Press Release-An Appeal in Favour of Life & Against the Decriminalization of Abortion

An Appeal in Favour of Life & Against the Decriminalization of Abortion

From the Life Research Unit within the Life Network Foundation Malta

The proposed law presented by MP Marlene Farrugia is a blatant attempt to introduce abortion into Malta, allowing every pregnancy to be terminated by a mother or medical professional, and the baby in the womb destroyed.

Life Network Foundation Malta objects very strongly to this bill proposing the decriminalization of abortion for several reasons:

  1. The law has symbolic dimensions. Decriminalization of an act in itself, is a declaration that the act is permissable, and worse still, acceptable.

Abortion is not such an act because, as a consequence, the child in the womb loses its life. The proposal to repeal the abortion provisions means that abortion will no longer be considered a criminal offense. Historically, the criminal law against abortion has always had an instrumental value of deterrent so that abortion does not occur in Malta. It also means that anyone who commits this crime, or helps to commit this crime, is convicted according to the law (and therefore justice is done to the child who has never been given the opportunity to live), this law was, and still is, considered symbolic because it reflects a moral obligation – that of the protection of the unborn life.

  1. The decriminalization of abortion not only leads to abortion no longer being considered a criminal offense, but to it being unregulated which easily leads to abuse because it becomes permissible (a) at any stage of pregnancy even on the eve of birth and (b) in all circumstances. In addition, doctors and nurses will be able to destroy the life of an unborn baby, as if nothing had happened and with complete freedom, and this is when, to this day, abortion is considered by many Maltese and foreign medical professionals to be against the ethical principles on which their profession is based and which bind medical professionals in their practice. Worse, the bill also repeals the provision criminalizing abortion caused by medical negligence or incompetence!

  1. Everyone who was born once started life born in a mother’s womb. It is now being proposed that this gift and privilege of life be denied to others. Every baby in the womb will be in danger of being destroyed, at any moment, by its parents or even just by its mother. It is significant that anyone who speaks in favour of abortion was born because his mother did not destroy him.

  1. The fundamental right to life, enshrined in the Maltese Constitution, can never depend on the will of the mother. Maltese law also recognizes the unborn child as a recipient of certain civil rights. This bill will be causing an inconsistency between criminal and civil law. The bill also goes against the Embryo Protection Act which protects human life from conception, at its early stage.

  1. No political party, much less an individual member of parliament, has an electoral mandate to introduce abortion in Malta today.

The right of choice that abortion proponents claim every pregnant woman has, is not a fundamental right but simply an idea that absolutely contradicts the fundamental right to life. The only option that is set aside and crushed by this bill is that of the unborn baby, who, because he has no voice and is weak and vulnerable, is exposed to abuse. That is not a “choice” but a destruction of human life.

Life Network Foundation Malta makes a strong appeal to the leaders of our country against the decriminalization of abortion. An appeal to continue to protect life, to fight against all threats to human life, and a promise to continue to offer and increase our services so that pregnant women can find all help. We want to be there for mothers during and after pregnancy, as long as is necessary.

Life Network Foundation Malta calls on all deputies in the House of Representatives to remain loyal to their principles, and to the mandate given to them by the people, and to choose life and not death.

So far two statements have emerged from political parties. The PN statement is clear and against the decriminalization of abortion. The PL, while reiterating that it is pro-life and anti-abortion, has not made a statement against its decriminalization. We hope that in the coming days such statements will become clearer in the interest of the protection of babies in the womb.

Stqarrija-Appell favur il-ħajja u kontra id-dekriminalizazzjoni tal-abort

Appell favur il-ħajja u kontra id- dekriminalizazzjoni tal-abort

mill-Life Research Unit fi ħdan il-Fondazzjoni Life Network Malta

L-abbozz ta’ liġi ppreżentat mid-deputata Marlene Farrugia ma hu xejn ħlief tentattiv sabiex jigi introdott u pprattikat l-abort f’ Malta u b’hekk kull tqala tkun tista’ tigi mwaqqfa minn omm jew professjonist mediku, u t-tarbija f’gufha meqruda.

Il-Fondazzjoni Life Network Malta joggezzjona bil-qawwa kollha ghal dan l-abbozz li jipproponi dekriminilizazzjoni tal-abort ghal diversi ragunijiet:

  1. Il-liġi għandha dimensjoni simbolika. Dekriminalizazzjoni ta’ xi att  fiha nfisha tfisser dikjarazzjoni li dan l-att huwa permissibbli, u agħar min hekk huwa aċċettabli.

L-abort mhux att ta dan it-tip għaliex it-tarbija fil-ġuf titlef ħajjitha. Il-proposta li l-provvedimenti dwar l-abort jigu revokati jfisser li l-abort ma jibqax meqjus bhala reat kriminali. Storikament, il-ligi kriminali kontra l-abort, barra li dejjem kellha valur strumentali ta’ deterrent sabiex l-abort f’Malta ma jsehhx u sabiex kull min jaghmel dan ir-reat jew jghin sabiex dan ir-reat isir, jigi ikkundannat skont il-ligi (u ghalhekk issir gustizzja mat-tarbija li qatt ma inghatat l-opportunità li tghix), din il-ligi kienet u ghadha meqjusa bhala wahda simbolika ghaliex tirrifletti obbligu morali – dik tal-protezzjoni tal-hajja mhux imwielda.

