Holy Dying a Feminist Theologian Views Abortion
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publication. and reuse for required Permission Lethal Legacy: Radwaste DFMS. / Larry Medsker Church Jeannette Piccard: Holy Dying Episcopal Alia Bozarth-Campbell • Chester Talton • Daniel Corrigan the of A Feminist Theologian Views Abortion Archives Beverly Wiidung Harrison 2020. Copyright the Left had by then turned its attention opposition to abortion is a matter of a to stopping the U.S. involvement in prurient and anti-woman bigotry. Vietnam. There was little energy and They are apparently unaware (or less vision remaining with which to choose to keep their readers unaware) tackle the tenacles of sexism. of the large numbers of feminist, Haitt and Heyward contend that progressive, and peaceful Christians sexism was the "volatile, explosive, and who oppose abortion because it is decisive" issue of the 1980 elections, violent — it is bloody — and it snuffs out precipitating the defeat of President human lives. LETTERS Carter and sundry U.S. Senators. Or is this perhaps another of those Special pleading alone would pick that "dirty little secrets"? TnTTTHll Q issue from the complex fabric of factors Ms. Juli Loesch affecting voters in late 1980. The Prolifers for Survival economy, foreign affairs, political Erie, Pa. publication. organization, money, to say nothing of regional and state-by-state differences and contributed to the liberal debacle (Iowa has never in the century re-elected a Heyward, Hiatt Respond reuse Authors' Ire Emotional Democratic Senator). And to suggest Dr. Kastner is precisely correct in his for The essay of the Revs. Suzanne Hiatt that Jimmy Carter was in the same final observation that the Right has and Carter Heyward on "Right-Wing liberal circles on women's issues as capitalized on the weariness and Religion's 'Dirty Little Secret' " Senators McGovern and Bayh is bizarre required weakness of the Left. That is what we (WITNESS, March) is unfair to the and contrary to the facts. As a final blow were saying in the article and liberal Left in its anger at the sexism of to the authors' thesis, polls continuously suggesting further that it was at the the religious Right. The authors' ire has indicate that the American electorate is Left's weakest point — its inability to Permission led them to make statements of more more liberal on social issues than the deal with sexism — that the Right has emotion than sense. Republican candidates and platform. driven through the line. (When we've I certainly agree with both that the finally confronted racism and sexism we DFMS. What the Right has done is to / political Left has not dealt effectively capitalize on the Left's weariness after will have to deal with the pervasive with issues of sexism, but not for the nearly 50 years of continuous political militarism of this society that allows reasons which Hiatt and Heyward cite; analogies of military strategy to be so Church power and its lack of vision — and on the i.e., unconcern and lack of interest. weaknesses of President Carter — to easily used and understood.) Because Indeed perceptions, attitudes, and laws march into power. The Right has a plan sexism is so all-pervasive is no reason have changed in this area during the and a vision, but the Left presently has not to address it. It is because the Left Episcopal eminence of liberal thought in the neither. It is scrambling to find both. For has been marginally effective in the area the United States. Even the religious Right is the sake of the downtrodden and of racism, an equally deeply ingrained of not oblivious to nor opposed to all the excluded, we can hope that it does not evil in our culture, that the Right could advances of "women's liberation." take liberals as long as it took the Right not prevail with blatantly racist positions No, the problem of the Left was the all- to come up with vision and a plan. as they have with blatantly sexist Archives pervasive nature of sexism in society. I positions. suggest that sexual division and G. Ronald Kastner New Brighton, Minn. Ms. Loesch reads into our pro-choice 2020. discrimination are so deeply rooted that position an assessment of religiously any institution raised by man or woman motivated abortion foes as prurient and reflects this discrimination. Conse- anti-woman. It has often been observed Copyright quently, great breadth of vision is that people debating the abortion issue needed to come to grips with the Abortion Violent are not really talking about the same problem. When that is coupled with the I have been warmly appreciating your issues. The pro-choice people are force of will necessary to develop a new magazine for several years now; I discussing the lives and rights of non-sexist vision of life and society, to especially thank you for your frequent women, the anti-abortion people