Abortion kills more innocents than war

Re: “War in Iraq is also unregulated killing of the defenseless,” from readers, April 23

Drawing a moral connection between the war in Iraq and the abortion industry is a dubious exercise at best. Whether one agrees with the Iraq war or not, the soldiers in it are volunteers and they at least have a chance at defending themselves.

War by definition involves some degree of chaos, but to characterize the Iraq war as an “unregulated killing industry” is misleading and irresponsible. There are laws in place that govern the conduct of war, plus the soldiers, to their great credit, have brought some degree of order to Iraq.

By contrast, helpless babies in utero never volunteer for the procedure and cannot defend themselves. An abortion can be obtained for no reason other than convenience. This mass murder of the innocent generates billions of dollars in revenue for the abortuaries.

Comparing war — where the death of mostly adults is expected and unavoidable — to abortion — where the targeted death of babies is arbitrarily ordered — quickly shows which is the truly egregious moral outrage. Melanie Scarborough was right to highlight any prospective leader’s stance on this shameful murder industry.

Angela McIntosh

Frederick

Hillary victory sends the wrong campaign message

Re: “Clinton nabs needed win in Keystone,” April 23

Hillary Clinton’s win in the Pennsylvania primary shows that you can get ahead by tearing others down, cheating, manipulating and all of those other things that a moral society teaches children is wrong.

We have more than a presidential primary at stake here. Our votes are answering the unspoken election question about the moral fabric of our society. Will we vote for a society without morals, where anything goes and people get ahead by tearing others down, or do we want a society full of hope, fairness, dignity and prosperity?

If Clinton wins the nomination, we’ll have a choice between a president who will stay 100 years in Iraq or one who will start a nuclear war just to show how tough she is.

Deirdre Glascoe

Lanham

Wal-Mart getting away with ‘greenwashing’

Three weeks ago, Wal-Mart unveiled a new “Earth Month merchandising and marketing campaign” in an official press release. While Wal-Mart claims the marketing blitz “takes ‘going green’ mainstream,” the campaign’s keystone is a massive buy of print advertisements, weighing in at nearly one-third of a billion pages.

I don’t believe a mountain of wasted wood pulp celebrates the spirit of Earth Day.

It seems clear that Wal-Mart’s “Earth Month” promotion is just one symptom of a broader problem. Wal-Mart is greenwashing — and getting away with it.

The long-anticipated Wal-Mart sustainability report cited a significant global increase in CO2 emissions in 2006 after the company’s green campaign began.

Even worse, at a recent conference, Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott flatly declared “we are not green” to an audience of economists.

Despite these facts, Wal-Mart continues to generate positive headlines with its enviro-marketing.

Matt Young

Washington

Where’s the Clay?

Re: “Compromise is America’s lost civil virtue,” April 21

Senior Andrew Rys of Oakton High School must have been proud to see The Examiner print his prize-winning essay on the importance of compromise in the Constitution throughout America’s history, particularly the role of Henry Clay as “the Great Compromiser.”

But I suspect Mr. Rys was as amazed as I was to see his essay printed just beneath a photo of Patrick Henry. What on earth were you thinking?

Lucien Carter

Washington

Government subsidies keep prices lower than they could be

Re: “Thanks to our Congress, crude oil prices are kept artificially inflated,” From Readers, April 23

Lester Via could not be more wrong when he writes, “Thanks to our Congress, crude oil prices are kept artificially inflated.” 

Studies show just the opposite: Without congressional tax and program subsidies, the cost of gas would be anywhere from $5.60  to more than $15 per gallon. 

For decades, the U.S. government has pursued a policy of artificially reducing the cost of energy.  Many Europeans are now paying more than $8 per gallon for gas because their governments are not keeping the prices down.

Randy Clark

Fairfax

Comments from Examiner Readers

1:43 PM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008 re: "Letters: May 7, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
How anyone could conclude allowing illegal immigrants to help US companies meet their labor needs is a "high-minded and noble" effort in the face out an out of control situation is delusional and part of the problem.

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10:27 AM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008 re: "Letters: May 7, 2008"

Matt Nerzig, Spokesman SEIU Local 32BJ said:
Thanks Jerome for your letter. Never mind my so-called "illusions," we can discuss that off-line. More importantkly, anyone who feels our immigration system is not broken is suffering from delusions. Denying this universally-accepted view, and its impact on our struggling economy, flies in the face of reality. Sticking our heads in the sand rather facing up to the problems this immigration crisis creates for our economy get us no closer to a solution. If its "high-minded and noble" to help US companies meet their demands for labor that at the same time safeguards the men and women willing to work these jobs, I'll take that (union) label.