  1. Id-dikriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort iwassal mhux biss li l-abort ma jibqax jitqies bhala reat kriminali imma li ma jkunx regolat u facilment iwassal ghal abbuz ghax isir permissibbli (a) f’kull stadju tat-tqala anki lejliet it-twelid u (b) f’kull cirkostanza. Apparti minn hekk, tobba u infermiera jkunu jistghu jeqirdu l-hajja ta’ tarbija mhux imwielda, qisu ma gara xejn u bil-libertà kollha, u dan meta sal-lum-il gurnata l-abort jitqies minn bosta professjonisti medici Maltin u barranin li jmur kontra l-principji tal-etika li fuqhom jimxu u li jorbtu lill-professjonisti medici fil-prattika taghhom. Aktar gravi minn hekk, l-abbozz jirrevoka wkoll il-provvediment li jikriminalizza l-abort ikkagunat minhabba negligenza medika jew b’nuqqas ta’ hila!

  1. Kull min twieled kien xi darba mnisssel f’guf ta’ omm. Dan id-don u privilegg  tal-hajja issa qed jigi propost li jigi mċahhad lil haddiehor. Kull tarbija mnissla fil-guf tkun tinsab fil-periklu li, meta jridu, il-genituri jew anki l-omm biss, jeqirduha. Hu sinifikanti li kull min jitkellem favur l-abort, twieled diga’ ghax ommu ma qerditux.

  1. Id-dritt fundamentali tal-hajja, sancit mill-Kostituzzjoni Maltija, ma jista’ qatt  jiddependi mir-rieda  tal-omm. Il-ligi Maltija tirrikonoxxi wkoll li t-tarbija fil-ġuf bhala recipjent ta’ certi drittijiet civili. Dan l-abbozz ser ikun qieghed jikkaguna inkonsistenza bejn il-ligi kriminali u dik civili. L-abbozz imur anke kontra l-Att dwar il-Protezzjoni tal-Embrijuni li jipproteġi l-ħajja umana sa mill-konċepiment, fl-istadju bikri tagħha.

  1. Ebda partit politiku, u wisq anqas membru parlamentari individwali, m’ghandu xi mandat elettorali sabiex jintroduci l-abort f’Malta illum.

Id-dritt tal-ghazla li l-proponenti tal-abort jippretendu li kull mara tqila ghandha m’huwiex dritt fundamentali izda sempliciment idea li tikkontradixxi b’mod assolut id-dritt fundamentali ghall-hajja. L-unika ghazla li titwarrab u tigi mghaffga b’dan l-abbozz hija dik tat-tarbija mhux imwielda, li ghax m’ghandhiex vuci u hija dghajfa u vulnerabbli, hija mikxufa ghal abbuz. Dik ma hix “ghazla” izda qerda ta’ hajja umana.

Il-Fondazzjoni Life Network Malta taghmel appell imqanqal lill-mexxejja ta pajjizna kontra d-dekriminalizazzjoni tal-abort. Appell sabiex inkomplu nipproteġu l-ħajja, nniġġieldu kontra kull thedida kontra l-ħajja umana, u weghda li nkomplu noffru u nżidu s-servizzi taghna sabiex nisa tqal isibu kull ghajnuna. Irridu  nkunu hemm ghall-ommijiet tul it-tqala u wara, sakemm ikun hemm il-bżonn.

Il-Fondazzjoni Life Network Malta jappella lid-deputati kollha fil-Kamra tad-Deputati sabiex jibqghu leali lejn il-principji taghhom, u lejn il-mandat li taghhom il-poplu, u jaghzlu l-ħajja u mhux il-mewt.

Sa issa ħarġu żewġ dikjarazzjonijiet mill-partiti politiċi. Id-dikjarazzjoni tal-PN hija ċara u kontra d-dekriminalizzazjoni tal-abort. Il-PL, filwaqt li jtenni li huwa favur il-ħajja u kontra l-abort, ma jaghmilx dikjarazzjoni kontra d-dekriminalizazzjoni tiegħu. Nittamaw li fil-jiem li ġejjin tali dikjarazzjonijiet joħorġu aktar ċari fl-interess tal-protezzjoni tat-trabi fil-ġuf.

 

L-Ewwel Night to Shine f’Malta

L-Ewwel Night to Shine f’Malta

L-ewwel Night to Shine f’Malta ser isir fit-13 ta’ Frar 2021. Il-programm virtwali se jinkludi diversi artisti li ser jingħaqdu f’messaġġ ta’ tama għal persuni li jgħixu b’diżabilita. It-trażmissjoni tista’ tkun segwita mid-dar tal-persuna kif ukoll mid-djar għal persuni b’diżabilita. It-tim ta’ voluntiera ser iqassam gift bags b’xejn fuq bażi first come, first served, lill-ewwel 150 persuna li jkunu rreġistraw sal-Ħamis, 11 ta’ Frar 2021 f’nofsinhar.

