But when it came to mounting a defense in the Stodghill case, Catholic Health’s lawyers effectively turned the Church directives on their head. Catholic organizations have for decades fought to change federal and state laws that fail to protect “unborn persons,” and Catholic Health’s lawyers in this case had the chance to set precedent bolstering anti-abortion legal arguments. Instead, they are arguing state law protects doctors from liability concerning unborn fetuses on grounds that those fetuses are not persons with legal rights.
As Jason Langley, an attorney with Denver-based Kennedy Childs, argued in one of the briefs he filed for the defense, the court “should not overturn the long-standing rule in Colorado that the term ‘person,’ as is used in the Wrongful Death Act, encompasses only individuals born alive. Colorado state courts define ‘person’ under the Act to include only those born alive. Therefore Plaintiffs cannot maintain wrongful death claims based on two unborn fetuses.”
via Catholic Hospital Argues Fetuses Are Not People In Malpractice Suit.
Come again?
So, as far as abortions are concerned, it’s murder of a living person – but when a hospital affiliated with your faith is sued for possible, alleged malpractice, then all of a sudden, it’s just a fetus.
I’m sorry but don’t be preachy just to push your morality on people – and secular, civic law – but then turn around and do the opposite the moment it becomes inconvenient to follow that morality. It robs you and your policy regarding the whole abortion and definition of personhood debate of any credibility.
Practice what you preach or get off the pulpit.
Looking forward, might this force Catholic Health Initiatives and its hospitals to review its policies regarding things like abortions and birth control? After all, it seems to now support seeing personhood as beginning at birth, and not at conception or any point in the fetal stages.
And I wonder what the Catholic Church or its spokespeople will say about this.
