Nov 14, 2011
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A New Jersey congressman accused a hospital of violating the civil rights of a dozen pro-life nurses who refused to assist in abortions, calling the decision illegal and unethical and suggested the hospital could put its federal funding at risk.
“This is an outrage – to coerce nurses or any health care professional to be involved either pre-op or during the commission of an abortion is against federal and state law,” Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) told Fox News & Commentary. “We’re talking about coercion here.”
Smith held a press conference Monday afternoon outside the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – one of the state’s largest hospitals. He called the nurses “very, very brave.”
The nurses filed a lawsuit against the hospital on Oct. 31, claiming they were told to either assist in abortion procedures or they would be fired.
“Because the nurses recognize the innate value and dignity and preciousness of the child in the womb and have refused to participate or be complicit in an act of violence against a vulnerable child, they are punished,” the congressman said.
When Fe Vinoya got the news, she was heartbroken. The veteran nurse at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was told she had a choice – assist with abortion procedures or be fired.
“It felt like the whole world crashed on me,” Vinoya told Fox News & Commentary. “You could sense the sadness in all of us. We felt betrayed.”
“We repeatedly told them we are pro-life nurses,” she said. ‘But they ignored our convictions. One of the nurses was even told that the hospital does not regard any religious objections.”
Vinoya has been a registered nurse for 21 years. For her, nursing is not a job – it’s a calling.
“It’s a profession of caring,” she said from her home in West Orange, NJ. “Even when I was young, I wanted to take care of patients.
After the hospital ordered the nurses to prepare to assist with abortions, Vinoya went home and told her family the news.
“That day my eight year old son was learning about The Ten Commandments in church,” she said. “He recited the sixth commandment – we are not to kill anyone. I just cried. I knew that God had given me hope and that he is really on our side.”
She said she received further affirmation from her 13-year-old son who was working on a school project about religious freedom.
“This fight really is a good fight,” she said. We are talking about religious freedom and it’s being violated right in front of us.”
Matthew Bowman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, filed the lawsuit on behalf of Vinoya and the eleven other nurses. who “possess strongly held religious and moral beliefs that she may not participate in the process of an abortion that causes the death of a preborn child.”
Bowman told Fox News & Commentary that the hospital had been performing abortions for decades without forcing nurses to violate their religious beliefs. But that changed a few weeks ago.
“The hospital passed a policy and put one of the nurses who did abortions in a supervisory position and started forcing nurses to assist in abortions out of the blue,” Bowman said. “It’s in complete violation of federal and state law – that says you can’t force people to assist abortions.”
Bowman said hospital officials agreed to meet with the nurses to discuss the matter, but when the nurses arrived with an attorney the meeting was abruptly cancelled.
“The hospital told the nurses they have no regard for their religious beliefs,” he said. “They were going to be assigned to these abortions or they would be terminated.”
Bowman said the hospital has displayed “an extreme level of arrogance” and is calling on the court to pull the plug of $60 million in federal funding until the hospital agrees to stop forcing nurses to assist in abortions.
Rep. Smith said the hospital is “very reliant on federal funds” and said its funding could be jeopardized.
“I don’t know why any board of directors or any management would want to put its own federal funding stream at risk,” he said. “It brings enormous dishonor to the hospital to so callously treat its nurses as they are doing.”
As for Nurse Vinoya, she said she has been sustained by her faith in God, through prayers and Bible Study and by her fellow church members at The Life Christian Church. And in the end, she believes they will be victorious.
“It’s a David versus Goliath battle,” she said. “But we all know who won.”
FOX News Talk
This is what the Liberals want – to murder babies. Liberalism is pure evil. Pull the funding. Destroy the Hospital.
I consider myself a liberal, yet I am pro-life. There are those of us in the liberal party that would like to see an end to abortion.
Fawny Fawn Fawn Good for you! My wording is rough I lnow but I feel more strongly about this than any other issue. Have a good day!l
It is amazing what hospitals, now being run like big businesses, are doing. They're supposed to save lives, not take them. I'm glad Congressman Richard Smith weighed in on this legal battle, and I sincerely hope the hospital gets clobbered, making a legal precedent here.
I agree with an adversion to abortion. But, we are talking about the enemy (Dems) killing their own young. The vast majority of these babies are future Demz. If we are at war with them, why not focus our attention on other things, like diverting AIDS funding to something useful like preventing diabetes.
As a nurse myself for the past 29 years, I am so proud of all you nurses who stood up against this horrible position this hospital put you in and won with honor.
These nurses probably should have done their homework before accepting a job at a hospital that gave abortions if they were so apposed.
Are you kidding me. Read the article again. Some of these nurses have been employed at this hospital more that 10 years. This just started when somone was promoted and decided to go against federal mandate. Federal law allows for those who have beliefs to be respected and accepted. I for one would want a nurse who loves and values life at all stages than one who can snuff out a life as if it was nothing! God bless these nurses no matter what you religious affiliation is. Abortion (in most cases) is a choice not a life saving situation! Most mothers would choose to save the life of their unborn child in the case of life or death situations. I for one would have chosen to save any one of my 3 children. I nearly lost my life on my first child. Knowing what I know today and knowing I could have terminated that childs life to increase my survival rate I would have chosen the same way. My child is worth more than me. And they would have known I loved them enough to give them life and risk my own for them! I would hope it would instill compassion for life into them! I was lucky and we both survived, and wouldn't change it even if I knew I wouldn't make it! My life is not more precious or important than an innocent childs. I chose to have kids they didn't choose to be born. Use birth control if you don't children, but don't kill them. Most abortions are not done because of risk of life to the mother.
The law protects them from being required to commit abortions. Evidently you need to do your homework before posting on the subject.
Why bother reading the facts of the story, when you can push your agenda, huh, Janis?
These nurses probably should have done their homework before accepting a job at a hospital that gave abortions if they were so apposed.
During anesthesiology residency at the University of Washington in 2007, we were told that either do the case or be dismissed from residency training. I wish now that I had refused, and showed the faith and courage that these nurses are displaying.
During anesthesiology residency at the University of Washington in 2007, we were told that either do the case or be dismissed from residency training. I wish now that I had refused, and showed the faith and courage that these nurses are displaying.
like a congressional member really has any room to talk…..they force citizens to put up with their 'protecting' the 1% while taxing the heck out of the 99%….all so they can protect their funding sources for an election. Yeah Mr Congressional member….you're not too clean yourself.
but if the nurses hold true and force the hospital to change their ways, then they are essentially doing the same thing that they accuse the other of doing…..hypocrites…..shouldn't be up to the govt or ANYONE as to what a woman can do with their body. You don't want others telling YOU what to do, so don't do the same thing and make others follow your beliefs.
One of the most foolish posts I've read. Nuff said.
So… if the nurses contnue to insist that they expect the hospital to respect their rights AS THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONEIN THE PAST, then they are hypocirits. Tell me… are they insisting that the hospital not conduct these brutal procedures? Are they insisting that other nurses not be permitted to assist in the conduct of these brutal procedures? Are they insisting that Roe v Wade be overturned? You and those like you, are the thugs. All they demand is that their right to not assist be respected by the tyrants at this hospital.
This just boggles my mind. A nurse, doctor, lawyer, teacher, mechanic can not refuse services to someone based on religious convictions, color of skin, gender, ect. But the same professional can be FORCED to commit what amounts to murder in their own heart, and belief system? This country is upside down, and fervently hope these brave nurses stick to their guns and take this to court. Thanks for standing up for what you believe in!
In healthcare we don't get to make that decision. Jehovah's Witnesses have to give blood. We have to revive people who will die anyway. It is not about personal beliefs of the staff it is about the patient. They can go work at a hospital that does not perform abortions.
Becki Thanos Benson , actually, I don't think anyone can be FORCED to give blood or any other bodily fluid ect. That would be donating, and forced donation is illegal. Yes, you CAN make that decision. Just like a hospital can REFUSE to perform abortions, or tubals based on it being a Catholic hospital. However my point is that if a person can not refuse service to someone based on color gender ect, than a hospital should not, and CAN NOT under Federal law force someone to partake in abortions. Now the nurses can always go work somewhere else, but again, based on Federal law, the hospital can't force them to perform an abortion.
Michele Jones Camp I think Becki meant they have to administer blood. Although I think my hospital would transfer them to a department that never gives blood. Like a clinic.
Cherri Moore That's what I was just thinking. And legally, after asking a family nurse, no one can force them to accept blood either. Religious freedom is guaranteed, like it or not. An atheist has the RIGHT to flap his gums toward me, a Mom has the right to refuse vaccines based on belief, a nurse has the right not to be forced into doing something they feel is against their beliefs.
I am prolife, but I do not agree with these nurses. The outcome of a ruling in their favor will be that you can't be fired for not doing your job if the stuff you are not doing conflicts with your religious beliefs. I respect their beliefs, but the bottom line is that an employer should have the right to terminate employees if they are not performing their jobs. Similarly if an employee does not agree with the work that an employer is making him do, then he has the right to go find another job.
I'd bet the hospital would recognize religious freedom if abortions were against the Muslim religion. Abortion necessary to save the mothers life is one thing, but abortions of convenience is another.
If she refuses to do her job, fire her. But before that, give her a second chance. Her politics don't matter – she has a job to do.
Interesting, takes a bunch of cowards to remove posts. better get to shrieking for jesus.
In this case, the nurses aren't even allowed to be "pro choice."
It is legally inadequate for the hospital to say it does not respect any religious objections to abortion. Opposition to abortion is principally based on natural law. One need not be a believer to oppose murder.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa5b.htm
For reference and reality checks all around.
Good for them! I am an RN and have been in a similar situation years ago. A lot of us refused to care for a patient having an abortion done at 6 months. We were not threatened with our jobs, but I would have gladly taken getting fired over living with the guilt of participating in that. You just can't force someone to participate in something that they believe to their core to be a heinous crime against humanity. For some this is a religious belief, for others it is an ethical stance. Let's be clear- this is not like refusing to help with a plastic surgery case because you find it despicable, it's about ending a human life. BIG difference. The thing that irks me to no end about this is that we are sooo politically correct and sensitive to every other religious group in the world except Christians! When 85% of our country claims to be Chistian, I don't understand wy we are bullied the most fo our beliefs! Well, let me tell you, I am a proud Christian and will not be bullied into doing something that I KNOW to be fundamentally wrong. I will not help you kill your baby…it's not in my 'job description'.
YAY for those brave nurses choosing to stand on the side of right, Christian or not. Isn't the medical mantra "first, do no harm"? I really have a hard time with the need for abortion since A-there are so many people wanting to adopt b/c they can't have kids, but lawyer fees make it financially impossible and it's a shame; B-there is no much information about how to prevent pregnancy ahead of time (i. e. bc pills); C-parenst could SPEND TIME with their kids talking about sex and MARRIAGE (there's a novel concept) and babies rather than leaving it up to the brainwashing of whatever the views are of the person teaching sex-ed in school and D-um, abstinence is not a bad thought. I mean you CANNOT tell me someone would jump in bed with soemone and have unprotected sex and then find out they're pregnant and say "OMgoodness, I had no idea that could happen!" Come on, this day in age kids know about sex practically before they are out of the womb. I hope this gets the media attention it deserves to keep other hospitals from trying the same kind of crap. Oh and I bet that the hospital would recognize religious beliefs of another religion because it's politcially correct right now.
Praise God! His people stand up for righteousness! Thankyou nurse Vinoya and other brave nurses.
Don't be surprised if BO's Department of "Justice" refuses to back these nurses for their conscience sake.
Maggie Henderson, is there anything that you feel so strong about that you would be willing to make sacrifices for? I never thought I would quote Malcolm X but he did say: "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything." Wise words from him for that day and for this one as well. I have my integrity, and I won't compromise for anything or anybody. When I am dead and gone, the one thing I want people to remember is that. Abortion is murder I believe that and I will always believe it. The Nurses are standing for what they believe, would you do less? Would you compromise your beliefs, if you will then they are not beliefs, they are feelings only.
When they were passing the new healthcare bill, everyone – like Nancy Pilosi- kept insisting ''no money will be used for abortions'' but what percentage of that 70 million is used directly or even indirectly to support this hospital? It sounds like they keep pretty busy aborting ( killing) the unborn..
seeing if we can make stuff like this go viral
This is a "good fight" like Vinoya in the article says. How dare an employer try force employees to commit murder. The good thing here is that MORE people stand with the nurses than those that oppose them. If this keeps up across America then abortion will be on the way out! May many more stand up and fight like these nurses and make a great change in our nation. Good for them!
Medicine is a profession of healing, not murder. Any medical professional who thinks abortion is healing, is a sick, sick person. NO medical professional should be forced to do harm. The original Hippocratic oath states a doctor will not perform an abortion. It's one thing if some people have no humanity at all, and find no issue with murder, but decent, caring human beings shouldn't be forced to take part in Nazi medical procedures.
When abortion was first an issue in court, the story was in cases of rape and incest, it was terrible to deny a woman an abortion. NOW, that is out the window. Abortion is used as birth control by women who are frankly ignorant. Free birth control is handed out to anyone "too poor" to buy birth control. NOW, partial birth abortion is legal – where the baby is born, and the "doctor" then takes forceps and rips the infant limb from limb. I'm sorry, this is a democracy and I'm grudgingly willing to accept the argument that in extreme cases, abortion is a necessary evil, but as birth control, and partial brtion? Abortion is an excuse by the most inhuman and ignorant people to refuse to accept any responsibility for their actions. Birth control is easy, FREE and effective. Anyone too stupid to use birth control, should have their tubes tied, because they are too stupid to raise any offspring. And any "doctor" who would perform partial birth abortion, or force a REAL healer to participate in any abortion, is just the same as a Nazi "doctor," and should be tried for crimes against humanity and executed.
You think you get to chose what is life and what isn't? Well, to me, you aren't human either…
What a strange world. I cannot comprehend ANYONE so inhuman that they could rip a live infant limb from limb with forceps. "But it's my right, it's my body!" A live baby is YOUR right, and YOUR body? Vile, disgusting animals. They have the same mentality as any murderer – they want more than their own rights, so they justify their barbarism with illogical arguments.
The pro abortion people have gone so far, they are pushing people who would be willing to compromise SO FAR that it's no longer acceptable to call them anything but what they are: evil, sick and murderers.
I support anyone who uses force against pro abortion people. It's not murder, because they aren't human beings…
Start being responsible, reasonable, and humane, pro abortion people, because your current stance makes you not worth agreeing with, not worth compromising with, and not worth anything but a bullet to your evil heads…