A Matter of Survival?

June 10, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Dr. Wendy Chavkin offers her memories of Dr. Tiller in a New York Daily News opinion piece. Clearly, she is trying to paint her colleague, the good doctor who claimed to have performed some 60,000 abortions, as a saint. However, in her efforts to canonize the good qualities of Dr. Tiller, she actually gives us an insider’s view of the motivation of one of the leaders in the industry.

Here’s one interesting quote:

He resolved to care for the patients who turned to him for help, just as his father had. And as he did, George learned firsthand of the urgency and complexity of his patients’ predicaments, which fueled his determination to keep going. He said, “The women in my father’s practice for whom he did abortions educated me and taught me that abortion is about women’s hopes, dreams, potential, the rest of their lives. Abortion is a matter of survival (emphasis added).”

There it is in Dr. Tiller’s words: “. . . abortion is about women’s hopes, dreams, potential, the rest of their lives.” After all, an unwanted pregnancy might change a woman’s hopes, dreams and potential. In fact, it might change the rest of their lives. You think so? However, none of those things are really about survival; they are about S. E. L. F.

And the above quote puts the lie to the Pro-Choice mantra regarding women’s health. It’s overwhelmingly NOT about women’s health; it’s about S. E. L. F.

“That’s just one doctor’s opinion,” you say. According to a 2006 New England Journal of Medicine article that is very sympathetic toward abortion and abortion providers, “nationwide [in the USA] about 1 in 14 abortions is sought for health reasons.” That’s 7.142%! And that percentage is divided between the mother’s and the child’s health concerns, which includes birth defects like Spina Bifida, Down’s Syndrome, malformed limbs, etc. All of these are overwhelming challenges, no doubt, but I personally know wonderful people who live with those challenges and have productive lives.

If the NEJM statistics hold true in Dr. Tiller’s case, then he killed 55,715 babies because they might affect “women’s hopes, dreams, potential, the rest of their lives.”

Why isn’t this same logic extended to include thieves or drunk drivers or child molestors? They all affect men’s and “women’s hopes, dreams, potential, the rest of their lives.”

Folks, it’s not about women’s health, it’s about S. E. L. F. Why can’t we admit that? The answer is simple: because we don’t want to admit the level of brutality our selfishness can produce. It’s easier to face the barbaric nature of abortion if we convince ourselves it’s about health.

Filed Under: Abortion, Social Commentary, Thinkers

Controversial Thoughts

June 1, 2009 by Leave a Comment

I’m trying to work through the whole Dr. Tiller assassination. My thoughts are all over the place.

However, I can say this: I hope all the discussion regarding Dr. Tiller’s death will bring more to the forefront the horror that is nicely packaged as “a woman’s choice.” In other words, the 1,000,000s of deaths performed by the hands of Dr. Tiller and those like him should not be forgotten simply because he was gunned down.

I fear that many in the “pro-life” camp don’t take very seriously the horror that is abortion. I’m certain that those in the “pro-choice” camp don’t take seriously the brutal deaths of the not-yet born.

Filed Under: Abortion, Social Commentary, Thinkers

Do You Tweet?

April 21, 2009 by 1 Comment

Beware, this video has much to say.

Filed Under: Social Commentary, Thinkers

Holocaust Remembrance Day 2009: An Unfitting Name

April 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment


Recently we were walking down the Avenue of the Righteous Among Nations at the Yad VeShem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, when a particular sign caught my eye. The name Charles Coward screamed for my attention. If there ever was a man mis-named, Charles Coward has to be that man. The irony of his name is clear, particularly if you know his story.

Coward, a British soldier during WWII, was captured in 1940 near Calais, France. That was his introduction into the inner workings of the Nazi war efforts, and also the opportunity to be a man of courage when and where there were far too few. He is credited with saving as many as 400 Jews, which is amazing. But, the ways in which he undermined the Nazi efforts were brilliant.

I would encourage you to read this article about his heroics.

Here’s to men of courage, like Charles Coward, who helped rescue Jews during the holocaust.

And the 6 million Jews who were killed shouldn’t be forgotten either.

Filed Under: Jerusalem, Life in Israel, Social Commentary, Thinkers

What Would be a Fair Trial?

April 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment

“We’d like to express our condolences to all the victims of this terrible accident — and that’s what it was, it was a terrible accident,” Longwith said outside court.

Longwith is Randall T. Longwith, the defense attorney for Andrew Gallo of San Gabriel, California.

Here’s the background of the statement by attorney Longwith: Early on the morning of April 9, 2009, Nick Adenhart, Henry Pearson, and Jon Wilhite were riding in the car with Courtney Stewart when they were broadsided by a vehicle driven by Andrew Gallo, which allegedly ran a red light. Stewart, Pearson and Adenhart were killed, and Wilhite is hospitalized in serious condition. Gallo fled from the scene of the wreck on foot before eventually being apprehended by police.

Here are some important (to me) details: The reports are that Gallo’s blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit. He had previously pled guilty to drunken driving in 2006, but didn’t finish the conditions of his sentencing in that case. Additionally, he was still on probation from his 2006 case at the time of this wreck. He was also driving on a suspended license. In 2007 Gallo was convicted of marijuana possession, which may or may not have any bearing on this particular incident.

Here’s my question: Was this just an accident, “a terrible accident,” as attorney Longwith suggests? I have not read any reports suggesting that Gallo intended to kill, or even harm anyone when he got behind the wheel of his mini-van. And since he apparently had no intention of harming anyone, does that make this simply a “terrible accident?”

I think this case would have been a good one for the Old Testament cities of refuge (Joshua 20), which were set up to be a “safe haven” for those who had accidentally killed someone else. By “safe haven” I mean a place where they can get a fair trial, and not just receive the wrath of their victim’s family.

If I were among the elders in a city of refuge and Mr. Gallo stumbled into town asking for asylum, here’s what I would rule: Guilty. Of course, that verdict assumes the facts are similar to what has been reported in the press.

I’m not sure why the defense attorney believes his client can’t get a fair trial in Orange County. Perhaps it’s because he killed a promising young professional baseball player from the local team. However, given what I have seen regarding the “facts,” what would the attorney actually argue to mitigate the actions of his client?

Honestly, IF 1) Gallo was driving with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, and 2) he ran a red light and broadsided at least one other vehicle, and 3) he killed three people, and 4) he was driving on a suspended license from a previous drunk driving conviction, where does one go with that?

It may have been an “accident,” as in “he didn’t intend to kill anyone.” But driving while intoxicated (particularly THREE times the legal limit) pretty much removes the “it was a terrible accident” plea. AND that there was a previous drunk driving conviction removes any hesitation about removing the “it was an accident” excuse. Period.

If I’m the judge or on the jury and the facts are as have been reported, here’s my verdict: GUILTY!

After that, here’s the question: What should the sentence be? Answer: The max! Apparently, the most he can get is 55 years. But is the death penalty justified in a case like this?

Filed Under: Old Testament, Social Commentary, Thinkers
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