Letter: More scare tactics and lies

Sucked us right in, didn't you, Mr. Lagoon, with your “tears of joy” at the election of the first African-American President (Viewpoint, Bulletin Nov. 19).

Unfortunately, it didn't take you long to link him and the term “monstrosity.”

I am so very tired of hearing about abortion. All my life, from before Roe v. Wade, there have been those who live and die voting only on the basis of abortion.

By now I despair that it will ever change.

War? The economy? Health care? Never mind, what is the candidate's stand on abortion?

Actually, sometimes I envy that kind of simplicity. It certainly saves a lot of time and effort. A black-and-white world.

And since we've only just staggered across the election finish line, I'm still really tired of misinformation presented as facts. The claims in Mr. Lagoon's column are easily checked out.

For example, Obama in a Fox News interview, Apr 27, 2008: “On an issue like partial birth abortion, I strongly believe that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions.

“I have said so repeatedly. All I've said is we should have a provision to protect the health of the mother, and many of the bills that came before me didn't have that.

“Part of the reason they didn't have it was purposeful... And my goal is to get us out of this polarizing debate where we’re always trying to score cheap political points and actually get things done.”

Well put.

(Interestingly, that quote is from the "ontheissues.org" website which Mr. Lagoon cited in his criticism of Obama. However, I can't find the inflammatory statements Mr. Lagoon claims that he found there.)

I'm “pro-choice.” I believe I'm also “pro-life.” And I doubt a person exists who is “pro-abortion” (Mr. Lagoon's term).

Instead of choosing up sides and calling each other names like a bunch of grade-schoolers, can we not ever agree on a common goal of reducing abortions by family planning, sex education, rape prevention, support for single moms?

It boggles my mind to see the same people who are adamantly anti-choice then picketing those facilities that provide family planning.

There are some dear to me with whom I disagree on this issue. I can respect that.

But I ask that they give me their arguments based on facts and logic, not scare tactics and lies. Surely our President-elect deserves the same consideration.

Carol Turnbull

Woodbury

Tags: opinion, turnbull, lagoon, woodbury, abortion, letter, viewpoint