THE NATURE OF PRO-LIFE ISSUES
1. Direct threats to human life include first of all abortion, which takes
the lives of well over a million US children annually; embryonic stem cell
harvesting; euthanasia; and cloning. Additional threats to human life
include poverty, capital punishment, racism, war, nuclear arms
proliferation and exploitation. Since each and every human being is
unique and important, one's personhood or worth should not be arbitrarily
determined by another's choice. No one exists solely as a means to
someone else's happiness. The choices we make, as individuals and as a
society, must be weighed in light of their impact on human life and
dignity. Do you acknowledge both the breadth of pro life issues, and the
primacy of some of those issues, namely abortion, embryonic stem cell
harvesting, euthanasia, and cloning?

Yes


ABORTION
2. Do you believe that a unique human life begins at conception?

Yes


3. The 14th Amendment states "nor shall any state deprive any person of
life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any
person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The
Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, 1973, stated that "if this suggestion of
personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for
the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the
[14th] Amendment." The Court regrettably concluded though that "we need
not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained
in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are
unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary, at this point in the
development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to
the answer." Do you believe that the State has a compelling interest in
protecting human life beginning at conception?

I believe the basic role of the state is to protect the basic God given
rights which include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.


4. Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion ever
permissible? Check all that apply:
_____ No, it's never permissible
___X__ Yes, to save mother's life
_____ Yes, in cases of rape or incest
____ Yes, for physical deformity _____ Yes, for gender
_____ Yes, for race
_____ Yes, to punish spouse
_____ Yes, it's always permissible


EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS
5. Do you oppose federal funding for embryonic stem cell research or cloning?

I oppose federal funding of research that has proven to not be effective
when there is a better alternative that doesn't involve Human embryos.


PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN ABORTION
6. Peer reviewed studies have shown that parental involvement laws reduce
the occurrence of risky sex in teens, and more than 30 states currently
have some form of them. Either the teen refrains from engaging in sex or
is more careful before having sex. These laws help teen mothers and
fathers get the support and guidance they need from parents in this
important decision. Not having them risks parental estrangement or
alienation from the child when in the greatest need and denies the dignity
of the family. Minors already must have parental approval for even the
most minor types of medical procedures or medications and should also for
the complex procedure of abortion. Without parental involvement, a minor
impregnated by an adult often times is pressured into having an abortion
so as to conceal the fact that the adult is guilty of statutory rape. Do
you support parental involvement laws (with judicial override) for minors
when seeking an abortion?

Yes I support parental notification with at least 24 hours waiting time.


PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE
7. Washington State Initiative 1000 which was passed in 2008, legalized
Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) by allowing doctors to prescribe lethal
doses of barbiturates to certain patients. The objection to this
sanctioning of suicide is that some vulnerable persons, such as those who
are feeble, depressed, mentally ill, or handicapped, will likely
experience coercion to end their lives. For them a right to die, already
protected in the Natural Death Act, (RCW 70.122), may become a duty to
die. The American Medical Association (policy H-140.952) as well as the
Washington State Medical Association (2007 Resolution A-7) oppose PAS.
The AMA states that "physician assisted suicide is fundamentally
inconsistent with the physician's professional role." The initiative uses
vague language that enable doctors "acting in good faith" to assist
mentally ill or depressed patients to commit suicide, while protecting
doctors from civil and criminal lawsuits. Health care insurers can cut
costs by providing prescriptions for suicide. Will society's sanction of
suicide have unintended consequences? Sponsor and former governor Booth
Gardner says that this is only a “first step” in legalizing assisted
suicide for anyone who wants it. When society fails to protect vulnerable
people in their troubles, but instead offers them the violence of suicide,
has not society abandoned them? Do you oppose the availability of
physician assisted suicide?

Yes, I believe in following the natural course as God intended.


MARRIAGE PRESERVATION
8. Children develop best within the context of a biologically related
family. This is a scientifically proven fact which the Washington State
Supreme Court referenced when in 2006, it ruled on the state's 1998
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The court determined that the state's
limitation of marriage to heterosexual couples "is constitutional because
the legislature was entitled to believe that limiting marriage to
opposite-sex couples furthers ... the well-being of children by
encouraging families where children are reared in homes headed by the
children’s biological parents." In concurrence, Justice James Johnson
wrote "The unique and binary biological nature of marriage and its
exclusive link with procreation and responsible child rearing has defined
the institution [of marriage in law]." In order to affirm and protect
children’s rights and the primacy of those rights over adults’ aspirations
for novel family forms, do you oppose laws that change the definition of
marriage to include homosexual and polygamous relationships?

