9 minute read
Like the milk in café au lait, sometimes
Guest Column
Pro-choice versus pro-life
Now abortion law is up to states. Some will ban it, while most blue states will allow it in some form.
Because libertarians want government out of our lives, people assume we are pro-choice. Some of us are. But like the rest of America, JOHN STOSSEL there are principled libertarians on both sides.
We freedom-lovers believe women (and men) own their bodies and should have control over what happens to them.
But we also believe that one of the few legitimate roles for government is stopping murder. If a fetus is a life, abortion is legally murder.
“Life begins from the moment conception is complete,” says Kerry Baldwin, host of the “Dare to Think” Podcast. “Abortion is murder.”
“The termination of a pregnancy is the right of any woman,” counters pro-choice Avens O’Brien of Feminists for Liberty.
I say to O’Brien, “That is a form of life in the womb. You’re not bothered terminating that?”
“I’m not sure I agree that it’s a person with rights,” she responds.
“At what point does the Baldwin is baby have a right to be protected by the state?” I libertarian, so she continue. “You’re saying usually opposes that one minute before birth, the baby does not, and one minute after, it government force. I point out that does?” abortion bans are “Individuals have rights,” she responds. government force. “Individuals don’t exist “It is the role of inside other people.” Baldwin counters, civil governance “Passing through the to criminalize acts birth canal doesn’t change the humanity of the fetus.” of violence,” she replies.
“As long as a fetus is inside a person, the person gets to determine whatever’s happening to it,” answers O’Brien.
Baldwin says the only time abortion should be legal is if a woman’s life is in danger. Rape is not justifi cation. Rape, she says, is “a crime against women. They need restitution for that crime,” but the woman must carry the baby to term.
Baldwin is libertarian, so she usually opposes government force. I point out that abortion bans are government force.
“It is the role of civil governance to criminalize acts of violence,” she replies.
I wonder how such criminalization would work.
“If abortion is illegal,” I point out, “the state either has to punish the woman or doctor or both.”
“This is a woman who’s in crisis,” says Baldwin. “It doesn’t make sense to ... throw her in prison.”
Before Roe v. Wade, prosecuting women was rare. Sometimes doctors were prosecuted.
“The way you enforce is not through a police state,” says Baldwin. “The way to get women to stop choosing abortion is to provide other options.” One such option, she says, is to make adoption easier.
■ See STOSSEL, page A7
Letters to the Editor
Gas taxes
EDITOR:
Ican’t believe that the men and women decision makers who run the state of California can’t make an adult/common sense decision around the astronomical amount we the people they are here to support are paying for gas.
One wants to give money back to those people who have one or two registered vehicles, running or not. Unless the vehicle is registered as non-op, I guess they assume that it is being driven. Not! They also don’t take into consideration the family of fi ve registered drivers where all fi ve of the vehicles being driven are registered under the father’s or mother’s name. Let’s only give money for two of the registered vehicles ... it will keep them happy.
What about all those guys and gals we have hired to use gas running chainsaws to trim/cut down all of those trees and brush to help prevent any future Caldor fi res? Shouldn’t they get a break on the price too? For crying out loud, just reduce the gas taxes so those who are incurring the expenses are “rewarded.” They are the ones who deserve the “gold star.” What am I missing?
CAROL DOELL Pleasant Valley
Larry’s ‘truth’
EDITOR:
When I see a headline that asserts it will provide “the truth behind how” something has come to be, I expect to fi nd facts in the ensuing article supporting that such is the truth. My expectations were upended in reading Larry Weitzman’s June 13 commentary on how protestors make a living. The commentary fails to provide factual information and instead o ers a “probable answer.”
The probability we must endure is that collegeage Americans and those slightly older are freeloading o all of us because they choose to protest against the ending of a specifi c constitutional right. This probability is vastly speculative, as it may be that the young people who were engaged in redressing their grievances with the government were not students or were students protesting at a time when they were not in class or were students who did not take out a student loan.
