David Reardon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David C. Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute, is a biomedical ethicist specializing in research[1] and education related to the effects of abortion on women.[2] He is a proponent of a "pro-woman / pro-life" approach to the abortion issue that emphasizes efforts to prevent coerced and unsafe abortions.[3] Legislation supported by Reardon which would define standards for pre-abortion screening that would make it easier for women to sue abortion providers for negligence have been described by some pro-choice advocates as an effort to ban most abortions. [4]
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[edit] Biography
Reardon is the author of a number of medical studies[1] and five books examining the controversial issue of mental health effects associated with abortion. Reardon is described in the New York Times Magazine as the "Moses" of the "post-abortion movement".[5]
A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Illinois department of electrical engineering,[6] Reardon began researching the effects of abortion in the mid-1980's. Reardon subsequently received a Ph.D in biomedical ethics from Pacific Western University, an unaccredited correspondence school offering no classroom instruction.[7][8][6]
Reardon describes his position on abortion as both "pro-life" (believing a human fetus is deserving of protection) and "pro-woman" and "anti-abortion" (believing abortion hurts women).[9] In a 2002 article in Ethics & Medicine, Reardon argued that in order to be effective, pro-life efforts had to present "a moral vision that consistently demonstrates just as much concern for women as for their unborn children."[3] Reardon appealed to the pro-life movement to support his "pro-woman/pro-life" strategy writing:
For the purpose of passing restrictive laws to protect women from unwanted and/or dangerous abortions, it does not matter if people have a pro-life view. The ambivalent majority of people who are willing to tolerate abortion in “some cases” are very likely to support informed consent legislation and abortion clinic regulations, for example, because these proposals are consistent with their desire to protect women. In some cases, it is not even necessary to convince people of abortion’s dangers. It is sufficient to simply raise enough doubts about abortion that they will refuse to actively oppose the proposed anti-abortion initiative. In other words, if we can convince many of those who do not see abortion to be a “serious moral evil” that they should support anti-abortion policies that protect women and reduce abortion rates, that is a sufficiently good end to justify NRS efforts. Converting these people to a pro-life view, where they respect life rather than simply fear abortion, is a second step. The latter is another good goal, but it is not necessary to the accomplishment of other good goals, such as the passage of laws that protect women from dangerous abortions and thereby dramatically reduce abortion rates.[3]
Reardon is involved with a group called the Stop Forced Abortions Alliance[10] which, according to the Chicago Tribune, is "attempting to frame the debate around their contention that 64 percent of women who have abortions have them without really wanting to."[4] In 2008 the group introduced a legislative initiative in Missouri called the the Prevention of Coerced and Unsafe Abortions Act[11] which critics say would "expose doctors to lawsuits from women who later regretted their decisions to terminate pregnancies."[4]
In a Washington Monthly article titled "Research and Destroy", author Chris Mooney profiled Reardon as an example of what he describes as "Christian conservatives [who] have gone a long way towards creating their own scientific counter-establishment."[7] He also notes that Reardon's findings conflict with those of the American Psychological Association, which in 1990 had rejected "the notion that abortion regularly causes severe or clinical mental problems", and with the conclusions of former United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.[7]
In a front-page story for the New York Times Magazine, Slate editor Emily Bazelon described the growth of post-abortion counseling ministries around the United States as part of an effort by the pro-life movement to outlaw abortion by stressing its purported psychological effects. She describes Reardon as arguing that the pro-life movement will "never win over a majority... by asserting the sanctity of fetal life", and therefore should focus on disseminating information that abortion is psychologically harmful to women as a more effective strategy.[5]
Bazelon goes on to say:
For anti-abortion activists, this strategy offers distinct advantages. It challenges the connection between access to abortion and women's rights — if women are suffering because of their abortions, then how could making the procedure readily available leave women better off? It replaces mute pictures of dead fetuses with the voices of women who narrate their stories in raw detail and who claim they can move legislators to tears. And it trades condemnation for pity and forgiveness. “Pro-lifers who say, ‘I don’t understand how anyone could have an abortion,’ are blind to how hurtful this statement can be,” Reardon writes on his Web site. “A more humble pro-life attitude would be to say, ‘Who am I to throw stones at others?’ When researchers attack his findings, Reardon writes to the journals’ letters pages. “Even if pro-abortionists got five paragraphs explaining that abortion is safe and we got only one line saying it's dangerous, the seed of doubt is planted,” he wrote in his book. [5]
