Central View

If the reversal of Roe v. Wade was really about the babies, why does the United States have the highest infant mortality rate in the developed world?  If it was really about the babies, why does the United States have the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world?  If it was really about the babies, we would guarantee women at least three months of paid maternity leave. If it was really about the babies, we wouldn't pay working parents $7.25 an hour. If it was really about the babies, we would provide quality, affordable childcare.  If it was really about the babies, no child in our country would ever go hungry. If it was really about the babies everyone would know this fact: making abortion illegal does NOT reduce the number of abortions. If anything the rate of abortion decreases in countries where it is legal.  If it was really about the babies, the topic of abortion might not even be debated because all of us would be too busy taking care of the babies.  But it is

  This post originally appeared in  the  "Austin American Statesman" found at this link: Statesman

  "The good is the enemy of the best." "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well." -- Philip Stanhope " Winner's never quit, and quitters never win.” --  Vince Lombardi

A Prayer for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 --- During a pandemic Dear God, On the anniversary of 9/11, we are tempted to give it a mere passing glance. Yes, we promised we would never forget, but we didn’t know what was coming. After the past year and a half, we are all stocked up on misery and can’t hold anymore. With a pandemic STILL raging out of control; political divisions, racism and sexism tearing our country apart; climate change setting fires and flooding the earth, and Afghanistan falling to the Taliban after 20 years of US occupation, we are tired. We are weary. We need Your help. Teach us how to embrace this anniversary as a chance to reflect on Your hope and peace. Remind us that each breath is a precious gift not to be wasted — a gift snatched away from those who died because of the 9/11 attacks. Help us to keep our hearts open to the final words so many victims spoke from smoldering stairwells, conference rooms, and falling airplanes. People died telling their friends and

Jillian Dworin participates in a protest against the abortion ban at the Capitol in Austin on Wednesday. JAY JANNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN

“Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for  them . Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get."  (Matthew 7:12, The Message)                                                                                               The behavior of one person has a dramatic impact on hundreds, if not thousands of lives. A single act, based on a simple belief, can elevate or devastate our neighbors. Perhaps this is why virtually every religion upholds a version of the Golden Rule like the ones listed below. Even outside of religious circles, the sentiment is universally accepted. Unfortunately, it is also universally ignored or misinterpreted.   People who refuse to wear a mask or get vaccinated are doing unto others as they do to themselves. They don’t wear a mask and they happily offer the same freedom to their neighbors. But unhealthy choices based on a lie -- that Covid-19 is a hoax