Once again, Jack Kelly has lost touch with reality ("At the Crossroads Again," April 10). Although 82 percent of Americans opposed political meddling in the Terri Schiavo case and most
recognized it as grandstanding, the far right sees it as a great victory. How does that work? Just consult an "alterna-poll"
where she is called a "disabled person ... not terminally ill" and the removal of her gastrostomy tube is "denied food and
water." Presto! Now 79 percent of us support the religious right's position.
Mr. Kelly goes on to conflate this woman's sad situation with abortion, euthanasia, slavery, segregation and
massacres of Native Americans! He fantasizes a "religious populace" will rise up and demand the judiciary submit to the far-right
agenda, just as the other branches of government have. He even has the audacity to compare the GOP's war against judicial
autonomy to the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Wake up, Mr. Kelly. We are content with the constitutional separation of powers and the separation of church
and state. We don't want our politicians or our judges to have to answer to the black-robed clerics of suburban mega-churches.
We don't want Sen. Rick Santorum or Rep. Tom DeLay forcing us onto life support while withdrawing the Social
Security, Medicaid and Medicare that support millions of lives.
On a positive note, kudos for having your "national security writer" cover this. Though unintentional, it
sends a message about where the greatest threat to our nation lies.
Mike Usman, M.D., Indiana Township
Letter to the editor, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Apr 17, 2005
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