By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
In the space of five minutes' time, I heard the following reports on a local TV newscast:
- A high school teacher who had been drinking alcohol to excess passed out in his classroom
- A man broke into a day care center and seized a child
- A bullet casing was discovered inside a school
What struck me about this trio of stories was the lack of respect for centers of student learning. Schools and child care centers should be considered sacred ground, since these are supposed to be places where young people are nurtured and educated. It's disconcerting when crime happens anywhere, but it is especially troubling when it occurs where children congregate. Parents leave their children in the care of these institutions with the expectation that they will be safe. When we as parents see lapses in security, we feel particularly vulnerable.
These egregious incidents point to a lack of respect in our society, especially for the most fragile among us. But it is the elites of society themselves who are teaching this disrespectful attitude. When the nation's highest court says an unborn child need not be protected...when the news media object to any restrictions on abortion whatsoever...when politicians build careers out of trampling the rights of babies, people with disabilities, and the elderly...our entire culture becomes coarser. And that gives rise to any number of social ills.
I think we have a "respect deficit" in our nation. We have a shortage of patience and tolerance for people who are in some way dependent, who need our help. It all makes life a little scarier, a little less secure.
Yet, I fully believe that we can turn things around. We can teach respect, foster respect, demand respect. But it all must begin with respect for life in the womb.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation or to support them in their work, use this link.
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