Posted on 07/09/2003 3:11:01 AM PDT by cpforlife.org
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- On Tuesday afternoon, the House Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee held a hearing on the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (H.R. 1997). Those who testified told members of the subcommittee that the bill recognizes there are two victims when a pregnant mother is attacked and an unborn child is killed or injured.
Tracy Marciniak, a Wisconsin woman who lost her unborn son Zachariah when her husband assaulted her, told the members to look at a photograph of her and her dead son.
"I ask you to look at this photo to look at this photograph and ask yourselves: Does it show one victim, or two," Marciniak asked. "If you look at this photo and see two victims – a dead baby and a grieving mother who survived a brutal assault – then you should support the Unborn Victims of Violence Act."
Marciniak's husband knew she wanted her baby to be born, but punched her in the stomach anyway. He refused to call for help afterwards.
At the time, Wisconsin law did not have a statute allowing prosecutors to charge Marciniak's husband with the death of Zachariah in addition to the charge for beating his wife.
"The law simply failed to recognize what anybody who looks at the photo couldn't fail to see -- that Zachariah was robbed of his life," Marciniak explained.
Serrin Foster, the President of Feminists for Life, agreed with Marciniak that the rise in violence against pregnant women points to the need for the bill. Foster said her organization has been intimately involved in the fight to pass and fund the Violence Against Women Act.
"Today’s victims are speaking loudly and clearly on this issue. We need to listen," Foster said.
Abortion advocates oppose the bill and pro-abortion Rep. Jarrold Nadler (D-NY) said the hearing was "another battle over symbols in the abortion debate."
Juley Fulcher, Director of Public Policy for National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, agreed with Nadler.
Fulcher claimed the bill does not help pregnant mothers who are victims of domestic violence and would be responsible for "diverting attention of the legal system away from domestic violence against women."
Nadler encouraged Congress to pass an alternative bill sponsored by pro-abortion Rep Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) that suggests there is only one victim when a pregnant woman is assaulted and her unborn child is killed or injured. The Lofgren bill enhances the penalties for assaulting a pregnant woman, but does not include any crime for the death or injury to the unborn child.
Victims of such violence, including Marciniak and the family of Laci and Connor Peterson, oppose the Lofgren bill.
Marciniak said the Lofgren bill says, "We're sorry but nobody really died that night. You didn't lose a baby."
Marciniak's husband later admitted that he would not have punched her had he know that he could have been prosecuted for the death of Zachariah.
Foster also opposed the Lofgren bill, called the "Motherhood Protection Act," which brings forth charges when a crime causes "an interruption" in a woman's pregnancy.
"An interruption implies something temporary, as if it were possible for the victim’s pregnancy to start back up again," Foster said. "Dare we ask: mother of whom? Motherhood is neither protected nor honored through the proposed Motherhood Protection Act. Instead, it tells grieving mothers that their lost children don’t count. It ignores these mothers’ cries for recognition of their loss and for justice. It is a step backward in efforts to reduce violence against women."
Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA), the bill's sponsor, agreed saying "the unborn child is often the motivating factor" in an attack on a pregnant woman.
Pro-life Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), chairman of the subcommittee, said that state unborn victims laws have been upheld in courts around the country in every case where they have been challenged by pro-abortion groups.
Professor Gerard V. Bradley, a University of Notre Dame School of Law professor, affirmed the constitutionality of the bill.
One Victim, or Two?
The news media are currently giving extensive coverage to the double murder in California of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner. But such two-victim crimes happen very frequently, usually without extensive press coverage. This is a photo of Tracy Marciniak of Wisconsin, holding the body of her son Zachariah. The photo was taken at Zachariah's funeral. Tracy Marciniak was seriously injured, and Zachariah was killed, by an assault during the ninth month of the pregnancy. Do you think this photograph shows one victim, or two? You may be surprised to learn that, according to pro-abortion groups, this photo shows only one victim. Groups like NARAL insist that the law must never legally recognize unborn members of the human family, and they are blocking the Unborn Victims of Violence Act in Congress.
Click http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/issues/alert/?alertid=1985751&type=CO to learn how you can help pass the Unborn Victims of Violence Act now!
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His deparaved disregard for human life is disgusting.
If you care, give him a call and let him know what you think of his position on this issue......1-877-762-8762
I fully believe in life at conception. Unfortunatley the law never will. I would love to see the law recognize unborn babies as humans at least when they are medically considered viable outside the womb.
Atta girl Melissa. Keep'em on the run!
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Glad to hear it. Thanks cpforlife, good article.
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