The Case For Our Lives Championing Life and Human Dignity in The Caribbean

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: CHAMPIONING HUMAN DIGNITY AROUND THE WORLD
Samuel B. Casey, Managing Director & General Counsel, JUBILEE CAMPAIGN, Law of Life Project
A person's a person, no matter how small.

-Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who!-
H-DADS Human Dignity Attention Deficit Syndrome
The march of scientific progress that now promises to give us manipulative power over human nature itself a coercive power mostly exercised, as C.S. Lewis presciently noted in the Abolition of Man, by some men over other men, and especially by one generation over future generations will eventually compel us to take a stand on the meaning of human dignity, understood as the essential and inviolable core of our humanity.
Adam Schulman, Bioethics and the Question of Human Dignity, ESSAYS COMMISSIONED
BY THE
in HUMAN DIGNITY AND BIOETHICS: PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS (2008) at 17.
champion
noun 1. a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to hold first place: the heavyweight boxing champion. 2. anything that takes first place in competition: the champion of a cattle show. 3. an animal that has won a certain number of points in officially recognized shows: This dog is a champion. 4. a person who fights for or defends any person or cause: a champion of the oppressed. 5. a fighter or warrior.
verb (used with object) 6. to act as champion of; defend; support: to champion a cause. 7. Obsolete. to defy.
adjective 8. first among all contestants or competitors. 9. Informal.
FIRST-RATE.
Origin: 11751225; ME < OF < LL campin- (s. of campi) < WGmc *kampin-, equiv. to kamp- battle (< L campus field, battlefield) + -in- n. suffix; cf. OE cempa warrior, etc. Related forms: -championless, adjective -championlike, adjective Synonyms: 1. winner, victor. 4. defender, protector. 6. maintain, fight for, Antonyms: 1. loser.
advocate.
"It is a serious thing," says Lewis, "to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously -- no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner -- no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment."
C. S. Lewis, From The Weight of Glory.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put a hand on the adders den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea
Isaiah 11:6, 8-9.
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

What about our vision of the future. Our society is now awash in presentism, evinced by our celebration of a form of marriage that is intrinsically sterile, our diminishing willingness to bear and raise children, and the wanton irresponsibility of reckless entitlement spending and debt. These trends are antithetical to the traditionalist view, whether secular or religious, which sees present generations as stewards of the future. The covenant between the born and unborn grows weaker, and our sense of responsibility to lives not yet lived fading.
LAW PROFESSOR AMY WAX, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA FIRST THINGS (October 2012)
(From upper left to lower right) Alan Parker (Justice Foundation, Operation Outcry); Alveda King (Priests for Life); Austin Ruse (C-FAM); Cathy Ruse (FRC); Prof. Frank Beckwith, PH.D. (Baylor); Charmaine Yoest (AUL); Clarke Forsythe (AUL), Professor O. Carter Sneed (Notre Dame Law School); Dr. & Mrs. Jack Willke, M.D. (Life Issues Institute); Dr. Paul Ramsey, Ph.D. (Medical Ethicist) Rep. Christopher & Mrs. Marie Smith (Congress & PNCI); Dr. Wanda Frantz, Ph.D. (NRLC); Douglas Johnson (NRLC); Dr. David Stevens, M.D. (CMDA); Alan Sears (ADF); Paige Cunningham (CBHD); Dan McConchie (AUL), Dr. Nigel Cameron, Ph.D.(IBHF); Claude Allen(Life Prizes); Clayton Trotter (Justice Foundation);Dr. C. Ben Mitchell, Ph.D. (Union University); Dr. John Kilner, Ph.D (CBHD); Sister Mother Teresa (Saint); Archbishop Timothy Dolan (USCCB) and Pope John Paul II (Evangelium Vitae); David Bereit (40 Days for Life); Kellyanne Conway (The Polling Company & Freedom2Care); Jay Sekulow (ACLJ); Dr. Donna Harrison, M.D. (AAPLOG); Bert & Willy Dorenbos (Cry for Life); Professor Helen Alvare (George Mason Law School); Fr. Frank Pavone (Priests for Life); Joni Eareckson Tada (Joni & Friends); Connie Marshner (CM&A); Dr. Edmund Pellegrino, M.D.(Georgetown University Medical School, Presidents Council on Bioethics), Dr. Leon Kass, Ph.D. (University of Chicago, Presidents Council on Bioethics); Nellie Gray, J.D. (March for Life); Dr. Tony Evans, D.Min. (Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship and Family Care Pregnancy Center); Dr. Jeffrey Keenan (National Embryo Donation Center); Dr. Peggy Hartshorne (Heartbeat International); Judy Brown (American Life League); Melinda Delahoyde (CARENet); Leslee Unruh (Abstinence Clearinghouse); Ron Stoddard (Snowflakes Embryo Adoption); Marjorie Dannenfelser (Susan B. Anthony List); Reggie Littlejohn (Womens Rights without Frontiers); William Saunders (AUL and National Catholic Prayer Breakfast); Norma McCorvey (aka Jane Roe)(Roe No More); Dr. David Prentice (FRC), Professor Phillip Kline (Liberty University Law School); Dr. Robert George, Ph.D. (Princeton University & The Manhattan Declaration), Harold Cassidy (Harold Cassidy & Associates), Troy Newman (Operation Rescue); Rev. Harry Jackson, D. Min (Hope Christian Church); Professor Teresa Collett (University of St. Thomas Law School); Tom Glessner (NIFLA), Dr. William E. May, Ph.D (CUA), Dr. Hadley Arkes, Ph.D. (Amherst and EPPC), Richard Doerflinger (USCCB, Prolife Secretariat), Professor Mary Ann Glendon (Harvard Law School).
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: BIOETHICS & HUMAN DIGNITY
"To advance human good and avoid harm, biotechnology must be used within ethical constraints. It is the task of bioethics to help society develop those constraints and bioethics, therefore, must be of concern to all of us."
Dr. Edmund D. Pellegrino, Chair (2005-2009) THE PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS
As an individual council member, speaking for myself and not the Presidents Council on Bioethics, I support the substance of the objections of some council members to recent relaxation of existing policies regarding human embryonic stem cell research. Ethically, I cannot support any policy permitting deliberate production and/or destruction of a human fetus or embryo for any purpose, scientific or therapeutic.
Dr. Edmund D. Pellegrino, Chair (2005-2009) THE PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS
The problem in question is that of understanding what happens to human dignity in the process of technicalization to which man today is delivered.
-Gabriel Marcel-
DEAR JESUS,
help me to spread Thy
fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.
From the video Everyone, Everywhere
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: EMBRYO ADOPTION

