amnesty international defends access to abortion for women at risk...

what i support or believe personally is not the same as what an organization that i believe in and support officially stands for is not the same thing simply because i'm a member of that organization...i am what is referred to as a "pro-choice" individual but amnesty international can not be construed as being "that"...members of the catholic church hierarchy should be able to understand and appreciate that ethical construct and most of those whom i call friend do so...

cardinal renato martino apparently does not...

amnesty international thursday a week ago firmly stood by the rights of women and girls to be free from threat, force or coercion as they exercise their sexual and reproductive rights....and will continue to do so...

responding to a statement from the vatican, amnesty international contradicted the claim of cardinal renato martino, head of the pontifical council for justice and peace, that vatican funding for amnesty international would cease...but get this - martino is engaging in a form of vacuous extorsion...according to kate gilmore, executive deputy secretary general of amnesty international,

"We have not accepted funds from the Vatican and do not accept funds from any other state in support of our work against human rights violations."

millions of people around the world of many faiths and creeds donate to amnesty international as individuals...among them are welcome donations from members of the catholic faith...said gilmore,

"we hope that amnesty international's work against torture, against the death penalty and for the proper administration of justice including for women and girls will continue to draw active support from people of conviction the world over."

and so now defending the right of women to sexual and reproductive integrity in the face of grave human rights violations, amnesty international recently incorporated a focus on selected aspects of abortion into its broader policy on sexual and reproductive rights...these additions do not promote abortion as a universal right and amnesty international remains silent on the rights and wrongs of abortion...


read that carefully...if you're interested in getting this clear...if facts or reality factor into your thinking about the real world...as kate gilmore clarified,

"Amnesty International’s position is not for abortion as a right but for women’s human rights to be free of fear, threat and coercion as they manage all consequences of rape and other grave human rights violations."

anyhoo, wednesday a week ago cardinal martino, through an interview, encouraged catholics to withdraw support for amnesty international, claimed that amnesty international is "promoting abortion rights"...

now must i play liar-lair pants on fire with a cardinal???

amnesty international's actual policy, however, standing alongside its long-standing opposition to forced abortion, is to support the decriminalisation of abortion, to ensure women have access to health care when complications arise from abortion and to defend women's access to abortion, within reasonable gestational limits, when their health or human rights are in danger...again gilmore explains,

"Amnesty International stands alongside the victims and survivors of human rights violations. Our policy reflects our obligation of solidarity as a human rights movement with, for example, the rape survivor in Darfur who, because she is left pregnant as a result of the enemy, is further ostracised by her community."

"We are a movement to protect citizens including the believer but we do not impose beliefs. Ours is a movement dedicated to upholding human rights, not specific theologies. Our purpose invokes the law and the state, not God. It means that sometimes the secular framework of human rights that Amnesty International upholds will converge neatly with the standpoints of certain faith based communities; sometimes it will not."

amnesty international encouraged the catholic church not to turn away from the suffering that women face because of sexual violence and urged the catholic leadership to advocate tolerance and respect to freedom of expression for all human rights defenders, including amnesty international, just as amnesty international will continue to defend the freedom of religion...

so cardinal martino and friends - get the facts straight first - for further information : to stop violence against women respect for women's human rights is essential

peace out <3