Reardon has been described in the Boston Globe as someone who "wants Congress to impose strict barriers to abortion." The Boston Globe also wrote:
This dual role of advocate/researcher is becoming more common, especially as advocacy groups realize they can sway more opinions by asserting that their research is based on science, rather than simply on personal belief. [David] Reardon, like many people who play this dual role, insists he can objectively look at the data without being influenced by his personal viewpoint.[12]
According to the website of the Elliot Institute, which Reardon founded, he is "a frequent guest on Christian radio and Christian television talk shows and has been a frequently invited speaker state and national conventions for crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations."[13] Reardon addressed the National Pro-Life Religious Council in 1998, where he discussed emotional reactions to abortion in the context of the disputed entity of "post-abortion syndrome".[14][15]
[edit] Elliot Institute
Reardon is the founder and director of the Elliot Institute, which in 2005 reported that it had two full-time and one part-time employees.[16] According to its web site, the Elliot Institute studies "the effects of eugenics, abortion, population control, and sexual attitudes and practices on individuals and society at large."[17] The Institute was described by USA Today as an "anti-abortion organization focusing on the physical and psychological effects of abortion."[18]
The Elliot Institute has endorsed model legislation regarding informed consent provisions for women considering abortion and bills that would increase the liablity of physicians who provide abortions that are deemed "unsafe or unnecessary".[19] The Elliot Institute is also leading an effort to build a coalition of groups to advocate for laws that would create a preemptive ban on human genetic engineering.[20]
Reardon and the Elliot Institute opposed The Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, and proposed a competing initiative which would have prohibited any embryonic stem cell research which resulted in the destruction of a human embryo, as well as some other types of genetic research, in Missouri.[21] The Elliot institute created the website ElliotInstitute.org which mimicked the site of a pro-stem-cell-research group, the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. The group sued the Elliot Institute in federal court for alleged copyright and trademark violations. Consequently, the Elliot Institute website was ordered temporarily shut down by a federal judge.[22]
[edit] Books and articles
Reardon has written a number of books and articles on what he asserts are the harmful side effects of abortion.
- Aborted Women, Silent No More
- Aborted Women is a study of the psychological and physical effects of abortion on 252 women who had abortions. It is a combination of statistical data and testimony from the women.[23] Reardon surveyed members of a group called Women Exploited by Abortion, and found high rates of nervous breakdowns, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. Reardon described this finding as evidence of a link between abortion and psychological harm.[5]
- Making Abortion Rare
- Making Abortion Rare is a plan for "making abortion not only illegal, but unthinkable." Reardon offers a strategy for redefining the abortion debate. His three elements are: "(1) promotion of post-abortion healing which will free post-aborted women and men to talk about their suffering; (2) a research and education campaign to increase public awareness of how women are being devastated by abortion physically, psychologically, and spiritually; and (3) expansion of patients' rights and the corresponding liability risks of abortionists."[24]
- The Jericho Plan - Breaking Down the Walls Which Prevent Post-Abortion Healing
- In Jericho, Reardon's goal is "to promote the emotional and spiritual healing of women and men who have been scarred by abortion."[25] Directed toward both pro-life and pro-choice ministers, it is "intended to help teach a greater understanding of the abortion experience in order to build bridges between those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice." Among the steps he recommends are: 1) "Educating the congregation about the many symptoms of post-abortion trauma, including its destructive effects on the lives of women, men, and families"; 2) "Stimulating the desire for emotional and spiritual healing"; and 3) "Encouraging reconciliation with God through acknowledgment of one's personal responsibility for the abortion(s) and inviting participation in post-abortion recovery programs".[26]
- In one chapter of the book, Reardon provides a sample sermon called "The Devil's Bargain" in which he suggests that pastors should preach the following:
-
After the abortion, Satan, who used despair to drive the woman to choose abortion, now uses despair to destroy the woman in other ways. He becomes the woman's accuser.
