Fresno Bee letters: On Roe vs. Wade, abortion access, gun use, school safety and more

Men should give up their bodies, too

Men, I have a question: Which of your bodily functions would like the government to have total control over?

Let’s be fair. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

States will decide abortion access

“Woe is me.” Here we go again. Yes, it has the pro-life leaking in their pants! Abortions will not be outlawed if Roe vs. Wade is overturned. Back to each state where the people will decide on abortion. It should never have been given to the judges to decide.

It seems to me that pro-abortion believers are selfish. They want to end a life as they go on living. Woe is me.

Seeing both sides of abortion debate

I read two letters to The Bee recently that were written from opposite perspectives on the abortion issue. Both were thoughtful and expressed points that I agreed with. The first (Many Ways to Avoid Unwanted Babies) made this point: “Playing God is wrong and is an arrogant solution to this problem.” I agree with the statement, however I wonder if the government should be legislating according to my personal value system in our eclectic society. Also, who am I to pass judgement on another who does something “wrong” when they see no other way.

The second letter (High Court Mistaken on Abortion) made this point, “If men could have babies, you could be sure this wouldn’t be happening.” I say, “Amen” to that. Finally, the right to life or choice is complicated and has implications beyond unwanted pregnancy to nurturing unwanted children. There are no easy answers.

Personally I respect the right to life proponents more when their concern is extended beyond the womb to other life issues, such as the death penalty and war.

Roe v. Wade is fight of her life

This fight for abortion rights is the fight of our lives. Roe has been the law for 50 years. I was a clerk for a federal judge and am furious that SCOTUS has ignored the impact on our privacy and rights to choose --because we Democrats want to protect access to abortions because we are pro-life.

Abortions are down because they have been safe. Justice Alito’s rational standard is too low and will cut a woman’s control over her body, and is not rational.

We have to codify Roe. Sandra Day O’Conner was the one vote in Casey and bucked Reagan. This is my No. 1 issue in the midterms. I am almost 70 and remember my grandmother before the vote on Roe telling her five granddaughters of her friends bleeding to death from botched abortions.

Stop them from controlling women!

NRA must return to founding purpose

I’m so tired of hearing “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people,” from the NRA. Guns are made of inert, cold, metal; people are made of flesh and blood. It takes a human finger to pull a gun’s trigger. Without that finger, no gun could do any harm.

Propaganda and “fake media” have helped make “Guns don’t kill…” popular. And like propaganda and fake media, way too many of us have bought into that way of thinking.

It is high time national and state legislators gain the courage to tell the NRA to get off their rant and remember their original purpose.

When I was a kid in Fresno during the 1940s, I had a single shot .22 rifle. One of the NRA’s original goals was to teach gun safety and proper use. Those principles and purposes helped prevent many kids, like me, as well as our dads and moms, from dying from careless accidents.

For some reason, probably money and greed, the NRA no longer seems to promote those noble purposes.

Gun makers should protect schools

Why is it that schools will not teach critical race theory lest some students feel offended, yet they teach active shooter drills where children learn that someone might shoot them simply because they exist?

Why should schools “fix” themselves so that they are not a soft target? Isn’t that like blaming the victim? Shouldn’t the onus of protecting students from shootings be on those who manufacture and regulate guns?

On race reporting, impact on kids

Have we come to the time where our children make the rules in our schools? The article, “Black student leaders demand action.” Writing “It’s time to stop catering to white supremacy”led by a Black student union. Since when do we allow these unions in our schools? Also making a list of their demands. The mentality of our future generation is being destroyed by the media.

We are bombarded every day about every killing that happens, and the media hypes it up to be a racist killing. Judge and jury.

Also it’s time for the name calling of all races to stop. Using the words “white supremacist” or “nationalists” just keeps the hate growing. I don’t know how all this white supremacy has grown out of hand , but it needs to stop.

No coverage of cycling event

A few weeks ago, I participated in the “Ride of Silence,” which honors and remembers those who have lost their lives or were injured by motorists while cycling.

I have participated in this international event in four states, and have always noted positive media coverage eager to grasp the opportunity to help increase road safety while promoting health, fitness, and clean family fun. I had assumed the organizers contacted the media in our area, but was quite surprised that there was no coverage of this event at all.

Surprise turned to shock when I was informed the event organizers did indeed reach out to all media sources, including The Bee, which seems to have a reporter focused on this sort of thing. A disappointment for our community for sure.

Then I find out from my cycling peers that four riders were struck by a motorist in rural Fresno County in what appears to have been a malicious, intentional act. Thankfully the riders are OK. However, no coverage of this event either? I believe this has gone from disappointing to shameful.

This story was originally published June 19, 2022 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Fresno Bee letters: On Roe vs. Wade, abortion access, gun use, school safety and more."