Using faith as a shield and a sword when their hospital needs funding (see article), yet when their doctors are responsible for the death of a woman and the 7 month old twins she was carrying that could have been saved, the hospital IMMEDIATELY throws their faith out the window and argues in court that fetuses are not people. Regardless of your stance on the status of life beginning at conception v. birth, the actions of this hospital show ME that money is more important than their own beliefs and their patients lives!
This is not a religious or political post. My views on both are private.
What this IS about is hypocrisy, and this should be called out if this was ANY hospital claiming to follow certain ideals – and then when they mess up they throw away those beliefs all to avoid the Monetary Damages from a wrongful death malpractice suit.
Relevant Sections of Article:
“The lead defendant in the case is Catholic Health Initiatives, the Englewood-based nonprofit that runs St. Thomas More Hospital as well as roughly 170 other health facilities in 17 states. Last year, the hospital chain reported national assets of $15 billion. The organization’s mission, according to its promotional literature, is to “nurture the healing ministry of the Church” and to be guided by “fidelity to the Gospel.” Toward those ends, Catholic Health facilities seek to follow the Ethical and Religious Directives of the Catholic Church authored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Those rules have stirred controversy for decades, mainly for forbidding non-natural birth control and abortions. “Catholic health care ministry witnesses to the sanctity of life ‘from the moment of conception until death,’” the directives state. “The Church’s defense of life encompasses the unborn.””
BUT
“when it came to mounting a defense in the Stodghill case, Catholic Health’s lawyers effectively turned the Church directives on their head. Catholic organizations have for decades fought to change federal and state laws that fail to protect “unborn persons,” and Catholic Health’s lawyers in this case had the chance to set precedent bolstering anti-abortion legal arguments. Instead, they are arguing state law protects doctors from liability concerning unborn fetuses on grounds that those fetuses are not persons with legal rights.”
“As Jason Langley, an attorney with Denver-based Kennedy Childs, argued in one of the briefs he filed for the defense, the court “should not overturn the long-standing rule in Colorado that the term ‘person,’ as is used in the Wrongful Death Act, encompasses only individuals born alive. Colorado state courts define ‘person’ under the Act to include only those born alive. Therefore Plaintiffs cannot maintain wrongful death claims based on two unborn fetuses.””
hy·poc·ri·sy
/hiˈpäkrisē/
Noun
The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.
Five weeks after posting heartbreaking YouTube plea begging bullies to stop tormenting her, Amanda Todd, 15, was found dead Wednesday night in Coquitlam, Canada. Authorities believe she committed suicide.
Her mother wants her daughter’s anti-cyber-bullying video to be used to help other young people.
“I think the video should be shared and used as an anti-bullying tool. That is what my daughter would have wanted,” Carol Todd, Amanda’s mother, told The Vancouver Sun in a message on Twitter.
View Amanda’s message to the world via YouTube:
Direct from NVEEE:
“Amanda, we are saddened by your death. Such talent. Such beauty. Such a bright soul. Thank you for leaving behind videos to give us a glimpse into your life. Please watch and share this video of Amanda singing. We will pray for your family and friends and ask for strength and guidance in the upcoming days as these will be the toughest moments in their lives.
To all the kids who are bulling others, who are being bullied, and who are watching it happen without saying anything… Just know there is another way. When you think its never going to get better, just know there are organizations and regular people out there who are standing strong for you. We just need to find each other. COME FIND US. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE LOVED AND ACCEPTED!!”
1. Bieber’s Twitter account stated he was going to be at a mall in 2009.
(Remember New Kids on the Block/Debbie Gibson Mall Tours circa 1982? Yeah, just like that. They still do that kind of thing.)
2. Too many tweens showed up and safety issues arose (a mall “frenzy” lol).
(Tween: “a girl ages about 9-14…too old for toys, but too young for boys” – Thanks Urban Dictionary!)
3. Police asked his staff to pretty please send a tweet out that the event was cancelled.
(Not too hard, right? But WAIT…THERE’S MORE!)
4. They couldn’t do so because JB’s manager had changed the password to prevent anyone from cancelling the event.
FAIL.
Bieber’s Manager Braun and Def Jam Records executive James Roppo were charged with misdemeanors.
(oh yeah, did I mention that shortly after they were arrested 2 tweets were sent out cancelling the event, it took all of 15 MINUTES for the crowd to vanish?)
The charges were later dropped in a plea agreement that permitted Bieber’s record company and a management company to plead guilty to fire code violations, as well as reimburse Nassau County almost $8,000.
WHICH LEADS TO THE MATTER AT HAND:
The agreement called for Bieber to record the anti-cyberbullying public service announcement video.
I understand the need to learn from one’s mistakes and for them to repay the county for costs associated with their communications failure.
That being said, and after being privy to the facts behind the making of this video, does this change the effectiveness of this PSA?
Let me know your thoughts.
Oh yeah, here’s the PSA.
I’m going to go watch something NOT involving a young boy who eerily reminds me of a blonde VELMA from Scooby Doo in this video…
Did you know that October is designated Bullying Awareness Month?
Nationwide initiatives are taking place to raise awareness of this serious issue, to support those who have been targets of bullying, and to remember the lives of our children cut short by related suicide or violence.
Thousands of schools across the country are participating on the first day of the month during the Blue Shirt World Day of Bullying Prevention. Schools will be educating students about preventing harassment, intimidation and bullying.
Make it orange and make it end! Unite against bullying!
(Sponsored by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center)
What are your true colors when it comes to bullying? If you care about students who are bullied and want bullying to end, make your color ORANGE on Unity Day, Wednesday, Oct. 10. That’s the day everyone can link together—in schools, communities and online—and send one large, ORANGE message of support to students who have experienced bullying.
Know about more Bullying Awareness Initiatives? Let me know!
BUT WHO DECIDED THAT OCTOBER BE DEDICATED AS [INSERT CAUSE] AWARENESS MONTH?
I have always wondered who makes the determination that a certain month is dedicated to different topics – breast cancer, AIDS, autism, bullying…
Is there a government agency who confirms these dates and causes? A master list of some kind? Can a person simply add their OWN month of awareness to our proverbial ‘consciousness calendar’? (i.e. Fur Shedding Awareness Month).
For example, PACER has been credited for the designation of October as National Bullying Awareness Month:
“PACER created the campaign in 2006 with a one-week event which has now evolved into a month-long effort that encourages everyone to take an active role in the bullying prevention movement.”
So sayeth PACER and Wikipedia, so it must be true. Right?
I’d love to have an answer to this question, and Google is just NOT providing me with it, even after extensive research (15 minutes) and interviews with several individuals (my boyfriend, and my roommate).
I am. Are you? 