Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Judge says ordering of abortion was justified
Boston Globe ^ | 02/21/2012 | By Peter Schworm

Posted on 02/21/2012 9:43:50 AM PST by Responsibility2nd

A family court judge who ruled that a pregnant woman with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized sharply defended her decision yesterday, while denouncing Boston University for withdrawing what she said was a job offer amid the controversy.

In a rare personal defense of the reasoning behind a court ruling, Christina Harms, who retired from the bench last month after 23 years, said she concluded that the woman, a 31-year-old who suffered from delusions, would choose to terminate her pregnancy if she were mentally competent, chiefly so that she could resume antipsychotic medication that would have harmed the fetus.

“I believed then, as I do now, that she would elect to abort the pregnancy to protect her own well-being,’’ she said. “She would want to be healthy.’’

Speaking in detail for the first time about the decision, which an appeals court reversed last month in unsparing terms, Harms described the case as “a tragic set of circumstances for which no outcome would have been easy or obviously correct.’’ The woman had described herself as “very Catholic’’ and expressed opposition to an abortion, while her parents were seeking consent for the procedure.

In a letter that she sent yesterday to other family court judges in Massachusetts, Harms outlined the reasons for her determination and criticized the appeals court ruling, which she called simplistic and unfair.

The appeals court ruled that the woman had clearly expressed her opposition to abortion as a Catholic, but Harms wrote that “the statements of a person suffering from schizophrenia surely cannot simply be taken at face value.’’

Harms said she has requested a meeting with the chief judge of the appeals court to register her objection to the “insulting tone’’ of the decision.

She also stated that Boston University’s law school rescinded a job offer shortly after her decision came to light, an abrupt move she said could discourage judges from making unpopular decisions.

“It strikes at the heart of what judicial independence is about,’’ she said. “We need to protect judges from the popularity of the moment.’’

A BU spokesman said yesterday that the university never officially offered the job but acknowledged that it eliminated her from consideration for the job - a new position that would guide students toward judicial clerkships - after her ruling came to light and stirred public outcry.

more....


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; babykillers; catholic; eugenics; forcedabortion; judicialtyranny; lifehate; lifeunworthyoflife; marymoe; moloch; moralabsolutes; prolife; vikingkitties; zot
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-177 next last
Yowsa!
1 posted on 02/21/2012 9:44:00 AM PST by Responsibility2nd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NYer; Salvation
Catholic ping
 
 
The appeals court ruled that the woman had clearly expressed her opposition to abortion as a Catholic, but Harms wrote that “the statements of a person suffering from schizophrenia surely cannot simply be taken at face value.’’


2 posted on 02/21/2012 9:46:41 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This mean Liberals and/or Libertarians (Same Thing) NO LIBS.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee; little jeremiah

Forced Abortion ping....


3 posted on 02/21/2012 9:47:43 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This mean Liberals and/or Libertarians (Same Thing) NO LIBS.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

Ah, ‘tis always enlightening to watch liberals defend one of their many versions of the “luminiferous aether”.


4 posted on 02/21/2012 9:48:19 AM PST by Da Coyote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

“’the statements of a person suffering from schizophrenia surely cannot simply be taken at face value.’”

“I am the Law” comes to mind.


5 posted on 02/21/2012 9:49:01 AM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

To me the even bigger question:

What “Doctor” performed such a procedure?

If the judge decided that the woman was also too good looking for her mental condition, would the “Doctor” also have agreed to ugly her up a bit?

Besides having judges that don’t deserve to judge anybody, we have doctors that don’t deserve to be doctoring anybody!


6 posted on 02/21/2012 9:49:20 AM PST by I cannot think of a name
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

I believe this scenario is how things got started in nazi germany...first the mentally ill, then the physically deformed, then everyone that did not agree with them...then the camps...


7 posted on 02/21/2012 9:50:19 AM PST by joe fonebone (Project Gunwalker, this will make watergate look like the warm up band......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

“...would choose to terminate her pregnancy if she were mentally competent, chiefly so that she could resume antipsychotic medication that would have harmed the fetus....”

