Chriss Wagner – 11/2/04

This page was last updated on November 2, 2004.

Don’t focus on one issue; Chriss Wagner; Beaver County Times; November 2, 2004.

Since I don’t know if Chriss Wagner is a man or woman, I refer to her/him below only as Wagner. Normally I use Mr. or Ms.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Several letter writers think that abortion is the central issue of the 2004 elections?

“How nice that things are so clear. I guess they don’t care about the 1000-plus service people who have died in Iraq ‘postwar.’”

[RWC] Wagner wants us to believe that if your main issue is abortion, you don’t care about our military casualties in the war on terror. She is wrong.

“What about the astronomical deficit? What about lack of jobs? What about skyrocketing costs for fuel? If they’re so worried about abortion, don’t have one. Problem solved.”

[RWC] We have a deficit, but it is not anywhere near a record when measured relative to the GDP. Regarding the “lack of jobs,” the unemployment rate is lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The PA unemployment rate is lower than the national rate, and more Americans are working today than when President Bush took office. Check the BLS Household Survey if you don’t believe me. Regarding the price of fuel, presidents don’t control this.

“Letter writer Sue Tolfa says God doesn’t want us killing his little babies, and once abortion goes away, we’ll have peace on earth.”

[RWC] Ms. Tolfa wrote, “He wants his little babies to live. Stop abortion; stop killing his treasures, please. We will never have peace until this madness stops.” Saying we won’t have peace until we end abortion is not the same as saying an end to abortion guarantees peace.

“Abortion has been around long before Roe v. Wade. Does coat hanger ring a bell?

“Outlawing abortion won’t make it go away. It will just make it easier for people with money to have it. And then women and babies will die.”

[RWC] Outlawing murder, theft, et cetera didn’t make these crimes go away, so does Wagner advocate making these acts legal?

“Everyone thinks killing a fetus is wrong. But so is war. So is child abuse. So are many of the things that are going on.”

[RWC] No, Wagner, everyone doesn’t think killing a fetus us wrong. That’s the point.

“Abortion isn’t going away because of a law. If you want it to go away, support the mothers until they can give their babies up, help get mothers off crack, find homes for unwanted children, end child abuse. Make this a good world for children who are already here, and then worry about the ones that aren’t.”

[RWC] Wagner should do some fact checking. The pro-life movement does all of these things in addition to lobbying against abortion.

“God doesn’t want his babies to die - young, old, or not even born. But God also doesn’t want extremists. He wants you to emulate Jesus.”

[RWC] How does Wagner know God wants us to emulate Jesus? In my youth I learned God gave us self-determination so we could be ourselves.

“If you want to get rid of abortion, ask yourself, ‘What would Jesus do?’ Walk around carrying a sign? Write to the newspaper? Preach about how bad it is? Try to get a law repealed?”

[RWC] I admit my catechism classes are decades behind me, but I learned Jesus did all of these things, except perhaps for writing to a newspaper.

“I think Jesus would be taking care of the mothers. Mistakes happen, and God is loving and forgiving.

“Are you?”

[RWC] Wagner wants us to believe those who oppose abortion don’t employ other methods to reduce abortions. That is wrong.