By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
The Dominican Republic’s church-inspired ban on all abortions has cost the life of a pregnant 16-year-old according to her mother, Rosa Hernandez. The teen, who suffered from leukemia, was unable to undergo life-saving chemotherapy until it was too late. The DR’s ban prevented a therapeutic abortion of the 13 week fetus as doctors were unwilling to make an exception.
A blood transfusion on Thursday was unsuccessful, and the postponed chemotherapy was likewise ineffective. The teen miscarried on Friday but died from complications including cardiac arrest.
“My daughter’s life is first. I know that (abortion) is a sin and that it goes against the law … but my daughter’s health is first,” Hernandez said. Not according to DR law which constitutionally provides that “the right to life is inviolable from the moment of conception and until death.” Dominican courts have interpreted this as a strict mandate against abortion.
Article 37 of the DR’s constitution, which also bans the death penalty, was heavily promoted by the Roman Catholic Church. The Church’s all-out war against abortion has taken root in heavily catholic Latin America, where 16 states in Mexico have recently adopted constitutional amendments declaring that life begins at conception. These follow the criminalization of abortion under all circumstances by Nicaragua in 2006, and El Salvador in 1998.
In 2009,the Dominican Gynecology and Obstetrics Society warned that enacting Article 37 would lead to more maternal deaths. The United Nations Program for Human Development coordinator Miguel Ceara Hatton said, “The Catholic Church influenced in everything. For following a dogma it has become a source and a motor for social exclusion in the Dominican Republic. The dogma is placed ahead of the needs of the population, health, housing and better living conditions.”
The needless death has precipitated a world-wide outcry against the ban, but Rosa Hernandez’ daughter is still dead in service to someone else’s principles.
Source: CNN
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Michelle I ditto mespo and add and if the pregnancy was a result of incest, thats okay by you too I imagine; since a 16 year old, below the age of consent, in most Us states (maybe all, I do not know) becomes pregnant as a result of statutory rape thats ok too. I also imagine from where you sit your judgement on her – how horrendous she got pregnant, this slut who decided to have sex, and if death was the result well heck, should never have had relations in the first place, even if forced upon her is fine. I would venture a guess however if it was you or your child (but you don’t seem to understand the concept of empathy or apparently have it) you would not find it so okay.
Michelle Myers Shirley;
I’m putting your lovely, heartland, compassionate Christian countenance right next to the word “sanctimonious” in my dictionary. You have a keen grasp of what others should do — even 16-year-olds in other countries. I’m glad in your world only the sinful make mistakes and that they must pay for it with their lives since they “put themselves in that position.” I’m also amazed at your firm confidence that you would never do something regardless of circumstances.
Let’s play your game: You’re a single parent with three kids under age 10 and no support group around. You’ve been gang raped as you came home from the store one day, impregnated, and your obstetrician tells you that the rape was so traumatic that if you go full term you have an 80% chance of death from hemorrhage even with a Caesarian. If you die, your three other kids become orphans and thus wards of the state and dispersed to foster homes. Since you live in one of those god-fearing Midwestern states you know welfare in the form of payments to foster care parents is a pittance and your kids will likely suffer.
Still sure about what you would do there sainted one?
Only the fool and fanatic are certain!
sorry to interrupt here but all of this is bs.. some of you know others may just be learning but the 1% are hell bent on DEPOPULATION so abortions are the best thing going for them. its all a smoke screen. in this case they got rid of 2 at one time. the fetus and its mother..
it sounds harsh but so is depopulation using medicines, legal killings by the corportation formerly known as the government and especially law enforcement
if you knew abortion was illegal and having sex can cause pregnancy which would hinder treatment why did she put herself in that position by having sex in the first place…..I would die before i ever abort a child even if it mean that i might die even if raped….no way never….If you don’t want to get pregnant don’t have sex its that simple don’t complicate it with excuse or “things happen” truth is so much simpler its people that are difficult
Jim BettyKath got there before me. listen to the click you posted, he mentioned teachers,, American system, as well as roads, etc. but you need to keep your blinders on. You are like Romney and Ryan for sure, they hold onto their lies, distortions, exaggerations, removal of context because they have nothing else.
“”The girls in our class on evolutional biology were very gladdened by the news that some species of birds can eject the semen package if they wish after coitus. The next mutation to be hoped for????””