Night to Shine hija inizjattiva Kattolika/Kristjana li toriġina mill-Istati Uniti mmirata lejn persuni b’diżabilita. Hija bbażata fuq stil ta’ prom night u ssir kull sena għall-ħabta ta’ Jum San Valentinu. Fiha jieħdu sehem persuni b’diżabilita li għandhom diżabilitajiet varji, minn kull qasam tal-ħajja, sabiex jiċċelebraw ħajjithom.

 

Tim Tebow Foundation flimkien ma’ Life Network Foundation 

It-Tim Tebow Foundation hija mpenjata li taqdi u li tiċċelebra persuni b’diżabilita. Twaqqfet minn Tim Tebow, sportiv Amerikan, u timmira li żżid l-outreach tagħha permezz ta’ erba’ inizjattivi ewlenin, jiġifieri Night to Shine, Shine On, International Education and Resource Centres u International Special Needs Coalitions. Il-Fondazzjoni tqis li l-għan tagħha mhux sempliċiment kożmetiku iżda hija mpenjata li tipprovdi l-essenzjali u kura spiritwali għal tfal abbandunati u li m’għandhomx fejn jgħixu. Dan oltre li tipprovdi għal tfal bi bżonnijiet mediċi profondi. Il-Fondazzjoni hija wkoll impenjata tiġġieled kontra t-traffikar tal-bnedmin.

Is-Seba’ anniversarju ta’ Night To Shine

Night to Shine se jiċċelebra s-seba’ anniversarju tiegħu. Fl-2020, ipparteċipaw 721 knisja u 34 pajjiż li għal lejla waħda ngħaqdu biex issir in-Night to Shine għal madwar 110,000 mistieden onorat bl-appoġġ ta’ 215,000 voluntier. Għalkemm din is-sena se jsir virtwalment, aħna ħerqana li naqdu u niċċelebraw lil tant persuni uniċi.

Illum ngħixu f’soċjetà li tilqa’ d-diversità u toffri opportunitajiet lil kulħadd. Iżda għal dawk b’diżabilita, il-ħajja tista’ tkun pjuttost iebsa. Il-membri tal-familja għandhom bżonn l-appoġġ ukoll. Nisa tqal bi prenatal diagnosis negattiva jiffaċċjaw biża’ u għandhom bżonn l-għajnuna. Is-solidarjetà, il-komunikazzjoni u l-inkoraġġiment jistgħu jagħtu ftit aktar tama u jiffaċilitaw il-ħajja ta’ tant nies.

Night to Shine Malta 2021

Night to Shine Malta 2021

The first Night to Shine Malta 2021 is set for Saturday 13th February at 6.00pm. The local virtual programme will feature diverse performers coming together as well and includes messages of hope for people living with disability. The transmission can be followed from private residences as well as the various homes for disabled persons. Our team of volunteers will also deliver free gift bags, on a first come, first served basis, to the first 150 people who register for the online event until Thursday 11th February by noon.

Night to Shine is an American Catholic/Christian initiative for people with disability sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The event loosely styled around a ‘prom night’ format, is organized annually around the time of Valentine’s Day and in it people with various disabilities, stemming from all walks of life, are invited to come together to celebrate their lives.

Tim Tebow Foundation in collaboration with Life Network Foundation Malta 

The Tim Tebow Foundation is committed to serving and celebrating people with disability. Set up by American football player, Tim Tebow, the foundation is increasing its outreach via four key initiatives: Night to Shine, Shine On, International Education & Resource Centers, and International Special Needs Coalitions. The Foundation, far from being merely a window dressing event, is committed to providing life’s essentials as well as spiritual care for homeless and abandoned children around the world in addition to children with profound medical care needs. It is also working to fight against human trafficking in all its’ forms.

7th Edition of Night to Shine 

Night to Shine 2021 will, this year, celebrate its seventh anniversary! Last year’s event saw 721 churches across the USA and 34 countries from around the world come together on one night to host Night to Shine for approximately 110,000 honoured guests through the support of 215,000 volunteers! This year, although Night to Shine 2021 will be limited to a virtual experience due to COVID-19, we remain pleased and excited at the prospect of serving and celebrating with as many people with disabilities as possible in this new and unique way!

Today we live in a society that embraces diversity and offers opportunities to all. However, for the person living with disability, life can often be harsh and very lonely. Family members need support too. Pregnant women with a negative prenatal diagnosis face fear of the unknown and need support. Social communication, solidarity, and encouragement as well as hope can help to make the lives of all these individuals that little bit easier.

What Does It Mean to Be Pro-life?

What Does It Mean to Be Pro-life?

