Alethea Guthrie
I am writing with perplexity at why 16 year-old Stefan Sanford is so shocked and fears for our world (Plug Pulling Shocks Teenager, April 21). Stefan asks how America could sit back and allow Terri Schiavo to be “dehumanized,” and wonders why people are “making decisions for God” on who lives, who dies, and when. President Bush invoked The Name of God when he allowed infants and unborn fetuses to perish among the reported 100,000 innocent Iraqis that were needlessly killed. Many who call themselves “Christian” lined up to rally behind Mr. Bush, even though, through his actions, he has eroded the true teachings of Christianity. Jesus surrendered His life in order to show us that things like pre-emptive ‘self-defense’ are evil.
When the Bush Administration sent our American soldiers off to Iraq to be killed and to kill Arabs in their own country, while leaving United States borders unprotected, where were the voices of the many so-called “pro-life” Americans? Where were those who tried to get poor Terri Schiavo to “live” another 15 years, hooked up to a feeding tube and symbolically chained to a hospital bed? Did these people also stand up and fight for the lives of the innocent Iraqi children who did nothing to us except happen to live in a country that was no threat to America?
If the American people want a society which respects life then those who feel like Stefan should write to Mr. Bush and tell him that he needs to set an example of respect for human dignity and for all life, even Arab children. The senseless and needless killing and maiming of human beings in another country is no way to show children in this country how to live in peace and with respect for each other’s lives. On the contrary, it tells children that all you have to do to get what you want, is to kill what is in your way.
I am a pro-life devout Catholic and I am tired of hearing the hypocritical chant of “respect for life” coming from people who don’t give two hoots about the Iraqis as long as Americans can sit in their comfortable armchairs while watching “Desperate Housewives” or Monday Night Football. If the pro-life right wants women to stop aborting their children in this country, then they need to stop supporting the death and maiming of children and fetuses in other countries.
Jesus condemned hypocrites and He taught Love, not violence. He also told us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not of this world. Terri Schiavo’s soul wanted to go to Jesus, not cling to a body, which was wasted away, and being held back in this world by people who think our material bodies are more important than our spiritual ones. I am happy that Terri is finally with Jesus.