[StBernard] PREVENT Surrogacy from becoming law in LA!

[Westley Annis]

Call to Action	 
The LA Senate will vote on whether to accept Sen. Smith's proposal to allow
surrogacy agreements to be valid this week!  SB 162 is in direct
contradiction to Catholic Teaching.  Whether it be papal encyclicals such as
Donum Vitae, article 42 of the Ethical and Religious Directives, or #2376 of
the Catechism of the Catholic Church our teaching is clear that surrogacy is
unacceptable.

Surrogacy arrangements allow for a husband and a wife to contract with a
third party (surrogate) to carry a child to term, and then relinquish the
child to the intended parents.  Such arrangements:

1. COMMODIFY WOMEN
- Surrogacy arrangements commercialize and objectify women relegating them
to a utilitarian purpose (i.e. "a means to an end")
- Surrogacy is an attack on the dignity of women in that is grossly focuses
on what women can produce as opposed to their entire being and worth

2. POSE THREATS TO LIFE
- Surrogacy arrangements pose threats to the protection of life at the
earliest stages
- Who has the right to "terminate" the pregnancy?  Many high-profile cases
have revealed the tragic reality of intended parents pressuring the
surrogate to abort the child after tests have revealed potential challenges
concerning the child.  On the other side of the issue, even though a
contract exists, the surrogate has full "healthcare rights" which enables
her to abort the child if she so chooses
- Given that artificial conception is used as a means to execute this
arrangement, consideration must be given to the production of additional,
unused embryos.  Destruction of such embryos is nothing short of the
destruction of the earliest stages of life


3. DRAMATICALLY ALTER THE FAMILY
- Surrogacy arrangements re-define and re-conceptualize what a traditional
family is to the detriment of this sacred unit
- What impact might it have on a child of the surrogate who sees her/his
mother carry a child for nine months in her womb and then simply give it to
another couple?

4. PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR THE BIRTH AND EXCHANGE OF A CHILD
- Whether for a fee or "reasonable expenses," surrogacy arrangements entail
compensation for a service
- Surrogacy is a very large and profitable industry in other states.  By
allowing LA to enforce surrogacy agreements this industry would be invited
into our state

Surrogacy has clear moral implications and does not make good policy for LA.
Please express your concern to the LA Senate and help in defeating this
measure!
Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/link/target/lcc/GN5M42NM.aspx
<https://www.votervoice.net/link/target/lcc/GN5M42NM.aspx>