There has been a diary named "I Guess I'm not Pro-Choice: Sextuplets" on the rec list for some time now that, due to other tasks and commitments, I put off reading until early this morning. I actually haven't finished it because I followed this link to get context before reading further. There I found that not only was there the article referred to in the diary, there was a note written to visitors from DailyKos. Please explore the original article and the other DKos diary, and then join me below the fold...
Apparently we've made a marked rise in the number of hits and comments to Mr. Berns' website since the diary at DKos was published, and so he wrote a letter of welcome to precede his article. I read his letter and the article that followed, as well as some of the comments, as I hope you've done by now.
After reading through these things I felt compelled to write a comment to the article's author, Mr. Berns, who I understand is a Catholic priest. The purpose was not to argue whether or not abortion is right or wrong, but to begin a dialog on finding where we have common ground.
When I finished writing my comment and went to "preview" mode I discovered that it was too long to be published there, so I decided to offer it in diary form and print my letter, providing links between this diary, the diary I'd started to read and the original article that started it all. Here's what I wrote....
Hello, Mr. Berns. I just wanted to comment to you that, just as you are surprised to be considered the "religious right" by someone in the DailyKos community, so am I surprised to be categorized as "leftie" in a tone that seemed decidedly derogatory.
I am indeed a Democrat and someone who participates at the website "Daily Kos". But I was raised in the Pentecostal Church, one of the bastions of the religious right. I do not participate in organized religion and have not for many years due to experiences in my youth that led me to believe that wherever God is, he is not in organized religion. But I have not thrown aside the principles I was taught as a child, my knowledge of the Bible, or my belief in a higher power. I have felt God's presence many times, just not in the traditional trappings. I have respect for people of real faith, even if I do not share their particular religion or practices.
I know that there are many on the left who speak in derogatory tones of people of religion, just as there are many on the right who would speak ill of people who hold more secular views. I am not one of those people. I believe for every person on the left who doesn't respect religion, another person can be found on the left who does respect it. And there are so many on the left who are also practitioners of deep faith, whatever form that may take.
I have no idea what your political affiliation is, and it really isn't my business to ask. I am not writing to you to scold you or tell you your beliefs are wrong. I, too, do not believe in abortion for myself, I never considered terminating the pregnancies I was lucky enough to enjoy. However, I do not believe that I have the right to tell anyone else what they should do with something so personal as their own body. I believe that there are much better ways to deal with this issue than trying to ban abortion. I think that good reproductive education (emphasis on good) and programs that encourage adoption, not just for the woman who finds herself with an unwanted pregnancy but for those who cannot conceive, is much more beneficial and less harmful than banning abortion. Abortions will take place with or without anyone's blessing, and illegal abortions often have deadly or damaging consequences for the woman. And there are so many children in this world hoping for a life with a good parent who have been abandoned or taken from abusive homes. People considering expensive fertility treatments and other invasive procedures should be asked to consider those children before embarking on something which is risky at best and deadly at worst.
Our country has become so polarized that the gulf between the left and the right seems impossible to bridge. But for me, the answer seems to be so easy. Our government was designed with the imperative to separate the functions of the church and the state. As a country that has followers of more religions than I can count, it is impossible to incorporate the teachings of one religion over another without infringing on the rights of a huge portion of the population. We should all insist that the government do what it should do: excellent healthcare for all, protection of the environment of this planet and all the creatures on it, good highways systems, good public transportation, excellent schooling for all, fire and police protection, a strong military, safe workplaces, a fair and just judicial system, honesty and at every turn by those we elect to represent us. The church should take care of the spiritual realm: teaching the values that are necessary for all, helping to care for those in crisis, filling in the gaps where government fails to fulfill its promise, working to provide the necessary alternatives to such things as abortion in an atmosphere that brings confidence in that choice without shame, providing counseling for those in distress, working to end child abuse, bringing communities together, bringing to light and emphasizing common ground, spreading the love and power of God through deeds, not just words.
Our lawmakers on the right pay a lot of lip service to such issues as outlawing abortion or banning gay marriage, but they aren't actually going to do those things. The republicans and the Bush Administration had total power for 6 years and while they railed against them and used them to get elected, they never raised a finger to deal with those issues. That's not just because they are not issues that our government, based as it is on everyone having equal rights and protections under the law, has no right to legislate, but also because they really don't believe what they say or practice what they preach. These "wedge" issues are used solely to divide this country so they can keep the warmongers and greedy corporations in power. They are not going to be dealt with in a way that will make those who vote for them happy.
The use of the words "leftie" or "liberal" have become words that are used as insults. But I am honored to be those things, I take pride in loving my fellow man enough to be willing to sacrifice my time and talents to make this country a place where everyone is created equal, where everyone is safe to be who they are and to enjoy the same rights and privileges as everyone else.
And so I extend my hand to you, Mr. Berns, in friendship and in peace. I offer you the chance to work together for the betterment of this country and the lives of every American, indeed, every citizen of the world. We have great problems to be solved in this country, problems that we can find solutions to if we just work together. Do not let issues that are best dealt with in the churches and in our homes be used to divide us, to keep us from working together for the good of man. I ask you in all sincerity, what would Jesus do? Would he turn his back on me in disgust because I cannot bring myself to force my personal choices onto someone whose values and beliefs are different than mine? Or would he take my hand and help me try to make sure that every baby who makes it into this world alive, every elderly person who is alone, every homeless person sleeping on the street, every starving man, woman and child will be fed, healthy, warm and safe tonight?
I will include you in my prayers and meditations, Mr. Berns, as I hope you will pray for me. Thank you for your time, and may peace be yours...
Sincerely,
AndyLeigh
I am offering this here because of a reply to a comment of mine in mcjoan's excellent article on rural voters which asked what I thought progressives need to say to counter the "values" wedge that Republicans routinely use to divide the left and the right. I am not suggesting that I have found the perfect way to deal with this issue. What I am suggesting is to begin by opening a dialog, to really listen to what those in disagreement have to say and respect their point of view, even though we don't share it. I realize I'm opening the door to having my teeth kicked in by both those who have come to despise the religious right and those who despise the secular left. However, I'm willing to take the punishment if it will lead to any sort of meaningful dialog.
It does neither side any good to shout curses and insults at each other across the great divide. Offering a hand of friendship, whether it is taken or not, is the only way to begin to make progress on the issues that tear us apart. If we can find a way to agree to disagree and find solutions that are acceptable to both sides, we may be able to move forward to areas where we have common ground. We might be able to join hands and raise our voices to shout in protest about where the real problem exists; a corrupt government that lies to us, tricks us, scares us, makes us so apathetic we cannot see a way out and therefore give up on finding solutions to the evils we all face. Maybe I'm engaging in wishful thinking, maybe I'm hopelessly optimistic, maybe there is no way to work together for the common good. But I do know one thing. I know that if we are to have any hope of moving forward, we must at least begin to make the attempt.