I was discouraged wading through all the “labels” in your new column “The Right View.” Moreover, the title of Ms. McDonald’s opinion piece is grammatically incorrect, and, apparently, intentionally polarizing. Thus, we learn that this view from the right (surely not the “right view”) is “steadfastly pro-life,” and without “sympathy for any Democrat.” Isn’t this intransigence precisely what is wrong with our political dialogue? Certainly there are persons of all political parties who believe it is “right” to “support life” by providing basic food, shelter and health care, or by advocating for a decent minimum wage. But if Ms. McDonald’s “steadfastly pro-life” stance refers solely to the issue of abortion, as I suspect, then this is a personal choice, not something that governmental policy should regulate. I respect all women’s personal choices, including, for example, the woman who chose to give birth to my daughter and place her with our family for adoption. I also respect a woman’s lawful choice to terminate a pregnancy. Both decisions arise from complex personal circumstances and neither should be condemned by outsiders, nor controlled by the government. Many persons of different political parties would agree. So I suggest that a good way for The Forecaster to foster meaningful political discussion would be by discarding the labels and naming this opinion piece for what it is, “One View From the Right.”

Lucinda E. White
Freeport

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