Abortion agenda erodes party platform

My commentary published in today's Washington Times:

Even with polls showing that more Americans call themselves pro-life than pro-choice, with undercover recordings of Planned Parenthood scandals going viral on YouTube and with ultrasound images ripping the curtain off the “blob of tissue” deception, Democratic strategists incredibly persist in advancing abortion as a primary party plank (“Abortion issue sets tone for attracting women at DNC,” Web, Sept. 4).

The denseness of the Democrats’ decision betrays the desperation of those adhering to an ideology that has infiltrated a party once known for championing the rights of the most vulnerable among us. By asserting that ending the life of a developing baby provides a steppingstone to women seeking to advance professionally, what credibility remains when the party attacks employers for putting profit over the welfare of employees? How can a party that devalues the life of developing children pretend to speak for the education of young children? How can the party advance the rights of undocumented aliens to be granted citizenship in this country while simultaneously undermining the rights of children to be born in this country?

With members of the up-and-coming generation joining the growing ranks of pro-life Americans, the Democrats’ abortion agenda appears poised to go down as one of the most tragic political miscalculations in history.

JONATHAN IMBODY

Ashburn, Va.

Inseparable service and standards in faith-based health care

In a Denver Post commentary entitled, "Separate religion, health care," Americans United for Separation of Church and State deploys distortion and intolerance in minimizing lawsuits provoked by the Obama administration's mandate that employers provide insurance plans offering free contraception.

Contrary to the assertion that "for-profit businesses are demanding the right of 'religious freedom' to deny their employees access to contraceptives," no one is denying access to contraceptives, which remain cheap and easily accessible nationwide. Faith-based employers simply do not want the government to violate First Amendment rights by needlessly forcing them to provide what their faith prohibits.

The notion of "separating religion and health care" ignores the reality that the same faith that compels faith-based individuals and institutions to provide health care also compels them to follow faith-based standards. By foolishly forcing a choice between following faith precepts and providing insurance, assaults on religious liberty will only separate patients from health care.