Opinion: Web Roundup: Get it while it’s hot
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Here’s what we’ve had at Opinion L.A. over the past few days:
Pakistan‘s and the stock market‘s unhappy upheavals prompt some digging through the old archives.
Past boards on healthy international relationships:
It comes hard to blame the Pakistanis for breaking off their affair with the United States. Pakistan has given the United States whole-hearted support from Korea on, siding with us in hot and cold crises. We have failed to back Pakistan as stoutly in the dispute with India over Kashmir. India’s Nehru has broken his pledged word to allow a decision by plebiscite in Kashmir. He has temporized, brushed off the recommendations of neutral commissions, and still hangs on to the province.
On nationwide money woes:
This country has withstood graver dangers than the present, and when it was not half as strong. Stand fast! The Republic lives! Long live the Republic!
Catholic author Gregory Popcak objects to Garry Wills’ argument that religion has nothing to say about abortion:
Scripturally, the basis of Christian condemnation of abortion comes not only from the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ as Wills asserts, but from the fact that the Bible considers children a supreme gift and blessing from God. One does not reject a gift from God lightly. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God knew us in the womb, and Exodus 21:22-23 imposes a penalty for those who cause the miscarriage of a fetus.
Web editor Tim Cavanaugh, in a Swift turn of logic, argues for restrictions on problem-breeders like himself. Editorial researcher Paul Thornton, meanwhile, bonds with Stalin over their shared atheism.
Finally, LAPD superstar Chief William Bratton joins the editorial board to chat about overtime, drivers licenses for illegal immigrants and, or course, crime. Some candid remarks on that last topic:
I don’t think it has anything to do with warmer weather, it has nothing to do with lead poisoning, it has nothing to do with abortions, and if it does those are very minor influences on the crime rate. What does influence crime is people deciding to break the law, or unintentionally finding themselves in violation of the law.
Tell it like it is, Chief.