Broaden pro-life advocacy
Thanks to Terry Hawkins (“Care expansion necessary,” Letters, Aug. 25) for grasping my intentions in “Roe overturned, now what?” (July 28) I was not talking about pre-, peri- or even post-pregnancy. I was pointing out to readers very real situations that demand our involvement in the political realm, as Terry pointed out (“support for food stamps, school lunches and other government programs”). As Christians, we must help the less fortunate either with our own resources, or support programs which can give precious hope where there is none. In one somewhat jaded response, I brought up every conceivable bad situation that millions of children, youth and adults are faced with every day. Have you told your congressperson you want mental health services expanded? Parental leave? Universal health care? Disability barriers removed? Racial inequities seriously addressed? Assault rifles banned? Equal rights for every human being, regardless of sex, religion or race? Clean water and air? Why can’t pro-lifers see the value in these? No, I don’t advocate killing children. Have I done enough to help them all live long, rewarding lives? Not even close. But as a Christian, I must try.
Elizabeth Rosenwinkel
St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis
Government funding or charity?
An Aug. 25 writer thinks conservatives don’t support “programs like food stamps, school lunches and other government programs to help the poor” (“Care expansion necessary”). I don’t know how the letter writer knows that, any more than I happen to know that liberals want to use other people’s money rather than their own money to help the poor through government programs. More importantly, the letter got me to wonder: Is it better to help the poor through the government or through charity? I haven’t made up my mind on this. Perhaps letter writers and columnists could weigh in. From what I can see, if help is given through the government, it is impersonal and is seen as a right by the recipient. Charity provides a sense that people care. St. Paul says, “If I give away all I have, … but have not love, I gain nothing.” Hard to see love in a government program. Yet, government programs may be more dependably funded.
Mike Ebnet
Our Lady of Grace, Edina
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