Abortion is a choice for each woman
Did you hear about the banning of abortion going around in the United States? Abortion is becoming illegal in some states, but it shouldn’t be up to the Congress.
Abortion is a Constitutional right, it is the woman’s decisions. The issue with making abortion illegal is that what if a young teenager were to be raped and ended up pregnant, you would be OK with having her to have a child she didn’t want due to being raped. That young teenager wouldn’t be able to live her life because she would have to take care of the child she was forced to have but not physically nor mentally ready for it.
Abortion, in my opinion is a woman’s rights and it should not be illegal in any states for many reasons.
Tehani Togioka, Eleele
Let’s show respect for other’s viewpoints
I am a bit dismayed by Mr. Clark’s response to the recent guest editorial (not an op-ed) by Jim Rosen. Mr. Rosen was simply bemoaning the proliferation of hated and violence that has become so prevalent in our society. He points out the feelings, shared I believe by many, about the insecurity he feels when attending religious services.
Since worldwide, attacks on places of worship of many different religions have become so common place, such feelings are natural. He also was pointing out that the members of a synagogue, church, temple or mosque are close like family.
As for referring to his call for swift punishment in cases where there is no doubt of the guilt of the killer, I find this far from “fascism”. Fascism would call for punishment without the underlying due process of our laws. But, if the guilty have been given the full legal protections of our system, then swift justice would be correct.
Perhaps if the punishment were more severe and fitting to the horror of the crime committed, those that might consider committing such acts in the future would be deterred.
Mr Clark might want to do a little self-examination to determine why his reaction was in itself full of vitriol. Mr. Rosen, like Mr. Clark, is free to express their feelings and opinions, at least in America. That is the purpose of the First Amendment. Expressing one’s opinion may be cause for discussion, but those that resort to outright attacks as a substitute for civil conversation are the reason for much of the problems we see in society today.
No one person’s opinion is more or less important than another’s, and each is due the respect of having the freedom to think as they please.
As for attacking The Garden Island staff, I have found that they are balanced in what they print. Remember Mr. Clark, while they did publish Mr. Rosen’s opinion, they also published yours. That is what freedom of speech is all about.
Barry Dittler, Kapaa
