Letter to the Decider

Hey Mr. President:

I was reading "Geeky Mom's" blog today:
http://geekymom.blogspot.com/2007/05/destruction-of-human-life.html

and it occurred to me that you and I, we have something in common.

We both value human life.

We disagree a bit on the definition of life. Me, I think life begins about 7-8 weeks after conception. Don't ask me how I came up with that random designation. I just did. To me, things like birth control or the morning-after pill or stem-cell research...those don't harm life. And you: you think life begins at conception. Me, I think death row criminals are a "life." You think they should be executed.

But I'm wondering. Can we compromise a bit here?

Can we agree that ALL life is precious? That the lives of civilian Iraqi children are precious? That the lives killed in this poorly executed, destructive war are precious? That war should only be used as a last-resort, "absolutely-nothing-else-has-worked" kind of diplomatic tool?

Maybe we could both soften our political views in order to embrace life of all kinds? Maybe you could admit that hundreds of thousands of innocent victims have died because of a mistaken war. Maybe my side could realize that at *some* point, an embryo has a soul and and a heartbeat and we should do everything possible to make sure that it has every chance to have a full life.

I think we need a new political party. We'll get the pro-lifers from the right and the peace movement from the left. We'll stop arguing about marginal issues like parental consent and surges and the exact length of the waiting period for gun purchases.

We'll march for peace. We'll oppose the death penalty. And we'll work to find ways to make abortions rare and unnecessary.

I'll compromise if you will.