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5:53 AM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008 re: "Letters: May 6, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
The point people miss the most is that Reverand Wright calls himself a preacher of Gods word, Is this the sort of surmon that you want your pastor discussing. Obama called him a friend, mentor, "Spiritual Advisor" and my pastor. Suppose Obama did not personally attend a surmon while this sort of preaching took place. As publically well know Wright appears to have been in the Chicago area it's hard to believe any member of his church with such a close relationship to his pastor would not have at a minimum been aware of his ranting. Somethings in life you have no choice but the church you attend does not fall into that catagory. By tolerating these views it demonstrates the poor judgement and character Obama owns.

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6:28 PM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008 re: "Letters: May 5, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Don�t judge Obama by Rev. Wright�s words - No I won't judge Obama by Mr. Wright's words. I judge Obama by his judgement to stick to his pastor for such a long time. Why did Obama associate himself with Jeremiah Wright? By associating himself with Wright Obama did damage. If my pastor said something like that, I would walk away. All he had to do was walk away but nooooo... Obama was clapping and dancing inside the church! So I don�t judge Obama by Rev. Wright�s words, I judge Obama by his own conduct and that is sticking by his man.

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2:33 PM MST on Fri., May. 2, 2008 re: "Letters: May 2, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
From someone who shot someone with their sons gun...check your facts Carl.Good thing he was FBI.

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2:20 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008 re: "Letters: April 22, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
It's around 22 million not billion.

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2:07 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008 re: "Letters: April 22, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
The USA uses 22 Billion barrels of oil a day, The Alaskan oil reserve would last 1/2 of a day.

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1:41 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 21, 2008 re: "Letters: April 21, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re "Obama�s remark was more nuanced than skin color", 21 April - Wow, what an angry writer. Here's a news flash - There is no such thing as "a typical WASP".

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6:54 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 17, 2008 re: "Letters: April 17, 2008"

Jason Durda said:
This is a great piece. I agree wholeheartedly. Amit Singh is really a fresh face into the Republican Party of Northern Virginia.

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1:05 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 15, 2008 re: "Letters: April 15, 2008"

Edd Doerr said:
What Mandy Stoltzfus and others seems to overlook is that people in small town America who have seen their jobs evaporate or get shipped overseas have good reason to be bitter, especially when their national government does little or nothing to help them. Sen. Obama has admitted that his choice of words might not have been the best, but he was right in pointing to the bitterness of those whose very survival is in jeopardy.

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12:17 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 11, 2008 re: "Letters: April 10, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Prince William absolutely did the right thing. Illegal aliens are a social and economic drain on America and they must be encouraged to leave and go back to their home countries. If they want to come back legally, then great, we will welocme you back! But our society simply cannot abide the MILLIONS of people coming here un-checked and then violating our laws and cultural norms. That is not how American society is run, and our labor and uimmigration laws are designed to protect Americans from this unjust, and inhumane foreign invasion. HELP SAVE MARYLAND everybody!

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8:15 AM MST on Fri., Apr. 11, 2008 re: "Letters: April 10, 2008"

Paul said:
Mr. Botwin is absolutely correct when he says that Prince William citizens will be better off in the long run should all the illegal aliens leave. The people who profit from illegal aliens -- greedy businesses, corrupt real estate developers and poverty pimps like NCIC -- are picking the pockets of ordinary tax-payers. Illegal immigration has facilitated the greatest wealth-redistribution event in US history, enriching the upper class at the expense of lower and middle class workers.

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9:06 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008 re: "Letters: April 8, 2008"

Edd Doerr said:
Re my April 7 "Six years of war in Iraq must end" letter, I wrote that the war has injured 30,000 young American service members. Former Sen. John Edwards, however, has noted that the actual figure is 60,645 and rising. Further, I left out the large number of returned Iraq veterans who are jobless, homeless, and not getting adequate medical care. Let's "support our troops" by giving them a new G.I. Bill and adequate health care and by bringing them home.

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10:56 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 8, 2008 re: "Letters: April 8, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: "Tax credit won't cover steep rise in prices" We don't just need another Boston Tea Party. We need a general revolution. Won't happen, though. Voters are so lazy or self-centered, they keep putting the same losers/crooks back in office.

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11:46 AM MST on Mon., Apr. 7, 2008 re: "Letters: April 7, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: six years of war in Iraq must end The comparisons are totally skewed. And please, stop parroting Obama's total lie about the "100 years". Enough already.

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6:56 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 31, 2008 re: "Letters: March 31, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
The Metro system (while maintenance was done and no eating was still enforced) was good by U.S. standards. The fact is that all U.S. transportation systems are pathetic compared with those in other parts of the world.One small example - a high speed train from DC to Boston would relieve much air congestion. Why are so many way ahead of us?

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4:50 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 24, 2008 re: "Letters: March 24, 2008"

Robin Ficker Broker Robin Realty said:
I said in the 2008 campaign for County Executive that, "A Vote for Ike Leggett is a Vote to Raise Your Own Taxes." How true! Now he is giving us the largest property tax increase in 20 years and he will not commit to sticking to the charter property tax limit in the two years after this one either.

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11:12 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 21, 2008 re: "Letters: March 21, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re term limits Unfortunately, terms limits may be necessary, because our politicians have subverted our constitutional system to their own benefit and greed.

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5:58 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008 re: "Letters: March 18, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re hypocritical Edwards letter, 18 March Whom a politician endorses has nothing to do with past statements and everything to do with self-serving interests. If H.Clinton offers Edwards the attorney generalship,he'll be with her. Edwards a hypocrite? What a shock!

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5:54 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008 re: "Letters: March 18, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: "Only states are entitled to an armed militia" This is a complete misreading of the 2d amendment. The right to bear arms has nothing to do with living in a state, and the 2d amendment says nothing like "only states are entitled to an armed militia".

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2:34 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008 re: "Letters: March 13, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Home prices rose ridiclously in Prince William and were dropping long before the Resolution was first enforced on Mar 3, 2008. So to think that the Illegal Resolution was the catalyst is patently absurd and downright apologistic. Chris Cummings

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10:53 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 17, 2008 re: "Letters: March 17, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: no immunity for snooping telecoms The boogy man is not coming to get anyone, unless you have a connection to a jihadist. If we don't get the information and warnings we need to stay ahead of these people, there will be no remaining years to live out.

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5:16 PM MST on Sat., Mar. 15, 2008 re: "Letters: March 13, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
I saw abandoned houses in Prince William County trading at 50 cents on the dollar, while surrounding jurisdictions � which are not driving out immigrants � were selling in the range of 25 to 30 percent off peak price. Nobody is "driving out immigrants". There's one word missing in your remark.. It's always left out in the lefty argument. The word.....come on, you know it.....that's right....ILLEGAL. Illegal Immigrants.

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2:07 PM MST on Fri., Mar. 7, 2008 re: "Letters: March 7, 2008"

Using Change from Welfare Tax Dollars said:
"I find it incomprehensible why my tax dollars should help someone who has the money to buy drugs."... If a welfare recipient uses tax dollars to buy food, shelter and medicine, what do they do with the "change"? In other words, tax dollars can be used to handle basic needs, but we cannot reasonably expect those same welfare recipients to not buy a one-dollar lottery ticket, candy bar, or beer bottle. Our focus should be on ensuring the poor's basic needs, not scolding them for occassionally indulging themselves with pocket change. If drug treatment is needed, then help them fight it. Maybe they'll switch to a less expensive habit, like alcohol and other junk food.

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9:43 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 7, 2008 re: "Letters: March 7, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: "no more taxes to fix county's shortfall" - The fault lies with voters, who keep electing these spendthrifts. The way to say �no� is to boot them out of office.

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12:07 PM MST on Wed., Mar. 5, 2008 re: "Letters: March 5, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Isn't it ironic, the New York Times, which seeks to coddle illegal immigrants, finds something wrong with McCain's legal status. Oh, and by the way, NYT endorsed McCain! The true test of whether a newspaper means it about papers not being important is to try to get into their office building without identification. Good luck.

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11:02 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 3, 2008 re: "Letters: March 3, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re:"Required drug tests would undermine welfare program" I am very willing to help someone with food and shelter. I find it incomprehensible why my tax dollars should help someone who has the money to buy drugs.

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11:48 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 28, 2008 re: "Letters: February 28, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Trying to accomplish something, is better than not trying at all.

