To the Editor:

Many, many, letters from Chris Rose have appeared with a singular focus on abortion.

I hope Chris can help with the bigger picture, take the long view, and will help in the struggle to: end the United States’ use and sponsorship of all forms of torture; provide all Americans single payer national healthcare, and put an end to the endless wars that are killing our troops and innocent men, women, and children around the world.

There might be fewer abortions if parents-to-be could imagine a better world; a world with healthcare for all, peace, and a ban on torture.

Torture, slavery and genocide are the big three practices the modern world has universally condemned as acts that should never occur. The use of torture in our name under George Bush is creeping into our national consciousness as being acceptable. To be the torturer or tortured is an abomination and must be stopped! Our government finds “enhanced interrogation” water boarding (known as a torture technique throughout the world for centuries) compatible with United States law!

Healthcare for all Americans! How dare our elected representatives allow corporations and “conservative” Republicans and “liberal” Democrats deny our children, adults, veterans and elderly heath care for all, available in every modern industrialized country in the world!

Veterans would be able to get most of their care locally without having to risk driving to Syracuse or other far off places to receive treatments they need. Children could get preventive (inexpensive) care, immunizations and other medical services before a crisis (expensive) occurs.

Many bankruptcies and foreclosures each year are medical-related (often people with medical insurance) and cause hunger/homelessness/suffering for large numbers of families with children. Let us reduce medical-related bankruptcies and foreclosures with a single payer nationalized system. Single payer may not be perfect, but we can no longer tolerate the injustice of your next medical experience leading to bankruptcy, homelessness or worse!

In addition we need Chris to help end the wars that our corporate controlled government starts over and over and get longer and longer. Unfunded wars harm all families through higher government borrowing, which leads to more insolvent households, increased hunger, homelessness and higher taxes. Chris, let’s expand the abortion issue to include the sacredness and stability of all families, life and creation!

Rich Paul

Potsdam