"Expelled" Producers make silly, ironic mistake

The producers of the movie "Expelled" owe PZ Meyersa lifetime pass to the movie. And they really need to attend and pass a logic class.

Dr. Myers, a scientist who researches cephalopods, and one of the men interviewed for the movie, was escorted by security from a free event that included a preview of the movie. However, the producers allowed Myer's wife, daughter, and her fiance to enter and view the movie, accompanied by Richard Dawkins.

The producers should be ashamed of themselves. They advertised the event, inviting people to register to see the movie. They did not send out notices that "everyone except x, y, and pz, may see the movie."

And to skip over Red-A Atheist-wanna-be Myers for the original, Dawkins, is just plain dumb. Dawkins has posted his review of the movie, here. (I haven't read it yet.)

Here's the real-time "Pharyngula" blog post about the incident - from PZ Myer's blog (he ran over to the Apple computer store to post on his blog) and there's a follow up post, here.

The entire conversation about the movie has left the original topic of academic prejudice against believers or even doubters, the near topic of the truth about Creation and evolution. The little boys are throwing mud pies and calling each other "dummie." I can't help but believe that the move to expel Myers from the showing was just a power play on the part of some would-be producer intern.

The Producers had a chance to frame the publicity from a PJ Myers appearance (along with that other guy) at their movie. ("Look who's coming to see the movie" will now become "Expelled from Expelled" and "Evidence that "Expelled" is not too bright." and "Myers is a saint.")

Here's the LifeEthics blog conversation that's been going on since October, and which also has a notice about the incident with Myers, Dawkins and the Producers and bouncers. Here's the Christianity Today review, and here's the New York Times. I guess that if all the Producers wanted was publicity, their strategy worked.

UK Psychiatrists urge informed consent for abortion

The United Kingdom's Royal College of Psychiatrists have released a statement on the correlation of mental health status and subsequent mental illness after elective, intentional abortion. London's Times and Daily Mail are cover the story.

While acknowledging that women can experience mental illness after normal full term birth, the doctors rightly note that if a woman has mental illness, she may not be competent to give informed consent.

Secretary of Health Supports Conscience

Secretary of Health Michael O. Leavitt has stepped up to protect the right of conscience and conscientious refusal, specifically in the right not to be forced to commit or be complicit in abortion and other forms of killing. The Secretary has sent a letter to the President of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology warning about a possible conflict with Federal anti-discrimination rulings secondary to ACOG's Ethics Statement #385. (that's a pdf)

See the LifeEthics post explaining the origin of the conflict, here.

The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetrics and Gynecology, alerted us to the Press Release sent out by the HHS, most likely due to the fact that the ACOG Ethics Committee is meeting Monday and Tuesday, March 17 and 18.

Here's the news item:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: HHS Press Office
Friday, March 14, 2008 (202) 690-6343

HHS SECRETARY CALLS ON CERTIFICATION GROUP TO PROTECT CONSCIENCE RIGHTS

Unless changes are made, physicians could be forced to refer patients for abortions even if it violates their conscience

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt today expressed disappointment in a new policy put forth by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).He also called on the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) to reject this policy and protect the conscience rights of physicians.

In a letter sent to ABOG Executive Director Dr. Norman Grant today asking for clarification, Secretary Leavitt notes, "It appears that the interaction of the [ABOG Bulletin for 2008 Maintenance of Certification] with the ACOG ethics report would force physicians to violate their conscience by referring patients for abortions or taking other objectionable actions, or risk losing their board certification."

In particular, the Secretary expressed concern that enforcement of this ACOG policy by certain federally-funded entities would violate federal laws against discrimination.

Secretary Leavitt continues, "As you know, Congress has protected the rights of physicians and other health care professionals by passing two non-discrimination laws and annually renewing an appropriations rider that protect the rights, including conscience rights, of health care professionals in programs or facilities conducted or supported by federal funds."

The full text of Secretary Leavitt's letter appears below:

Norman F. Gant, M.D.,
Executive Director
The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
2915 Vine Street
Dallas, TX 75204

Dear Dr. Gant:

I am writing to express my strong concern over recent actions that undermine the conscience and other individual rights of health care providers. Specifically, I bring to your attention the potential interaction of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology's (ABOG) Bulletin for 2008 Maintenance of Certification (Bulletin with a recent report (Opinion Number 385) issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Ethics Committee on November 7, 2007 entitled "The Limits of Conscience Refusal in Reproductive Medicine".

The ACOG Ethics Committee report recommends that in the context of providing abortions, "Physicians and other health care professionals have the duty to refer patients in a timely manner to other providers if they do not feel that they can in conscience provide the standard reproductive service that patients request." It appears that the interaction of the ABOG Bulletin with the ACOG ethics report would force physicians to violate their conscience by referring patients for abortions or taking other objectionable actions, or risk losing their board certification.

As you know, Congress has protected the rights of physicians and other health care professionals by passing two non-discrimination laws and annually renewing an appropriations rider that protect the rights, including conscience rights, of health care professionals in programs or facilities conducted or supported by federal funds. (See 42 U.S.C. § 238n, 42 U.S.C. § 300a-7, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-161, 121 Stat. 1844, § 508). Additionally, threats to withhold or revoke board certification can cause serious economic harm to good practitioners.

I am concerned that the actions taken by ACOG and ABOG could result in the denial or revocation of Board certification of a physician who -- but for his or her refusal, for example, to refer a patient for an abortion -- would be certified. These actions, in turn, could result in certain HHS-funded State and local governments, institutions, or other entities that require Board certification taking action against the physician based just on the Board's denial or revocation of certification. In particular, I am concerned that such actions by these entities would violate federal laws against discrimination.

In the hope that compliance of entities with the obligations that accompany certain federal funds will not be jeopardized, it would be helpful if you could clarify that ABOG will not rely on the ACOG Ethics Committee Report, "The Limits of Conscience Refusal in Reproductive Medicine" when making determinations of whether to grant or revoke board certifications.

Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,

Michael O. Leavitt
cc:
Kenneth Noller, M.D.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

"Expelled, The Movie" Conversation Continues

The many Anonymice are still discussing world views on a post from last October.

(In case you wondered where I've been:

We've had our primary, with one hotly contested local Republican race ending in a cliff-hanger. The same seat was decided by 54 votes out of about 20,000 in 2006. This time, it looks like the winner may be decided by about 38 votes out of 30,000, before the mail in ballots are counted. We're expecting a recount.

It turns out that the consequences of politics and policy became personal this last 2 months. We've spent the last year - over 14 months, now - working out a plan to remodel our 65 year old house only to find out that the city adopted the new provisional FEMA flood plain map, and we can't remodel - we have to fill in the basement, tear down the old house, and build 2-3 feet higher. I'll admit that I haven't reacted very well. But, still, the City's bureaucrat literally lost the plan for 6 weeks before telling us that the concrete-poured-in-place house and basement that's still plumb, smooth and level after more than 60 years might float up and turn on its side.)