Catholic video targets Spitzer bill

A video produced under Catholic auspices that aims to thwart Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposed Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act is now available at www.youtube.com.

The bill would eliminate even modest controls on legal abortion, and possibly force physicians and hospitals -- including Catholic hospitals -- to perform abortions, said Kathleen Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the New York State Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state's Catholic bishops.

In addition, the bill could potentially be used to force employers and health insurance plans to pay for abortion, she said. (An article about the bill appeared in the Jan. 24 issue of The Evangelist; go to www.evangelist.org and search for "Gallagher.")

Two versions

The video was produced by the Catholic Conference, the Respect Life Office of the Rockville Centre Diocese on Long Island and that diocese's television station, Telecare.

Mrs. Gallagher, who lives in the Albany Diocese, said the DVD version of the video is 14 minutes long. The YouTube version is about 10 minutes.

"We hope to get this DVD to every parish in all eight of the dioceses in New York state," she said, recommending that it be shown "to social justice committees, respect life committees and anyone willing to learn about the bill."

Catholic voters are being urged to make their opposition known to their elected officials, especially in the state Senate, to stop "this insidious bill," she said.

Abortion 'right'

Spitzer's bill would make abortion "a fundamental right, like the right to free speech or the right to vote," Mrs. Gallagher said.

That would eliminate restrictions even on late-term abortions and endanger policies that offer some restraint on abortion.

The Spitzer proposal would also eliminate provisions in state law requiring that only a physician perform an abortion. It would allow any "healthcare practitioner" to perform the procedure prior to viability. In effect, abortions could be performed by a nurse, midwife, podiatrist, or "even a chiropractor."

Forced abortions

Because the bill makes abortion "a fundamental right," she continued, it would declare that the state could not discriminate in benefits, services or information. Therefore, health insurance plans would have to cover abortion, and employers would be forced to offer such coverage.

The bill would also allow state regulatory agencies to deny licenses to physicians who don't perform abortions and operating certificates to hospitals -- even Catholic hospitals -- that don't offer the procedure.

"In other words, 'Perform abortions or the state shuts you down,'" she said.

(To view the video, go to www.youtube.com and search for RHAPP. A link is also available at www.nyscatholic.org. To borrow DVDs for parish, school and other uses, contact the Albany diocesan Family Life Office, 453-6677.)

(02/21/08)