-
That is Satan's agenda. But what is Christ's? Does Christ desire punishment for those who have had abortions? No. He desires reconciliation.[27]
- Victims and Victors - Speaking Out About Their Pregnancies, Abortions, and Children Resulting from Sexual Assault
- Victims and Victors reports on a survey of 192 women who became pregnant from rape or incest, and either had an abortion or gave birth. In describing the results, Reardon wrote "Most women who aborted did so only because they felt it was their only choice, and more than 80 percent said it was a choice they deeply regretted. Many felt that abortion only compounded their emotional trauma and allowed others to ignore their need for compassion and support."[28] Of the women who carried to term, "they all believed they made the right decision in giving birth."[29]
- Rape, Incest and Abortion - Searching Beyond the Myths
- Reardon also opposes abortion in cases of rape and incest. In Rape, Incest and Abortion he states:
But in fact, the welfare of the mother and child are never at odds, even in sexual assault cases. Both the mother and child are helped by preserving life, not by perpetuating violence.
- Taking Abortion Seriously - A philosophical critique of the new anti-abortion rhetorical shift
- In a 2001 article in Ethics & Medicine, pro-life philosopher Francis Beckwith provided an extensive critique of the "new rhetorical strategy (NRS)" advocated by Reardon and others. Beckwith argued that NRS efforts to focus attention on the effects of abortion on women distracts from the central moral issue of the unborn child's right to life and may even promote moral relativism by displacing concerns about absolute moral truths with concerns about medical safety.[31]
- Reardon responded to Beckwith's insisting "[t]he harm abortion does to women is just as real as that done to the human fetus" and that "pro-lifers have an obligation to embrace "a moral vision that consistently demonstrates just as much concern for women as for their unborn children."[3] An emphasis on how abortion hurts women, Reardon writes, is the key to building a "bridge to the hearts of the ambivalent majority." He believes that if pro-lifers can work with moderate pro-choice proponents on matters of common concern for the welfare of women this will pave the way to creating a consensus for more restrictive abortion laws:
-
For the purpose of passing restrictive laws to protect women from unwanted and/or dangerous abortions, it does not matter if people have a pro-life view. The ambivalent majority of people who are willing to tolerate abortion in "some cases" are very likely to support informed consent legislation and abortion clinic regulations, for example, because these proposals are consistent with their desire to protect women. In some cases, it is unnecessary to convince people of abortion's dangers. It is sufficient simply to raise enough doubts about abortion that they will refuse actively to oppose the proposed anti-abortion initiative. In other words, if we can convince many of those who do not see abortion to be a "serious moral evil" to support the anti-abortion initiative that protects women and reduces abortion rates, that is a sufficiently good end to justify NRS efforts. Converting these people to a pro-life view, where they respect life rather than simply fear abortion, is a second step. The latter is another good goal, but it is not necessary to the accomplishment of other good goals, such as the passage of laws that protect women from dangerous abortions and thereby dramatically reduce abortion rates.[3]
- The Lorena Bobbitt case
- In a 1996 article, Reardon suggested that post-traumatic stress disorder from a forced abortion was a contributing factor behind Lorena Bobbitt's act of severing her husband's penis with a kitchen knife, in 1993.[32] Reardon asserts that the attack, which occurred almost exactly three years after the abortion, reflected aspects of an "anniversary reaction" associated with the abortion. To support this theory, Reardon notes that Lorena testified that she had flashbacks to the abortion moments before the attack when she was in the kitchen and retrieving the knife. Court records indicate she was also treated for psychosomatic cramping and other symptoms days before the attack, which Reardon also asserts may be related to post-abortion anniversary reactions.[33]
[edit] Peer-reviewed studies
- See also: Abortion and mental health
