The Bloggosphere and forums like CAF have been abuzz lately with the latest news out of the Great White North: Infanticide has been legalized by Activist Judges! Oh God, have mercy on them, they know not what they do.
Reality Check. Some like websites like LifeSite News. Others like the reliability of CBC. Me, I like to go to the source; the actual Memorandum of Judgement.
The most important thing to consider is that the judgement was passed by the Court of Queen's Bench, a court responsible for finding in federal crimes. Ms. Effert is still guilty of the crime of infanticide. She has still been penalized. She must notify the court if she ever again becomes pregnant. She is subject to a suspended jail sentence, and to court-mandated psychiatric evaluation.
That sounds like a conviction to me. But don't let that get in the way of headlines like CAF's "Fourth Trimester Abortions Legal in Canada as Infanticide OK'd."
Don't take me wrong. Abortions and Infanticide are all tragic events. But we can't let the issue of the tragedy supplant the truth of the situation. The law wasn't overturned; this woman wasn't even acquitted. But that's the spin segments of the Catholic e-Culture have put on the story, which belittles the death of the little one. It is farcical, and a disgrace to the rest of us who occupy that sensible band of worldly awareness where we actually read and, failing to fully understand, research, rather than regurgitate the headlines of the disingenuous.
God gave us brains so that we could apply critical thinking skills. Let's not turn our back on one of his greater gifts. I hope the rest of you can join me in praying for the peace of the unborn, of the poor victim, and for the forgiveness and conversion of Ms. Effert.
I think the reason everyone (myself included) is so shocked is that the penalty doesn't fit the crime. It's incredibly light. I think it also indicates a deformed way of thinking of pregnancy and childbirth, as if it's a blight that's so horrible that it drives people to these things... I wasn't reassured by reading the Memorandum and using my critical thinking skills. I was actually more disturbed... Prayers for everyone involved...
ReplyDeleteThe law was explained to me in High School when I took Law (the last time I studied criminal law) as being centered around mental illness... not every mother who kills her child commits infanticide. The scope of the law is very, very narrow. If I remember correctly, in this case, the crown actually wanted to get Second Degree Homicide convictions, and did, but it was overturned in appeal.
ReplyDeleteIt really is curious, though. My mental illnesses would not excuse murder...
Thank you for clarifying this!
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