Abortion Rights March in DC -- a call to action

Yesterday, Sunday April 25th, there was a massive scale abortion rights march in DC.
I got to watch a good deal of the speeches given on CSPAN.

They were disappointing to say the least. The speeches raised valid and important points on such crucial issues as the number of women that die every year from illegal abortions in foreign countries, the important debate over the availability of contraceptives, and the vital issue of the equality of women. These, of course, are extremely important issues. The single most important question, however, was, not suprisingly, never even addressed: does abortion take a human life? Until that question has an answer, all these other ethical implications of abortion are merely periphery. I argue and contend that abortion does take a human life and thus it is murder. Since that is the case, we must fight abortion as strongly as we fight against murder in this society.

I wrote a letter to that effect with a basic argument for my position and sent it to a handful of local newspapers as a "letter to the editor". I ask that as many of you as possible do the same. Here's the thought: a huge massive demonstration of support for abortion just occurred in DC. By way of a foil, I'd love to see a plethora of letters pour into newspapers that stress the opposite position that (I assume) we all hold.

You could quickly put together a short response that presents a brief argument for why you believe abortion should be illegal, why it is murder, etc. And then email it off to these editors. Here are a few email addresses to mail letters to for them to (hopefully) get published:

- The Colorado Springs Gazette (I recommend under 300 words from past experience)
email submission: gtop@gazette.com

- The Denver Post (must be under 200 words)
email submission: openforum@denverpost.com

- The Rocky Mountain News (don't have length guidelines, recommend short)
email submission: letters@rockymountainnews.com

- The Greeley Tribune (must be under 300 words)
email submission: letters@greeleytrib.com

I recommend that you check out these papers websites for their submission guidelines as well.
But the point is: SUBMIT A LETTER! And submit it to all of these papers.
It is vital that you submit one ASAP in order to have a timely response to the DC rally and to increase your odds of getting published. Let us all band together and if each and every one of us submits a well-crafted intelligent letter opposing abortion... it could have a significant impact. Make sure you mention your letter is in response to the big DC rally. Also, for all of these submissions include your full name, address, and home & evening phone numbers. (they won't publish that information, but they need it to validate that you are a real person).

PLEASE SUBMIT LETTERS!!!

Blessings on you all,
-BJ

Philosophy: it's not just for geeks anymore

Friends,

Sorry I've been so inactive on the blog of late. A couple quick notes:

I just received the latest issue of Faith & Philosophy (being a member of SCP gets you a subscription: you all should be a part... plus it's a great journal) and I noticed something that I've missed in the previous journals. F&P recognizes it's "patrons" who support it with contributions to the journal over and above. Guess who some of the recognized patrons are? Well only the likes of one Dr. Stanley Obitts. I thought that was pretty cool (Alvin Plantinga is another patron recoginized).

Second,
I leave Thursday for San Deigo to present my paper. Several of you have offered a great deal of feedback for my paper and I am incorporating your suggestions. I ask that you pray for me as I do my best to effectively present my arguments for the rationality of the Trinity against the static oneness of Allah. In the end, I believe this to be one of the crucial areas of debate in the establishment of Christianity as a more viable, rational, and coherent worldview than that of Islam.

Thanks fellow aspiring philosophers -- I feel like you will all be there with me!

Blessings!
-BJ

PS
As we've been reading this more difficult work by Moreland of late for metaphysics, I am all that much more intimidated that he will be at the conference. I got to meet him as well as several other philosophers at the EPS nat'l in Atlanta who will be there in San Diego, but I wasn't presenting anything!

of interest

via the Frameworks experimental film discussion group:

For anyone in the area who might be interested:

Professor Phil Solomon from Film Studies at CU Boulder will be
presenting his own work and three films by Stan Brakhage tomorrow
evening (Friday, April 16) at 7:00 p.m. at the beautiful old Rialto
Theater on 4th Street in Loveland, Colorado. This screening is
presented in the context of a "spiritual" film festival sponsored by
The Loveland Museum, focusing primarily on the films of Stan Brakhage
and Andrei Tarkovsky.

Professor Solomon will also be screening his latest released films,
Psalm III: "Night of the Meek" and his last collaboration with the late
Stan Brakhage entitled Seasons...on Saturday, April 17, at the Rialto
from 1-4 p.m.. In addition to the screenings, Professor Solomon will be
discussing the last shots in several Tarkovsky film's and their
relationship to the idea of the transcendental and the sublime.

Friday, April 16:
7:00 p.m.
Rialto Theater

Chartres Series by Stan Brakhage
Stellar by Stan Brakhage
Untitled (For Marilyn) by Stan Brakhage
Remains to be Seen by Phil Solomon
Psalm II: "Walking Distance" by Phil Solomon

Saturday, April 17
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Rialto Theater

Psalm III: "Night of the Meek" by Phil Solomon
Seasons... by Phil Solomon and Stan Brakhage
Lecture and discussion on Tarkovsky's endings

I have seen most of these films, and it doesn't get any better than Tarkovsky. As a warning, the discussion will, most likely, not be terribly Christian, but this is a unique opportunity to engage in some great film-watching and learning. If anyone goes, I want a report. :)