While I agree with the Rev. Chris Guffey (“Before you take down fence, ask why it is there,” Jan. 17) that we humans, like our domestic animals, need fences, there are several points in his commentary with which I disagree.
Our forefathers are held up as a model for our morality and the words of the Declaration of Independence are quoted as evidence of their wisdom. However, when they said “all men are created equal” they literally meant men; women weren’t considered eligible for full equality until more than one hundred years later. Persons of color were enslaved and slaves, male and female, were considered not as people but as property. As far as “right to life,” capital punishment was the rule and there were no laws against abortion. Neither was there any provision for public education, health care or assistance for those unable to care for themselves. These concerns were left to the states.
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