Abortion shouldn't be a part of human rights
Jan. 22 marks the 39th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court's decision that legalized abortion. Since that dark day in American history, over 50 million unborn lives have been extinguished. This tragedy will continue until we recognize the humanity of life growing within the womb and reject the lie that abortion advances the rights of women.
Alice Paul, the celebrated American suffragist who drafted the original version of the Equal Rights Amendment, described abortion as "The ultimate exploitation of women" and asked, "How can anyone protect and help women by killing them as babies?" Indeed, nowhere is abortion's assault on women more evident than in the sex selection abortions seen in societies, where males are valued more than females both economically and socially. These tragic victims are almost exclusively baby girls.
Speaking to the humanity of the developing child is Dr. Beverly McMillan, an obstetrician/gynecologist, who I met while working in Mexico. She opened Mississippi's first abortion clinic in 1975, but resigned three years later when "a touch from the Lord" opened her eyes to abortion's grim reality. Dr. McMillan recalls her after-routine abortions: "I would then go over to the suction bottle and go outside to the sink where I would personally pick through it with forceps. I would have to identify the four extremities, the spine, the skull and the placenta. Standing at the sink, I guess I just started seeing these bodies for the first time. I don't know what I did before that. I think I just counted."
Jan. 22, 1973. If ever there was "a day that will live in infamy" for our nation, that day ... when we stripped our unborn children of the right to life ... was it. America, we are better than this.
John Nolan
Hartwick
People only care about making money
This is in response to a column by Mr. Richard Downey in the Dec. 31- Jan. 1, Weekend edition of The Daily Star. Yes, Mr. Downey, we can have it both ways. Responsible extraction of hydrocarbons from Mother Nature can be done in a safe way that the environment will not be polluted. To imply that we are hypocrites is to justify his own and those he represents' real agenda, is false. Truth be known, people of his ilk only care about the money they can make.
I also visited Pennsylvania, the same area he did. Interviewed the same people and found they had a much different opinion. My own observation was one I would not like to see here. At this time, the U.S.A. is exporting more gas and oil than in many years. Is this what it's all about? Making money from overseas markets at our expense? I think so.
Bob Dittus
Burlington