Reardon's studies have found significant associations between a history of abortion and elevated risks of psychiatric hospitalization,[34] depression,[35][36][34] drug and alcohol use,[37][38][39][40] suicide and death from accidents,[41] [42] post-traumatic stress disorder,[43] anxiety,[34][44] sleep disorders,[45][34] more frequent psychiatric outpatient treatment,[46] subsequent parenting difficulties,[47] and other sequelae.[43][34]
Reardon's research and methodology have been criticized by, among others, Brenda Major of the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Nancy Russo, a psychology professor at Arizona State University.[48][5]
- Abortion and Subsequent Substance Abuse
In his earliest peer-reviewed paper, Reardon reported a statistical association between abortion and subsequent substance abuse. "Women who aborted a first pregnancy were five times more likely to report subsequent substance abuse than women who carried to term, and they were four times more likely to report substance abuse compared to those who suffered a natural loss of their first pregnancy (i.e., due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or stillbirth)."[49]
- Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - a cohort study
Reardon coauthored a brief report published in 2002 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) describing his analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY) database. Reardon found that among married women, abortion was associated with a higher risk of depression than childbirth.[50] The BMJ published seven "Rapid Responses" to his report, and six replies thereto by Reardon.[51]
Schmiege and Russo reported in the BMJ in 2005 that when the same NLSY dataset was analyzed using methodology which they described as more accurate, the association reported by Reardon disappeared. The concluded that "...there is no credible evidence that choosing to terminate an unwanted first pregnancy puts women at higher risk of subsequent depression than does choosing to deliver an unwanted first pregnancy."[52] Among the many "Rapid Responses" were two lengthy letters by Reardon.[53]
- Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome - a record linkage study of low income women
In a 2002 report published in the Southern Medical Journal, Reardon and his co-authors examined the California Medicaid records for 173,279 women and found higher death rates associated with abortion than with childbirth.[54]
- Psychiatric Admissions of Low-income Women Following Abortion and Childbirth
In 2003, Reardon published a study of California Medicaid records for 56,741 low income women. After controlling for one year prior psychiatric history, Reardon and his colleagues found that women who had an abortion were 2.6 times more likely than women who carried to term to be hospitalized for psychiatric care in the first 90 days following their pregnancy outcome.[34]
Along with Reardon's paper, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an article by Brenda Major, who argued that Reardon's methodology failed to control for more than a single year of prior mental illness, marital status, and other factors. She concluded that given these unaddressed issues and the political controversy over abortion, "Statistics such as those reported by Reardon and colleagues thus run a high risk of being used in ways that misinform and mislead the public."[48] The two articles "elicited a barrage of letters",[55] including short responses by Reardon[56] and Major.[57][58]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b PubMed listing of research by Reardon.
- ^ "David C. Reardon, Biographical Sketch. (2000). Afterabortion.org. Retrieved February 11, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Reardon DC (2002). "A defense of the neglected rhetorical strategy (NRS)". Ethics Med 18 (2): 23–32. PMID 14700036. Full text in pdf here
- ^ a b c Kirsten Scharnberg In Missouri, vote sought on abortion Chicago Tribune December 28, 2007 accessed 4/18/07. see also Full Text
- ^ a b c d e Is There a Post-Abortion Syndrome?, by Emily Bazelon. Published in the New York Times Magazine on January 21, 2007; accessed November 27, 2007.
- ^ a b Politicized Science: How Anti-Abortion Myths Feed the Christian Right Agenda, by Pam Chamberlain. Published in The Public Eye by Political Research Associates, Summer 2006. Accessed February 17, 2008.
- ^ a b c Mooney, Chris. (October 1, 2004). "Research and Destroy". Washington Monthly. Retrieved February 11, 2007.
- ^ PBS NOW transcript, show #329, aired on PBS on July 20, 2007; accessed November 27, 2007. In the transcript, PBS senior correspondent Maria Hinojosa describes Reardon: "With a PhD from an unaccredited online institution, he's turned out dozens of studies that supposedly prove abortion is dangerous to women's mental health."
