Defending life
To all those interested, the 2005 abortion statistics for the state of Alaska have been released. You can find them at the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services' Web site.
The statistics aren't perfect. They don't indicate how many young girls were forced by their parents to get an abortion. They don't indicate how many women were coerced into getting an abortion by an unsupportive sexual partner. But they do give you other useful information.
You can find out how many women obtained their third, fourth or even fifth abortion last year. You can find out how many women used taxpayer dollars to murder their unborn child. Sadly, the number of abortions performed in this state has increased once again: 1,956 human beings lost their lives to abortion in the state of Alaska last year.
There was a time when the death of a child or any human being for that matter, was seen as a heartbreaking occurrence. But now, the same people who used to weep when a child was lost to violence or starvation or an accident, cheer when a child is lost to abortion.
These individuals hide behind the so-called "right to choose," but they've forgotten that the right to choose means nothing if you've had your "right to life" taken from you. So please take a look at the information and say a few kind words and possibly a prayer for all of those human beings who will never take their first steps, never speak their first words, or never have children of their own. Having said that, I'll now talk about my critics.
So far, all of my critics have used the same tactic: They've labeled me as dishonest, vile, a liar, a bigot, an oppressor of women and right wing. Basically, they've made personal attacks against my character. What none of them has done is argue about the issue of abortion. They haven't defended abortion. They haven't described how the murder of nearly 2000 unborn children in Alaska last year was beneficial to the father, mother or child involved. They haven't mentioned how society as a whole benefits from the murder of these weak and defenseless human beings. I would surmise that they haven't defended abortion because they can't. Just like a normal person can't defend slavery or the murder of 6 million Jews; no normal person, no reasonably intelligent person, no person with any sense of compassion of right and wrong or personal responsibility can defend or support abortion. I can defend the pro-life position. I can defend and promote it with religious ideology, secular ideas or science. Take your pick. What does the pro-abortion side have to offer? Nothing but slogans and selfishness.
Michael Smith
sfl@uaf.edu
Support heating assistance
With some home heating costs increasing as much as 50 percent this winter, thousands of Alaskans will face a financial dilemma. Without supplementary assistance, low-income older Alaskans and their families may have to choose between paying for their heat or paying for their food. Currently, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) does not have the funding needed to help older Americans and those with disabilities with their heating costs this winter.
According to the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, more than 57,000 Alaskan households are eligible for assistance, including the elderly, children under six, and the disabled. Not one of these Alaskans should be left out in the cold.
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) has introduced bipartisan legislation (S. 2320) that will provide additional funding for heating assistance and give people the help they need now. Senate members, including Sen. Ted Stevens and Sen. Lisa Murkowski will vote on this amendment shortly after they reconvene on Capitol Hill Feb. 27. Right now, it's not known how they will vote.
We must make it clear to our congressional delegation that heating assistance for Alaska's most vulnerable should be fully funded. Please call Sen. Lisa Murkowski toll free at 1-877-829-6030 and Sen. Ted Stevens in Anchorage at (907) 271-5915 and tell them to vote "YES" on Senate Bill 2320.
