I wrote a letter to the Cleveland Plain Dealer to tell why Pro-Life people should be for Obama, but they changed it.
Hi Everyone,
I wrote the Cleveland Plain Dealer a letter to the editor about how Pro-life people should vote for Obama. I got a call from them and they said they were thinking about using it. I got excited to clear some things up and put down the lies about Obama.
Here is my submitted version:
Why can a "Pro-Life" individual Support Barack Obama for President?
I am a "True Pro-life" individual. The Pro-Life word has been hijacked into meaning only anti-abortion, but it much more than that. In the way I see the word and term, it is much more encompassing and far reaching.
- It is being against abortion (not for a Constitutional ban anymore, we need to find ways to reduce the reasons for abortions)
- It is being against the death penalty, which many forget about and many are not against. Obama has a very complex view on and thought out view.
- It is being against war, especially unjust wars, where diplomatic means are not exhausted. Many innocent people die and are injured as collateral damage in war, which is unacceptable.
- It is being pro- helping the poor since without help they could perish and it is our duty as humans to help those in need.
- It is being pro-living wage, since if you work full time, you should not be poor, homeless, or hungry
- It is being pro-protecting the environment since it effects how others live and life on this planet as a whole
- It is being pro- safe and fair working conditions since no one should suffer through life to make a living in this country or the world
- It is being pro-education since it allows individuals to live better lives and to climb out of poverty, which lessens the burden on the state.
- It is being pro-affordable healthcare since everyone deserves medical care and not at the outrageous prices charged now.
- It is being pro- reduction of the gap in rich and poor since those that have so much don’t need it as much as those with so little. No one needs to earn 500 times their lowest employee.
Barack Obama has been fighting for all the points above as his life’s work and pushing in his campaign for president now except the top one. On the one issue we disagree on, he does want to fight to reduce the causes and number of them. For too long, Pro-life has only meant about abortion and neglecting the other important issues that effect life, especially the already living. Most ‘Pro-life’ do not even deal with the issue of capital punishment so they are really just ‘anti-abortion’, not Pro-Life. Obama has always stated that we will not always agree 100% on everything but that he would always listen and try to work to make things better.
The Count:
Agreed points: 8.5 Disagreed: 1.5
85% agreed is a lot better than most "pro-life" candidates. He will be able to do more than most since he is willing to work together with all parties to fix the problems, while in the past if those that did not agree, the issues were blocked or stalled from ever being resolved. Many of these issues have been neglected as of late and not the issues have worsened. How many times have pro-life candidate campaigned on the "one issue" but where has that gotten us? No where, I feel we have been used to get elected. Is it not better to solve 8.5 issues, instead of 1? Please help me take back the "Pro-Life" word, back to its true meaning: respect for all life. I always go by the old saying: "Treat others as you would like to be treated".
For those who are "True Pro-Life" individuals, is it not clear where individuals like us should turn to fix many of the issues we hold dear to? In my view, it is clearly Barack Obama.
Now here is the version on their website, see how much they edited and they took out EVERYTHING about Obama and changed my title:
The many meanings of 'pro-life'
Posted by Greg McGannon, New Albany August 15, 2008 04:57AM
Categories: Letters
I am a true pro-life individual. "Pro-life" has been hijacked into meaning only anti-abortion, but it's much more than that.
It means being against abortion -- not for a Constitutional ban. We need to find ways to reduce the reasons for abortions.
It means being against the death penalty.
It means opposing war.
It means helping the poor.
It means being pro-living-wage, since if you work full time, you should not be poor, homeless or hungry.
It means protecting the environment, since it affects how others live, and life on this planet as a whole.
It means supporting education, since it allows individuals to live better lives.
It means favoring affordable health care, since everyone deserves medical care, and not at the outrageous prices charged now.
I am sorry, but I feel this misrepresents my whole reason for my letter and I want my letter published. Yes I understand that they have to edit and shorten it, but not the title and everything about Obama. I don't feel it is right for them to change the purpose of my editoral and to leave out Barack Obama.
Please help me:
Here is the email for their letter to editor:
letters@plaind.com
Here is the link to my letter on their website: http://blog.cleveland.com/...