Signature Ad           In keeping with our long-standing practice of spreading the word about the consistent life ethic with ads that give our Mission Statement and contact info, along with a list of endorsers or member groups, depending on the audience, we’re preparing an ad for the Philadelphia Inquirer at the time of the visit of Pope Francis. The space is reserved for Monday, September 28. This time we’ll use as many member groups as agree to have their names listed.         We are asking member groups who can to contribute $50 toward the cost of the ad. For questions and details, contact CL Advisory Board member Mary Rider.       ^^^^^^^   Comment: Preventing Pregnancies from Rape           All of our issues of violence have brilliant solutions if only people would follow them. Without belligerent conflicts, there would be no war. Executions could stop forthwith if people wouldn’t commit criminal homicide. Now, one US presidential candidate when asked about abortion availability to those impregnated by rape has suggested women should go to the emergency room immediately after a rape and get medication that would keep them from becoming pregnant.         All of these examples involve total elimination of the precipitating problem, and unfortunately, they may all be fantasies.  In reality, we need to have nonviolent alternatives available, and not merely count entirely on these nearly impossible preventive methods.          However, in the case of pregnancies resulting from rape, if the fantasy of total prevention is to be employed, this candidate put it in the wrong spot. The ideal “total prevention” solution is that men should stop entirely ever committing any rape.    ^^^^^^^   Good News: U.S. Judges Not Overriding Laws against Euthanasia           While the bad news is that legislative bills for assisted suicide are still be worked on in various states (especially California), several judges are turning down requests to make a “right” out of assisted suicide (in the New Mexico Court of Appeals, San Diego Superior Court, Tennessee and New York).         Judge Ernest Goldsmith in San Francisco made the connection between euthanasia and poverty, repeatedly expressing the concern that the poor would choose to die because of a feeling they couldn’t afford their care.         The connection of euthanasia to lethal discrimination against those with disabilities has been a long-running theme. From a friend-of-the-court brief of Not Dead Yet and several other disability-rights groups: “The wish to die is based on the nondisabled view that the primary problem for disabled people is the permanent disability . . . Medical professionals, jurists and the public consistently ignore underlying treatable depression, lack of health care or other supports, and exhaustion from confronting systemic discrimination.”           They also point out that “no system of safeguards can control conduct which results in the death of the primary witness.”   ^^^^^^^   Reminder: Campaign Nonviolence Week of Actions, September 20-27           We’re an endorser of Campaign Nonviolence, and we encourage everyone to look at their list of actions to promote nonviolence and participate in your local one.   ^^^^^^^   Latest CL Blog – The Myth of Sexual Autonomy           We’ve posted an updated classic piece by Julianne Wiley, founder of Prolifers for Survival, which was the forerunner of Consistent Life.  She debunks the idea that “sexual autonomy” is a good argument for the “need” for abortion.     ^^^^^^^   Quotation of the Week Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel           This defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. Once this conviction disappears, so do solid and lasting foundations for the defense of human rights, which would always be subject to the passing whims of the powers that be.

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