Mr. Weitzman’s core assertion is not supported and as such I do not believe it and as a result dismissed the remainder of his observations. If the Mountain Democrat is going to run headlines stating what is the truth, even on its Opinion page, I expect actual facts, not speculation. MARK A. WEINER Pollock Pines
State housing project in Placerville
EDITOR:
Low-cost housing is coming to Placerville.
Good, it’s about time! But at what cost?
By order of the governor, surplus lands in California can be developed into low-cost housing. In Placerville this is 3 acres that formerly housed the old military armory. Under this mandate, the California General Services Department has leased this parcel to Jamboree Housing. Under the Jamboree plan, in the works is a building that will have 83 housing units on the 3 acres. So what’s the problem?
In the city of Placerville we have design and building guidelines. Here are a few of those codes that you and I and any other developer must follow if we choose to build in this city: • Section III Part B #3 — “The city shall not approve any medium or high density residential developments unless they are served by a street system with at least two streets capable of carrying peak loads.” This project will be served by one, Ray Lawyer Drive. • Section 10-5-11 Part (D) — “The maximum density in this zone in the city of Placerville is 16 units per acre.” This project calls for 27 units per acre. • Section 10-5-11 (D) #7 — “The maximum height of this type of structure cannot exceed 40 feet.”
In trying to fool us, they show that the maximum ceiling height is 40 feet. When you add the roof structure the total height is 50 feet, 6 inches — thus making it the tallest building in the city. I’m not sure we have fi re equipment that would be able to place fi rst responders on the roof and I’m sure the state is not going to purchase a ladder truck that can reach this height.
If we look at the plans furnished by Jamboree they propose o -street parking to 83 cars (one per unit) and bedrooms to accommodate a total of 306 persons. The only population density like this is found in large cities. May I ask if there is only
■ See LETTERS, page A7
Guest Column
Happy 4th of July — America, we can figure it out
America has always been a land of hard work and struggles but always with the hope and dream of success and prosperity.
On the 4th of July we celebrate our Declaration of Independence which was ratifi ed by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Second Continental Congress declared that the thirteen colonies were no longer subject and subordinate to the monarch of England King George the III and were now united, free, and independent states. The Congress voted to approve our independence on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later.
Benjamin Franklin is reported to have said, “Aye, I know there shall be no nation on earth that works harder than the great and powerful United States, and so I dare say that
the celebration of July 4th should be a day on which none shall work and instead all will refrain from exerting themselves in any way.” Historians have said that when John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, he did GLENN MOLLETTE so in a bold hand, in a conspicuous manner, and rose from his seat, pointing to it, and said, “There, John Bull can read my name without spectacles, he may double his reward and I put this at defi ance.” “Independence Day: freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a fl ower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower Our freedom was won by the sheer will power of an early generation who determined to do whatever was necessary for our freedom. We
had to fi ght. Our earliest generation determined whatever it took was worth it to separate from the authoritarian rule of England.
Freedom is never easy. Most Americans at that time had sacrifi ced everything to pursue freedom of worship, to develop ideas, businesses and personal interests. It took years for Americans to begin to experience some prosperity and most never did. Our earliest generation sacrifi ced, worked and battled diseases with little to no medical care. They had no fi nancial or social security. There were no government handouts, bailouts or insurance companies covering losses. Early Americans were on their own and helped each other as best as they could.
More than ever before we must make whatever is necessary to run this country from chips to run our cars and technology to growing our food and producing su cient energy. Depending on foreign nations for anything is a poor plan for maintaining our freedom. We become dependent instead of independent. This is why we must have a mix of energy. Relying only on one source is not a plan for independence. Trade with other countries is good for America because we want other nations to buy our products. Many businesses in America would die if they could not export to other countries. The main idea is that we produce enough to have enough as we need it in America.
I love America. We have a great a history. We have some problems, but who doesn’t? Together we can fi gure it out. Dr. Glenn Mollette is a national columnist and the author of 13 books.
