Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Not hyperbole to call infanticide what it is
Letters to the Editor
Recent letters to the editor
- Pick of the day: Teacher's conviction should scare parents
- Letters: Payroll tax holiday is no such thing
- The Burgs letters
- Letters archive
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
Not hyperbole to call infanticide what it is
As a woman, mother and physician, I find your language in the recent editorial "The doctor's intent matters" (June 26) to be horrific.
Although we cannot be included among the categories mentioned of "hyperbole-inclined lawmaker, attorney general or Republican gubernatorial candidate," rest assured, there are many of us who recognize partial-birth abortion as partial-birth infanticide.
The extraction procedures you describe still remain child births. The intact extraction still is, in reality, an unmutilated baby. When we hear the phrase "protect the life of the patient," we understand that once the mother's pregnancy has progressed well into the second trimester, there are multiple patients involved in all the decisions made.
There are responsibilities and consequences to all persons involved in those decisions, especially to the mother, to the physician and to the lawmakers.
Legislating away such issues as culpability and responsibility under law will not remove consequences in a universe where we will continue to reap what we sow.
Mention of past was unmannerly
Tai Collins is a beautiful woman who has devoted the last 16 years to helping poor children in need of personal attention, opportunities and encouragement. She has been often honored and just lately she was given the "Lend a Hand" award by Al Roker on the "Today" show.
On the program, no one alluded to her past follies that occurred when she was 19 years old. Matt Lauer, Roker and all the other staff members of NBC were much more polite than the author of an article that appeared in The Roanoke Times on June 21 ("Former Roanoker to appear on 'Today,'" news story).
The day the show was aired on television, Lindsey Nair introduced her piece by relating events that happened 26 years ago, when Collins was still in her teens. Only then did she write about the charity called A Chance for Children that the former Roanoker helped to found.
Miss Manners would not be pleased by such a lapse of grace, and neither am I. Whatever happened to Southern gentility and good manners?
Cap and trade will cost consumers dearly
Another bill just passed that was rushed through the House with most congressmen unable to read the 1,300-page document because they received it only 14 hours before they had to vote on it. This is the same tactic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi used to get the stimulus bill and the $1 trillion budget bill passed.
If you were concerned about high gas prices last year or cringe every time Appalachian Power asks for another rate increase, hold on to your wallets. Those of you who wanted change will have it in a big way if the Senate passes the House version of the cap and trade legislation.
While we sit on some of the world's largest oil, natural gas, coal and oil shale reserve, the cost of our energy for everything from gas, electricity and heating oil to bus and airline travel, etc., will go up. All of the extra cost associated with this tax will be passed on to consumers. The Democrats may not call it an energy tax, but that is exactly what it is.
I encourage everyone to find out about this legislation, then call your senators and tell them how you feel.
Not enough photos of weekend Cruise-in
Re: "A Friday night cruise," June 27 news story:
Why did the Cruise-in/Car Show this weekend get very little coverage? The hundreds of out-of-town people with their cars and money to spend get two pictures in the paper. Hundreds of beautiful cars cruised Williamson Road, and you select a picture of the Batmobile and a pickup truck with three half-dressed people in the back.
The money collected to display a car is supposed to go to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. I would think that would be a good reason to have some coverage. This event is one of the largest of its kind in the state, and nobody seems to care. What's with you people?
Editor's note: A photo gallery of the event can be found online at roanoke.com.