So...murdering the “fetus” to prevent it from being “harmed” is ok....

I get it...

Only in the warped, sick, delusional insanity of a liberal brain could this even remotely make sense.


8 posted on 02/21/2012 9:50:26 AM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: I cannot think of a name

That’s a good question. This is breaking news. Just a few sources are carrying this.

But I don’t see anywhere that an actual abortion has taken place - even in spite of this idiot judge’s decision.


9 posted on 02/21/2012 9:52:27 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This mean Liberals and/or Libertarians (Same Thing) NO LIBS.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

Christina Harms, who retired from the bench last month after 23 years, said she concluded that the woman, a 31-year-old who suffered from delusions, would choose to terminate her pregnancy if she were mentally competent, chiefly so that she could resume antipsychotic medication that would have harmed the fetus.

So the mentally ill woman went off of her meds so as not to harm the baby and the judge gleens that she doesn’t want it? It seems to me that she REALLY wants it. If she can’t proprly take care of the baby (after resuming medication) they can put it up for adoption. It looks like the judge she is looking for reasons to abort.


10 posted on 02/21/2012 9:52:37 AM PST by marstegreg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

One of our BIL has a schizophrenic sister who has had 3 kids that were all adopted and raised by one of the other sisters.I can’t imagine a judge ever saying that any of those 3 kids didn’t deserve to live.The youngest is serving in S.Korea as a US soldier......


11 posted on 02/21/2012 9:53:26 AM PST by chris_bdba
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

““We need to protect judges from the popularity of the moment.’’ “

‘How about we need to protect unborn children from the popularity of the moment of murdering children? This “judge” meeds lessons in morality not whining about herself as a victim.


12 posted on 02/21/2012 9:54:14 AM PST by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

Simply Nazism


13 posted on 02/21/2012 9:54:27 AM PST by Regulator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

In the particular circumstances of the case I do agree with the Judge.


14 posted on 02/21/2012 9:55:00 AM PST by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd
Yowsa!

How many of us are familiar with schizophrenics and their behaviors and moods?
How many schizophrenics are there in the US?
Should schizophrenics vote?
What is the practical difference between schizophrenics and children?

So many questions, so little wisdom.

15 posted on 02/21/2012 9:55:25 AM PST by Publius6961 (My world was lovely, until it was taken over by parasites.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: I cannot think of a name

Per the article “which an appeals court reversed last month in unsparing terms,” I’d have to assume that since the decision was reversed that the woman is either still pregnant or has had the baby?


16 posted on 02/21/2012 9:55:38 AM PST by chris_bdba
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

I love the way this pathetic judge wants to be free of the consequences of her actions.


17 posted on 02/21/2012 9:56:59 AM PST by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

>>>She also stated that Boston University’s law school rescinded a job offer shortly after her decision came to light, an abrupt move she said could discourage judges from making unpopular decisions. <<<

This was not an “unpopular” decision, it was an iilegal and immoral one that demonstrates that she has a severely warped understanding of individual rights, judicial powers, and the sanctity of life.

Of course “the statements of a judge suffering from the mental illness of Liberal Statism, surely cannot be simply taken at face value.”.


18 posted on 02/21/2012 9:58:00 AM PST by Above My Pay Grade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Responsibility2nd

Darwinian Eugenics in action.


19 posted on 02/21/2012 10:02:37 AM PST by JohnKinAK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bvw; DJ MacWoW; wagglebee; little jeremiah; trisham; metmom

You agree with murder?

Forced sterilization?

FRiend, this (last time I looked) is America. Not Nazi Germany.

Look at some other replies on this thread and tell me why adoption is not the answer.

Or go ahead and defend abortion. You’ve been a FReeper a long time, but (last time I looked) pro-aborts get zotted.


20 posted on 02/21/2012 10:03:31 AM PST by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This mean Liberals and/or Libertarians (Same Thing) NO LIBS.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-177 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson