Pro-Life Sentiment Increases Among College Students
The nation's largest annual survey of college
freshmen shows that student support for keeping abortion legal has declined for the fourth consecutive year.
More than 250,000 freshmen at nearly 500 universities nationwide took part in the survey, which is scheduled for
release, on January 19, 1997. The survey by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute began in the 1960's
and is considered an important gauge of attitudes and aspirations among college freshmen.
The survey results on social issues show a decline in support for legal abortion after peaking at 65 percent
in 1990. This year, 56 percent of students favor it, one of its lowest levels since the survey began. Support for
abortion was similar among male and female freshmen. Support for casual sex also has also dropped
dramatically. In 1987, 52 percent of freshmen agreed with the notion that "if two people like each other, it's all
right for them to have sex even if they've known each other for a very short time." This year, less than 42
percent agreed with that statement. (The Washington Post, 1/13/97)
Republican candidates who publicly support the pro-life principles stated in the Republican Party
Platform, and who endorse public policies that encourage respect for life and abstinence from sexual activity until
marriage, will attract this growing segment of young people into our Party.
Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on Right to Assisted Suicide
The right of a terminally iII patient to
ask a doctor to kill him was upheld by appellate courts in the states of Washington and New York, overturning
state laws against assisted suicide. Both states have appealed to the Supreme Court, asking it to uphold a state's
right to ban assisted suicide. During oral arguments on Wednesday, January 8, 1997, justices appeared
uncomfortable with the notion that doctors should have the power to kill a patient and expressed concern over
the argument that there is no difference between withdrawing heroic life support measures and actively
administering a lethal injection. Chief Justice Rhenquist stated that the issue is not simply one of "choosing to die", "It's that they want assistance from a physician to do it, that's what we're arguing about." Justice
Antonin Scalia said, "Declining medical treatment is something quite different from suicide ... Why can't a
society simply determine as a matter of public morality that it is wrong to kill yourself just as it is wrong to kill
someone else?" In addition, Justice Scalia asked this penetrating question, "... why is it limited to those on the
threshold of death? I mean suppose ... the doctor says you're going to be in terrible pain for 10 years ... Why
shouldn't I have the right to suicide?"
Unless common sense prevails in this case the decision of the court could be devastating for our country.
Euthanasia in the Netherlands
Recent articles in the New England Journal of Medicine about euthanasia in the Netherlands reveal the following:
- About 3200 cases of voluntary euthanasia (compared to 2300 in 1990), an increase of over a third; as in
1990, about 400 cases of physician-assisted suicide; 949 cases of euthanasia without a patients request
(compared to 1030 in 1990).
- 23% of physicians interviewed said they had ended a patient's life without his or her explicit request; another
32% said they had not done so but could conceive of situations where they would. (Life at Risk, December
1996)
