Tuesday, December 05, 2000Editor:
Anna Quindlen in her column (Two-faced presidency nears end – December 3) refers to what she classifies as the “dueling dichotomies” exhibited in the person of Bill Clinton. She then urges that the president should call for a moratorium on federal executions. Her appeal is based in part on statistical evidence of bias in the system which has resulted in what she defines as “racial and geographic disparities.”
Eventually she brings all of us into this drama by stating, “But the president need never run for office again, and so he can follow his considerable intellect and his legendary empathy to the inescapable conclusion that executions make murderers of us all."
Appropriately, on page 5 in the same Insight section Ms. Quindlen’s popular new book, “A Short Guide to a Happy Life,” is cited as having its roots in a commencement speech which she never delivered at Villanova University in 1999. Pro-life supporters intensely protested her visit to the Roman Catholic school due to Ms. Quindlen being a member of the board of directors of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League Foundation.
Obviously her admonition in her book to get a “real life” does not apply to the thousands of unborn children that are aborted each week since she is part of an organization that makes sure that a select group of unborn children never have the opportunity to experience a “real life!” And she raises the issue of “disparities?”
It is highly unlikely that Ms. Quindlen will look in the mirror, make a slight change in her original statement and say, “It is an inescapable conclusion that abortions make murderers of us all.”
Ms. Quindlen’s most significant contribution in light of her recent column and the accompanying article on her best selling book has been a distinct reminder that the two-faced characteristic is not reserved for presidents alone but columnists can display it just as dramatically!
Clayton D. Harriger, Pastor
Gipsy Christian Church
Web Site: Circuit Rider’s Range at www.crrange.com
