THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 14, 1995 TAG: 9501140041
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Issues of Faith
SOURCE: Betsy Mathews Wright
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
WHEN THE GUNMAN came to town two weeks ago today, pumping 23 bullets into the building that houses Hillcrest Clinic, he dumped something on the doorstep of every Hampton Roads resident.
He dumped the question: What will you do now?
Mind you, the question is not, ``What will you do about abortion?''
The question is, ``What will you do about vigilante violence? How will you deal with people who believe in killing as a means of protesting abortion?''
We can no longer remain silent. The radicals on both sides of the debate won't let us. If we leave it in their hands, we'll continue to let this community and this country be torn apart.
How many people of faith - both pro-life and pro-choice - shook their heads in dismay at John C. Salvi III, who is accused of shooting into the Hillcrest clinic and murdering two abortion clinic workers in Massachusetts, and the words of his fanatical supporters? How many people muttered, ``This has got to stop,''?
Sharon McDonald did.
``When I heard about the Hillcrest shooting, I said to myself, `Enough is enough.' It's just wrong and I don't want to see anybody killed in our community. This is the time to stop it.''
A week later, on the front page of Saturday's Virginian-Pilot, Sharon discovered a way she could ``do something.''
``I read Denise Watson's story about the Common Ground group and I immediately turned to my husband and said, `This is it. This is what we can do.' ''
In case you missed Watson's story, ``Building a bridge across the abortion chasm,'' it told how a former abortion clinic director named B.J. Isaacson-Jones and a staunch pro-life lawyer named Andrew Puzder met, bonded and built the Common Ground Association. Their goal: Reduce the number of abortions without debating the issue itself.
Upon invitation, Common Ground sends trained mediators into communities torn by the issue of abortion. They do not try to change anyone's view on abortion. They simply get people on both sides of the issue to sit down and talk, not debate.
Sharon McDonald and her husband, David, want to bring Common Ground to Hampton Roads. The couple see this as a golden opportunity to prove that mediation can bring peace.
Why do they believe so much in mediation? It is their life's business. David McDonald is the owner of the Mediation Center of Hampton Roads, based in Norfolk. Sharon serves as the center's spokeswoman.
The Mediation Center won't make a dime on this effort. In fact, it will dish out money to bring a Common Ground mediator to town.
The Mediation Center has contacted the Common Ground Association. What the McDonalds' need now are willing participants for the discussions. Common Ground starts with a core group made up of two to three people from each side of the debate. Participants should be activists but not extremists. Whether pro-life or pro-choice, participants must all be open to discussion, not debate.
The core group meets, sets the ground rules and then plans for a Dialogue Day. On that day, the group brings in anywhere from six to 20 other participants per side.
Following the Dialogue Day, the national Common Ground turns it over to the community, who continues the discussions, bringing in more people. They educate the public and work on common goals.
Sounds like a great idea to me. Sounds like a chance to do something.
Send a note or pick up the phone. Tell me what you think about bringing Common Ground here. A simple, ``Yes, go for it!'' or ``No, it will never work!'' will suffice. I will print the longer responses next week.
Also, if you'd like to be part of the Mediation Center's group, tell me why. Then send your name, phone number, address and your position on the issue of abortion and your stance on using vigilante violence as a means of abortion protest. I will pass these on to the Mediation Center.
If we sit silent, if we remain apathetic about this chance for peace, then regardless of which side of the fence we sit, we all become willing victims of whatever else is dumped on our doorsteps . . . including 23 bullets from the gun of a madman. MEMO: Every other week, Betsy Mathews Wright publishes responses to her
opinion column. Send responses to Issues of Faith, The Virginian-Pilot,
150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510; call (804) 446-2273; FAX
(804) 436-2798; or send computer message via bmw(AT)infi.net. Deadline
is Tuesday prior to publication. Must include name, city and phone
number. by CNB