Martin Wishnatsky: Pro Life

In Your Own Back Yard

To the Editor:

I may be belaboring a point which has been made over and over, but I was greatly struck by the irony of the opening paragraph of John Strand’s editorial arguing for Darfur-refugee housing in North Dakota ("Darfur, Sudan and Park River, North Dakota,” July 31st).

John states: “Seldom do we face opportunities whereby our actions would in fact save the lives of other people. Today we face such an opportunity. Today we could make choices that would not just improve the lot of others but would keep them from otherwise unavoidable death.”

One does not have to travel to Darfur or Park River to further the noble purpose set forth in Mr. Strand’s eloquent and ingenious editorial. One need merely walk several blocks from the High Plains Reader offices in downtown Fargo to the Red River Women’s Clinic on First Avenue North to find ample opportunity “to save the lives of other people . . . from unavoidable death.”

Twenty-five unborn babies are killed at 512 First Avenue North in Fargo every week. “The out-of-sight, out-of-mind apathy” about this slaughter is also “a sad indictment of Americans” in general and Fargo residents in particular. A small handful of dedicated Catholics gathers on the sidewalk outside this abortion mill on killing days to plead for life and witness to its value. The rest of the citizenry are notable by their absence.

John is right. “Showing you have a heart is not a bad thing.”

But you don’t have to go to Darfur to do it.

-Martin Wishnatsky
Fargo