Sorry, I cannot reply back to your work email. Won’t work. Appears to be blocked from external replies.
I called your desk phone late Friday afternoon and left you a message. But I thought I would go ahead and post my response to your questions here just in case you happen to read this before getting in to work this coming week.
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Thank you for the opportunity, I am glad to share with you my views on your concerns.
Regarding abortion, I am against it in principle and in practice as my personal opinion.
This does not mean I wish to have women subjected to past history such as back alley operations.
While I would prefer women that carefully consider and re-consider abortion (don’t do it), they at least should have proper medical care. I can certainly see the need for immediate care to prevent conception upon instances of rape. And I am torn in cases where the health of the mother is in jeopardy. I would prefer, in such a case, to save my wife first, I believe.
Now, having said that, I do completely object to the latest round of healthcare legislation (and probably other pending bills) that insist on using tax dollars (from me and everyone else) to fund abortions.
Since this is predominantly a personal decision to have such a procedure, it should be personally paid by the one seeking this procedure. Those of us morally against it should not be forced to fund it for those who can and/or cannot pay for it.
Those who have an abortion will have to answer for it to a higher power. I have no desire to have that discussion with The Almighty.
Christianity. I am a Catholic myself. Probably not as good as I should be but I do try my best to live the Golden Rule. I do not ascribe to hate in the way that others seems to think Christians live. I try to be optimistic about anyone/everyone I relate to – sometimes it doesn’t always remain that way, but I try not to be the reason for it. Most folks I work with, and family I live with, will most likely say the same about me. (Perhaps an exception or two.)
I do not believe in preaching to people, in the sense of attempting to convince them “the errors of their ways”. Religion and faith is a deeply personal thing.
Gay marriage. I am against the stealing of the word/term “marriage” for such folks. I am also against the federal government attempting to override state’s rights (along this line and others). There are existing civil laws at state levels that deal with this. Civil unions. I believe it satisfies legal issues as well. But use of “marriage” for them? No, not officially.
I hold no ill will towards such people, in fact, I do know some personally. Perhaps more, only because this isn’t always a topic to ask about in polite company. The few I know are responsible folk – just like the rest of us.
It is the dangerous ones that are more problematic. And those are the ones we hear about on the news. These are the folks that need to be separated from polite society.
There you go, Ms. Boyce. If you want to ask anything else, you know how to reach me.
Daniel McAndrew 