Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Spoiling the party

Our  politicians think we are all fools and if we let them get away with their shenanigans we are.

Our election boards spend lots of time and tons of taxpayer money to have primaries so Democrats and Republicans can vote for who they want from that party  to represent them in general elections. It is almost like a contract. For elected officials to then change their mind about their party affiliations during their term in office is tantamount to breaking a contract. If the elected official is not happy to represent that party, and the voters, the official should resign. While still in office the official should vote his or her conscience - if he or she has one.

The time to change parties is if and  when they run again

We have just had Pedro Espada and Hiram Monserrate make a mockery of the voting process in N.Y. State. They have played games with their party affiliations and the voters, for financial and personal gain.

They have made the whole election process a joke,  and stalled the legislation process. If Albany cannot do anything about this fiasco, then the voters should. They should call for a referendum limiting the State  elected officials to two terms. One that cannot be overruled.

Friday, June 5, 2009

When Pro-Life Means Death

An open letter to those who celebrated the death of Dr. Tiller.

To preach violence is the sheer height of hypocrisy  for anyone who claims they are "Pro Life." Scott Roeder killed another person, but I will not call it murder. Only a jury in a court of law can do so, under the American justice system.

If you are a woman and believe that abortion is wrong you have the right not to have one. You, other women, and men also have the right to tell others that you believe abortion is wrong. You all have the right to advocate to make abortion illegal. What you do not have the right to do is call for violence because of your belief.

Abortion is not murder unless a court says it is. If you think the doctor who performs it is committing a crime you have the right in our justice system to make that claim. You also have the right to vote for anyone who believes the way you do.

Today you go after the doctor, soon you will go over the individuals who were responsible for the fetus in the first place.

What has always seemed strange is that some "Pro Life" advocates also approve of war, gun owners rights, and the death penalty. As for gun ownership, no Pro-Life advocate has ever needed a gun to protect himself from a Pro-Choice doctor. But unfortunately, too many Pro-Choice doctors seem to need guns to protect themselves from those who call themselves Pro-Life.

Pro-Life advocates should try to create a climate in which the children  of natural disasters, like floods, fires, earthquakes, poverty. etc. can look forward to a brighter future. They should also provide comfort and support for women forced to make decisions that may forever scar them and acknowledge that some fetuses allowed to come to term would live extremely short, terribly painful lives. Sometimes abortion is the most humane course of action.

Humanity. Sympathy. Empathy. That's what I consider Pro-Life.