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7:51 AM MST on Wed., Feb. 27, 2008 re: "Letters: February 27, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: "McCain�s eligibility to be president may be in doubt", letter 27 February My head is spinning. McCain is a natural-born citizen. He was a �citizen at birth� because his parents were American citizens. If you are born on an American military base overseas, and your parents are not American citizens, you are not granted citizenship. But it would be a shock to the many children of military stationed overseas that their citizenship is in question. That wouldn�t help military recruiting, would it? The case of United States v. Wong Kim Ark involved two parents who were not US citizens, and a child born in the US. It dealt with the constitutionality of the Chinese Exclusion Act. I fail to see any relevance to McCain. Democrats fight for a patriotic image. Clinton and Obama raising this would make them a laughingstock.

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7:29 AM MST on Wed., Feb. 27, 2008 re: "Letters: February 26, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: Letters: February 26, 2008 - As usual, the issue is being obscurred. If DC soccer fans deserve a stadium, let them, and the businesses that will benefit, pay for it.

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10:24 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 22, 2008 re: "Letters: February 21, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
I am glad you are an advocate for children. I personally do not care if the schools is public or charter as long as our children acheive and benefit from the education they recieve. However it is untrue that Charter schools outperform public schools. Greatschools.com will give you a list of schools public or charter test scores. If one wants true data check out the site. Also some of the charters org. only administer their own test which makes comparison mute. Charter org. need not downplay public schools to make a name for themseleves or to prove their worth. Proof is in the pudding and the pudding tells me public and charter schools in DC have lots of room for improvement. Once again visit greatschools.com and get infomation from an independent source.

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5:38 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 21, 2008 re: "Letters: January 17, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Edd Doerr claims that "public schools are required to be neutral to religion." Then how is it that in Florida a public school, a kindergarten girl was expelled for praying over her lunch. She was warned once for praying aloud over lunch, so on the day she was hauled to the principal and expelled, she was caught praying quietly to herself. Doerr lies.

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3:42 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Letters: February 20, 2008"

Edd Doerr said:
So DC taxpayers will have to cough up a billion dollars for baseball and soccer stadiums and infrastructure upgrades! Stadiums that only a minority of DC residents will likely ever enter! Wouldn't DC residents benefit a great deal more if that billion were spent on upgrading pre-K through university public education and public health measures? Where are the city's (colony's) priorities?

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6:52 AM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Letters: February 20, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Re; "DC should have blocked porn sites" - The idea that adult employees think that whatever is accessible on their computers is okay, and taxpayers must pay to block sites that aren't, reminds me of a parent blocking TV channels to protect their children. Give me a break. I used computers for decades with the federal government. The rule was no personal use of the computers. We understood, too, that we were being paid to do a job, not to entertain ourselves on the computer, no matter what sites were accessed. The union response to this issue sends the message that we need to leave nothing to the discretion of the immature employee. Reminds me of preschool.

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6:39 AM MST on Tue., Feb. 12, 2008 re: "Letters: February 12, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
This is a rather saucy statement: "Many people say that the Electoral College doesn�t matter anymore. These people are misinformed or politically motivated." In Presidential races, if the Electoral College is abolished, then a vote is a vote. I would like to propose the idea that if this were a reality, it would make rural voters just as important as everyone else! Democrats in Kansas will have just as much power as Republicans living in the District - their vote won�t be thrown away when their 'state' pledges all of its delegates to the winning candidate statewide! The system we have now makes only a handful of states relevant, therefore that is where the candidates go; Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and the likes are really the ones 'deciding' the president. Most other states are ignored on the campaign trail because they are deemed likely to, and do, go for a certain candidate well before November.

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9:05 AM MST on Tue., Feb. 5, 2008 re: "Letters: February 5, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Re: What's wrong with earmarks? Answer:plenty. Earmarks are as corrupt as any other kind of payoff. They are, pure and simple, a way to buy votes. Legislation should be simple - put up a bill, vote it up or down and move on. No riders, no earmarks. That gives advantage to no one. It won't happen, of course. Straightforwardness and honesty are too simple a concept for politicians to grasp.

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9:21 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 1, 2008 re: "Letters: February 1, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
Re: Edwards should be McCain�s pick for AG: One cannot imagine anyone short of a Soros-type socialist considering him. (Note that all the politicians who support redistribution themselves live in great luxury, just as socialists throughout history have done.) Edwards has a long record of flip flips on issues, mainly because what he says is based solely on expedience of the moment. What a great lawyer! His entire campaign was based on the politics of envy, but while fueling the flames of class warfare, Mr. Edwards has gathered multi-millions for himself. He consistently ties the word �evil� to �corporations�, tearing down the free enterprise system which has created our nation�s wealth. He rails against harm to our environment, yet builds a mansion worthy of royalty. He rails against the cost of college, yet charges $30,000 for campus speeches. The list goes on and on. An AG should have integrity and goals which are not tied to personal wealth and power. This isn�t Edwards.