Yes. I oppose having Holy Matrimony be made by the state to include same
sex relationships. Marriage was ordained by God and not to be messed with
by any civil authority.


MEDICAL CONSCIENCE CLAUSES
9. "The trend toward accepting the termination of some human lives as a
normal part of medicine is accelerating ... Courts, policymakers, media
leaders - even the elites of organized medicine - increasingly assert that
patient rights and respect for patients’ choices should trump the
consciences of medical professionals. Indeed, the time may soon arrive
when doctors, nurses, and pharmacists will be compelled to take, or be
complicit in the taking of, human life, regardless of their strong
religious or moral objections thereto." (Westlie J. Smith, 2009). Should
doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals be granted
the right to refuse participation in the provision of medical services
that violate the person's moral, ethical or religious beliefs?

Absolutely. Freedom of religion is in the Bill of Rights. No one should be
forced to go against their religious beliefs.


PUBLIC SCHOOL SEX EDUCATION
10. The typical comprehensive sex education program spends as little as 5%
of the time teaching abstinence principles (Zogby 3/27/07), instead
spending significantly more time teaching students how to put condoms on
models of male genitalia and promoting alternative forms of sexual
activity called outercourse, which may include showering together and
mutual masturbation as effective ways to avoid pregnancy and disease. In
contrast, an emphasis on abstinence means teaching students about building
healthy relationships and bolstering self worth and self-control. Do you
support only sex education that is wholesome, not dehumanizing and truly
safe?

Yes. I support abstinence based sex education.


DEATH PENALTY
11. The death penalty in the United States should:
_____ not be used ___X__ be used about the same
_____ be used less _____ be used more


GAMING
12. A proposed casino off I-5 near Ridgefield is projected to be one of
the largest in the nation. What is your position on the building of this
casino?

Gambling is proven to be destructive to society and families and often
attracts undesirable elements to a community. If people chose to gamble
they can travel to Nevada or other Casinos already serving the public. I
want to keep Clark County family friendly.


QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMENTS
13. Please state your qualifications for office such as professional,
educational, family and community accomplishments. You may also add any
any further comments regarding the relationship of your candidacy to
respect life issues.

From my website.
Peter Van Nortwick is a 3rd generation Washingtonian. He is a graduate of
the University Of Washington and an Alumni of Seattle University and
University of Colorado’s Graduate Schools of Business. Peter has worked
around the world on the start up of telecom companies, including Cricket,
U S West Cellular, now Verizon, Time Warner Communications and EuroTel
Praha. Peter first came to Vancouver, WA in 1996 as a Product Manager for
Electric Lightwave. Peter has lectured internationally at trade shows
and been a guest lecturer at Seattle University and Portland State
University.

Peter is a Certified General Appraiser, the highest level of appraiser and
is the Managing Partner of American Commercial and Residential Appraisal.
His appraisal experience includes residential, commercial, recreational
and agricultural appraisals. He has experience appraising properties
worth tens of millions of dollars and providing expert witness testimony.
He is also an FHA appraiser, a member of the Clark County Association of
Realtors and The Appraisal Institute. He is a past board member on the
Building Industry Association’s Build the Vote Political Action Committee
and a member of the Leadership Clark County class of 2009-2010.
Peter resides in unincorporated Vancouver with his wife Kate, his two
daughters and his step-son. Peter’s wife Kate is the General Manager at
the Springhill Suites by Marriott in Hillsboro. His oldest daughter Haley
is in 8th grade at the Vancouver School of the Arts and Academics, his
youngest daughter Hanna is a 5th grader in the challenge program at Truman
Elementary. His step-son Brian is a freshman at Prairie High School.
Peter is very active in girl’s basketball in Clark County including
experience as a coach for the YMCA.
Peter is well entrenched in the Clark County business community and
understands the struggles facing our families.


WEBSITE POSTING PERMISSION
14. May LifePac post your survey response on its website?

Yes