are present it to the public, and to reiteration of the justice demands of the discussing the rights of fetuses. There is implement it, it is easy to see why the God of Justice: that we "hear the cries of a conflict of rights here, not an issue of Left was on the defensive for most of the the poor," that we "seek peace and convenience on the one hand and 1970s in regard to sexism. pursue it." murder on the other. There are at least It was unfortunate, but I suspect not This is why it seems so sad and two sides to the abortion issue. It is surprising, that sexism did not emerge inconsistent that you would accept the violent and bloody (as is birth). It doesn't first from the civil rights agitation of the shallow analysis of Heyward and Hiatt. It help for any of us to label our opponents, '60s. Unfortunate particularly because is their assessment that religious Continued on page 19 THE WITNESS THE EDITOR Mary Lou Suhor EDITORIAL SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Robert L. DeWitt s the world watched and listened in disbelieving horror at the second assassination attempt upon a CONTRIBUTING EDITORS A Richard W. Gilletl major public figure within 30 days, the media, pressing publication. Hugh C. White close to Pope John Paul II, recorded him as saying, and "Why do they do this? Why do they do this?" The Pope, gravely wounded from three bullets, reuse STAFF perhaps unconsciously expressed in that moment of for Ann Hunter bewilderment the cry of people the world over as Susan Small seemingly wanton acts of assassination and attempted Lisa Whelan required Why do assassination have increased dramatically: What, dear Bonnie Spady God, is this world coming to? In the complex and confused morass of humanity They/We such as this planet currently represents, the question Permission PUBLISHER is not totally answerable. Episcopal Church Publishing Company do This? But certainly the analysis offered by U.S. Secretary DFMS. of State Alexander Haig — that the chief threat to a / nation's security is now international terrorism and ECPC BOARD OF DIRECTORS that it is directed from the Soviet Union — is not the Church CHAIR answer. Even the director of the CIA, William J. Casey, H. Coleman McGehee declared recently that after due investigation his VICE-CHAIR department could thus far find no evidence that Episcopal Barbara Harris Moscow controls and directs an international terrorist SECRETARY the network. Neither could FBI director William Webster of Helen Seager find proof of Soviet-inspired domestic terrorism. TREASURER Rather, terrorist incidents in the United States are on Robert Potter the wane, he said. Archives ASSISTANT TREASURER Robert Eckersley Nor, THE WITNESS is convinced, is much of an 2020. answer to be found in intensified studies of the Otis Charles childhood and family environments of so-called Robert L. DeWitt terrorist perpetrators of violence and such remedies as Steven Guerra Copyright they might offer. However, the field of psychology may Suzanne Hiatt suggest one clue for proceeding. Psychologists long Mattie Hopkins ago concluded that the field of abnormal psychology, Joan Howarth wherein the behavior of mentally ill persons is studied, James Lewis offers major clues to the dynamics, and rationale of Joseph A. Pelham normal psychological behavior. Similarly, might it not be said that the abnormal, extremist acts of such perpetrators of violence offer important insights into THE WITNESS is published monthly. Editorial office: P.O. Box 359, Ambler, PA 19002. Phone (215) the pressures and tensions building to the point of 643-7067. Subscription rates $12 per year, $1 per explosion in the society as a whole? copy. Copyright 1981 by the Episcopal Church Instead, there is an increasing tendency, Publishing Company. Printed in U.S.A. Continued on page 18 Radwaste: publication. and Lethal Legacy reuse by Larry Medsker for s we generate nuclear power and the nuclear age, is due in part to inaction Radwaste is classified according to required A produce nuclear weapons, we also by governmental agencies and industry, the level of the intensity of the generate radioactive garbage which will which has produced a poor record of radioactivity: last for many centuries to come. One environmental protection in general. Permission way to minimize the problem would be This has been possible because of the • High level wastes, such as those to limit the amount of radioactive waste late awareness by the general public of from weapons development and from we are making. However, "radwastes" the potential dangers and unique spent reactor fuel, consist of DFMS. / are waiting for disposal now, and we are characteristics of radioactivity. concentrated radioactive materials with likely to be adding to this supply for the Radioactive materials contain atoms intense radiation. The spent fuel from a foreseeable future.