Letters to the Editor
bernbart
Published Letters: 2066 Editor's Choice: 22
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Good ridence
[Read the article: James Dobson's Rudy problem]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The best thing that could happen to the GOP is to ignore James Dobson and the religious right. Many indepndents and repbublicans have not voted for their party in 12 years because of the religious rigth(wrong). These republicans would proabably go back to the republican party if they got rid of the so-caled 'social conservatives'.
James Dobson and the others are just afraid ther 'empires of hate and misinformation' will be hurt. FOF and other religous right organizatnis are receving millions of our tax dollars from Bushe's 'fatih based'programs. Most of the 'abtenience only' sex education porgrams are produced by FOF. FOF makes million off of parenting and fmaily advice magazines, video etc ,yet his parenting philosphy is in direct conflict with the the chld psycholgy and medical profession.
And who wuld they run? My god most of the current Republican candidates already have already shouted form thepodium in the debaes they want to see Roe v. Wade go.
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It's the center
[Read the article: James Dobson's Rudy problem]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]'To defang this movement, the Left (or what passes for it in this country) should develop an honest culture of life -- that is, anti-war, anti-death penalty, and, yes, anti-abortion (by way of sex education, readily available birth control, and encouragement of adoption to minimize abortions).'
I am somewhat dumb struck by those who think those who support abortion rights, do not value life. This sounds like you are buying ninto to the 'culture of death' rhetoric of the right.
It has been the religious right 'pro-fe' organizatins' that has formulated the discussion on issue of reproductive rights around just abortion, adn are working vigously agansist birth control and sex education. Pro-choice orgnaizations support legal abortions under Roe, but for over a decade NARAL and Planned Parenthhod have been working to do exactly what you suggested "make abortion less necessary by preventing pregnancy". This statement came originaly from NARAL long before Clinton said it. Unfortunately the religious right, now call everything they oppose abortion i.e. stem cell research, contraception,. They even blame comprehensive sex education for encourging abortions. The irony of the 'soical conservatives', is many also support the death penalty.
And One of the main reasons moderate repubican quit voting for republicans, is because the majority of republicans have always been pro-choice.
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sacntiy of life & abortion & abortionhistory
[Read the article: Beyond the Multiplex]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"sacntiy of life" had nothing to do with abortion until recenlty. Legaly Human life has been defined by eitehr vialbity or birth. The Catohic church took no political position on abortion when the first U.S. abortion restrictons were passed in 1870. In 1870 the Cathlic church's offical position on abortion was based on Aristoles 'Theory of Potentialism': Abortion was venial (slight sin) before quickening (first 12 weeks), and only consdered a mortal (serious) sin after quickening, never considered murder. The Church's current dogma,"human life begins at conception" was not adopted until 1900. I was adoptd then to support the Churches' recent dogma the "Imaculate Conception"... the belief that Mary's mother was without sin when Mary was conceived. The laws pased in 1870 had nothing to so with relgion or sactity of life, but as about protecting women's' health from unsafe abortion methods. After abortion was restricted in 1870, women still has control of the decision and were able to get abortion from their dotors as the law did not prosecute doctors. However in the 50s a new laws were passed requiring women to declare themslves mentally incompetent and/ or go before medical boards to get approval, and doctors could be prosecuted. Thus started the cycle terrible medically unsafe illigal abortions. Which eventually led to Roe both supported not only the medical but much of the religious community.
In 1965 The Catholic church was paramont in fighting the "Griswald" decision. "Griswald vs Ct" is the SC decision which did away with a law banning women from getting birth control without their husband's consent, and secured our "prvacy rights" in the constitution. That is why the pro-lfers are now to attacking contraception.
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YUM
[Read the article: "Michael Clayton"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]AllI can say whether his acting bad or good, George Clooney is YUMMIE.
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Anonymous-FOF
[Read the article: James Dobson's Rudy problem]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Seems Anonymous ia FOF fan. It doen't matter if the are non- profit org., they still get lots of our tax dolars and use tehr milions to pomote ther outdated ideas thorugh teh poltical system. I've seen the FOF "Abstenience Only" education program. It is full of medical inaccuracies, but some chapters parts do make for humorous reading.
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More representative now
[Read the article: The presidential primary scam]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It used to be that all states elected delegates who went to a convetion to represnt thier state and vote for a nominee at the convention. The nominee was picked in the smoked filled back room by the powers that be (mosty white males). Now with states have primaries, the election cycles are becoming longer and more money beng spent. However the majority voters do not pay any attenition to the election until the last 3 months.
The only Democracies that are truley Democratic are parlimentary Democracies, like Britin. Most of the rest the democracies in the world have a parlimentary Demcoracy with more than one party each getting a % of the parlrmentary representation, and the winner (higest % of votes) of majority votes taking the presidency. It also prevents months of politicking.
If we really wanted to reform the system we would take the money out, make the eleciton cycle shorter, reqauire media to give equal to caddiates wiht non-pad ads,or meaniless debates. Save the debtes for the general election. Keep teh elciton ccylet to 6 months at the most. 3 months primaries, 3 months general. Spend the time andmoney on efforts to gett citzenes to vote. Is't it sad taht countries that gained ther freedoms in the last decade have over 68% of the citzens voting and we have as few as 35% voting.