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Joe Biden is pro-life

When I see and hear Catholic bishops, evangelicals, and others bashing Joe Biden as pro-abortion, I feel compelled to speak up. Most folks, regardless of political affiliation or religion, and that includes Joe Biden, would like to see fewer abortions.

The bottom line is how to make this happen. There are two ways.

One way, and this is often associated with “pro-life,” is to judge and to use the legislative and judicial branches of government to attempt to control the woman who chooses to end a pregnancy.
Another way, and this coincides with Joe Biden’s thinking, is to address the causes of abortion without judgement, thereby actually reducing problem or unwanted pregnancies.

For example, the lack of contraception access or use may contribute to more than half of all pregnancies. It is known that totally available and free contraception access reduces abortion by over 40%. Planned Parenthood, by being funded, actually reduces abortions by more than legislators and judges’ efforts combined.

Other factors that contribute to abortion are healthcare or lack thereof, poverty, joblessness, hunger, homelessness, violence, lack of access to quality education, and more.

One of our major political parties addresses all of these issues; the other, not so much.

Imagine if hunger, homelessness, or illness were made unlawful and the causes of these issues were not addressed; would that end them? Of course not. The same is true for abortion.

Cuba is a case in point. It is both Communist and poor. There abortion is free on demand; it has an abortion rate that is 90% less than our country, because they address all of these issues.

Joe Biden and all who are truly pro-life will not judge or weaponize the legislative and judicial branches of government but intend to address the causes of abortion. This is the only way to efficiently and effectively lower the abortion rate and to improve the quality of people’s lives.

From a moral perspective, pro-life and pro-choice are one and the same. We can lower the abortion rate!

Jack Pick
Goodland, Minn.

At the close of 2020

Hark! the herald angels sing,
we’re tired of social distancing!
What can I say of such a year,
except “good riddance, disappear!”
Don’t come back with your virus
now go away, no more to tire us—
we’re weary of this isolation
impatient for real celebration!
Each one of us now simply asks,
when will we be done with masks
and gobs of soap and sanitizer?!
Oh, bring good tidings, Moderna, Pfizer!
And though we love you, Dr. Fauci,
we’re really getting kind of grouchy
standing here six feet apart.
When can the hugs and handshakes start?
Till then we’ll give to the food shelves
and may there be a lot of elves
to aid the little girls and boys
who fear there won’t be any toys,
and save the fraught small businesses
may they have future Christmases!
And as we sing bright carol verses
bless the doctors and the nurses!
And to the scientists – goodwill!
Bless your work, bless your skill!
We’ll string the garland on our tree
with thoughts for others – empathy.
And in this troubled, cold December,
may hardship make us all remember
in pandemic’s darkest weather
that we are all in this together.
And though it be all you can handle,
go ahead and light a candle.
Stay hopeful, cheerful, kind, and clean.
Pretty soon the great vaccine!
So, “Merry Christmas one and all!”
Goodbye to bleach and alcohol
(except for wine, and yes, champagne,
for when we meet – we will – again!)
May this Two-Thousand-Twenty-One
put the past year on the run!
And may your heart ring like a bell –
Happy new year!  Please stay well!

Jane Whitledge
Duluth

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