For decades I have admired and supported and participated in the important work of Amnesty to protect the unprotected and to defend the most vulnerable. I count prisoners of conscience, prisoners on death row, victims of war, and unborn children and their mothers among the least protected and the most vulnerable in the culture of violence and death. I hope that Amnesty does not abandon any of these nnedy ones.
My moral conviction on abortion and the rights of the unborn are more serious than "a point of view" as stated in this petition.
It is as close to my conscience as opposition to war or the death penalty.
I have been a supporter of AI for many years.
When I was a young child, my family had to flee from ruthless military repression of religious and civil liberties in Eastern Europe. My uncle was sentenced to death at a communist show trial. Thank God, he was ultimately released from prison.
The science is clear: the fetus is not just 'tissue'. The fetus is a living human being, DISTINCT from her mother. DNA, fingerprints, blood type, brain-waves, heartbeat, etc ... the proofs of the fetus' humanity and that she is a unique being are scientifically incontrovertible.
Amnesty should insist on amnesty for the baby girls and boys in the womb. At the very least AI must not promote abortions, lest it becomes just another politically biased entity.
AI: protect women’s rights, outside and INside the womb.
I know very well tht there are horrible situations which make abortion seem a humane solution, but that thinking fails when you realize that what you are talking about is killing a child. The answer, and it is much harder than the easy "solution" of abortion, is to give women, even, or rather especially, women in war-torn countries, extreme poverty or who have been subjected to heinous crimes against their person, the help they need to stand on their feet as whole people again, along with their child.
Women are the life-bearers of our race. They should be honored for this; not punished.
I know this sounds utopian, but it is the only answer consistent with respect for human life and dignity. It asks much of us, but in the end, it assures the ultimate worth of all people, everywhere.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Hamilton
I have been a Freedom Writer for AI for decades. I trust AI to do careful and thorough research into all aspects of the situations of individual political prisoners and countrywide crises. I, and all those who count on you to do this work as well as the countries and organizations to which we write, need to view you as non-partisan and apolitical. Taking a stance on abortion, as an organization, will throw AI into both a partisan and political arena, which would diminish both your reach and your effectiveness.
I am a Consistent Life christian. I see war, abortion, capital punishment, homicide, torture, euthanasia, poverty and oppression as sinful. I am a Freedom Writer because I value the work you do and can further my reach for justice and peace by this simple method you have developed. I am the one (hopefully there are others) who asks you to never send out a plea for money without also sending a card to sign or an alert to do. I push for this so that we always feel the concern you have for those in crisis and so that we feel empowered to make even a small difference.
The work you do pulls much more heavily on the hearts of those who are already active in anti-torture or pro-democracy work. To broaden your reach, one of the things I do is that I make multiple copies of some of the letters you send, such as the one about the imprisoned Christian singer in Eritrea or the woman who was forced to have an abortion in China, and use them to reach out to “conservative Christians.” As a conservative Christian signs and sends a letter off to the far reaches of the planet, it gives them a sense of their own power to heal and help, and gives AI a bit more credibility in that particularly powerful community. My hope is to pull these isolated but sincere people toward a more active involvement in worldwide justice efforts.
Because abortion is such a polarizing issue, if AI takes a stance on abortion, either way, many will discount you as an organization
Violence is violence, the unlawful, unjustified use of force, whether against large, strong human beings or tiny, dependent ones. I have supported AI's stand against the death penalty and torture and genocide and oppression for years. Please rethink it and return to consistency. Thank you.
I have been involved with Amnesty International for at least 30 years, beginning as part of a letter-writing group on behalf of prisoners of conscience. If AI adopts decriminalization of abortion as a world-wide goal I will have to sever this long-term relationship.
AI is a remarkable organization that consistently champions human rights and keeps the comfortable and affluent public aware of things we may be too busy to pay full attention to. Thanks AI! The balance between the rights of women to control their lives and destinies and the rights of the unborn oftem poses a terrible dilemma, and I do not judge those who struggle honestly. But, the weakest and most vulnerable must always get firt care, and when tough choices must be made that cannot satisfy everyone's needs, children must always in all cases come first. AI, please do not support the killing of children as a way to protect women. Instead, let's find ways to do both.
As a supporter and educator of Consistent Ethic of Life, Amnesty International has been an organization that has been a topic of conversation about the works to assist people whose God given dignity is denied or repressed. This same dignity applies to the unborn who are also God's creation. Any support of the destruction of human life invalidates a position of human rights. Human rights are for all people, not just the some people designated by others as worthwhile. All life is worthy of rights.
Abortion.
Euthanasia.
Infanticide.
Three controversial issues of our day.
But the right to life or choice really isn't the issue.
It's only a symptom of the problem. Our deliberate and total disregard for
God's law, as individuals and as a nation.
It is truly sad that Amnesty International has been taken over by those who no longer value the life of the Unborn.
"Fear God and keep HIS commandments."
It's the only permanent solution to our personal and national problems.
Amnesty International is becoming a tragedy...it calls itself a "human rights" organization yet it is increasingly showing support for the most horrific human rights violation known to man, abortion. No human right is greater than the right to life and it's time Amnesty International affirms that.
AI has always stood for human rights.Due to AI's stance on abortion rights(or the right for someone to kill a baby) AI now stands for evil, murder, torture, pain and death.
I appreciate your work to bring about fairness and in many cases save lives. Please do not not take this stand of supporting abortion, the taking of a human life, conceived and has a right to life accoring to our Constitution.
I have always admired AI, and its fight for human rights. I am now puzzled as to why Amnesty wants to give up that fight by refusing to fight for the most basic of all rights, the right to life.
I serve as executive director of the Rape Victims Support Network and the Burnaby Safe House (for abused women). I am opposed to AI making policy affirming the unborn are devoid of value, therefore supporting violence in the womb.
