Salt Lake City diocese in prayer after police shooting of boy with autism

September 10, 2020 CNA Daily News News Briefs 1 Print

CNA Staff, Sep 10, 2020 / 11:26 am (CNA).-  

The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City said it is praying for Linden Cameron, a 13-year-old boy who was seriously injured and hospitalized after he was shot by a police officer Friday night.

“We offer our prayers for Linden Cameron and his family. Whatever the results of the ongoing investigations, we are heartbroken to see a child caught in our culture of gun violence,” the Salt Lake City diocese said in a statement Wednesday.

Cameron has Asperger syndrome, also called autism spectrum disorder, and had a mental health crisis on Friday, Sept. 4, according to his mother, Golda Barton. Barton called 911 on Friday, hoping that emergency personnel could help stabilize her son and take him to a hospital.

But according to Barton, a Salt Lake City Police Officer Cameron after he ran from police. Police said they had received reports that Cameron had been “making threats to some folks with a weapon.”

But Barton says her son was unarmed, that she had told police he would be unarmed, and police did not find a weapon at the scene of the shooting.

“He’s a small child. Why didn’t you just tackle him?” Barton asked police during an interview with KUTV News on Sunday. “He’s a baby. He has mental issues.”

In its statement, the Salt Lake City diocese said it “supports and encourages continued discussions with law enforcement about the use of force and legislative action to ensure that the dignity and sanctity of all life is protected throughout our criminal justice system.”

The shooting is now under investigation, and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said this weekend that the investigation will be handled “swiftly and transparently.”

A person with autism spectrum disorders is likely to have difficulties during encounters with police, experts say, because some behaviors typical in persons with autism, such as avoiding eye contact or moving hands rapidly, can be interpreted as a threat if police lack specific training or experience related to autism.

The shooting comes in the wake of numerous high-profile police shootings in recent months, along with the March death of Daniel Prude, a man who died after Rochester, NY, police held him to the ground for several minutes during a psychotic episode. Body camera footage of that incident was published last week, after which Rochester's Bishop Salvatore Matano said that “the tragic death of Mr. Daniel Prude and the visible pain of his family cause a deep sorrow in the hearts of all.”

Some criminal justice reform activists have called for non-police crisis teams to respond to mental health emergencies, rather than police, or for additional police training for responding to people in mental health crises.

 

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Report: Government funds largest source of Planned Parenthood revenue

January 4, 2018 CNA Daily News 0

Washington D.C., Jan 4, 2018 / 05:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Planned Parenthood reported that it received more than $500 million in government funding last year, while performing more than 300,000 abortions across the United States.

The country’s largest abortion provider released its 2016-2017 annual report this weekend, reporting that while the organization is seeing fewer patients than in previous years, revenue from government sources remains mostly stable. The report also showed increased excess revenues for the organization.

In the 2016-2017 fiscal year, Planned Parenthood saw 2.4 million patients at its 600 health centers, and performed 321,384 abortions. Though the number of abortions decreased slightly from the prior year, Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers have increased 10 percent over the past decade, despite seeing about 600,000 fewer patients. In 2006, Planned Parenthood reported that they performed 289,750 abortions, and served 3.1 million patients.

Planned Parenthood’s excess revenue increased from the prior fiscal year, from $77.5 million to $98.5 million, an increase of 27 percent.

Despite seeing fewer patients, Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer funding has increased by 61 percent in the past decade, from $336.7 million in 2006 to $543.7 million in 2016.

CEO Cecile Richards bemoaned a “historic threat” to Planned Parenthood in the report, stemming from legislative efforts at the state and federal level to regulate or defund Planned Parenthood.

Despite defunding efforts, the organization received only two percent fewer tax dollars in 2016 than in 2015. “Government Health Services Reimbursements & Grants” constituted the largest source of funding for Planned Parenthood in 2016-2017, providing 37 percent of the organization’s revenue.  

The majority of Planned Parenthood’s expenses, 60 percent, were for “medical services.”

The report showed that the number of patients receiving contraceptive services from Planned Parenthood declined last year, as it has since 2009. That year, Planned Parenthood provided 4,009,549 contraceptives to patients, a number that was nearly halved by 2016. Most of Planned Parenthood’s birth control services are oral contraceptives, the report said, although there was an increase in the number of IUDs implanted in 2016 compared to 2015.

Cancer screenings and prenatal care also declined over the past year. While adoption referrals increased, Planned Parenthood performed about 82 abortions for every child that was referred for adoption.

In light of the report showing a significant, growing, profit, pro-life advocates are continuing to calling for Planned Parenthood to be defunded by state and federal legislatures.

“Enough is enough,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, in a Jan. 3 statement. “Community health centers vastly outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities nationwide and offer comprehensive primary and preventative care for women and families. Congress must follow through on the promise to redirect tax dollars away from Planned Parenthood without further delay.”

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>In looking at <a href=”https://twitter.com/PPact?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@PPact</a>'s latest annual report, more than 82 abortions were performed for every 1 adoption referral. You have to ask –  how much choice is Planned Parenthood advocating for their vulnerable patients?</p>&mdash; Catherine Szeltner (@CatSzeltner) <a href=”https://twitter.com/CatSzeltner/status/948263568440426497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>As I’ve stated before (and setting aside the fungible aspect of $), I don’t care if the dollars that Planned Parenthood receives from the government go to purchase fish tanks for waiting rooms. Their organization takes lives, and that is unacceptable.</p>&mdash; Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SouthernKeeks/status/948347629590728704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Left unmentioned in the report was that 32 Planned Parenthood facilities have closed during the last year.

 

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1 Comment

  1. I will be praying for Linden with all my heart. I am the father of 2 kids who live with Asperger. I am so sad to read this story but I will put both my knees down for this kid and his mom.
    V.R. Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

    Reply

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