Editor,
I wanted to respond to a letter in Thursday's Daily Lobo by Benjamin Sanchez regarding the Democratic Party's stance on family issues.
After several readings, Sanchez's letter appears to boil family values down to three main issues: abortion, homosexuality and religion. As an expectant father, I tend to view family values more as love, respect, understanding and compassion. Perhaps this view of the family is the reason why I continue to support Democratic Party candidates. It continues to surprise me that Republicans say Democrats are weak on family issues, and then they argue to restrict individual freedoms while cutting social programs for aiding families.
Let's consider the abortion issue. The Republican myth is that as a Democrat, I'm pro-abortion. In reality, however, agreeing with pro-choice views doesn't mean that I am pro-abortion. It simply means that I disagree with government restrictions on the freedoms of Americans.
I can't articulate the joy and excitement I'm feeling about becoming a dad. What an awful emotional trauma for a woman and her family to be legally forced to live through carrying the child of her rapist, especially after the trauma of being raped. I don't understand how that is good for any family. If, however, that woman believes it would be wrong to abort even that child, she would have the right and the choice to do so. The Democrats want to protect that freedom.
Also, the Democratic Party's intention is not to force homosexuality on children or the American people, as many Republican politicians would have you believe. If two people love each other, wish to call each other family and care for each other, it is their right as American citizens. Again, the Democrats' focus on family values here would be on love, respect, understanding and compassion, not intolerance.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Lastly, religion is a very personal and family-related choice. Our forefathers wanted to protect each American citizen's right to worship according to his or her own personal beliefs. Democrats want to protect freedom by not forcing a particular religion down any American's throat. This issue tends to get distorted by Republican mouthpieces as being anti-religion or anti-Christian. As a Roman Catholic, I wonder how Sanchez would feel if his children were forced to learn Buddhist beliefs regarding the beginning of the universe in science class?
Finally, I can't recall a time in our nation's history when our federal government, which is Republican-controlled, was as intrusive and involved with regulating the American family. Conversely, the Democratic Party respects all Americans' freedom to make choices and decisions about their family and how to raise their children on their own.
Gregory Manuel
UNM student
