Dependence on China is folly
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor: As we suffer shortages of medications and protective gear due to the Chinese coronavirus, the folly of allowing the totalitarian communist dictatorship in China to control large segments of our manufacturing supply chain has been exposed. The need to control our international borders to protect our citizens has also been highlighted. Only one candidate in the upcoming congressional election can be counted on to work for common sense reform of U.S. trade policies, and to support strong efforts to regain control of our borders.
Best wishes to all of you as we fire up the capitalist ingenuity of our farmers and small business owners to recover from the economic damage caused by the Chinese coronavirus. Let us demand that all levels of government make the changes needed to protect the health and financial security of all American citizens.
Please cast your vote wisely in the May 12 congressional election.
Bruce Bohr Marathon
To the Editor: I would like to respond to Rev. Robert Streveler’s opinion published in the April 29, 2020 issue of The Record Review.
While you do not mention names specifically, it can be inferred that you support Democratic candidate Trisha Zunker because she supposedly “refuses all donations from PACs and is campaigning on representing us.” First of all, you have no proof that Ms. Zunker refuses all donations from PACs. Visit her campaign website and the first thing that pops up is a campaign contribution screen. Does Ms. Zunker block anyone from donating or return campaign donations? I think not.
Ms. Zunker is a “fierce defender of a woman’s right to choose.” While she states she will represent us, she is not representing all of us (the unborn).
Rev. Streveler, you should be ashamed of yourself supporting Ms. Zunker whose views are not congruent with your Roman Catholic religion. More importantly, please share how you, as a retired priest of the Catholic Church, can continually support Democrats who are obviously against the foundation of Catholicism?
As a practicing Catholic, I vote for respective candidates who align with my religious views. As such, I will never vote for anyone who is pro-abortion / anti-life [Democrats].
Jenny Nowak Marathon
To the Editor: Can we have a civil debate on the issues concerning abortion? We have often avoided discussion on this broader topic. There are areas of common interest that we can work on. Discussion and reasonable solutions are more effective than simplifying the issue to whether one supports the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade, or not. We can agree on legislation that would have a meaningful effect of lowering the number of abortions. If we extend our care to easing the struggles poor young women face, we could make the choice of life easier. “Pro-life” would then mean the lives of both the fetus, as well as, the mother, and reduce the real number of abortions. The path to saving the fetus is to first support vul-
nerable women.
For men, supporting a view of manliness that would include, respect for women. He would also share in the responsibility of caring and nurturing his family. This outlook would reject some of the current themes in young male culture such as domination, violence and misogyny. Such a definition of manliness would, I believe, lessen the number of abortions.
The issue of “abortion” is tangled with class and race. Women, with enough wealth to travel, have choice, no matter what their philosophy or religion. Wealth brings power, and power means choices. If abortion were outlawed, one of their choices would be whether or not to travel to where it is legal. Women of less fortunate economic means would have choices as well. Among their choices would be a return to back alley abortions, or home, now internet, concoctions. These do violence to both the woman and the fetus.
If we want to reduce the number of abortions, I believe, that the place to start would be to relieve the desperation of uninsured and low income pregnant women. This is work we can discuss and there is ground for agreement. We have created a society of great social and economic inequities, with a small rich class and a large mass of people struggling to make ends meet. One of the results of such a society is that it leads to lives of desperation for vulnerable and scared pregnant women. We can change our culture if we have the political will. No matter what our political position is, we can make meaningful reforms that would improve the lives of desperate women. This would be a positive step to reduce the number of abortions. The following are only some ideas of reforms that could help reduce the number of abortions and have positive effects on the health and well being of the mother and child.
1. If a pregnant woman has challenges getting adequate good food, provide a rich diet.
2. Provide prenatal medical care for all pregnant women.
3. Provide drug and alcohol treatment for addicted pregnant women, if needed.
4. If there is not a safe home environment, provide an alternate safe place.
5. Provide counseling and spiritual care if wanted.
6. Provide medical care before, during and after the birth of the child.
7. Provide classes on how to care for an infant for the women who need it.
8. Continue the enriched diet for the mother and infant after the birth for a period of time, if needed.
9. Provide job training for the mother if needed.
10. Provide information on how to cope with an infant while earning a living, if needed.
11. Provide support and counseling for women who wish to put their baby up for adoption.
12. Find ways of involving the man in meaningful roles in the pregnancy, birth and support of the mother and their baby, if needed.
Rick Lohr Marathon
