Sandra L. Hood – 1/2/05

This page was last updated on January 3, 2005.

Left-wing loony responds; Sandra L. Hood; Beaver County Times; January 2, 2005.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I guess I’m one of the left-wing loony liberals that letter-writer Forrest Stolz was speaking of (‘Politically incorrect? Yes,’ Wednesday).

“I also oppose abortions, however I believe that it is a woman’s body and she has the right to choose if she wants to carry a baby inside it or not.”

[RWC] You can’t oppose abortion and then claim abortion is OK, Ms. Hood. I completely agree that a woman has a right to choose whether she becomes pregnant or not. Once she becomes pregnant, I don’t believe a mother has the right to kill her child before or after it is born.

“And who is going to take care of all these unwanted children? It sure isn’t going to be the Republicans, who do not believe in handouts.”

[RWC] Republicans – or more accurately conservatives – don’t believe in government handouts. There is a big difference between supporting private charity and other good works and believing the government must redistribute income. It’s a difference Ms. Hood apparently doesn’t grasp.

A 2003 study showed individuals in states President Bush won in 2000 tended to be more generous to charities than individuals in states Gore won. In the Catalogue for Philanthropy’s 2003 Generosity Index, the top 20 generous states all voted for President Bush in 2000.¹ In other words, states that lean conservative (so-called red states) tend to be more generous than those that lean liberal (blue states).

“Everyone says that they can be adopted, but not all children are desirable to all segments of society.

“Now, to go on with same-sex marriage, this is not what I want for myself or my children. But if it was something that happened, I would want what was best for them and not have our government regulate their lives.”

[RWC] There is no such thing as a homosexual marriage. It appears Ms. Hood agrees with conservatives that government should not enact laws recognizing so-called “homosexual marriage” because as soon as the government enacts a law recognizing a behavior, the law regulates that behavior and that is something Ms. Hood wrote she opposes.

“Our government is in too many aspects of our lives, telling us we have to wear seat belts, helmets to ride motorcycles etc., always protecting us from ourselves. What is bigger government than this?”

[RWC] In case Ms. Hood missed it, liberals are the ones who pushed the laws she described in addition to intrusive programs like Medicare, Socialist Security, welfare, et cetera. Could she be a conservative and not know it?

“I also believe in prayer; however, I believe we should pray at home with our families and at our places of worship. After all, not all people have the same beliefs as ours.

“Should we say a prayer in every faith of all the children in class? This can become very time-consuming?”

[RWC] I’m not a big fan of prayer in public schools, but children can’t be compelled to pray if they don’t want to. If a group of children wants to say a prayer in school, they should be allowed to do so. It’s called freedom of religion and speech.

“And whether Mr. Stolz realizes it or not, we all lost on Election Day, not just us so-called liberals. Isn’t it strange that everything that President Bush either denied or would not address has come to pass in the last month since the election? Doesn’t that make you wonder? It sure does me.”

[RWC] You’ll notice Ms. Hood provided no examples to support her claim that “everything that President Bush either denied or would not address has come to pass in the last month since the election.” Doesn’t that make you wonder? It sure does me. <g> On second thought, it doesn’t make me wonder because I know why Ms. Hood provided no examples.

“Also, I would like to know, when did liberal become a dirty word? I, for one, am very proud to be a free thinker.”

[RWC] I didn’t know “liberal” was a dirty word. The term is merely a label for the economic, political, and social beliefs of a group of persons, as is “conservative.” Would Ms. Hood prefer to be called a synonym of liberal, such as communist, Marxist, socialist, et cetera?

Given the history of liberalism, what does being a liberal have to do with being a “free thinker?” “Liberal” – as used to describe an economic, political, and social philosophy – and “free” are antonyms.

1. The Generosity Index: 2003; Catalogue for Philanthropy.