Idealist, if you believe a certain Republican senate hopeful from Missouri, women already have this ability.
In cases of rape, the candidate (I did not catch his name) said that, nearly verbatim, in cases of rape or non-consensual sex women’s bodies have the ability to go ahead and shut down those pregnancies before they happen.
Evolution at work!
Kraaken,
said:
“The kind of god that Jim apparently believes in is anathema to any rational being. But then, how could ANY rational being swallow such tripe?”
That may be rhetorical but inspired me to a (holy?) realization:
These people never got “right” with Jesus. Their carrying of their sins burden them so that they need other “worse” sinners to plague in order to ease their pains.
This devil uses their words, having rejecting them at 10 years of age, and falling for Jesus at 25 years.
Been there, done that.
Say hello to them from me. Satan, we know thy face.
I can create my own Bible phrases. Inspired by???
Jim,
The Bible (OT) is not 3,000 years old. It was first written down in about 400 BC.
The results of an Israel king who needed support for fooling his folks to follow him into war. So the priests discovered “ancient documents” in the temple proving his assertions. Or so I have read from a book written by two Israeli scientists, one a historian, if you can call that a science. Another example of priestly cooperation with secular power, and their lack of integrity.
The proof of a round earth was done by a greek in about 400 BC. Which I have commented and declared before.
And do you think God needs your feeble voice to defend his sacred words? Such hubris or stupidity, take your pick. Where are your priestly garments. Your halo for the day. Which style now, oh priest?
No, you use superstition to defend your hatred of women.
Jim,
SAID:
“Show me one place in the Bible where a baby was aborted.”
Well, the NT says God goes around inseminating virgins. So what happened to all the other babies which were not delivered in his name? Did you and your ilk forbid those abortions?
Nah, women had rights in those days. We did not have a Congress then.
Word Press is a lousy system.
I asked it what’s new. It delivers Betty Kath’s comment to Jim. NO MORE than that. NO OTHER COMMENTS.
I comment. See above.
My comment is shown and the info is updated.
Roll up as my comments block me under the considerable time it takes me to comment to see if any posts have come in.
I find MANY comments (35?) that were WITHHELD and not displayed after my request for an update. All posted after BettyKath’s and prior to mine.
This is about the tenth time this has happened to me.
Guess it is best not to complain. Each attempt at betterment results in a screwier system with these debuggers..
Jim and his adherents (secret ones here),
What BettyKath said.
PLUS
Twentyfive percent of all successfully implanted foeti end as miscarriages. Whom should we accuse for those spontaneous abortions?
How about the egg who says: “Nah, none of you guys will get to do me.”
Women can produce many children, just not the one they don’t want to have.
The girls in our class on evolutional biology were very gladdened by the news that some species of birds can eject the semen package if they wish after coitus. The next mutation to be hoped for????
Do I need to go on???
Jim 1, August 18, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Leejcaroll
….youtube.com/watch?v=YKjPI6no5ng
Listen carefully, He said if you have a business, you didn’t build that somebody else made that happen.
——————-
You need to listen carefully. You’ve taken one phrase out of context. He gave several examples of things that helped the successful business person – a teacher, a bridge, a road, etc. The successful business person did NOT build the bridge or the road or any number of other things that the business person uses in order to be successful. His error was in using a pronoun when he need to use a noun so people like you wouldn’t be able to take it out of context.
To give credit: you at least posted the video that gave context and not an edited version.
Otteray Scribe: “… Then after birth, people like Paul Ryan and his teabagger supporters have no interest in helping that child have good health or a good education.”
_______
Pat Robertson agrees with you. I somehow feel he has the same attitude about American children.
Malisha, you are living proof that all of the degrees in the world don’t impart either knowledge or wisdom. You stated that you have no degrees (but you DO remember the War of 1812!), but as far as knowledge and wisdom, you put to shame those who DO.
Jim, sorry, but anyone who would deny human sexuality in this modern age is a zealot who is so out of touch with human reality that any ideas they have should be dismissed out of hand. Yes, everyone should just be celibate- just like the Catholic Priests!
And we all know how that story turns out… They start abusing little boys and orphans for sexual gratification.
The result of this totalitarian denial and repression of human sexuality is always perversion.