Like
most people, I did not set out to find a group of people to champion. I had been active in pro-life issues for several years and had counseled with many young girls who were considering abortion. I was frequently asked why I was concerned about the unborn when there were so many children starving in foreign countries and being neglected in the United States. My answer was that it was not a matter of either/or. When we start deciding which group deserves protection and which ones are less deserving, we lessen the dignity and value of all humanity. Like the little boy who threw star fish back in to the ocean, he may not have saved them all, but he saved those that he could. When confronted with the prospect of embryos being destroyed, I believed I was in a unique position to advocate for them because of my experience in finding families for waiting children. There is no doubt embryos are human life at the earliest stage of development. There is no need to question where to draw the line. I am still asked why spend time on embryos, when there are children in foster care or in orphanages needing families. The answer is still the same its not a matter of either/or. Valuing human dignity is about each of us stepping forward when the need and opportunity arrives. Like Oskar Schindler, we all find ourselves saying, I could have done more. But that should never stop us from doing what we can.
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: SOUTH DAKOTA WINS RIGHT TO TELL WOMEN THE TRUTH
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: VOTE YES FOR LIFE FALLS 14,000 VOTES SHORT IN SOUTH DAKOTA
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: A Letter Bearing Witness for Life @ Notre Dame, April 26, 2009
As a longtime consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops' express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" and that such persons "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution's freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it. Finally, with recent news reports that other Catholic schools are similarly choosing to disregard the bishops' guidelines, I am concerned that Notre Dame's example could have an unfortunate ripple effect. It is with great sadness, therefore, that I have concluded that I cannot accept the Laetare Medal or participate in the May 17 graduation ceremony.
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: PRESIDENT OBAMA @ NOTRE DAME
And we must find a way to reconcile our ever-shrinking world with its ever-growing diversity -diversity of thought, diversity of culture, and diversity of belief. In short, we must find a way to live together as one human family.
Those who speak out against stem cell research may be rooted in an admirable conviction about the sacredness of life, but so are the parents of a child with juvenile diabetes who are convinced that their sons or daughters hardships can be relieved. (Applause.) .
Lets honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion, and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded not only in sound science, but also in clear ethics, as well as respect for the equality of women. Those are things we can do. (Applause.)
CHOOSE LIFE: This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live Deuteronomy 30:19
U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776)

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
International Covenant on Political & Social Rights

Article 6. Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.
International Declaration on Bioethics & Human Rights (2005)

Article 3 Human dignity and human rights 1. Human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms are to be fully respected. 2. The interests and welfare of the individual should have priority over the sole interest of science or society.
JUBILEE CAMPAIGN, LAW OF LIFE PROJECT: OUR VISION FOR CHAMPIONING HUMAN DIGNITY AROUND THE WORLD
"Legally defending worldwide in all legal fora the right to life and dignity of the human being from biological conception until natural death in all matters where such a defense is required."
JUBILEE CAMPAIGN, LAW OF LIFE PROJECT:

1. Establishing through lawful process the juridical existence of the human person from conception to natural death. 2. Constrain human subject experimentation within universally accepted principles governing experiments on human subjects. 3. Oppose forced abortion in all of its forms. 4. Progressively regulate and ultimately end legal protection for so-called elective abortion, whether performed surgically or chemically. 5. End direct or indirect governmental funding of abortion. 6. Defend the rights of biological mothers and children involved in surrogacy arrangements. 7. Oppose active euthanasia (mercy killing) and physician-assisted suicide 8. Defend the health care right of conscience. 9. Defend pregnancy resource centers. 10. Develop and sustain the Arm the Advocates for Life training program
PETITION FOR AFFIRMATION OF RIGHTS TO LIFE & HUMAN DIGNITY

