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A Curious Kind of Compassion
NMB, Florida November 9, 2001 A.H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on Issues, Ideas and Reflections on the Times. Published Now and
Then. Opinions Pro or Con Are Welcome.
A CURIOUS KIND OF COMPASSION
It is somewhat like the death wish young men have when they sign up to
become soldiers and therefore can be commanded to go into harms' way. It is
also somewhat like responding to depression when things get awfully bad and
one of the ways out is to end it all. If it weren't for the pain associated
with hanging yourself, jumping off a roof, shooting yourself or throwing
yourself in front of a truck, train or bus, I once flirted with the thought
that all my problems would be over if I died.
The thought of family and friends who might be hurt by my being hurt in
this self-inflicted way was one deterrent. The thought that I might be wrong
and the gray clouds of despondency could go away without this irreversible
act was another. Time and changes in circumstance brought about a more
positive outlook and I am here today to say that the action of Mr. Attorney
General Ashcroft is a curious kind of compassion.
Protecting life is what the firemen and policemen in New York City were
trying to do when their own lives were snuffed out by terrorists. They did
not think of their own lives at that time. You know - it is interesting to
note that the terrorists did not think twice at the last moments when they
hurled those planes into tall buildings. They committed suicide by
terrorism.
Mr. Ashcroft has it all wrong if he considers preventing the two
life-taking acts of carefully monitored suicide and abortion by reasonably
thinking women as his party's mantra of "compassionate conservatism. The
"right to life" conservatives have it all wrong when they support war that
will take lives, not only of enemies but of our own young people. Once
again, you hurt me - expect to get hurt in return. But, life is really
important until it becomes too painful to live or expectant mothers who were
raped or cannot support additional lives make choices.
I believe in individual choice, but then I am a Liberal and Secular
Humanist. I also once thought that continued living was not possible for
me. I am glad I talked myself out of it and would have welcomed someone
else's intervention. But I didn't tell anybody. Carol's Evaluation: 10 out
of 10. "I never knew either."
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