LE, għad-dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort – Doris Zammit

LE, għad-dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort – Doris Zammit

“Nazzjon li joqtol lil uliedu stess huwa nazzjon mingħajr tama”, John Paul II

Jidher li f’Malta l-mentalità ta’ xejn mhu xejn, daħlet sew. Il-ħażin sar tajjeb. Dak li kien ħażin snin ilu, issa sar tajjeb, għax ħafna jgħidu li evolvejna, li x-xjenza evolviet u aħna magħha. Id-dinja nbiddlet. Tabilħaqq id-dinja nbiddlet. Imma tgħid għat-tajjeb? Ma nafx jien jekk hux għat-tajjeb għallanqas fi ftit affarijiet!! Dak li konna naħsbu li hu ħażin 50 sena ilu, issa b’xi mod indawru ‘l hemm u ndawru ‘l hawn, skużi minn hemm u skużi minn hawn, ġibna kollox fejn ridna. Il-kuxjenza sikkitniha biex ma titkellimx, ħalli ma twiddibniex, u għalhekk nistgħu nagħmlu li rridu. 

U b’dan niġi għas-suġġett li xtaqt niddiskuti magħkom illum, anzi biex inkun għidt kollox, nagħti l-opinjoni umli tiegħi, forsi għal min jafni  jista’ jgħid wara li jaqra dak li għandi xi ngħid , li jien ma evolvejtx għax dak li kien ħażin 50 sena ilu llum jien għadni ngħidlu ħażin.

Intant diskussjonijiet pubbliċi dwar l-abort huma dejjem diffiċli. Sintendi dawn ikunu affettwati minn stigma, twemmin reliġjuż, u konvinzjonijiet morali profondi.

Id-diskussjoni dwar l-abort reġgħet qamet dan l-aħħar ġranet wara li l-Onor. Marlene Farrugia, għoġobha tressaq fil-parlament abbozz ta’ liġi intiz biex jipprovdi għal dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort.

Jien nemmen dak li tikkonferma wkoll ix-xjenza, jiġifieri, bħal ma jemmnu eluf oħra bħali bl-aktar mod assolut li l-ħajja tibda sa mill-konċepiment. Għalhekk jien ma nistax inkun  favur id-dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort. Inħoss anzi nemmen b’saħħti kollha li din il-liġi jekk tiġi fis-seħħ tkun qed tagħti lok biex jidħol l-abort pulit, pulit, għax nibdew inġibu kull skuża taħt il-kappa tax-xemx biex intemmu t-tqala għaliex bid-dekriminalizzazzjoni l-abort ma jibqax jitqies bħala reat kriminali anzi la jkun permissibbli jista’ jwassal għal abbuż.

Irridu nitilqu mill-premessa li l-iżvilupp tat-tqala jibda mill-fertilizzazzjoni fejn fil-fatt jibda l-iżvilupp tal-bniedem uman. Jibda u jkompli bħala embrijun jiġifieri sa tmiem l-għaxar/tnax-il ġimgħa fejn l-embrijun ikun ħa l-forma bażika tiegħu u aħna nirreferu għalih bħala fetu sa ma jitwieled.

Intom qatt smajtu li xi mara li abortiet marret il-ħabs? Żgur li mhux f’dawn l-aħħar 40 sena. Billi hemm il-liġi ma jfissirx li qed nitfgħu n-nies il-ħabs. Il-liġi  tipproteġi t-tarbija fil-ġuf. Però nemmen li jekk din il-liġi titneħħa jkollna liġi tal-ġungla għax kulħadd jagħmel li jrid, aktar milli qed jagħmel bħalissa. 

Id-definizzjoni ta’ abort hija t-tmiem intenzjonat ta’ tqala, li tirriżulta fil-mewt tat-tarbija fil-ġuf. L-abort itemm ħajja u li xi ħadd b’kapriċċ itemm il-ħajja ta’ xi ħadd ieħor b’għażla mhux ġustizzja. Issib min jargumenta li l-fetu mhux tarbija u mhux ħaj qabel ma jitwieled, imma skont il-bioloġija l-ħajja hija kontinwa u tibda mal-fertiliżazzjoni.

Aħna x’aħna ilkoll nafu li jekk toqtol bniedem mhux sewwa, allura għaliex nipproponu l-qtil premeditat ta’ tarbija innoċenti? Hekk sew li rridu nġibu lil pajjiżna jemmen li jekk toqtol bniedem huwa tajjeb? Jew li tużah kif trid u wara tarmih.?