We, the citizens of UN member states, in this year of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted and proclaimed by the UN General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948,
Recalling that:
The Universal Declaration is a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all Nations, Bearing in mind that: Human rights, dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity and justice constitute the spiritual and moral patrimony on which the union of Nations is based,
Stress that:
Proper consideration must be given to: 1. The right to life of every human being, from conception to natural death, each child having the right to be conceived, born and educated within the family, based on marriage between a woman and a man, the family being the natural and fundamental group unit of society,
2. The right of every child to be educated by his or her parents, who have a prior and fundamental right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Therefore, we call upon all governments to interpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights properly such that:
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person (Article 3)
Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family (Article 16).
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State (Article 16). Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance (Article 25).
Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children (Article 26).
The San Jose Articles

Article 1. As a matter of scientific fact a new human life begins at conception.
Article 2. Each human life is a continuum that begins at conception and advances in stages until death. Science gives different names to these stages, including zygote, blastocyst, embryo, fetus, infant, child, adolescent and adult. This does not change the scientific consensus that at all points of development each individual is a living member of the human species. Article 3. From conception each unborn child is by nature a human being. Article 4. All human beings, as members of the human family, are entitled to recognition of their inherent dignity and to protection of their inalienable human rights. This is recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international instruments. Article 5. There exists no right to abortion under international law, either by way of treaty obligation or under customary international law. No United Nations treaty can accurately be cited as establishing or recognizing a right to abortion. Article 6. The Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee) and other treaty monitoring bodies have directed governments to change their laws on abortion. These bodies have explicitly or implicitly interpreted the treaties to which they are subject as including a right to abortion. Treaty monitoring bodies have no authority, either under the treaties that created them or under general international law, to interpret these treaties in ways that create new state obligations or that alter the substance of the treaties. Accordingly, any such body that interprets a treaty to include a right to abortion acts beyond its authority and contrary to its mandate. Such ultra vires acts do not create any legal obligations for states parties to the treaty, nor should states accept them as contributing to the formation of new customary international law.
The San Jose Articles (cont.)

Article 7. Assertions by international agencies or non-governmental actors that abortion is a human right are false and should be rejected. There is no international legal obligation to provide access to abortion based on any ground, including but not limited to health, privacy or sexual autonomy, or non-discrimination. Article 8. Under basic principles of treaty interpretation in international law, consistent with the obligations of good faith and pacta sunt servanda, and in the exercise of their responsibility to defend the lives of their people, states may and should invoke treaty provisions guaranteeing the right to life as encompassing a state responsibility to protect the unborn child from abortion. Article 9. Governments and members of society should ensure that national laws and policies protect the human right to life from conception. They should also reject and condemn pressure to adopt laws that legalize or depenalize abortion. Treaty monitoring bodies, United Nations agencies and officers, regional and national courts, and others should desist from implicit or explicit assertions of a right to abortion based upon international law. When such false assertions are made, or pressures exerted, member states should demand accountability from the United Nations system. Providers of development aid should not promote or fund abortions. They should not make aid conditional on a recipients acceptance of abortion. International maternal and child health care funding and programs should ensure a healthy outcome of pregnancy for both mother and child and should help mothers welcome new life in all circumstances.
Samuel B. Casey, General Counsel, Advocates International
QUESTIONS & COMMENTS
THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: A CAUSE FOR PRAYER
A Concluding Prayer for the Courage to Champion the Cause of Bioethics with Human Dignity Around the World
(from Ephesians 6:10-18)

The Case For Our Lives Championing Life and Human Dignity in The Caribbean

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THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: CHAMPIONING HUMAN DIGNITY AROUND THE WORLD

A person's a person, no matter how small.

H-DADS Human Dignity Attention Deficit Syndrome

in HUMAN DIGNITY AND BIOETHICS: PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS (2008) at 17.

C. S. Lewis, From The Weight of Glory.

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: BIOETHICS & HUMAN DIGNITY

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: BIOETHICS & HUMAN DIGNITY

Dr. Edmund D. Pellegrino, Chair (2005-2009) THE PRESIDENTS COUNCIL ON BIOETHICS

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: BIOETHICS & HUMAN DIGNITY

help me to spread Thy

From the video Everyone, Everywhere

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: EMBRYO ADOPTION

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: PRESIDENT OBAMA @ NOTRE DAME

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: PRESIDENT OBAMA @ NOTRE DAME

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: PRESIDENT OBAMA @ NOTRE DAME

U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

International Covenant on Political & Social Rights

International Declaration on Bioethics & Human Rights (2005)

JUBILEE CAMPAIGN, LAW OF LIFE PROJECT:

PETITION FOR AFFIRMATION OF RIGHTS TO LIFE & HUMAN DIGNITY

The San Jose Articles

The San Jose Articles (cont.)

QUESTIONS & COMMENTS

THE CASE FOR OUR LIVES: A CAUSE FOR PRAYER

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