Copyright 1999 The Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus
Dispatch
November 15, 1999, Monday
SECTION: EDITORIAL & COMMENT, Pg. 8A
LENGTH: 325 words
HEADLINE:
INTENT OF ABORTION BAN IS TO END PROCEDURE
BODY:
I respond to the Nov. 4 letter from
Dana Wilkie, director of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action
League of Ohio. Wilkie complained that the U.S. Senate-approved
late-term-abortion ban does not protect women's health.
The intent of this ban is to prevent the procedure from
being performed for any reason. In Doe vs. Bolton (the companion case to Roe vs.
Wade), the Supreme Court stated that health falls under several areas. Health
can mean mental health, financial concerns, age-related concerns, etc. It is not
limited to life-threatening medical concerns. If the word health is put into the
ban, it would make the bill useless. The partial-
birth-abortion ban is an attempt to stop a procedure that
borders on infanticide. Wilkie also stated that 47 senators voted against a
proposal to support the Roe vs. Wade decision "as an important constitutional
right'' that should not be overturned. It amazes me that an organization that
promotes the right to choose gets upset when others choose to disagree with
them.
Chris Montenaro
Columbus
Too many ignore fact:
2001 begins millennium
I am constantly amazed that the news media,
government and many, many advertisers continually and with increasing intensity
tout Jan. 1 as the beginning of the new millennium. Such is simply not the case.
The new millennium begins Jan. 1, 2001. Here is why: By definition, a
millennium is 1,000 years. The first year of the first millennium was the year
1. Therefore, the last day of the first millennium was Dec. 31, 1000. It
follows, then, the first year of the second millennium began on Jan. 1, 1001.
The last day of the second millennium, then, will be Dec. 31, 2000. It logically
and mathematically follows, then, that the third millennium will begin Jan. 1,
2001. The basis in fact is there was no year 0.
As an aside, the 21st
century will begin on Jan. 1, 2001, as well.
Robert U. Ochsenhirt Jr.
Westerville
LOAD-DATE: November 16, 1999