In the interest of protecting Human Rights, AI has been instrumental in fighting several battles on behalf of the human person. If this changes to support a cause that dehumanizes and kills the unborn, AI stands with others who have abandoned basic human rights in order to side with enemy constituents to human life and equality.
If the concept of human rights is to exist in humanity's consciousness then its precepts must hold true regardless of subject's physical confines - whether it be race or gender; a prison cell or a womb.
Support of abortion rights is totally inconsistent with your promotion of human rights. The unborn is just as much a person as anyone else in deserving of protection.
Please don't do this, AI- it undermines all you claim to stand for and all that people look to your organization for guidance and leadership about. A commitment to human rights CANNOT include the so-called "human right to an abortion," it's a lie and is a detriment to the entire human body.
I have always strongly believed in the work of Amnesty International. I have been a prayer supporter of the organization. Please remain neutral on abortion.
Women's rights are too important to be linked to abortion on demand. I believe, ironically, that past efforts in the UN by former Colorado Senator Timothy Wirth and President of the UN Foundation to promote abortion on demand has contributed to the Muslim World's hatred of, and jihad against, the Judeo-Christian West.
I have been a faithful supporter of Amnesty International since 1987. I completely oppose any attempt by AI to promote abortion in any form. It is a violation, not support, of human rights and a violation of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child. I will cease any and all support of AI if they begin to change...and support abortion. It is with a very heavy heart that I hear of this development, as AI has always been a cause close to my heart and conscience.
I have long been an admirer of AI and hope it's seemless defense of human life and wholehartedly encourage it to continue. Our punishment of rapists cannot be compared with the havoc of abortion on an innocent pre-natal life nor can the violence of abortion heal the victem of rape; it is an escape for a perpetrator of an incestuous pregnancy. Abortion is a violent act upon women and the life in utero...an indignity which must be addressed in far more compassionate terms than abortion.
As parents of 7 children we value life not just ours but others also. And not just those of us who have been born into this world but those who are in the womb regardless of how they were conceived (rape). A.I. please change your policy. This is a crime against humanity.
I appreciate the work of Amnesty International in helping people imprisoned for their faith and have acted along with you on those projects, but I cannot support any organization that acts against innocent human life.
I was a monthly supporter, but have not been for some time due to AI's stand on abortion. It is unfortunate that a human rights organization will not stand up for the most basic human right - the right to life for ALL people.
I have always greatly admired AI, have geven numerous financial contributions,and was a member of a group for a time. But now I cannot in good conscience support AI because of the position of abortion. Abortion oppresses women, it doesn't liberate them, and I liked AI because securing liberty for captives was their main purpose. Unborn children are captives, and it is oppressive systems that make abortion thinkable. Women deserve better.
During years I have been very proud, followed closely and financiall supported the efforts of Amnestry Intenational to save lives among the very poor. I'm a Faculty Assoc Professor at University of Miami and must tell I'm pretty disappointed of your considering abortion as a measure in behalf of them. I will cease to contribute, support, and will ask my family, friends and colleages to do so as well if this pro-abortion measure materializes. Sincerely
As NJ's former Deputy Atty General for Civil Rights, a law school professor and law reform advisor onsite in the West Bank and Gaza at the request of the ABA, I have supported Amnesty International's past actions in defense of life and the furtherance of justice. Declaring abortion to be a human right would be a partisan stance, not a principaled one. Amnesty International's future effectiveness would be gravely and permanently diminished by such action.
I used to write letters for AI at the Quaker Meeting Hall in Haddonfield, NJ; but I can't be involved with AI anymore, because it is taking the WRONG position on abortion.
Estimados amigos. Desde mucho tiempo estoy activo en la lucha para los derechos humanos. Muchas veces también he apoyado a Amnesty. Como Europeo quien vivió por mucho tiempo en Latinoamérica hablé con muchas mujeres pobres en este continente. Lo que ellos quieren no es un "derecho al aborto" sino condiciones dignas y ayuda para tener a su hijo. Creo que sería un giro fatal de Amnesty de manifestarse en favor del aborto. El derecho humano mas fundamental es el derecho a la vida. Aborto es matar a la vida. Como defensores de los DD HH debemos luchar por la vida y no por la muerte.
I have supported AI financially in the past, but found it difficult to continue based on AI's abortion stance. All life is precious, even that of the unborn, no matter how they are conceived.
I am a parliamentary assistant of a member of Germany's federal parliament (Deutscher Bundestag), who serves as a vice-member of the human rights committee. Over the past many years I have prepared many letters in support of AI "urgent actions" for my boss. We did this in full trust of AI's good intentions, and we fully have supported these. But we would not be able to continue our supportive work if AI decided that abortion were a "human right". We want to promote human rights, for each and every human being. We will not support exclusion of unborn humans from human rights. AI has always been a human rights ally for us. We would very much regret, if we had to split with them.
I have donated to AI for years because you do such crucial work in protecting human rights. Please do not turn your backs on the youngest, most vulnerable human beings by declaring a "right" to murder them through abortion.
The UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child states quite clearly that the child needs special protection "before as well as after birth". What could be clearer than that? How could AI violate the very Charter to which it owes its inspiration?
The declared intention of those pushing for this change is to punish those who refuse to co-operate in the killing of innocent unborn human beings. AI would then have its very own category of prisoners of conscience to persecute. I find this absolutely unbelieveable.
All life should be defended, especially, the growing in the womb human boy/girl. Who else will defend the new life if not those who seek amnesty for those in danger of losing that life. The very first right is, of course, Life for all on this planet. If you do not stand for something you will fall for anything. I am a great granny and those dear ones are such a delight. How can anyone snuff that life out for any reason? Save the humans, please.
