If you read one opinion piece today, make it Martin Albl's in the Aberdeen American News. Martin teaches Religious Studies at Presentation College here in Aberdeen and I know him to be a gentle and sincere fellow. Martin makes a plea for reasonableness regarding South Dakota's upcoming vote on abortion. I could speak about what I like in his piece, but that'd be everything. Here's a snippet.
As we draw near to the November referendum on HB1215, the Women's Life and Human Health Protection Act (Referred Law 6) that would ban virtually all abortions, we South Dakotans have a unique opportunity to discuss this highly emotional issue in a reasoned, civil manner. My hope is that all sides will refrain from name-calling and simplistic rhetoric and that we can use this time to honestly and openly debate the issues.
I would hope that all sides recognize that their opponents have a legitimate point of view. My Christian faith and my reason have led me to be unreservedly pro-life on this issue, but I realize that many decent, honest and moral people have reached different conclusions. So I'm obligated to listen carefully to their views, especially on complex issues involving cases of rape and incest, and not to dismiss them lightly.
At the same time, I expect that various pro-choice proponents would afford me the same respect. Don't dismiss me as a religious fanatic just because, based on my faith and my own rational thinking, I have reached the conclusion that life begins at conception and should therefore receive legal protection from that point. If you disagree, then let's engage in a reasoned argument about when life and its legal protection should begin.
Read the whole thing. I have little doubt that Prof. Albl's article is the most intelligent piece on this subject you will read in the coming months. I say that because I am convinced, sadly, that his plea for honest and civil discussion will fall on deaf ears. Why be reasonable when demagoguery is so much more effective?
Recent Comments