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February 10, 2012
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David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
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Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
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February 7, 2012
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February 6, 2012
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Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
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January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Senators join in effort to reduce abortions tied to Down syndrome
By
Rob Hotakainen
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
Susan May considered terminating her pregnancy when tests confirmed that the 5-month-old fetus she was carrying would become a child with Down syndrome.
The Wichita, Kan., woman was scared and unhappy with the way that doctors delivered the news, stressing the negative. But she's happy that she didn't have an abortion. She said that raising her son, Wyatt, who's now an energetic 5-year-old, had been a very fulfilling experience. And she said it was sad that the vast majority of women decided to abort when they were faced with the prospect of raising children with disabilities.
"A lot of families are missing out on the experience of raising a wonderful child that they'll never know," May said.
It's not only sad but wrong, says Sen. Sam Brownback, who wants to do something about it. In an unusual bipartisan alliance, the Kansas Republican has teamed up with Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts on a bill that aims to reduce the number of abortions that are tied to genetic disorders.
The bill would create a national registry of families who are willing to adopt children with pre- or post-natally diagnosed conditions. In addition, families that receive diagnoses of Down syndrome or other genetic conditions would be referred to support services, including a national clearinghouse that would give them information on coping.
"We're just saying instead of killing the children, let them live," Brownback said in an interview.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which Kennedy heads, passed the bill unanimously Feb. 27. It now heads to the full Senate, and similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives. Brownback's bill would cost $5 million.
Currently, Brownback said, 90 percent of pregnancies are aborted when a genetic test shows that a fetus will develop into a child with Down syndrome, spina bifida, cystic fibrosis or dwarfism.
"I'd like to see it come way down," Brownback said. "I think these children are beautiful and sacred children, and they should be allowed the chance to live."
Some expecting parents decide that they can't handle the added difficulty of raising children with disabilities, Brownback said. "The answer isn't to abort the child," he said. "The answer is to have the child and put the child up for adoption."
Brownback said he first came across the issue when he read a book by a California couple whose doctor urged an abortion after sharing the test results.
For Brownback, one of Capitol Hill's staunchest opponents of abortions, the bill is part of his campaign for "the culture of life." It's rare that he joins forces with Kennedy, who favors abortion rights. Kennedy's office declined to comment on the legislation, but Brownback noted that Kennedy has been a strong advocate for people with disabilities. Kennedy's late sister Rosemary was mentally retarded.
Brownback said the bill hadn't run into any opposition, though he said that some people in the disability community were hesitant at first. He said he'd told them that the Americans with Disabilities Act should protect unborn children.
"It does seem inconsistent that we would protect them once they're here but destroy them in the womb just because of who they are," Brownback said. "Because that's why they're being destroyed."
He noted that in some cultures, such children are viewed as being specially touched by God and as gifts. Too many Americans, he said, focus only on the cost and difficulty of raising children with disabilities.
"We look at it so clinically," he said.
NARAL Pro-Choice America, a group that backs abortion rights, isn't opposing the bill.
"Unlike other legislation Senator Brownback sponsors, this measure does not include anti-choice rhetoric or policy provisions that would harm women's health," said Nancy Keenan, NARAL's president. "It's our view that the bill offers information and services to expectant women and does not undermine their right to choose."
May said she was thrilled with the bill because it would force doctors and other health-care professionals to get educated about the positive aspects of Down syndrome. When she received her test results, she said, she asked for basic information on support services and was surprised when doctors had nothing to give her.
"My husband and I both came away feeling like it was a negative situation we were in," May said. She said she got information on terminating her pregnancy but decided against it after reaching out to other parents of children with Down syndrome.
"It's not as scary and heart-wrenching as you think immediately," she said. "... And a big part of our decision was that we are Christians. It was our faith that helped us make the decision."<
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© 2008, Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
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