To Whom it May Concern:
The world we want has an enhanced regard for the natural family. To lower the rate of child mortality and raise the quality of maternal health, we wish to see more emphasis on basic health care. We would like stronger and more numerous post-birth services, especially economic support, so that no woman feels compelled by her poverty or financial situation to have an abortion or be sterilized against her will.
We also oppose eugenic abortion. We do not think children with disabilties should be targeted for destruction simply because they do not fit someone else's definition of perfection. We also want a world where sex-selected abortion is prohibited by law. We want pressure applied to countries who allow sex-selected abortion. We want language introduced into treaties which would include severe punishments for any public official, doctor, or other individual who performs a sex-selected abortion. Such behavior is the most eggregious assault against the prenatal girl-child, who are the major targets of sex-selected abortion.
In light of the demographic implosion of the population of many nations, we want those who desire an abortion to pay a special tax.
In the world we want, every child knows the identity of his or her biological parents. To this end, we would like to see laws which prohibit annonymous sperm donation. The world we want excludes, by force of law, the solicitation and exploitation of women by the commercial use of their oocyte for stem line therapy.
We want laws and public policy on marriage to reflect the best interests of the child, not the individual preferences of the parents. "Research clearly demonstrates that family structure matters for children, and the family structure that helps children the most is a family headed by two biological parents in a low-conflict marriage" (Kristin Anderson Moore, Susan M. Jekielek, and Carol Emig, 2002. "Marriage From a Child's Perpsective: How Does Family Structure Affect Children, and What Can Be Done About it?" Research Brief, June 2002. Washington, DC: Child Trends, p. 6). Also, in the best interests of children, we would like to see divorce laws modified so as to allow a period of time between the finalization of divorce and a proposed remarriage. We want biological parents to have a better opportunity for reconciliation. We would like to see the ethical guidelines for family law practitioners to be enhanced, requiring lawyers to more strongly attempt a reconciliation of their clients who are contemplating divorce.
Respectfully submitted,
Eugene Renzelli
Monica Krason
Francesca Clements
Maura Ames
Elias Hage
Paul Jeschke
On behalf of the St. Thomas More Society, Franciscan University of Steubenville
