I value lives at any age

Dear Mr. President:

I have long contended that it was religious zealots who put you in office--people who were unable to think for themselves and see beyond a singular issue. I believe there were people in the last election who would have rather not voted for you, but did so--as sheep led by misguided shepherds--based on the abortion issue alone.

O.K. I get that. I can be a single issue voter myself.

(Great job on overturning Roe v. Wade, by the way.)

But here's the rub. Why single out embryos and fetus'? I value lives at any age. I particularly value lives of people who've walked the planet for some number of years. On this last Memorial Day, one of the major networks aired “Letters Home” from G.I.s who never made it back. There were stories of fathers who left pregnant wives, and nineteen year old girls who enlisted to serve their country.

Yeah, it was tear-jerking.

Yeah I cried.

But the “moral of the story” was supposed to be what great heroes these KIDS were, and weren't we grateful for their sacrifice, and I just kept thinking what a waste. How utterly ridiculous that these parents and single parents are on national television putting on a brave face, and saying how proud they are to have lost their children and husbands in this way.

I'm proud to be an American. I love my freedom, and owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who died protecting me and providing the freedom I cherish, but the men, women and kids in the middle-East are not dying to protect me. This is an unjust war, it is killing innocents on both sides of the fray.

I am tired of being told that I MUST support this war or I am being unpatriotic. I have flown an American flag everyday since September 11, 2001. I support the troops--I have no choice--they are my family members and friends, I just want them to come home. You are setting America up for generations of retaliation for the unjust actions you are authorizing now. This is not making life safer for my children, it is putting them in peril.

I have been told my brother is being sent over to serve as an MP in November. I sincerely hope that his deployment date comes after the election, and I hope that some of the misguided shepherd see the light.

Mom and Sister Sharon
Age 35
Farmington, MI