Below is an unpublished letter to the editor submitted to Richmond’s Times-Dispatch on March 8. It is a response to communications received from both Virginia Senator’s to support the Born Alive Surviviors Protection Act. Neither Senator Kaine nor Warner supported the measure.
If you agree with the letter’s contents, would you consider sending it on to others so they see why this vote was so unacceptable? Further, come stand with us in Richmond on April 3 for the Virginia March for Life.
Peace and Blessings.
Dan
Letter
An open letter to Sens. Kaine and Warner.
Dear Sens. Kaine and Warner – Thank you very much for your responses regarding your votes on S. 311 (Born Alive Survivors Protection Act). We do appreciate your candid comments. Unless that occurs, we cannot have a conversation or make progress on issues. You both mentioned your votes were driven by the fact that infanticide is already illegal. Further, you each cited additional restrictions on health care providers or the process used to bring the bill to a vote.
However, the primary reason for voting against the bill in both your responses was a distinction without meaning. While infanticide is illegal, what is infanticide? What does it mean? If a new life is simply allowed to die from neglect, then a human life is being needlessly taken, and that is morally wrong. Medical professionals in the obstetrics area have two patients, the mother and child.
We would agree with you if the negative rights our society was founded upon were still recognized. In that case, you would simply preserve all life. Common sense would dictate that all life is precious. However, common sense left our government and society a long time ago.
When a society starts down the path of creating positive rights, human rights, it is an approach that requires precisely defining a ‘right.’ This approach is contrary to and incompatible with the negative rights incorporated into our society. You cannot have it both ways. Societies built upon positive rights are seductive, but they always fail because they cannot deliver on their promises.
If a life is allowed to expire, then the issue is not addressed. Any society which does not value life is on the wrong track. If some life is not protected, then no life is protected. It comes down to only being a matter of law as to whether one is protected or not, and the legislature creates the law.
Justice is a virtue whereby each person receives what they are due. As each life is God’s gift, no human being has the right to take that away. That is unjust. If health issues are to be left to the patient and medical professional, then why Obamacare – which is contrary to that approach. If the process to introduce it was outside of the normal course, then again, why your support for that healthcare bill that was also outside the process?
While we understand your vote, there is no supportable reason for such a vote with this particular issue. We are deeply disappointed in you, but also in our constituents, because such a vote could not happen without a people’s support.
Respectfully,
Dan & Barbara Wolf