The definition of being pro-life, as stated by https://www.thefreedictionary.com/, is “advocating the legal protection of human embryos and foetuses, especially by favouring the outlawing of abortion on the ground that it is the taking of a human life.”

But being pro-life is so much more than that!

Being pro-life is not just about opposing abortion. It is also about being in favour of anything that protects and preserves life at all stages, from the moment of conception until natural death. It involves the promotion of life as being precious and cherished. It calls for the nurturing of life of all human beings, young and old, and providing sanctuary in practical ways to those who need it. It entails offering physical and emotional support to those who are suffering or infirm and safeguarding the life of those who are mentally unable to think for themselves.

Being pro-life means just that—for life!

There are many misconceptions about people who are pro-life in today’s society. When someone states that they are pro-life, others automatically assume that they are:

  • deeply religious and/or influenced by their belief in God
  • anti-science
  • opposed to women and their rights
  • unsympathetic towards victims of rape and incest
  • uncaring about women who find themselves facing an unwanted pregnancy
  • unwilling to help people who are suffering

These and other similar views are a very false reflection of who a pro-lifer really is.

A person who is pro-life can be an atheist or a believer. They can be Catholic, or Hindu, or following any other religion—or even no religion at all. The root of respecting life has nothing to do with theological beliefs or non-beliefs. It actually stems from the simple basic fact that every life is precious because it is alive.

And this remains true whether that life is in the womb or outside it; whether young or old; whether physically or mentally ill; whether sick or dying. There is obviously nothing wrong with being religious or believing in God. But it doesn’t automatically make a person pro-life. Loving and protecting life does!

Being in favour of life does not automatically exclude science from the equation either.

On the contrary, pro-lifers support and promote that which science continues to reveal—the main point being that life begins at conception, and therefore it deserves protection and respect from that very point onwards. The advances in science have also offered us an exclusive view of the baby inside the womb. There is also a better understanding of the side effects of birth control medication and the morning after pill on a woman’s body and her reproductive organs. And these may also be a detriment to the process of life at its early stages.

Furthermore, science continues to discover new ways of carrying out medical and routine procedures whilst safeguarding life at all times. New treatments and medications are constantly being identified to help those who are at the mercy of a terminal or debilitating disease. Therefore, science does play a very important part in the pro-life movement, especially when it is used to sustain and save life at all cost.

A pro-lifer seeks the safety and security of the life of every other person other than themselves.

This includes all men and women, whether inside the womb or out of it, at whatever age. Opposing abortion therefore does not mean that a pro-lifer is unaffected by the plight of the young girl or woman who is carrying an unwanted child, or that they do not care about the circumstances, such as rape and incest, that led to the pregnancy. It does not mean that the pro-lifer wants only to save the life of the baby, without thinking about its wellbeing after it is born. It does not entail ignoring the adults in the equation either, especially when abuse and violence is involved.

Opposing abortion means that both the lives of the woman and the unborn child are precious. In fact, many pro-life groups offer pregnancy support through crisis centres, counselling services, adoption agencies, fostering, and many other facilities that will aid the mother in practical and financial ways, as well as ensure the safety of the child.

The concept that abortion is perfectly safe for the mother is far from true.

Besides being in itself anything but a simple procedure, abortion leaves the woman with numerous physical, emotional, and psychological side effects that are largely dismissed. The truth is that women do die from abortion. They sometimes risk losing their fertility. They do end up in emergency rooms with massive complications from the procedure.

Additionally, the psychological harm often does not show up until years later. But then, as countless women testify, it often attacks with a vengeance. This is why pro-lifers support women who are dealing with unplanned pregnancies. This is the reason these women are presented with alternatives to termination—and offered counselling if they did opt for one.

This is why being pro-life means being in favour of women and their wellbeing.

As for the rights of the woman over her body, the pro-life movement accepts and respects the fact that she is entitled to them in full. However, once a baby is conceived, there is no longer one person but two, both of which have rights, the most basic being the right to live. The woman needs to take into consideration that the other person—the child in the womb—also deserves to have rights just as much as she does.

Even if the baby is conceived after rape, he or she is a victim just like its mother. That baby certainly does not deserve to pay for someone else’s crime with its own life. When the child is wanted, the mother is ready to fight for its life and for its rights, even when it’s still inside her womb. Why then should it be any different if the baby is unwanted? All of us, from the moment of conception, deserve a chance to live, to be born, to exist…to just be!

And what about the terminally ill, the infirm, and the disabled?

In all these cases, pro-life groups are more than willing to help promote improvements in palliative care and support for those who need it. Pro-lifers strongly oppose the deliberate ending of someone’s life. This is not because they do not care, but because euthanasia gives rise to a culture of death that makes life disposable.

It may be understandable that when a person is in great pain or is unable to look after even their basic needs on their own, they would want it all to end as soon as possible. In fact, a patient has every right to refuse medical treatment which will only serve to prolong their suffering.

But being deliberately helped to die by those who, by profession, should be saving lives is contradictory and anti-life.

