#517 Supreme Court Rulings June 26, 2020
U.S. Supreme Court: Migrants While we don’t take a position on non-lethal aspects of immigration policy, we have a longstanding opposition to deadly racism:
The callousness of border control causes hundreds of deaths.
The treatment of pregnant women in custody can put them in danger of miscarriages.
Eugenics is a root cause of both abortion promotion and of hostility to immigrants.
The policies of child separation from families and refusing asylum seekers are cruel.
Therefore, preventing the end (at least for now) of the DACA program – thereby protecting migrants brought to the U.S. as children – could help enhance a more humane view toward migrants.
U.S. Supreme Court: Big Abortion Case The final day for decisions this term is scheduled for Monday, June 29. There are several cases left on various topics. June Medical Services v. Russo involves abortion businesses trying to overturn a Louisiana law sponsored by Democrat Katrina Jackson (pictured). She spoke at last October’s conference of our member group Rehumanize International. The law has safety regulations; the most publicized is that a doctor in an abortion facility must have hospital admitting privileges, a way of checking on the doctor’s competence. Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, decided in 2016, struck down a law from Texas very similar to Jackson’s. There’s a long-standing practice of letting abortion businesses challenge regulations in court, as was done in this case. Businesses aren’t normally allowed to file suit against safety regulations intended to protect their customers. As it often is, abortion has been an exception.
Our member group Secular Pro-Life has a post explaining the case, from which we get the possible outcomes, from worst to best:
Strike down the Louisiana law. The poor reasoning of Roe v. Wade continues.
Uphold the law without overturning Hellerstedt, requiring state-by-state reasoning.
Uphold the law and overturn Hellerstedt. Long shot: decide that abortion facilities (the business) don’t have the right to sue on behalf of pregnant women (the customers), because they aren’t the customers. In legal terms, they would say the plaintiffs lack standing; therefore, the case is dismissed. Since this court decision is a major development, we plan to compile varying perspectives on the ruling for a forthcoming blog post. If you find good articles to link to, or have a paragraph to offer of insight of your own, please send it to weekly@consistent-life.org.
An Example of Why We Need Safety Laws: Kevin Work See this post by Secular Pro-Life for more details.
Kevin Work had his physician’s license suspended four times. It was finally re-instated with strict limits – only wound care. So where can he find an employer that doesn’t care, and would let him violate his probation? Two Louisiana abortion facilities. Pro-lifers investigated and lobbied state health authorities to intervene – but really, is enforcement supposed to fall on citizen volunteers? Screening by a hospital for admitting privileges would have uncovered the problem immediately.
Our Latest Blog Post John Whitehead reflects on the pandemic’s heartbreaking impact on poverty in “Millions Who Are Already Hanging by a Thread”: The Global Repercussions of Covid-19.
Anita Cameron, Director of Minority Outreach for Not Dead Yet Referring to the Massachusetts proposed legislation to legalize assisted suicide.
I am utterly disgusted that as COVID-19 ravages the Black community due to the results of racial disparities in healthcare, the Public Health Committee has decided to try to slip this bill through. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected the Black community; we are dying at frightening rates. This bill promotes death over life, and by pushing it, the legislature is sending a clear message to us Blacks that we are burdens and should die by suicide.
Responses/News Tips/Questions to share are all welcome.
Send to weekly@consistent-life.org.
