Letters: Can sanctions lead to solutions?; Supporting women’s will
Can sanctions lead to solutions?
Wouldn’t it be great if, in the midst of our sanctions against Russia to stop buying Russian oil and gas on which Europe depends greatly, therefore diminishing the supplies to the entire world, we would look creatively for solutions? We have the opportunity to incentivize energy efficient farming, housing, public schools and industry, improve mass transportation to make it clean, affordable and energy efficient, increase incentives for investment in renewable solar and wind energy, increase our farming and manufacturing sector to reduce transportation/energy costs. These alone will not equal the energy loss, but we can increase our energy efficiency and include that as a target for all future foreign aid. The U.S. could become the leader to energy transformation for the world.
Supporting women’s will
I grant the fetus personhood from conception. But there is another person present knowing good and evil — the mother in whose womb the fetus is. It is there in the matrix of her mature will to decide to support this life or not. This will is terrible, but it is her child, not the state’s or the church’s.
This matrix is the foundation of the family and of all law as well: We are social creatures not individual atoms.
Acknowledging that the woman has this legal power and responsibility electively shows that children are not befallen of nature but socially electively chosen.
Woman in this exciting modern sense is the great theme of this new century unfolding. Let us each join her in our time.
Giving women a voice and choice
In response to a letter in the June 10 edition of the CDT, “Standing By the Lives of the Unborn,” signed by seven male pastors of mostly Baptist local churches, I wonder about their premise that God values all lives. If a god values the lives of women, God would know the medical, financial and social complexities of an unintended pregnancy (over half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned) and, indeed, value the woman’s life and her difficult, difficult choices. These men represent organizations that actively exclude women from leadership roles and expect women to obey them. (Baptists believe that according to the Bible, no woman is to be in any leadership position above men). Their beliefs are their own and that of their congregations. But in America, where we have separation of church and state, it is unconstitutional for them to force their beliefs on others whose beliefs are different. In their world, women don’t even have a voice, let alone a choice.
Direct action for climate crisis
On June 13, 50 activists with Pennsylvania Action on Climate (PAC) confronted the state legislature to demand that they stop fueling the climate crisis. I was one of ten PAC activists who entered the House Gallery and showered the House floor with $203 in $1 bills marked with “Bribe,” “Climate Action Now” and other messages. These communications were to put the spotlight on many legislators’ greed and responsiveness to big money interests while climate change continues to accelerate.
We chanted “You take bribes, the planet dies,” and attempted to unfurl a large banner over the balcony with the same message. Capitol Police ripped the banner from two activists’ hands. We were all forcibly removed from the chamber and two were arrested and charged with criminal trespass. The rest were escorted from the building and warned we would face the same charges if we reentered the premises.
I risked arrest because I’m concerned that the world is on the fast track to climate disaster. I spoke truth to power and put my body on the line on behalf of children, future generations and all nonhuman inhabitants of the planet. Demands to take action have been repeatedly ignored by our lawmakers in Harrisburg, many of whom are complicit because of their close ties with the fossil fuel industry. I felt compelled to do nonviolent direct action to compel them to work for all Pennsylvanians, not just energy company executives.