ACLU: Religious hospitals should be required to perform ‘emergency’ abortions
October 12, 2010
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The American Civil Liberties Union has asked the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services to require religious hospitals to offer “emergency” abortions.
Former Senator Rick Santorum’s recent Philadelphia Inquirer column on the issue draws wider attention to the ACLU’s action, which was taken this summer. Citing Bishop Thomas Olmsted’s opposition to a Phoenix Catholic hospital’s decision to permit an abortion, the ACLU said that “the government must ensure that the well-being of the patient does not take a back seat to religious beliefs.”
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Further information:
- Rick Santorum: A reckless liberal attack on nation's religious hospitals (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- ACLU Asks Government To Ensure That Religiously-Affiliated Hospitals Provide Emergency Reproductive Health Services (ACLU)
- Bishop Olmsted Statement in Response to Abortion Performed at St. Joseph's Hospital
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Oct. 12, 2010 10:32 PM ET USA
As a Catholic nurse, I clearly understand there are two lives at stake - both deserving the best care possible in any emergency situation. Why would the ACLU only concern itself with abortion and one of the lives?
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Posted by: wolfdavef3415 -
Oct. 12, 2010 12:21 PM ET USA
Amazing how civil liberties are only important to the Civil Liberties Union when they are furthering a secular humanist agenda. As far as I understand, truly religious beliefs have the care of the person's soul foremost. As such, how could they possibly take a backseat to what happens to the body?
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Posted by: -
Oct. 12, 2010 10:45 AM ET USA
Doesn't the unborn human qualify as a "patient" with rights to life-saving medical care? The only "religious belief" conflict here is that Catholic hospitals are fully aware that there are TWO lives involved, and they try to save BOTH. They don't give greater priority to either one - neither the adult nor the fetus. They are just trying to do what doctors SHOULD do, and are DUTY-BOUND to do: SAVE LIVES. ACLU wants Catholic doctors to do murder on their bidding!