Anke l-Eċċ. Tiegħu l-President ta’ Malta, Dr George Vella stqarr b’mod ċar li “ lest nirriżenja jekk f’pajjiżna tidħol liġi li tħalli l-abort isir.” U  “m’hemmx nofs mewt u jekk ħa toqtol, toqtol u jekk ma toqtolx ma toqtolx.”

Il-qtil ta’ tarbija innoċenti huwa mingħajr ebda eċċezzjoni, att kriminali, aktar u aktar meta dan ma jistax jiddefendi ruħu. U allura aktar tagħmlu gravi. U kemm huwa akbar il-fatt li tkun qed toqtlu l-omm li fil-bidu kienet tagħtu l-ħajja. M’hemmx x’niddiskutu, dan huwa att mill-aktar makabru mill-bidu sal-aħħar.  M’hemmx imma u jew…. Irridu niftakru li t-twelid ta’ tarbija mhux dritt li jingħata lil kulħadd imma huwa biss rigal minn Alla. U hekk għandu jibqa’ u mhux nagħtuh forma kif irridu aħna. 

Ma nistax ma nepatizzax ma’ dawk in-nisa li jew jinqabdu bi tqala mhux mixtieqa jew mhux mistennija. Hija sitwazzjoni diffiċli. Jiena favur li jittieħdu l-miżuri kollha meħtieġa ta’ sapport lil dawn in-nisa, mingħajr ma tkun ipperikolata l-ħajja tat-tarbija kemm qabel u wara t-twelid.

Huwa tajjeb li qabel ma titwieled noqtlu ħajja bl-abort, sew bil-pinnoli li jabortu lit-tarbija, jew modi oħra?

Ejjew nidħlu fiż-żarbun tat-tarbija, kieku dik it-tarbija kont jien, kont inkun irrid li joqtluni qabel nitwieled?

Naqbel mija fil-mija ma’ Life Network meta jgħidu li “Id-dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort ifisser li minn dak il-ħin inkunu qed ngħidu li l-abort mhux xi ħaġa ħażina. Id-dekriminalizzazzjoni iġib l-abort f’Malta. Ċara daqs il-kristall. Id-dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort iwassal mhux biss li l-abort ma jibqax jitqies bħala reat kriminali imma li ma jkunx regolat u faċilment iwassal għal abbuż għax isir permissibbli

(a) f’kull stadju tat-tqala anki lejlet it-twelid u

(b) f’kull ċirkostanza.

Apparti minn hekk, tobba u infermiera jkunu jistgħu jeqirdu l-ħajja ta’ tarbija mhux imwielda, qisu ma ġara xejn u bil-libertà kollha, u dan meta sal-lum il-ġurnata l-abort jitqies minn bosta professjonisti mediċi Maltin u barranin li jmur kontra l-prinċipji tal-etika li fuqhom jimxu u li jorbtu lill-professjonisti mediċi fil-prattika tagħhom. Aktar gravi minn hekk, l-abbozz jirrevoka wkoll il-provvediment li jikriminalizza l-abort ikkaġunat minħabba negliġenza medika jew b’nuqqas ta’ ħila!”

Nagħlaq billi nikkwota lill-Qaddisa Madre Teresa “L-Abort joqtol darbtejn. Joqtol ġisem it-tarbija u joqtol il-kuxjenza tal-omm.”  

Le, għad-dekriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort.

 

A Mandate to Deceive – Charlene Giordmaina

A Mandate to Deceive – Charlene Giordmaina

Let us say a general election has just been announced and you are weighing your options as to which political party, or parties, you will be voting for when you cast your vote on election day. On what basis are you going to decide your vote? One element, amongst others, which should always play an important part when making such a decision would be to analyse what the respective political parties are promising to the electorate. Such promises come in the form of an electoral manifesto.

The late British Labour politician and former Cabinet Minister Peter Shore once described electoral manifestos as “a party’s contract with the electorate”, and that is what a manifesto is all about; it is about a political party entering into a contract with the electorate that, should it be elected to government, it will adhere to and ensure the implementation of those specific promises. An electoral manifesto is not just a piece of paper to make the political party look attractive and appealing to the electorate, it is much more than that. Irrespective of whether the majority of the electorate bases its vote on that manifesto or not, the party elected to government must ensure that it implements the promises made in that manifesto, nothing more, nothing less.