- ^ David C. Reardon. Making Abortion Rare: A Healing Strategy for a Divided Nation (1996) Acorn Books. See especially Chapter Two where Reardon discusses the terms pro-life, pro-woman, anti-abortion, pro-choice and pro-abortion.
- ^ Personal Statement from David C. Reardon, Ph.D., Director, Elliot Institute www.stopforcedabortions.org accessed 4/18/2008.
- ^ Prevention of Coerced and Unsafe Abortions Act text
- ^ Science in support of a cause: the new research, by Michael Kranish. Published in the Boston Globe on July 31, 2005; accessed November 27, 2007.
- ^ Elliot Institute Website Retrieved November 19, 2007
- ^ Real Audio from the National Pro-Life Religious Council website Retrieved November 19, 2007
- ^ "Pastors Gather to Meet Challenge of Pro-Life Ministry." Publication: National Right to Life News
- ^ Elliot Institute 2005 Year End Report
- ^ Elliot Institute Website "About Our Coalition"
- ^ No Abortion-Breast Cancer Link, by Rita Rubin. Published in USA Today on February 26, 2003; accessed March 6, 2008.
- ^ Elliot Institute Website "Politics"
- ^ Elliot Institute homepage
- ^ Missouri State Government website
- ^ Court Shuts Down Anti-Stem-Cell Web Site for Copyright Violations, by Donna Higgins. From news.findlaw.com, originally published March 27, 2006. Accessed January 7, 2008.
- ^ Peter J. Leithart. Book Review. Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Rev. Paul Marx. Book Review. Human Life International. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ David Reardon. Who Should Use This Book?. Acorn Books. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ David Reardon. Introduction. Acorn Books. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ David Reardon. Samples of the Jericho Sermons. Acorn Books. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Victims and Victors. Elliot Institute. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Theresa Burke. Abortion as Another Rape. Acorn Books. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
- ^ Rape, Incest and Abortion: Searching Beyond the Myths Retrieved March 12, 2008
- ^ Beckwith FJ (2001). "Taking abortion seriously: a philosophical critique of the new anti-abortion rhetorical shift". Ethics Med 17 (3): 155–66. PMID 15080146.
- ^ Ertelt, Steven. (January 15, 2004). "New Report on Lorena Bobbitt Case Focuses on Forced Abortion." Lifenews.com. Retrieved February 11, 2007.
- ^ Their Deepest Wound: An Analysis The PostAbortion Review 4(2-3) Spring & Summer 1996.
- ^ a b c d e f Reardon DC, Cougle JR, Rue VM, Shuping MW, Coleman PK, Ney PG (2003). "Psychiatric admissions of low-income women following abortion and childbirth". CMAJ 168 (10): 1253–6. PMID 12743066. Full Text
- ^ Cougle JR, Reardon DC, Coleman PK (2003). "Depression associated with abortion and childbirth: a long-term analysis of the NLSY cohort". Med. Sci. Monit. 9 (4): CR105–12. PMID 12709667.
- ^ Reardon DC, Cougle JR. Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: a cohort study. British Medical Journal. 324:151-2 (2002).
- ^ Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle JR.History of Induced Abortion in Relation to Substance Use During Pregnancies Carried to Term. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2002;187(5):1673-8.
- ^ Reardon DC, Ney P. Abortion and Subsequent Substance Abuse, Am. J. Drug and Alcohol Abuse 26(1):63-80 (2000)
- ^ Reardon DC, Coleman PK, Cougle JR.Substance use associated with unintended pregnancy outcomes in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Am. J. Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 2004; 26(1):369 - 383.
- ^ Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Cougle JR. Substance use among pregnant women in the context of previous reproductive loss and desire for current pregnancy. British Journal of Health Psychology 2005; 10:255-268.
