We should expand "culture of life" to include not waging unnecesary wars

[Nancy Waterman]

That way we can talk about moral values in their language. "Culture of life" means protecting life on all levels:

no unnecesary wars

very minimal use of capital punishment (if at all)

offering birth control counseling and products to help avoid a need for abortions

negotiating and learning to understand "the enemy", working together and not demonizng others

With this definition, Bush does not respect the "culture of life".

[zanana]

1. Why isn't capital punishment an issue anymore?

Have we been bullied into laying off the capital punishment argument? When I was a young woman, execution was frowned upon by a majority of Americans and it was written out of the law. Why is it OK now? If "all life is precious" as I hear evangelicals say, why are they so eager to kill people? I can understand their self-defense argument about killing people in wartime, but how is capital punishment self-defense? It's not like we're defending society if the option is life without parole. I'll never be intimidated, or talked into, supporting capital punishment. I hope my fellow progressives feel the same way.

[liberal_in_GA]

3. Absolutely...

I thought about this the other day when I read that Ashcroft was meddling in the right-to-die law in Oregon (I think it was Oregon). How is it that he feels compelled to keep someone from committing suicide, but has no problem with that fact that mentally retarded people are being executed in this country? They should choke on their own hypocrisy.

I was thinking that some web-savvy DU-er should set up a "moral values" site that reframes moral issues as Dems see them (focusing on peace, poverty, health care, education, individual rights, etc.) We need to start doing this sort of outreach now to sharpen our message.

[baldguy]

2. Who said it doesn't?

Just b/c the RW nut cases don't think unjust wars & capital punishment are part of a "culture of life" is meaningless.

THEY DON'T DEFINE IT.

A Culture of life should include universal health care, a living wage, a justice system that is actualy just, and the elimination of hate.

Bush and his neo-con fascists (including fundies) have NEVER been for life. They are dealers in DEATH.

[Nancy Waterman]

4. Exactly!!

It is time to appropriate the term for our own usage against them.

And we should definitely use that word, because it has a lot of power already.

[thinkingwoman]

5. don't forget

real help for women who carry pregnancies to term and the children they produce...real help for health care and preschool education for poor children...real help for poor seniors.

This culture of life crap needs to be all or nothing. They either revere ALL life or shut the fuck up.

ps. sorry for the swearing but I live in a red state and I'm not over it.