The rationale behind the political manifesto submitted to the public prior to a general election is clear – each respective political party officially declares what its agenda and priority areas in a number of fields shall be, should that political party be elected to government. Prior to the 2017 General Election, both parties presented their respective electoral manifesto. Let’s take the Labour Party’s electoral manifesto – LGBTIQ rights, decriminalisation of cannabis and prostitution, as well as the introduction of cremation were mentioned black on white under the civil rights section. One has every right to disagree with these proposals, but one of course cannot say that these proposals did not form part of the Labour Government’s agenda. The same can be said for the Nationalist Party.

One topic, however, which both the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party electoral manifesto failed to address is abortion. So how can we say that the government, or the opposition, and much less so, an individual member of Parliament, has an electoral mandate to introduce abortion in Malta when this is not what the public voted for? To make matters worse, the decriminalisation of abortion bill was presented in Parliament by a member of parliament that first was elected to Parliament as part of a political coalition between PN and the short-lived PD, and then later resigned to become an independent MP. This goes against the principle of good governance.

In addition, abortion was not just on any electoral manifesto, but up till a very few weeks prior to the 2017 general election, both the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party were insisting that abortion was not on the agenda.

In fact, in the first of a series of political debates organised by the Broadcasting Authority during the 2017 electoral campaign, Forza Nazzjonali, which was being represented by amongst others Dr. Marlene Farrugia herself as leader of PD, declared that it is categorically against abortion, because the parties (i.e. the parties constituting Forza Nazzjonali, these being the Nationalist Party and the Democratic Party led by Marlene Farrugia) believed in the sanctity of life. Having bound herself by this electoral pledge Dr. Marlene Farrugia would be shortchanging the very essence of being truthful to your electorate and outrightly violating any sense of political decency and honesty with the electorate. Dr Farrugia cannot decide to change track simply because it now suits her political agenda to do so.

The very least an electorate can expect from the political parties and representatives it elects to Parliament is transparency and clarity as to what their political agenda is. Promising one thing because at the time it might not be so popular to promise otherwise, and then doing the exact opposite a few years down the line during the same legislature just because you might feel that that topic is now more popular, or just because you are attempting to salvage your political future, is unfounded. This clearly shows that no political party, much less so an individual MP, has an electoral mandate to introduce abortion in Malta at present.

Matic Slaughter of Human Rights

Matic Slaughter of Human Rights

The Matic report was yesterday endorsed with 378 votes in favour, 255 against and 42 abstentions. The Maltese MEP vote was as follows: Alex Agius Saliba, David Casa and Roberta Metsola voted against, Cyrus Engerer voted in favour, and Josianne Cutajar and Alfred Sant abstained.

 The Life Network Foundation, Doctors for Life, The Malta Chamber of Pharmacists, Malta Unborn Child Platform and various other had alerted the Maltese Members of the European Parliament as well as Maltese members of Parliament and/or issued press statements criticizing this report and urging them to defend the rights of conscientious objection of professionals to abortion and to defend the principle of subsidiarity and reject the Matic report.

The Matic report is a radical proposal framed in women’s rights language that seeks to undermine fundamental freedoms in many European countries today. It makes a frontal attack on the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of conscience, the right to freedom of religion, the right of parents as primary educators of their children, and, above all, the right to life for all people.

It recommends state-funding for abortion as well as an end to the possibility for medical staff to resort to conscientious objection concerning the termination of pregnancies.

It requests that in member states sex education be made compulsory in primary schools, following the guidelines of the WHO, which might not be acceptable to many parents.

This is an alarming threat to freedom of expression. It also breaches the principle of subsidiarity whereby decisions are taken by the individual states. The sensitive topic of abortion should be discussed by the Maltese people and decided at a national level, and not imposed by some EU agenda. It should be emphasised that the Malta Protocol was included in the Treaty of Accession  so that  matters relating to  abortion would always be decided by the Maltese people and no one else.

The endorsement of this report strengthens our resolve to work further in promoting the real issues setting women back in society, to increase our support to pregnant women and to educate to save lives.

The results of prolife work are visible and can be counted. They are women empowered, women restored, and newborn babies; new lives that give hope to a Europe facing a demographic winter.

Press Release by Life Network Foundation Malta

Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash

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.