CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, ETHICS

and INTERNAL CONTROL

"Religious Ethics"

Burgos, Gracielle
Fouziya, Sharifa
Gerasta, Lauren
Lugagay, Nicole
Original, Christine Joy
T-TH (9:00-10:30)
FIRST CASE
"Today is Valentine's day"
February 15, 2019
“Today is Valentine's day, a day my
partner and I usually celebrate with joy,
and I usually cook something special...
Not this Valentine's day. Today I
completed my abortion, with
medication. This, unfortunately, is my
third abortion. I had one when I was 12
or 13, another when I was 18 or 19. I feel
like my brain has completely blocked out
those experiences and not until now
have I thought of them again.
I regret neither of them. I was so
immature, I had nothing, and the fathers
were only sperm donors. But this
abortion at 26, this one hurt, and I
believe will leave me scarred for life. I
feel evil by saying that the other
abortions before this one meant nothing
to me, but I'm trying to be as honest as
possible. I guess in some way I feel this
abortion was just karma coming back to
haunt me. I had no interest in having kids
for the longest time. I felt my boyfriend
had no interest in kids, and ultimately
engraved the idea of not wanting kids
into my head. How weak of me I know,
but again just being honest.
Our relationship has always been
complicated, and I fear always will be,
this experience has made me distance
myself from him. I can’t stand being
close to him and he wants to be close to
me all the time. We haven't been
sleeping together because I can't stand
his smell. It's horrible. He used to bring
me so much comfort.
My two previous abortions were
surgical. I went in and got them done
and the next day I felt nothing and went
back to my immature self. This time I
decided to have the medication abortion
because it was possible, I was 9 weeks.
My experience being pregnant was a
nightmare and I have a negative blood
type and had to go to the emergency
room twice because I was bleeding. My
second visit to the emergency room, the
hospital staff seemed annoyed that I was
back, but I was really concerned I had
miscarried at that point. I wasn't sure if I
was keeping the pregnancy. At 5 and a
half weeks they didn’t hear a heartbeat
but said it was possible it was too early
to predict a miscarriage. I was given the
shot for my body to stop creating
antibodies.
I spent my days vomiting. I lost weight, I
couldn't drink water, and the smell of
anything and everything made me vomit,
even after the shot it was horrible. I
finally decided I couldn't carry on. I made
an appointment with Planned
Parenthood but wasn't able to be seen
until about 2 almost 3 weeks later. The
waiting was excruciating and the horror
stories on the internet about medication
abortion were crippling. My boyfriend
and I finally drove to the clinic with
about an hour wait to be seen, but
finally I was in. I was given an ultrasound
and they determined that I was 9 weeks
and could proceed with the medication
abortion.
I was given the first pill at the clinic and
was given a set of pills to take 24 hours
later orally. I threw up after taking the
first pill at the clinic about 15 minutes
after taking it. I was so distraught that I
had vomited the pill and it wouldn’t
work. I got home and threw up twice
more and was convinced it was not going
to work. About an hour later I felt blood
on my pants, ran to the bathroom and
out came a lemon sized clot with more
blood. I was in shock because I wasn't
expecting nor was I told this would
happen after the first pill. The next day I
followed with the next dose as
instructed, letting them dissolve in my
cheeks for 30 minutes. It was horrible
and tasted awful. As soon as I rinsed and
drank the remaining of the pills the pain
in my stomach started. I sat on the toilet
I had diarrhea immediately and passed
clots for about 15 to 20 minutes, which
felt like an eternity. It was the most pain
I have ever been in in my life. I wanted
nothing more than for it to be over. It
was if someone was pulling on my
insides trying to RIP them out from my
anus. The pain was excruciating agony
and I was home alone. My boyfriend had
already missed days of work and couldn't
stay home. He's been supportive but I
know that he feels nothing compared to
what I feel and it makes me resent him.
The only reason I didn't keep my
pregnancy is because I'm unemployed
and my journey in life has been ugly
because of my mistakes and because of
child neglect when I was younger. I feel
very alone and want to move forward
but don't know how. And I just don't
know if I have it in me. My baby
deserves better. He deserved to be
desired and to be given every chance in
the world to be successful. I feel I
couldn't provide anything for this baby,
and that my partner would have
resented me for burdening him. I don't
think he was mentally ready for a baby.
He is selfish and so am I. I hope I will use
this as strength. I'm scared.”

SECOND CASE
Joshua is the infant son of an Orthodox
Jewish family from Israel. Joshua and his
mother were thrown from their car
during a rollover accident. The mother
was pronounced dead at the scene.
Joshua was diagnosed with a traumatic
brain injury and hospitalized in critical
condition.
The father notified the healthcare team
that he would be taking his wife's body
back to Israel and, therefore, would not
be at his son's bedside for the next 7
days. In his absence, the father asked his
brother to assume power of attorney for
Joshua's healthcare. The healthcare
team felt compelled to have a frank and
open discussion with the family about
the potential decisions that Joshua's
uncle might need to make during the
father's absence.
One possibility raised was the high
probability that Joshua's condition could
deteriorate and the criteria for death by
neurological condition would be met or,
in other words, he would be declared
brain dead. When this possibility was
raised, the father stated, "Orthodox Jews
do not accept the diagnosis of brain
death." The rabbi who was present at
the family meeting concurred with the
father's position and felt that further
advice from other rabbis would be
needed if a diagnosis of brain death
were to occur. The family meeting
concluded with the rabbi summarizing as
follows: "If brain death were to occur,
the brother will be notified. He will talk
to the father, obtain rabbinic advice, and
then talk with the doctor again."
Later, when asked about how the
healthcare team would be
accommodating the family's religious
beliefs related to brain death, the
physician stated, "dead is dead. It
doesn't matter what the family believes.
I can respect their values, but it doesn't
mean I have to do anything." The other
members of the healthcare team were
left wondering.
THIRD CASE
Washington Supreme Court rules against
Christian florist in same-sex marriage
case.
In February, the Washington State
Supreme Court ruled in against a
Christian florist who refused to serve a
same-sex wedding because of her
relationship with Jesus Christ.” In their
unanimous decision the state court
claims that, discrimination based on
same-sex marriage constitutes
discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation.
The ruling was the latest legal setback
for Barronelle Stutzman, the 72-year-old
owner of Arlene’s Flowers & Gifts. Last
year Washington State’s sued Stutzman
because she refused to sell flowers to a
long time customer when the
arrangements were to be used for a
same-sex marriage ceremony.
Alliance Defending Freedom, the
organization defending Stutzman in this
case, says they will continue to stand
with her by appealing this ruling against
her to the U.S. Supreme Court.

FOURTH CASE
Kid gets bullied in school and comes
home hungry and bruised. Instead of
enacting vengeance towards the bully,
he and his parents agree to buy him
stuff. The next day, bully does his usual
shit but hesitates when the parents
came to watch them. The boy gives a
lunchbox and a pillow while telling the
bully that violence will not save him from
himself.
As a Christian, we have our ethical code
when it comes to our friends and
enemies. No matter the situation, we
must not forget to love one another.
Especially the ones who are given little
love.