- ^ Reardon DC, Ney PG, Scheuren F, Cougle J, Coleman PK, Strahan TW (2002). "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women". South. Med. J. 95 (8): 834–41. PMID 12190217. Full Text
- ^ Reardon DC, Strahan TW, Thorp JM, Shuping MW (2004). "Deaths associated with abortion compared to childbirth--a review of new and old data and the medical and legal implications". J Contemp Health Law Policy 20 (2): 279–327. PMID 15239361.Full Text
- ^ a b Rue VM, Coleman PK, Rue JJ, Reardon DC.Induced abortion and traumatic stress: A preliminary comparison of American and Russian women. Med Sci Monit, 2004 10(10): SR5-16.
- ^ Cougle JR, Reardon DC, Coleman PK (2005). "Generalized anxiety following unintended pregnancies resolved through childbirth and abortion: a cohort study of the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth". J Anxiety Disord 19 (1): 137–42. doi: . PMID 15488373.
- ^ Reardon DC, Coleman PK (2006). "Relative treatment rates for sleep disorders and sleep disturbances following abortion and childbirth: a prospective record-based study". Sleep 29 (1): 105–6. PMID 16453987.
- ^ Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle JR. State-funded abortions vs. deliveries: A comparison of outpatient mental health claims over five years. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2002; 72(1):141-152
- ^ Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Cougle JR.The quality of caregiving environment and child development outcomes associated with maternal history of abortion using the NLSY data. J Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2002; 43(6):743- 757.
- ^ a b Major B (2003). "Psychological implications of abortion--highly charged and rife with misleading research". CMAJ 168 (10): 1257–8. PMID 12743067.
- ^ Reardon DC, Ney PG (2000). "Abortion and subsequent substance abuse". Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 26 (1): 61–75. PMID 10718164.
- ^ Reardon DC, Cougle JR (2002). "Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: a cohort study". BMJ 324 (7330): 151–2. PMID 11799033.
- ^ Rapid Responses to Reardon, Cougle. BMJ.
- ^ Schmiege S, Russo NF (2005). "Depression and unwanted first pregnancy: longitudinal cohort study". BMJ 331 (7528): 1303. doi: . PMID 16257993.
- ^ Rapid Responses to Schmiege, Russo. BMJ.
- ^ Reardon DC, Ney PG, Scheuren F, Cougle J, Coleman PK, Strahan TW (2002). "Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women". South. Med. J. 95 (8): 834–41. PMID 12190217.
- ^ "Unwanted results: the ethics of controversial research" (2003). CMAJ 169 (2): 93. PMID 12874140.
- ^ David Reardon, Abortion Perils Debated Full Text
- ^ Brenda Major, Abortion Perils DebatedFull Text
- ^ Cited by ....
[edit] Bibliography
- Books by Reardon
- Aborted Women, Silent No More (1987) ISBN 0964895722
- Making Abortion Rare: A Healing Strategy for a Divided Nation (1996) ISBN 0964895765
- The Jericho Plan: Breaking Down the Walls Which Prevent Post-Abortion Healing (1996) ISBN 0964895757
- Victims and Victors: Speaking Out About Their Pregnancies, Abortions, and Children Resulting from Sexual Assault (with Julie Makimaa and Amy Sobie - 2000) ISBN 0964895714
- Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion (by Theresa Burke, with assistance of Reardon - 2002) ISBN 0964895781
[edit] External links
[edit] Pro-Choice
- "Who Is David Reardon and Why Is He Living in Missouri?" on website of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
- "The Emotional Effects of Induced Abortion" Planned Parenthood (National)
- "Beware of Meaningless Studies by Anti-Choice 'Researchers'" Pro-choice Action Network
- Politicized Science: How Anti-Abortion Myths Feed the Christian Right Agenda, by Pam Chamberlain. From Public Eye, published by Political Research Associates
[edit] Pro-Life
- "David C. Reardon, Biographical Sketch" The Elliot Institute
- DAVID REARDON: A GODSPY INTERVIEW Godspy: Faith at the Edge
- Interview with David Reardon of the Elliot Institute, Zenit, May 12, 2003.