Sisler: Sanity in a mad world
In a world gone mad, a little touch of sanity has at last appeared.
Al Qaida terrorists mounted a suicide attack armed with four hijacked airliners and Americas illusion of safety and security was buried in rubble, twisted metal, and death. In response, America told the terrorists and their henchmen that there was no place to hide - turn over the perpetrators or face annihilation. And so we justifiedly attacked Afghanistan and stand poised to take the battle to other members of the axis of evil.
Palestinian terrorists mounted suicide attacks with bombs strapped to their bodies and their cars, killing and maiming Israelis. Yasser Arafat is as clearly a terrorist leader as Osama bin Laden, and as of this writing he is surrounded in his headquarters with all avenues of escape denied him. Yet America holds back her support of Israel, calling for negotiations.
Can any sane person imagine bin Laden surrounded and Americas leaders listening to a call for negotiations? But that is precisely the stance Americas leaders are taking with Israel!
Insanity.
Two decades ago responsible people warned that if murdering unborn babies was made legal, the early termination of the lives of the sick and the elderly would be the next step. No way, pro-death proponents hollered. Our nation is not crazy.
Well, unless youve been living under a rock, you know that in 1994 Oregon passed a law (and reaffirmed it in 1997) allowing physician-assisted suicide.
Three years after Oregans law was passed for terminally ill patients, Compassion in Dying Washington, a pro-suicide group, urged that the law be amended to allow the physician-assisted suicide of anyone with a disease which will eventually lead to a terminal diagnosis. This insanity misses the obvious - life is a terminal condition.
Still not satisfied, Kathryn Tucker, legal affairs director for the Compassion in Dying Federation in America, says that Oregons 15-day waiting period - written so that patients can be sure of their desire to die - is overly restrictive and wants it struck down.
The Netherlands pioneered looking the other way while doctors kill their patients. Dutch doctors could have been imprisoned or fined for assisting in the suicide of their patients, but for 20 years Dutch courts have looked the other way. Now there is no danger of legal prosecution. The Netherlands has now officially sanctioned euthanasia. And this is the same nation where one of their legislators suggested that Dutch teens be allowed to seek legalized suicide.
Insanity.
In the midst of all of this, the Georgia Senate last week approved a measure that will save the lives of newborn babies. Pro-life Sen. Mike Beatty almost scuttled the bill while advancing his own political purposes when he introduced an anti-abortion measure, but then withdrew it when his election-year grandstanding drew more heat than he wanted to handle.
Babies in dumpsters and trash bags finally caused members of that lofty body to take notice of the little bodies: the dead and dying babies abandoned in Georgia.
The bill passed with six no votes. It was particularly disappointing to see that state Sen. Joey Brush, R-Appling, joined on the negative side. With Brushs well-known leadership in Christian endeavors, it was sad to see him stand against a bill that will save the lives of Georgias children.
After the vote was taken, Sen. Mitch Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg said, Abandoning a newborn is irresponsible behavior. I believe this legislation basically encourages irresponsible behavior.
Irresponsible behavior? Well, he and his fellow nay-sayers are six more examples. Regardless of their previous behavior, women now have one more option - and this option lets babies live. If only one childs life is spared, the passing of this bill will prove to be one of the Legislatures finest moments.
The Safe Haven Bill is, admittedly, a small measure, barely holding back the floods of life-taking insanity. But it is a start. Let us pray it is only the beginning.
(David Sisler is a local free-lance writer.)