Dearth of Groningen News Leads to Queries
Giving Hugh Hewitt a helping hand, I did a Nexis search of English-language media mentions of the Groningen Protocols yestderday and today. (For the few of you who read me but don't read Hugh, the Groningen Protocols are the rules set down by a leading Dutch hospital for, among other things, the killing of gravely ill babies -- euthanasia for the defenseless.)
The pickings are slim. A few Australian, Canadian and English papers have run brief items, but in the U.S., only CNN and NPR have run stories, and they were biased for the pro-euthanasia position. Later today, I will be e-mailing the appropriate U.S. MSM reporters and bureaus in Europe to ask why they're not covering this story. I'll keep you posted if I receive responses.
On NPR's Morning Edition, host Renee Montagne gave the clinical director of the Gronigen Pediatric Clinic Dr. Eduard Verhagen a chance to explain the protocols. (here) No one was given a chance to rebut, and no mention of protests was included. The brief segment includes this passage:
MONTAGNE: Now the Vatican--you would know this--and Roman Catholic organizations have expressed outrage at the news of these infants' deaths, but... [Nice "But Monkey," Renee!]
Dr. VERHAGEN: About the Vatican--we regret that they have never taken any efforts to really find out what the protocol is all about. If they would, they would see that we are actually talking about children that are already in a dying process. And if you ask a parent, seeing their child suffering, with the medical experts not being capable of taking away the suffering--these parents, they sometimes request to please stop the suffering, knowing that there is no hope.
MONTAGNE: Are parents always involved in this decision? And...
Dr. VERHAGEN: Oh, yes.
MONTAGNE: ...is it just up to the parents?
Dr. VERHAGEN: No, it's--oh, they're always very much involved.
"No!?" What does that "No" mean? Are the parents "very much involved" or is it their decision?
The CNN story (here) makes no mention of protests, and includes only this tepid quote from opponents: Eric Van Yijlick, project manager for SCEN (Support and Consultation on Euthanasia in the Netherlands), said the Groningen cases involving newborns should be referred to as "life ending without request" rather than euthanasia, because that term indicates the dying party has requested the procedure.
The pickings are slim. A few Australian, Canadian and English papers have run brief items, but in the U.S., only CNN and NPR have run stories, and they were biased for the pro-euthanasia position. Later today, I will be e-mailing the appropriate U.S. MSM reporters and bureaus in Europe to ask why they're not covering this story. I'll keep you posted if I receive responses.
On NPR's Morning Edition, host Renee Montagne gave the clinical director of the Gronigen Pediatric Clinic Dr. Eduard Verhagen a chance to explain the protocols. (here) No one was given a chance to rebut, and no mention of protests was included. The brief segment includes this passage:
MONTAGNE: Now the Vatican--you would know this--and Roman Catholic organizations have expressed outrage at the news of these infants' deaths, but... [Nice "But Monkey," Renee!]
Dr. VERHAGEN: About the Vatican--we regret that they have never taken any efforts to really find out what the protocol is all about. If they would, they would see that we are actually talking about children that are already in a dying process. And if you ask a parent, seeing their child suffering, with the medical experts not being capable of taking away the suffering--these parents, they sometimes request to please stop the suffering, knowing that there is no hope.
MONTAGNE: Are parents always involved in this decision? And...
Dr. VERHAGEN: Oh, yes.
MONTAGNE: ...is it just up to the parents?
Dr. VERHAGEN: No, it's--oh, they're always very much involved.
"No!?" What does that "No" mean? Are the parents "very much involved" or is it their decision?
The CNN story (here) makes no mention of protests, and includes only this tepid quote from opponents: Eric Van Yijlick, project manager for SCEN (Support and Consultation on Euthanasia in the Netherlands), said the Groningen cases involving newborns should be referred to as "life ending without request" rather than euthanasia, because that term indicates the dying party has requested the procedure.
posted by Laer at 7:27 AM
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