ASSOCIATED PRESS, Feb. 5 — Planned Parenthood’s Gloria Feldt took the occasion of her recent retirement as the organization’s president to acknowledge the success of her pro-life adversaries.

“You can’t fault the [pro-life] groups for participating in the democratic process,” she said in an interview with the news service. “They took over … precinct by precinct; they did it by studying Democracy 101.”

Planned Parenthood under Feldt was “the No. 1 target” of the pro-life movement, said the wire service, because of its leading role in abortion, performing more than 1.3 million abortions during Feldt’s eight-year tenure as president.

‘Refusing’ Euthanasia

DE VOKSKRANT, Feb. 3 — A Dutch pro-euthanasia group has launched an investigation into claims that doctors are trying to avoid performing requested euthanasia or are continually delaying carrying out the request, reported the Dutch newspaper.

Research has found that, of the 9,700 requests for euthanasia lodged in 2001, roughly a third were carried out, usually because of a failure to fulfill legal requirements or because of natural death.

The Dutch Voluntary End to Life Association’s Rob Jonquière said doctors are not likely to tell researchers that they are actually disagreeing with the requests of their patients’ families and discouraging euthanasia.

Right to Treatment

LIFESITENEWS.COM, Feb. 4 — The American Counseling Association (ACA) has recognized the right of homosexual clients to have treatment to change their sexual orientation.

The ACA, which represents the interests of counselors ranging from school to career counselors, was contacted by a noted ex-gay Atlanta pastor the Rev. D.L. Foster, for clarification of their position.

In a response to Rev. Foster, ACA Ethics and Professional Standards manager Larry Freeman said that if a counselor is not qualified to help clients re-orient their sexual orientation, then an appropriate referral should be made.

Standing Up For Marriage

THE GLOBE AND MAIL, Feb. 3 – Seven of 67 marriage commissioners in the province of Newfoundland have resigned after a judge ordered commissioners to perform same-sex “weddings” or face dismissal by Jan. 31.

Similar numbers of commissioners have resigned in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Colombia.

The Federal Ministry of Justice has said that future legislation will ensure that marriage commissioners would not be compelled to perform same-sex ceremonies.

Beginning of Reform

THE AUSTRALIAN, Feb. 8 — Just a day after Prime Minister John Howard signaled he would allow Parliament to debate abortion laws, Senator Santo Santoro released his own blueprint for abortion reform.

Under his plan, men would take more responsibility for unplanned pregnancies and women seeking an abortion should be subject to a waiting period, be offered independent counseling, and have a free ultrasound.