In the Nov. 9 article “Election won’t end debate on abortion,” Cecile Richards, the government paid president of Planned Parenthood, stated that the election of Barack Obama was “a resounding victory for women,” and that the “American people do not want politicians to meddle in our personal medical decisions, and that politicians demean and dismiss women at their own peril.”
She should study her American history.
The Declaration of Independence declares our God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution explains what form of government will best guard these rights. The preamble to the Constitution further states that its purpose is to secure the “blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”
Open a dictionary and you will find that the word posterity means “succeeding or future generations collectively.” This means that it was not written just for those alive at the time, but for those yet to come. If I’m not mistaken, future generations include unborn children.
I don’t believe that terminating the life of an unborn child is a “personal medical decision,” and it is certainly not health care. In addition, the 14th Amendment states: “Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law.” Since a person is part of posterity, then there are 56 million lives since 1973 that have been denied their day in court before their lives were taken.
I’m positive that the framers of the Constitution did not anticipate that pro-abortion advocates (like Planned Parenthood, who hide behind the “provider of women’s health care” title) would argue that unborn human life does not qualify for the right to life given to posterity.
Pro-abortion advocates say that you should not punish a pregnant woman who does not want the child by making her complete the pregnancy. Well, that “posterity” that she is carrying is actually the one who is being punished. Since when is death an acceptable treatment for life? Pregnancy is not a disease that needs to be eradicated.
With faster technology, communications and personal independence, we’ve created a culture that puts pleasure first, ahead of personal responsibility. Those who voted not to change our leadership chose the easy way to continue on this path.
The Supreme Court made huge mistakes when it misinterpreted the Constitution to allow slavery, civil discrimination and more. We’ve righted many of those mistakes, now we need to fix this one.
In the meantime, Richards should worry more about the rights of the unborn children that she has “demeaned and dismissed at their own peril” with Planned Parenthood. We need to restore real justice to our country, and it’s not going to be an easy task with a Planned Parenthood mentality.
Denise Leipold
Executive director
Right to Life of Northeast Ohio
and Life Education Fund
Akron
Appreciative veteran
Today I had the privilege of attending the Veterans Day breakfast and program at Coventry High School. This was my third time attending this annual event, and it just seems to get better each year. As a veteran, I am very appreciative of this program. I’m sure all the other veterans attending appreciate it, too.
The students produce this program with the guidance of Coventry teachers, and they do an excellent job. It honors all U.S. veterans from all U.S. wars and by doing so honors our country. I commend Coventry for doing something so good for its veterans and thank the school for it.
Jim Prettyman
Suffield Township
Fair warning
A note to U.S. Sen. Rob Portman: Continue with the obstruction of President Obama’s plans for the middle class, and you’ll be out in 2016.
Don Kimball
Cuyahoga Falls
First, vote, then take action
If you thought we could get a break from political divisiveness after Election Day, I am sorry to disappoint you. Our state government is already making moves to curtail women’s rights again. Gov. John Kasich appointed Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis, who has no apparent medical background, to the Ohio State Medical Board.
Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus has said that H.B. 125, the so-called heartbeat bill, is being brought back during the upcoming lame-duck session. The Ohio House Health Committee is scheduled to vote on H.B. 298, which would defund Planned Parenthood health centers in Ohio.
Our responsibility does not end with the votes we cast on Election Day. It begins there. Voting is the least we can do. Contacting our governor and our legislators in Columbus and letting them know we are watching is government of the people, by the people and for the people. Some of them are hoping that we are so fed up with politics that they can slip in unqualified appointments and bills that have a history of being voted down by the electorate.
Monette Richards
Stow
Show compassion
In his Nov. 7 letter (“Return the favor?”), George L. Wagner Sr. laments that our government is sending billions of dollars of aid to poverty-stricken nations when tragedy strikes. He implies that they should now be helping us with our Hurricane Sandy recovery. That attitude seems mean-spirited. When you give out of compassion, you do not expect repayment — especially from those without resources. To quote Scripture: “For to whomever much is given, of him shall much be required.”
Carol Button
Cuyahoga Falls
