Thankful for nine beautiful children

After reading John Hood’s column “When Carolinians killed Carolinians” (May 18),  I was reminded of the terrible fact that this is going on every day here in this beautiful state. In 2020 alone there were over 30,000 abortions performed in this great state. This does not even account for the untold thousands of babies that have been silently killed by mommies using the pill.

I believe that Randy Alcorn, in his booklet “Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?: A Short Condensation” (Feb. 17, 2010) is right on in his statements that the pill is an abortifacient in many cases when women try to prevent pregnancy. His research only verifies what the Lord impressed upon my heart 30 years ago when my wife and I considered using the pill when we were first married. Thank God for His faithfulness in warning me of the pill and its abortifacient potential before I had any proof that it is. We trusted the Lord to give to us the children that He wanted, and I am so thankful that we heeded his warnings about the pill. My wife and I have nine beautiful children who have been such a blessing to our lives through the years. The fruit of the womb is indeed His reward.

Randy Alcorn argues that “when the miscarriage is the result of an environment created by a foreign device or chemical, it is in fact an abortion. This is true even if the mother does not intend it and is not aware of it happening.” Why would anyone want to create an environment that would make it impossible for a baby to survive till birth? Carolinians killing Carolinians is still going on every year. May God have mercy on this generation for allowing this to continue in this great state.

— Jonathan Kline

Salisbury

Clarification on facts of infant formula shortages

Some clarification on the shortage of infant formula:

• Abbott Laboratories issued a recall of its infant formula products and closed its Michigan plant in February, after reports of serious bacterial infections in four infants, worsening a shortage among multiple manufacturers that began with pandemic supply issues.

• The shortages began in 2020 as consumers stockpiled due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Formula makers ramped up production, but then cut back in 2021 as demand slowed. Global shipping logjams have also prevented retailers from promptly restocking shelves. ( Reuters, May 17 2022).

• Canadian dairy products have mostly been kept out of the U.S. market for decades because the U.S. considers them subsidized. Additionally, the Trump administration, under pressure from the U.S. Dairy Council, included provisions in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to restrict exports of infant formula anywhere in the world, not just to the U.S. (freightwaves.com, Eric Kalisch, May 17 2020) .

• The USMCA’s agricultural annex limits Canadian exports of infant formula anywhere in the world, not just to the U.S.

• Sean Hannity falsely identifies “pallets and pallets” of baby formula at the border amid shortages. According to CNN Business Managing Editor Alex Koppelman, the packages contained powered milk, not baby formula. The photo showed boxes of clearly labeled NIDO, which is not baby formula, it is powered milk. As i’s maker, Nestle, specifically notes, NIDO products are only intended for children over 1 year or older. (thewrap.com, Natalie Oganeyan and Rosemary Rossi, May 14 2022).

• When does a baby stop drinking formula? Babies should stop drinking formula at about 12 months of age. (yummytoddlerfood.com, Amy Palanjian, Jan. 3, 2022).

• President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula (AP, May 19, 2022)

• Nearly 200 Republicans voted against bill to ease baby formula shortage. (Washingtonpost.com, Eugene Scott and Felicia Sonmez, May 19, 2022).

Facts matter.

— Kathleen McCabe

Hendersonville

Fox ‘News’ report misleading

Readers rely on the Salisbury Post to print factual information. A quick Google search shows that statements in the letter “Media covering for Biden”(May 19) are inaccurate. Although the disclaimer “letters are the sole opinion of the author” appears on the Opinion page, it is easily overlooked. Please use care in selecting letters, and provide guidance about questionable statements.

 The writer describes a misleading report that aired on Fox “News.” It has been debunked by several fact-checking sites. In a broadcast of the Hannity show, Rep. Cammack stated the pictures her office has been circulating come from a border patrol agent (no further information given). As Hannity interviews Cammack, video runs in the background. First, there is a side-by-side picture. On the left side, three shelves of products are shown. Baby formula is on only the center shelf. Cammack states the picture is from Ursula Processing Center. The right side, Cammack states, is “here at home.” It shows a five-shelf unit about half filled with formula. This is the same picture Cammack tweeted recently. The interview continues with Cammack talking about “pallets of baby formula.” The background video shifts to shots of cardboard cartons stacked several layers high. Source of this picture is unidentified. One thing is clear —  this is not baby formula!

The stacked boxes contain “Nido,” a powdered milk product not recommended for children under 1 year of age. These details could be missed by anyone whose attention is on the interview. Was the deceptiveness of the video editing intentional? You decide.

 The deeper question is this: would you have our border patrol starve infants who are being held in detention? The federal government has long been required by law to provide detained people, including infants, with sufficient food and water. Isn’t that what any civilized people would do?

— Jeffrey Sharp

Salisbury

Where’s the evidence of price gouging?

Beers & Sunshine is the latest song from Darius Rucker. Part of the chorus says “all the BS I need is beers and sunshine.”

That may be true for many of us, but it certainly not the BS we are getting out of Washington these days. The latest BS is this bill about gas price gouging (of which there is no evidence) passed totally by Democrats. Not one congressional Republican voted in favor of it, nor did all the Democrats. It is a feeble attempt to divert attention from the real crisis we are facing which is soaring inflation.

The Biden administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress have not demonstrated any proficiency in developing real solutions to the problems. They are very quick and proficient in playing the blame game by blaming Trump, Republicans, Putin, oil companies, big corporations, farmers and the list goes on and on. Yet not once do they look in the mirror and say we messed this up and we need to fix it.

November can’t get here soon enough.

— John Struzick

Salisbury