And what about all the instances when euthanasia is used to solve depression? Or because something goes wrong in one’s life? Or even to take away the life of someone who is, or has become, disabled? The popular rhetoric is always “Why shouldn’t I do what I like with my own life?”

But this question completely ignores the fact that euthanasia cases represent a very small number of cases, compared to the hundreds of thousands of cherished people represented by disability groups worldwide, who are all in favour of protecting their vulnerable members.

Palmer Williams summed up the whole pro-life concept in the best possible way.

An Associate Counsel with the American Center for Law and Justice—which focuses on government affairs, sanctity of life, and international law—Williams stated:

“Above all, the pro-life movement is deeply rooted in the fundamental belief that all life, no matter how small or poor or unwanted, is worth protecting. 

Those of us who are pro-life fight for the inherent dignity within every human life, no matter what the age or stage of human development. Our advocacy does not end in the delivery room. In fact, that is only where it begins.

To be pro-life is to defend the unborn, the widows, the disabled, and the orphans, like organizations serving those with special needs or helping families adopt orphans. To be pro-life is to serve the least of these in communities next door and across oceans, like organizations who serve the homeless or refugees who have fled war zones. To be pro-life is to build institutions that promote the flourishing of all human beings.”

Source: http://aclj.org/pro-life/what-does-it-really-mean-to-be-pro-life

 

“Il-Qorti Ewropea qatt ma’ qalet li l-abort huwa dritt fundamentali tal-bniedem” – Giovanni Bonello

“Il-Qorti Ewropea qatt ma’ qalet li l-abort huwa dritt fundamentali tal-bniedem” – Giovanni Bonello

“Il-ħarsien tas-saltna tad-dritt, tal-governanza onestà, dawn huma bħal tazza sabiħa, li tista’ titkisser, tista’ ssir frakk bl-iċken nuqqas ta’ viġilanza”

Din hija silta minn dak li se jixxandar illum waqt il-programm PROFILI, hekk kif il-mistieden ta’ din il-ġimgħa se jkun l-imħallef Giovanni Bonello.

L-imħallef Giovanni Bonello se jkun  jirrakonta fuq meta kien ċkejken, kif leħaq avukat, u l-esperjenzi tiegħu fil-Qorti Maltija, u kif ukoll l-irwol bħala Imħallef fil-Qorti Ewropea. Il-mistoqsijiet se jgħinu mhux ftit biex insiru nafu aktar lill-protagonist.

Huwa fost l-oħrajn se jitratta ukoll numru ta’ temi, inkluż l-abort.

“Il-Qorti Ewropea tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem sal-lum qatt ma’ qalet li l-abort huwa dritt fundamentali”

L-intervista ta’ James Aaron Ellul flimkien ma’ Giovanni Bonello se tixxandar illejla fid-8.45pm fuq NET TV.

Ref: This is a www.netnews.com.mt opinion piece

Read Article – https://netnews.com.mt/2021/04/26/il-qorti-ewropea-qatt-ma-qalet-li-l-abort-huwa-dritt-fundamentali-tal-bniedem-giovanni-bonello/ 

Life Network Foundation Tells Brussels: ‘Maltese Values Are Not For Sale’ by lovinmalta.com

Lɪғᴇ Nᴇᴛᴡᴏʀᴋ Fᴏᴜɴᴅᴀᴛɪᴏɴ Tᴇʟʟs Bʀᴜssᴇʟs: ‘Mᴀʟᴛᴇsᴇ Vᴀʟᴜᴇs Aʀᴇ Nᴏᴛ Fᴏʀ Sᴀʟᴇ’ by lovinmalta.com

 
Local NGO Life Network Foundation has responded to comments made in Brussels that it is getting funding from extremist groups in the US, Russia and the European Union. Here is their reply in full:
 
Have you ever been placed in the media spotlight? Surprisingly Life Network Foundation featured in an article in Lovin Malta last week. Was it a commendation for our charitable work in providing emergency residency to women in need? Was it for our important and valued service to the women in crisis pregnancy by offering them emotional and financial support? The time and resources given freely by our trusted volunteers? The babies saved? Not quite.”
 
 
In an article focused on an EU Parliament committee meeting held in a far-away Brussels boardroom, Life Network Foundation – which supports the charitable women’s shelter Dar Tghanniqa ta’ Omm at Mosta – was implied to be peddling foreign interference. Nobody had asked Life Network a single question, or even invited us to contribute a comment before going to print.
 
On the other hand, the content of the article, meant to be focused on the situation in our own country, was inflated with quotes from foreign MEPs, and from English activists. Both such sources are completely detached from any form of Maltese reality.
Open Democracy, who is cited in the article as investigative journalists, are in fact a UK activist blog. Their donor list boasts a rich supply of ideological US billionaires, including the Rockefeller Brothers, the Ford Foundation, and the world-leading abortion lobby IPAS.
 
Indeed, only one lonely voice garnished Lovin Malta’s buffet of international opinion. “Doctors for Choice”, the BBC reported in January, represents around 60 people in our country. Yet they were asked to speak for us all, not “Doctors for Life”, their pro-life counterparts who have over 670 members! The cherry-picked opinion blatantly attempts to override national reality. Surely this is a bitter dishonesty hard for even the most ardent Maltese abortion-supporters to swallow.
 
It is also worth noting that the same sources who consider mainstream pro-life organisations to be “extremists” coincidentally, have themselves, a radical pro-abortion agenda to push. Labelling pro-life organisations as “extremists” is merely an attempt to discredit the position which they espouse.
 
Life Network Foundation Malta rejects vehemently any implication of financial assistance from the foreign organisations mentioned in the article published in the Lovin Malta article. On the contrary, we gratefully received a €130,000 grant from our own Maltese Government, over a three-year period, which helps in the running expenses of our maternity home and amounts to approximately €43,000 per year.
 
Like the absolute majority of our islands’ population, we think that abortion is not the best option for the mother and her preborn child. We think that Maltese women deserve better. This view resonates as an integral and widespread Maltese value. Quite unlike the views in the article attacking us.
 
Furthermore, in the small print, towards the end of the article, we learn that this particular “journalistic attack” on us is not wholly from Malta; it is, at least partly, paid for by funds from the European Parliament!
How can this be right? That Brussels is funding biased media articles designed to undermine and influence our national laws and values?
 

Printed words are cheap, but our values are priceless. Buyers beware: the Maltese people are not for sale.

 

Iceland Kills Almost 100% of Babies With Down Syndrome in Abortion, Denmark 98%, UK 90%, and U.S. 74%

Iceland Kills Almost 100% of Babies With Down Syndrome in Abortion, Denmark 98%, UK 90%, and U.S. 74%

A powerful video, The Hiring Chain, produced for 2021 World Down Syndrome Day (March 21), features a wonderful song that describes a life-affirming chain reaction kicked off when a baker hires a young woman with Down syndrome.

The Hiring Chain, written by the team at CoorDown, an Italian advocacy organization that promotes acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome, is performed by the world renowned rock star, Sting.

Employees with Down syndrome are shown in the video being hired, all as a consequence of the initial job offer from the Baker. We hear these lyrics, sung by Sting to a catchy tune:

The Baker hired Simone
And everybody saw
That she could do the job.
The Lawyer went to the Baker
And saw Simone at work.
The Lawyer hired John
Because the Baker hired Simone…

And so on, until it comes full circle.

This scenario is a perfect example of how vital it is for people with Down syndrome to be seen and encountered in our world. The more they are known, the more we benefit from their presence and the more we appreciate their unique gifts.  And the more they are known, the more they are accepted and the more they benefit from our understanding. You might call it the Circle of Acceptance.

But to be known, they must first be born!

Tragically, abortion takes the lives of thousands of unborn babies with Down syndrome each year.  A 2012 study estimates that about 74 percent of babies prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome in the U.S. are aborted.  In Europe, the abortion rate is even higher– 90 percent in the U.K., 98 percent in Denmark, and for all practical purposes 100 percent in Iceland. 

We must understand, however, that the positive chain reaction, unleashed by our increased exposure to individuals with Down syndrome, beautifully demonstrated in the CoorDown video, can be set off in the opposite direction when our exposure is decreased.

In other words, the fewer of us who know someone with Down syndrome, the fewer of us will be touched by their unique gifts, and the fewer of us who will understand and appreciate them. The fewer of us that understand and appreciate them, the worse off it will be for those who have Down syndrome.  In fact, this lack of understanding can, and has led to intolerance toward people with Down syndrome, lethally so when they are at their most vulnerable—in the womb.

Unfortunately, for a myriad of reasons, too many of us may harbor preconceived notions about Down syndrome.

Perhaps, it is because individuals with Down syndrome share common physical features that make their appearance a bit different than those of us who lack that extra 21st chromosome.  Or maybe because there is always some level of intellectual disability, we assume that it means they cannot understand or learn or perform a job.

But when we are fortunate enough to have someone with Down syndrome in our families, friend circles, and/or communities, prejudices and biases and stereotypes are challenged. We come to learn there is more to them than meets the eye.  We come to appreciate their oftentimes delightful humor, love of people, and ability to perform their jobs well.

Ask any parent of a child born with Down syndrome, and most will tell you that, yes, they initially experienced sadness and fear.  However, overwhelmingly, most of those parents will also tell you that their children transformed their sadness into joy and changed their lives for the better.

Emily, a family friend of ours beautifully expressed this reality some years ago when writing about our daughter in a school essay. “With Sadie, I learned first-hand that oftentimes disabled children have the sweetest souls.  It is impossible to explain exactly how I learned this. It is a type of knowledge that cannot be passed on by any amount of words, you must learn through experience to fully understand.”

Emily hit the nail on the head!

On CoorDown’s YouTube channel, they write, “By hiring someone with Down syndrome, you start a virtuous chain: the more that people with Down Syndrome are seen at work, the more they’ll be recognized as valuable employees, and the more they’ll be hired. Do your part, start the Hiring Chain today.”

Of course, and more importantly, the same could also be said for bringing a baby with Down syndrome into this world.  By one mother choosing Life for her baby, another will also choose Life.  And the more babies with Down syndrome born, the more we all benefit from their lives, and the more individuals with Down syndrome will benefit as well.  It is a win-win.  Start the Hiring Chain!

Do yourself a favor and watch the delightful The Hiring Chain video.

LifeNews Note: Eileen Haupt is the mother of a lovely 22-year-old daughter with Down syndrome and co-founder of Keep Infants with Down Syndrome (KIDS)

 

Ref: This is a www.lifenews.com opinion piece

https://www.lifenews.com/2021/03/29/iceland-kills-almost-100-of-babies-with-down-syndrome-in-abortion-denmark-98-uk-90-and-u-s-74 

Filmat: “Li ġejt addottata ma fiha xejn tal-mistħija; tatni ċans ieħor fil-ħajja”

Filmat: “Li ġejt addottata ma fiha xejn tal-mistħija; tatni ċans ieħor fil-ħajja”

Rasha Agius Bartoli hija żagħżugħa li bdiet tiġi ffosterjata minn familja meta kellha tliet snin, imbagħad, wara 10 snin tgħix magħhom, iddeċidew li jaddottawha. Hija tisħaq li l-fatt li ġiet addottata ma fih xejn tal-mistħija, anzi, lilha għenha, u taha ċans ieħor fil-ħajja.

Rasha rrakkuntat l-istorja tagħha dalgħodu fuq il-programm ta’ Prof. Andrew Azzopardi fuq 103 Malta’s Heart.

Tgħid li tiftakar kif ta’ tliet snin kienet għadha tgħix fi djar tat-tfal, meta darba ġiet koppja li bdiet toħroġha kull ġimgħa. Fil-ħarġiet magħhom, bdiet tara naħa ġdida tal-ħajja, saħansitra anke tip ta’ ikel li ma kinitx imdorrija bih, u affarijiet materjali oħra li ma kinitx esposta għalihom. Apparti minn hekk, bdiet tingħata wkoll attenzjoni individwali.

Meta kien isir il-ħin fi tmiem iż-żjara tagħha, kien ikollha ċerti emozzjonijiet li ma tiftakarhomx kompletament, iżda Rasha tistqarr li wriet ix-xewqa li tkun parti minn familthom.

B’hekk bdew jiffosterjawha, u damu 10 snin jiffosterjawha, sakemm il-familja ddeċidiet li Rasha għandha tkun addottata u ssir uffiċjalment parti mill-familja Agius. Hi kellha 13-il sena u turi apprezzament għall-mod kif il-ġenituri tagħha inkludewha fid-deċiżjoni. Tgħid li dan kien il-pass naturali li kien imiss, li hi riedet tkun parti mill-familja tagħhom b’mod uffiċjali.

“Ommi għamlet att minn qalbha meta tatni għall-addozzjoni”

Rasha tispjega li l-fostering ma joffrix sens ta’ stabbiltà u konsistenza. It-tfal li jkunu ffosterjati ħafna drabi jibżgħu li se jiġri xi ħaġa u jmorru lura għal kif kienu qabel. Min-naħa l-oħra, l-addozzjoni tagħtihom sens ta’ stabbiltà, ta’ familja. Tgħid li anke l-kunjom ġegħilha tħossha aktar parti mill-familja, parti minn grupp wieħed b’valuri simili. “Dik fissret ħafna għalija,” tqerr Rasha ma’ Prof. Azzopardi.

Prof. Azzopardi, li huwa wkoll id-Dekan tal-Fakultà għat-Tisħiħ tas-Soċjetà, staqsa lil Rasha jekk hi kinitx interessata fl-għeruq tagħha, li ssir taf lill-ġenituri oriġinali tagħha. Hija tgħid li għaliha kienet importanti ħafna li tkun taf minn fejn ġejja, għax tħoss li din hija parti integrali mill-identità tagħha. Fil-fehma tagħha, it-tfal għandhom dejjem ikunu jafu minn fejn ġejjin, imma hi tagħraf li dan mhux dejjem ikun possibbli.

Fil-każ tagħha, għandha relazzjoni tajba mal-omm naturali tagħha, u hi tifhem li ommha ma setgħetx iżżommha u tapprezza s-sagrifiċċju li għamlet li tat lil bintha għall-addozzjoni sabiex issib ħajja aħjar milli setgħet toffrilha hi, kif fil-fatt ġara. Tgħid li l-fatt li kellha relazzjoni tajba mal-omm naturali tagħha għenha, u sarraf f’aktar stabbiltà għaliha. Minkejja dan, xorta waħda kienet ta’ sfida għal Rasha, u tgħid li jrid ikun hemm stabbiltà sabiex, kemm jista’ jkun, ħadd ma jweġġa’ f’din is-sitwazzjoni diffiċli. Tistqarr li l-ġenituri addottivi tagħha ma setgħux imxew aħjar milli mxew magħha, għax kienu kompletament trasparenti.

“Ma naħsibhiex darbtejn biex naddotta ‘l quddiem”

Rasha ssejjaħ l-esperjenza addottiva waħda sabiħa, għaliex jogħġobha l-mod kif minn dinja hekk kbira, il-ġenituri tagħha u hi sabu lil xulxin u saru familja waħda. Skontha, m’hemmx bżonn ħabi u mistħija f’sitwazzjonijiet bħal dawn – “jien parti minn familja kif inhu kulħadd u aċċettajt il-passat tiegħi.”

Iż-żagħżugħa tant aċċettat il-passat tagħha, li hi u familtha qegħdin fil-proċess li jiżviluppaw għaqda mhux governattiva ffukata fuq l-addozzjoni, bl-isem New Beginnings Foundation. Hija spjegat waqt l-intervista li l-ħsieb warajha hu li jaħdmu ma’ persuni li għaddew minn esperjenzi differenti fil-ħajja, iqajmu l-kuxjenza bl-esperjenza tagħhom u jippruvaw jgħinu lil ħaddieħor, mhux biss fejn jidħlu fostering u addozzjoni.

Mistoqsija jekk ‘il quddiem tikkunsidrax li taddotta xi tifel jew tifla, Rasha lanqas taħsibha darbtejn. “Bla dubju ta’ xejn,” twieġeb, għaliex tgħid li llum, permezz tal-addozzjoni qed tgħix ħajja ta’ valur, ta’ tifsira u ta’ kwalità, u żgur li ma toqgħodx taħsibha biex toffri lil xi ħadd dak li ġie offrut lilha.

L-intervista sħiħa

 

 

Ref: This is a newsbook.com.mt opinion piece

Filmat: “Li ġejt addottata ma fiha xejn tal-mistħija; tatni ċans ieħor fil-ħajja”

Life Network Foundation worried about bill which may exclude ‘unborn children’, introduce euthanasia

Life Network Foundation worried about bill which may exclude ‘unborn children’, introduce euthanasia

Bill no. 198 currently tabled in parliament is “seriously preoccupying” as Government may change the meaning and substance of words like ‘person’ or ‘life’ in Article 33 of the Constitution and may exclude “unborn children” from the definition of ‘persons’, Life Network Foundation Malta said in a press release.

The Life Network Foundation describes itself as a life affirming organization, where they work to raise awareness on issues related to human life, marriage, and family based on a Catholic ethic of life.

The Bill in question states:

“Where any Act, whether passed before or after this Act, confers a power upon a public authority which exercises regulatory, supervisory, compliance, investigatory or enforcement functions to impose a civil penalty, an administrative fine or other civil or administrative pecuniary or non-pecuniary sanction or administrative measure, such a penalty, fine, sanction or measure may be interpreted as constituting a punishment of a criminal nature and the infringement in respect of which the said penalty, fine, sanction or measure may be imposed may be interpreted as substantively constituting a criminal offence subject to the following provisions of this article.”

The Life Research Unit, which is the Advisory Legal Unit within Life Network Foundation, voiced their concerns over such a bill.

“It is very worrying that this bill may go against and nullify sentences of the Constitutional Court which have established that in all the stages procedures which may lead to administrative fines amounting to thousands of Euros, citizens have the right to appear in a court of justice, rather than in front of a tribunal, officials or public corporations,” the statement read.

The foundation said that the proposed Interpretation Act, the legislator is “trying to change the meaning of the Constitution with a simple majority in Parliament instead of the required two thirds.”

This is a “highly disquieting precedent”, the Life Network Foundation said, as according to them, if such a proposal comes into effect, “a nasty precedent will have been created, whereby in the near or distant future any Government enjoying a majority of one may change the meaning and substance of words” such as ‘person’ and ‘life’.

The foundation also said that the Government “will allow the Equality Board in Bill No 97 (Equality) to inflict large administrative fines (20,000 Euros fine and penalties of 500 Euro daily) on organisations and/or institutions who are deemed guilty by lay persons nominated by government of ‘discrimination’.” They said that, as the Constitutional Court notes, only the Courts of Law can impose fines and penalties like these.

“The Constitution should remain the highest protection for the law in our country. It is very important for people to be aware that this precedent can constitute a threat to the Constitution. Therefore, we call upon all NGOs and others who are conversant with the law to express their concerns as well. We request the highest authorities in the land, including His Excellency the President of Malta to ensure that the Maltese Constitution is not undermined.”

This is www.independent.com.mt opinion piece

https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2021-03-25/local-news/Life-Network-Foundation-worried-about-bill-which-may-exclude-unborn-children-introduce-euthanasia-6736232063  

Photo sourced from https://unsplash.com/@tingeyinjurylawfirm