Fed-funded University breaks pro-life law, forces abortion assistance, nurses say
Twelve brave nurses “of conscience” have filed suit against the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) which they say forces them against federal law to train and take part in abortions.
Despite a restraining order issued by Courts on November 5, nurses say they are still being compelled to assist in abortion duties. One nurses explained the situation starkly, “They said very clearly if we did not assist, we would face termination.”
The Alliance Defense Fund (AF) has taken the case:
“Pro-life nurses shouldn’t be forced to assist or train in services related to abortions,” said ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman. “These 12 nurses have encountered threats to their jobs at this hospital ever since a policy change required them to participate in abortion cases regardless of their religious and moral objections.”
New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith who has joined the cause of the twelve explains the obvious: “UMDNJ’s coercive anti-conscience policy is not only highly unethical but blatantly illegal.” The government-funded university must abide by federal law which specifically protects those who object to abortion from being forced to assist the practice. ADF adds,
Federal law prohibits hospitals that receive certain federal funds from forcing employees to participate in abortions or related health services. UMDNJ receives approximately $60 million in known federal health funds annually. In addition, New Jersey law states, “No person shall be required to perform or assist in the performance of an abortion or sterilization.” The lawsuit requests that the hospital be ordered to obey these laws and to return part of the federal taxpayer money it has received in light of its violation of federal conscience laws.
Of course, much of this problem could be solved if the governments quit meddling in medicine and education—if we had a truly free market in medicine and medical training. If universities and hospitals where not given subsidies and grants to begin with, the issue of federally-funded abortions would disappear, and private Christian hospitals could ban the practice altogether. No nurse of conscience would ever be forced to fund the murderous practice, and no individual would have their tax dollars support it either.