Letters to the editor | Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022: Recent Roe decision took courage

Roe decision took courage

Re “Abortion views reflect religion and should not be a matter of law, says Modesto writer” (Page 1C, July 24):

I had the pleasure of having Justice Anthony Kennedy, the author of the Casey decision that was recently overruled along with Roe, as my constitutional law professor. He explained in class that the court in Roe had pushed the personal right of privacy to the limits. If you read the Casey decision, I could sense his reluctance to confirm such a debatable constitutional decision. But he did, because he was afraid of the result.

If anyone took the time to read the recent Dobbs case, you would discover it is based on finding that the Roe court overstepped its constitutional power: its job is to rein in the executive and legislative branches, and not to make laws. Federal law is supposed to be limited to the Constitution, and the rest is left to the states. That is what it did, and it took a lot of courage to do that.

Finally, even an atheist can see that a fertilized egg already has its own DNA and chromosomes. That’s a person.

Gary Nelson, Modesto

Abortion is about humanity, not religion

Re “Abortion views reflect religion and should not be a matter of law, says Modesto writer” (Page 1C, July 24):

The recent op-ed claiming abortion is a religious issue raises an interesting argument but applies it to the wrong subject. The indissoluble matrimonial union between man and woman is at the core of the Christian faith as it prefigures the “wedding feast of the Lamb” at the end of time and Christ’s union with his church. A natural law argument may also be made against other forms of marriage, but at its core this is what a religious argument looks like.

Abortion contrastingly is not a question of religion but rather one of humanity. Prior to pronouncing a death sentence on a life he claims is not a “person,” the pro-abortion author should witness an abortion or at least watch the movie “Unplanned.” After seeing a perfect pre-born human dismembered or having her brain evacuated, then an informed discussion may be had on the subject.

To follow the author’s logic regarding personality or memory defining personhood, we should start exterminating dementia patients as well.

Ross W. Lee, Modesto

Police wasting time

I have uppermost respect for our policemen and women. A couple of weeks ago, four officers from Modesto police showed up at my door at 12:30 at night about an Apple watch that my son had found at work. So I’m wondering what is going on in the police department that they can send four officers about an Apple watch when crime is rampant in Modesto.

Violet Tudor, Modesto

Courage and cowardice

From Select Committee hearings, two faces of the Republican party are made clear: Donald Trump and Liz Cheney.

We don’t see Trump in person, but we learn about his character and his actions from a number of his staff, his counselors and other Republicans who were a part of his political orbit. While the armed, violent mob in the capitol howled, “Hang Mike Pence,” Trump tweeted that Pence was a coward and blamed him for not taking part in the insurrection that Trump had planned. That was gasoline on a raging fire. Trump watched the mob on TV from the safety of his private dining room, happy that he had such loyal followers. A profile in cowardice.

The flip side of the Republican coin has been Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the Select Committee. She has had the courage to risk losing her seat in Congress in order to uphold her conservative principles, fidelity to her oath of office and the Constitution. How many Republicans could say the same? We see and hear Cheney during every meeting of the committee. Her opening and closing statements remind us of what the GOP used to represent, its ideals and principles. A profile in courage.

Paul Neumann, Modesto

Patti for Congress

In the 18 months since the Democrats have taken control of the government, they have hit the economy with a wrecking ball and one disaster after another. With Democrats holding power in the White House and Congress, they have harmed people by easy money, inflation-inducing practices and curtailing U.S. energy production. The policies of the Biden administration, backed at every turn by our inexperienced, party-loyal congressman, Josh Harder, have been brutal to single mothers, working people and seniors in retirement. We are now in the midst of the Biden-Harder recession, with two straight quarters of negative economic growth (-1.6 percent and -0.9 percent).

More than four in 10 Americans have been forced to cut back on everyday items, including groceries, a recent Suffolk University-USA Today survey found. There are stories about single mothers being forced to decide whether they’ll spend money for gas to get to work or buy food for their children. Inflation is now at 9.1 percent—the highest in four decades. Gas prices are at the highest levels ever.

Harder is totally undeserving of another term in office. Vote for Tom Patti.

Elizabeth Best, Tracy

The real fakes

RINO (Republican in name only) is an insult thrown by fake Republicans at real Republicans who refuse to kiss Trump’s ring. This is quite funny since the current crop of Republicans in Congress (with a few notable exceptions) are themselves truly the RINOs of today. They have trashed the historical ideals and positions of the Republican Party and sullied the name of a once proud and meaningful Grand Old Party. They should be ashamed.

Michael King, Modesto

Watch out for U.S. fascism

The fasces, a bundle of rods lashed together on an ax handle with a blade exposed, was the symbol of authority in Ancient Rome. It became the symbol of fascism in the 20th century, as Hitler strove for a perfect state. His Third Reich was the reincarnation of the Roman Empire, the “First Reich.”

Amazingly, the fasces is our symbol of authority also, seen as a fresco on the walls of our Congress (an actual fasces relic used to be carried into Congress at the first session).

Historian Gary Wills tells us that we have missed the point if we don’t know that our founders were hero worshipers. They strove to create a perfect state. Their model was the Roman Republic.

The symbolism of the fasces should remind us what a fine line exists between democracy and authoritarianism. Rome’s example of a democracy, which we emulated, didn’t last long. The elixir or power was too overwhelming for the caesars. We have always said: “It can’t happen here.” Why can’t it?

Harold Crumpley, Modesto

Holding fast to U.S. ideals

On a recent visit to our nation’s capital, I was impressed with the size, permanence and grandeur of the buildings, monuments and memorials, the Capitol Rotunda, the Library of Congress and so much more. On the wall of the Lincoln Memorial I read again the hope of the president “that these dead shall not have died in vain.” Arlington Cemetery and the various war memorials reminded me of the many thousands who have died in defense of our God-given rights and freedoms. I questioned, “Have they died in vain? Were not their sacrifices meant to preserve the permanence and grandeur not of stately buildings but of the noble ideals and firm convictions of those who drafted our founding documents?”

While I have seen amazing progress and accomplishments in my 90-plus years on this earth, I am now seeing a frightening change in attitude, especially among some of our country’s leaders. Now is not the time to cast aside those ideals and convictions that allowed us to become the greatest free nation in the history of the world. Let us “hold onto what is good.” God bless America.

Paul Jennings, Modesto