THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: Saturday, January 21, 1995 TAG: 9501200092 SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E4 EDITION: FINAL COLUMN: Issues of Faith SOURCE: Betsy Mathews Wright LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
IN MY WILDEST dreams, I had hoped that last week's column about the Common Ground group would have spawned a mountain of response.
Let's just say the mountain was more of a hill. Twenty-five letters, calls, faxes or computer messages were received. That's not bad for a regular week, but I had hoped the Common Ground idea would have moved more folks to respond.
In case you missed the column, Common Ground in a national group that teaches communities how to mediate their pro-life and pro-choice factions on the abortion issue. Locally, the Mediation Center of Hampton Roads, owned by David and Sharon McDonald, want to bring Common Ground here.
Overwhelmingly, the responses were positive about bringing Common Ground to Hampton Roads. Only two readers said it wouldn't work.
Most exciting, however, were the two thumbs up from two key players in the debate: Jayne Flowers, public affairs chair of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Virginia, and Mary Petchel, president of the Tidewater Chapter of the Virginia Society for Human Life. Both Flowers and Petchel heartily endorsed bringing in Common Ground and asked to be participants in the mediations.
I'll keep up with the McDonalds' efforts to bring Common Ground here and will update you in the future. Until then, here are some of the Reader Responses received.
From David H. Smiley of Virginia Beach: ``There is no question that peaceful discussion focused on the issues, not on personal attacks, would be a step forward. Common Ground's focus on civil discourse is preferable to war in the streets.''
From James G. Thomson of Chesapeake: ``I am staunchly pro-life and anxious to participate in the proposed local Common Ground effort. Only efforts like this can break the impasse and help people stop shouting past each other and begin talking to each other. Because of the shouting, the extremists on both sides really do have the high ground, and only a different approach can change things. . . . ''
From Georgie Marquez Andre: `` Although I do not see how we can reach common ground on the specific issue of abortion, there is definitely a need for both sides to see the human faces behind the various stands. As Christians, we need to stop seeing those on the pro-abortion and pro-choice side as evil destroyers of humanity. By the same token, Christians are not mindless, uneducated fools incapable of sophisticated reasoning and discussion. Neither is Christianity a white man's religion bent on subduing and controlling women.''
From Chris Astle, Jr. of Newport News: ``Yes, go for it, but until both sides can agree on when life begins, or even what life is, I am not sure there can be a civil discussion.''
From Michael Nixon of Virginia Beach: ``Violence is not a means to the end. Through education, understanding and compassion for each other we can bridge the gap and truly make a difference by eliminating our differences. Mediation is the first step. Unity is the goal. . . . My hat is off to the McDonalds for taking the first step.''
From M.E. ``Evie'' Burgin of Portsmouth: ``Yes, bring Common Ground here! I'm pro-life, however, I am definitely against violence. I don't believe in hindering people who are making a legal choice. While I feel the abortion is a mistake, I feel that people have a right to make that mistake. . . . All violence is wrong, whether against an adult or a child.''
From Jenny Casey of Virginia Beach: ``There's no way we can find a common ground. People must stop poking their noses into other people's business. . . the other side have the right to say these women can't have an abortion.''
From Tom Aiken of Virginia Beach: ``I certainly support the idea of Common Ground. Even dogs can settle disagreements by violence. Only human beings have the ability to resolve them intellectually and I hope that course will be followed.'' 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 e-mail to bmw(AT)infi.net. Deadline is Tuesday
before publication. You must include name, city and phone number. by CNB