To the Editor, The New York Time

Take Your Pick, Legal or Illegal Abortions.

Abortions are going to happen. The questions is whether to have legal or illegal abortions. Prior to Roe vs Wade, 35 years ago, about 15,000 women died from illegal and self-induced " coat-hanger "abortions. That means that 500,000 women's lives have been saved since then. As for those religious who claim that embryos are living people, why aren't they baptized and given Christian burials instead of treated as medical waste? As a medical intern assisting at a medically indicated D and C, the nurse assisting baptized the specimen removed. Why isn't this routine if it contains a human being?.

to the Editor, of The New York Times:

It is reported widely in the news media that Penn State Asst Coach Mike McQueary actually observed Mr. Sandusky sexually assaulting a youngster---either by sodomy or oral sex. I don't understand why he didn't immediately separate Sandusky from the victim by physical force and call the police and rescue the young boy from this horrific crime. It seems to me that the football coaches and administrators involved denied the seriousness of what had happened, as they couldn't believe that one of their own was guilty of such horrendous criminal behavior---and an active pedophile.

To the Editor, The New York Times:

Non-sexual Sexual Molestation

The recent alleged sexual molestation of several young boys by a former football coach at Penn State, is reminiscent of a report in the Times of April , 2011, in which a Belgian bishop was accused of sexually abusing two boys, who happened to be his nephews. He described the incidents as " the nephews slept with me--in began as a game with the boys---and the abuse had been restricted to touching of the genitals. He never saw me naked and there was no penetration.I never felt the slightest sexual attraction " The bishop denied that he was "driven by sexual motives.". Apparently the bishop felt no guilt or contrition about the episodes as he didn't see it as a sexual experience at all. Such an experience is more like that of two prepubertal boys exploring their sexuality as is frequently the case. Adult males who engage in this sort of behavior have an immature---even child-like---identity, and are unaware of the damaging effect such behavior has on innocent young victims. To them it is like two young boys doing what young boys do, evidence of an unbelievable level of naivete and ignorance that is obviously difficult for anyone to understand. To the observer, this is where the denial comes in. The thought arises, "How could this be? It can't be happening to one of us! I don't want to deal with this. So nothing is done.

To the Editor, The New York Times:


Baptism of Fertilized Ova

The popular argument over whether abortion should be illegal is that life begins at conception., i.e that a fertilized ovum is a living person---therefore abortion is murder. That being the case, why is there no suggestion by evangelical Christians that these people should be baptized and given a Christian burial? I recall as a medical student a nurse in the delivery room baptized the product of a miscarriage. Twenty percent of normal pregnancies end in miscarriage. Are they God's abortions? Is there a special place in heaven for fetuses? Why aren't these questions answered by those who feel so strongly about preserving fertilized ova?

To the Editor, the New York Times;

It Was Fear Crime, Not Hate Crime

Regarding the trial of M. Ravi, convicted of a hate crime, two mistakes were made at Rutgers: he was assigned a gay roommate and the roommate invited a strange gay man to have sex with him in the shared room. His lawyers said that " he was a kid with little experience of homosexuality who stumbled into a situation that scared him". That should read, "He was put into a situation that scared him". Many men who are unsure of their own sexuality, are very uncomfortable and even anxious with any contact with homosexuals, hence the former rule against gays in the military and the phenomena of homophobia. Mr. Clementi's request that Mr. Ravi leave the room so he could have sex with a stranger he met on the internet was a situation that no roommate should have had to deal with. Mr. Ravi should have refused the request and if Mr Clementi proceeded anyway, Mr Ravi should have complained to the university authorities about it. and requested a change in rooms. That Mr Clementi actually expected that Ravi should go elsewhere so he could have privacy for his sexual encounter is incomprehensible. and no student should have had to put up with it. The university should apologize to Mr Ravi for their error.

To the Editor, The New York Times;

THE CROSS AT GROUND ZERO;

The article, " Atheists Sue to Block Display of Cross-Shaped Trade Center Beam in 9/11 Museum." (the Times, Friday, July 29, 2001, Page A20) discusses the controversy over a cross-shaped beam discovered in the debris at the World Trade Center. ( A TV news item showed a Catholic priest splashing Holy water on object.) . The plan is to install it in the museum as a part of the memorial. Already there are objections, citing the separation of church and state opinions. The cross was an instrument of torture and execution in the first century. In our culture it symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ , required by his Father in heaven, to forgive the sins of those who would believe in him. If Christ were to have lived in the 20th Century, and executed by the present day method--- in the electric chair, would models of an electric chair be installed on church steeples and altars and miniature gold replicas be hung around the neck of his followers? Would congregations be singing, "The Old Rugged Chair---the dearest and best." If he had been hung, would hangmans nooses be displayed and the hymn "The Old Rugged Noose" be sung in churches?

To the Editor, The New York Times;

Pro-Life is Really Pro-death.

In the article " Cain Opens Himself Up To Questions on Abortion" ( The Times, Friday, October 21, Page A 26 ) it seems obvious that Mr. Cain, although professing his belief that " life begins at conception--- and abortion under no circumstances", is appeasing conservative Evangelical Christians for political reasons. Later on however, he states that "The government shouldn't be trying to tell people everything to do", leaving the decision about ending a pregnancy a "choice the family or that mother has to make". Mr Cain has more compassion than so-called religious conservatives---he wants to save the life of mothers! Before Roe vs Wade approximately 15,000 pregnant women died every year from botched illegal and self-induced coat hanger abortions. In the 35 years since that ruling, about 500,000 women's lives have been saved. If Roe vs Wade were repealed, this statistic would soon become tragically repeated. ( About 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage (i.e. spontaneous abortion ) Are they God's abortions?) The product of miscarriages are routinely thrown in the medical waste. If they were living beings, why aren't they baptized and given Christian burials?

To the Editor, The New York Time

Take Your Pick, Legal or Illegal Abortions.

Abortions are going to happen. The questions is whether to have legal or illegal abortions. Prior to Roe vs Wade, 35 years ago, about 15,000 women died from illegal and self-induced " coat-hanger "abortions. That means that 500,000 women's lives have been saved since then. As for those religious who claim that embryos are living people, why aren't they baptized and given Christian burials instead of treated as medical waste? As a medical intern assisting at a medically indicated D and C, the nurse assisting baptized the specimen removed. Why isn't this routine if it contains a human being?.