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8:08 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Letters: January 30, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re �Political poltroonery on earmarks,� this isn't an either-or situation. If Congress would stop nosing into all kinds of things for which the federal government has no responsibility, such as baseball, it would have plenty of time to address all the real problems we face. Earmarks are more than tax money. They give politicians further license to buy support and reward special interests. There is a budget process. It is decades past time for politicians of both parties to follow it.

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7:10 AM MST on Tue., Jan. 29, 2008 re: "Letters: January 29, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
re: No Dulles Rail is great news for Dulles Airport- How anyone can think that an elevated rail extension of METRO to Dulles Airport is a bad idea is beyond me. How wonderful it would be not to have to worry about rush hour parking lots on the beltway.The examples used were most selective. Go to Munich, Zurich, and a host of other cities. Rail transportation whisks travellers from airport to city in no time at all. Carts help transfer of luggage. Most people have bags on wheels in any case. A rail system interconnecting the city and airports should have been built decades ago. Instead, we bicker on and on and on.

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2:24 PM MST on Sat., Jan. 19, 2008 re: "Letters: January 18, 2008"

C Parcelli said:
I am having difficulty comprehending why Montgomery County maintains a contract with a company founded and run by a career felon. I'm speaking specifically of the County's Safe Speed Initiative which relies on a contract with Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) run by Darwin Deason for its operation, maintenance and revenue collection. $16.25 of every $40.00 ticket goes to Deason and ACS even though Deason has a criminal record that would easily merit him a privileged place on the Post Office wall. The Wall Street Journal reports, Mr. Deason is currently under investigation by the SEC for backdating stock options. He's all over the net. What was the Montgomery Counsel thinking? If Deason's history is any indication they were thinking kickbacks.

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2:11 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "Letters: January 16, 2008"

Examiner Reader said:
�The simple fact of the matter is, when we closed the temporary parking lot there, we didn�t get any complaints,� said Board Supervisor Linda Q. Smyth, D. �We were expecting to be inundated, and we didn�t get any.� I cannot disagree more with Linda Smyth's rash comments. Commuters at the Vienna Metro station were expecting the parking lot to expand. I challenge Smyth to find a parking spot at the Vienna Metro around 8:00AM. It is a frustrating task because practically ALL the spaces are taken by that time. Before she speaks about a topic she knows nothing about, she should do a little more research, go to the metro lots, and actually talk to the commuters. Her statement is extremely irresponsible and inaccurate. It is a shame she is a public official. But, hey, what can I expect? They just raised the fares by a ridiculous amount, so why not close the parking lots too? In New York City, you can pay $2 to go from the top to bottom of Manhattan. Maybe we should all move.

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2:06 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "Letters: January 16, 2008"

J. Harris said:
RE: Black Americans should have heeded Falwell�s preaching; 01-16-2007 Instead of spewing statistics, Lawrence Marsh needs to question what their underlying causes are. African Americans are still feeling the effects of over 500 years of slavery, subjugation, and repression. Fixing these ills will take longer than the 1 generation out of the Civil Rights era that we now have. At the same time, while attempting to discredit the legacy of Dr. King by claiming that he never tried to desegregate his own church, Mr. Marsh, totally ignored the fact that Ebenezer Baptist Church was not "segregated" in the sense that whites were not welcome to join and attend, but by the fact that whites chose NOT to do so. While this may have simply been for fear of being ostracized by family, friends, and community, quite often the fear was for physical and economic safety. In the future, Mr. Marsh, try examining the causes of the problems before pointing out their effects.

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12:03 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "Letters: January 17, 2008"

Edd Doerr, Pres., Americans for Religious Liberty said:
Thomas Franklin's Jan 14 letter says opponents of tax aid to faith-based schools are "intolerant, anti-religious bigots". That is a gross insult to the many millions of good Christians, Jews and others who have voted against such misuse of public funds in 26 statewide referenda. He may not like public schools but repeated Gallup polls show parents strongly support them. Further, proportionately fewer kids attend nonpublic schools than 40 years ago. It is an outrageous lie that public schools, responsible to parents and voters in our 15,000 school districts, are in any way hostile to religion. Finally, every poll and referendum shows