This country, though rooted in Judeo-Christian morality, is secular. Though recent rulings of the Supreme Court may imply otherwise, specific religious beliefs and American law should not be intertwined.
With this in mind, I'd like to ask Gregory Pio ("Liberal, examine thyself" Sept. 7) to step down from his soapbox and ask him why it makes the least bit of difference whether or not Mario Cuomo's, John Kerry's, or John Roberts' political ideals come from beliefs of religion, natural law or the U.S. Constitution. They have their ideals. That is enough.
Since Pio is so opposed to rape (as well he should be) what happens to his stance on abortion when rape come into the picture? If the 14-year-old New Orleans refugee who was raped in the Superdome last week became pregnant, should she be morally or legally obligated to carry the child to term and give birth to it?
I am always repulsed at the audacity of those who think that the government has the power to tell women (and girls) what they are allowed to do with their bodies based on a religious belief. Should this 14-year-old girl who has lost her home, all her possessions and her sense of security, only to be violated in the most intimate way, be forced to carry a constant reminder of the trauma for nine months? How can she, or her family, support such a child?
If your solution is adoption, what of her life in school for the next year? What of the dangers to her health that any fully grown adult woman need be conscious of? Oh, you say, there can be an "exceptional circumstances" exemption in your ideal anti-abortion law? Who will decide what qualifies as an exemption? How can any one person or even legislative body make that decision for someone else's life?
Pio is also eager to point out the hypocrisy of liberals' acceptance of abortion in the face of their personal religious convictions, but he has to look no further than his own argument to find another example of that hypocrisy. He himself states: "I opposed abortion before I was Catholic", asserting that his position on abortion is independent of his Catholic faith. If it is so easy for Pio to separate the two in his personal belief system, why does he assume that Catholic liberals are too "morally crippled" to do the same?
Pio has asked me to examine myself. I have done so, and am completely satisfied with what I see. Now I have a request of him: spray some Windex on your glass walls before you throw your next stone.
Anne MacranderseniorBadin HallSept. 7
