parents are permitted to have a second child if the first is a girl. In many urban areas, parents are permitted to have a second child if they themselves are an only child.
Many of the Chinese citizens resent what some reports have deemed “the biggest continuing intrusion into citizens’ private lives by a Communist state.” China’s one-child policy is an atrocious violation of Chinese citizens’ moral rights. With only one child per family, there are no siblings, no cousins, and thus, very little extended family to compete with loyalty to the state.
Pro-Life Vitter Amendment Adopted in U.S. Senate On February 26, the U.S. Senate voted 52 to 42 in favor of the Pro-Life Vitter Amendment, which would permanently prohibit federal health programs for American Indians from providing abortions. This bill was introduced by Senator David Vitter (R-LA). Congressman Joe Pitts (R-PA) has proposed a similar amendment in the House, where the amendment will face much more opposition.
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson commented, "We commend Senator Vitter for his leadership in attempting to close the door to future federal funding of abortion in federal Indian health programs. Now we have our work cut out for us in the House of Representatives, where we expect the Democratic leadership to try hard to block enactment of this Pro-Life language."
National Right to Life reported that the federal government funds a number of health programs for American Indians, which cover over two million individuals. During the 1970s, the federal Indian Health Service paid for abortion on demand in these programs. The funding of abortions has been blocked since the early 1980s, but the Pro-Life policy has depended on annual renewal of a Pro-Life provision (the Hyde Amendment) to an annual appropriations bill. In contrast, the Vitter Amendment, if enacted into law, would permanently prohibit the providing of abortions in Indian health programs (except if necessary to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest), whether or not the Hyde Amendment is renewed in any given year.
The Vitter Amendment was supported by 43 Republicans and 9 Democrats and was opposed by 3 Republicans, 37 Democrats, and 2 independents. Texas Senator John Cornyn was absent for the vote (but had committed to support the amendment) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison voted in favor of the Pro-Life amendment.
The Pro-Life movement still has much work to ensure that all people throughout the world are welcomed into Life and respected. If you would like any additional information on the topics discussed above, please send me a note or log onto www.TexasRightToLife.com. If you ever have questions about any Pro-Life issues, please be sure to let me know. Yours for Life,
Dr. Joseph M. Graham President |
