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Editorial: No symbolism, just substance The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 9 It is pointless, even heartless, to argue with the relatives of a murder victim. And we do not criticize the family of Laci Peterson, the young expectant mother who was murdered in California, for lending their support to legislation making it a federal crime to kill or injure a fetus. We do, however, fault politicians who are capitalizing on outrage over this case to push for expedited consideration of the bill. The bill's proponents, including Pennsylvania Republicans Sen. Rick Santorum and Rep. Melissa Hart, are renewing the campaign for a bill originally called the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and now renamed "Laci and Conner's Law" in honor of Ms. Peterson and the unborn son she planned to name Conner. This legislation should be judged on its merits and not rushed into enactment as part of the emotional reaction to a horrible crime. ... The question is whether the proposed federal bill is: a.) necessary, given state laws on the books; and b.) a backdoor attempt to undermine the legal right to abortion. Both sides of the debate over abortion see the debate over this legislation as a proxy for a debate about abortion. That's unfortunate. There is all the difference in the world between a woman choosing to have an abortion and one whose voluntary pregnancy is ended by a physical assault. ... Congress should forget symbolism and focus on the substance: Is this legislation really necessary to deter attacks on pregnant women? Until that question is answered positively, the bill should not be approved, notwithstanding the Peterson tragedy. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -