Ethics/rights

A coalition of Maine gay rights groups announced on Thursday that they had secured enough petition signatures to force a referendum on legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.

Spokespeople for EqualityMaine, American Civil Liberties Unions of Maine and the Maine Women's Lobby said they had collected over 105,000 signatures of people who supported same-sex marriage – more than twice the amount of signatures needed to force a referendum.

Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine, said times have changed and Maine is poised to become the final state in New England to recognize gay marriage. more >>

Ralph Shortey, a Republican Oklahoma state senator, has introduced a bill banning the use of aborted fetuses in food.

The bill, brought forward Tuesday, is a preemptive and meant to raise awareness, as no cases of aborted fetuses have ever been discovered in foods or food products in the U.S.

Senate Bill 1418, requested to become effective in November 2012, asserts, "No person or entity shall manufacture or knowingly sell food or any other product intended for human consumption which contains aborted human fetuses in the ingredients or which used aborted human fetuses in the research or development of any of the ingredients." more >>

Washington is poised to become the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage as Sen. Margaret Haugen announced Monday that she would support the measure.

Her support marks a majority for gay marriage supporters in the state's senate.

"I know this announcement makes me the so-called 25th vote, the vote that ensures passage," Haugen said in a statement on Monday. The 49-member Senate now holds 23 Democrats and two Republicans in favor of the bill. more >>

In 2010, a nun serving as the administrator and member of the ethics committee at St. Joseph's Hospital approved a 27-year-old mother's abortion, and the procedure reportedly saved her life. The nun, considered a saint by some, was soon excommunicated by the Vatican for her involvement – a move that some found disagreeable.

"In this tragic case, the treatment necessary to save the mother's life required the termination of an 11-week pregnancy," the hospital said in a statement. "This decision was made after consultation with the patient, her family, her physicians, and in consultation with the Ethics Committee."

The Holy See's decision sparked a storm of outrage among the hospital staff of the Catholic facility, and heated debates among the public. more >>

As the New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of a bill allowing same-sex marriage on Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie reiterated that he would veto the bill if it reached his desk, but also said he would welcome a referendum on the November ballot asking voters to decide on the issue. 

The Democrat-led committee voted by a margin of 8-4 to pass the bill along; members voted along party lines.

The bill, titled Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act, will be read again before moving to the House to be voted on by the State Assembly and Senate. more >>

More than 40,000 pro-life activists and supporters participated in the eighth annual Walk for Life West Coast event in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday to celebrate life and proclaim, "Women deserve better than abortion!"

The crowd gathered at Civic Center Plaza in front of the San Francisco City Hall on Saturday morning for an "Info Fair," which featured music, speakers and activities for kids. The march began in the afternoon. The activists walked down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza at the Embarcadero, filling the length and breadth of the street.

State Assemblyman Mark Leno and Supervisor David Chiu spoke at the event. more >>