Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 10

CLARIONLEDGER.COM 1 0A THE CLARION-LEDGER TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 20 1 1 EDITORIAL POLICY T76 Clarion-Ledger's editorials represent the newspaper's opinions and not necessarily opinions of individual employees. The editorial policy is set by the newspaper's editorial board. Members are Leslie Hurst, president and publisher; David Hampton, editorial director; Marshall Ramsey, editorial cartoonist; Jim Ewing, editorial writer; and Annie Oeth, Madison County Herald managing editor. If you have a question or comment, call David Hampton at (60 1 96 1 -7240 or e-mail him at dhamptonclarionledger.com. LESLIE HURST President and Publisher DAVID G.

HAMPTON Editorial Director 1 TO THE MARSHALL HA1S1Y Visit Marshall Ramsey's blog at: clarionledger.comramsey LETTERS SUNG pCANDYMAN." tion to protect and preserve life overrides nearly every other. All of our faiths also recog-nize that in our broken world, tragically, we are at times forced to choose between one life and another. Two lives hang in the balance, and only one can survive intact. We believe that fetal life begins at conception. But "personhood," as a legal category, does not.

For many reasons that we have heard in the public debate, but perhaps most because it will rob us of our God-given obligation to make tough moral choices when life is at stake, we oppose Initiative 26. It is a blunt instrument which, if passed, will harm Mississippi women and their families both physically and spiritually. Because God has sanctified not only fetal life, but all life, we urge Mis-sissippians to vote against Initiative 26. Rabbi Debra Kassoff Jackson Other signees include: Rev. Loye Ashton; Rev.

Rims and Judy Barber; Dr. James E. Bowley; Rev. Carol Burnett; Sarah Buxbaum, Ph.D.; Rev. James J.

Carstensen; Rev. Bruce Case; Dr. Alton Cobb; Rev. Brad Corban; Dudley R. Davis, Lynn Evans; Rev.

Amy Finkelberg; Rev. Dawn Douglas Flowers; Martha Garrison; Rev. Lisa Garvin; Rev. Rob Hill; Rev. Jo Hollman; Diana Howell; Danielle Ireland; Rev.

T. W. Lewis; Emily Mclnnis; Mustafa McPherson, Ph.D.; Monica L. Northington, M.D., M.P.H.; Paula Roberts Perry; Rev. Gavin Lance Presley; Rev.

Lesley Ratcliff; Rev. Sally Fran Ross; Rita Royals; Dr. Aaron Shirley; Jolyne Shirley; Ollye B. Shirley, Ph.D.; Rev. Carol Borne Spencer; Dewitt Spencer; Rev.

Frank Spencer; Zilla Spencer; Francis Springer; Harriet Tanzman; J.R. Taylor, MD; Bishop Hope Morgan Ward; Rev. Todd Watson; Cassandra Welchlin, LSW, MA-SID; and Rev. Justin White. Cloning not an issue with 26 The Personhood Amendment, Initiative 26, is intended to protect all human life, whether created naturally or artificially, from the moment of conception or fertilization.

It is a simple amendment meant to enshrine in law the most basic human right, the right to life. Most of us believe in protectinglife without question. We should care no less for the child in the womb. Those who oppose the Personhood Amendment can hardly quarrel with this noble goal. So they resort instead to clever arguments meant to cast doubt over various secondary issues.

Don't let them fool you. One such argument against the amendment suggests that inclusion of the word "cloning" should lead us to vote against it, because cloning is wrong. This logic is faulty for a number of reasons. First, if in fact life begins at conception or fertilization (and scientifically there is no question that it does), and if that life is human (and it is), then it deserves protection in the law, whether created naturally or artificially. Second, under Mississippi law, there is no bar against embryonic stem cell research, whereby humans are created artificially only to have their stem cells "harvested" for profit, which inevitably causes the death of the embryo.

The personhood amendment would effectively ban this unholy practice in our state. Therefore, a vote against the personhood amendment would actually be a vote for cloning. So if you oppose cloning, as we do, you should vote yes on Initiative 26. We invite those who agree with us that cloning is wrong to vote yes on 26, and then join us in asking our Legislature to enact a complete ban on all cloning. Stephen M.

Crampton Tupelo I A Sec'y of slate: Hosemann best choice clanonledger.com Incumbent Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is best choice for the post Nov. 8, having served well since his 2007 election. Early on in his election, he successfully led passage in the Legis Under former Secretary of State Dick Mol-pus, who served 1984-1996, and later Eric Clark, most of the leases were renegotiated often Endorsements are the best choices in our opinion from those seeking posts in the general elections, and our opinion regarding issues we hold important. For secretary of state, we endorse Delbert Hosemann, Republican, the incumbent. Forums: Share your comments Related topics, blogs: Talk Back Forum lature of voting reforms.

They include restrictions on how agents assist with absentee voting, absentee ballot fraud, curbside voting for Hosemann in legal battles that required great political courage. For this reason, it's important for voters to support candidates who stand firm on the issue. A former Jackson real estate developer and attorney, Hosemann was elected promising to uphold the tradition of the fair and impartial oversight. He is the best choice for the post on Nov. 8.

There was a time in Mississippi when 16th Section land, set aside for the benefit of schoolchildren, was leased for pennies an acre in good ol' boy schemes that only benefited politicians and their cronies. Reforms in the 1970s and '80s changed the laws, requiring school boards to lease the lands at fair market value. disabled, nursing home voter fraud, poll worker training and other issues. But, as important or more, Hosemann has been a good steward of the state's 16th Section lands an important criteria for judging who should hold this post. EU Reeves has big position to fill Faith leaders Bishop clarifies speak on 26 Methodist stand Since Democrats didn't field a candidate, and Tate Reeves, the incumbent treasurer, only faces token Reform Party opposition, he is virtually assured election as lieutenant governor on Nov.

8. He has earned the lation. It's one of the most powerful posts in state government. Reeves' zeal for Republican politics could help him with growing GOP influence, or hurt him if he allows partisanship to hinder practical policy making in the Senate. It will require not only policy expertise, but also political acumen to build coalitions.

Reeves has been a rising political star. He now takes a top job where he can have a real impact. Tate Reeves has served well as state treasurer and has earned the job as thelieutenant governor. While Reeves performed well as state treasurer, with no previous legislative experience, he'll be surely tested in this job. The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, names committee chairmen and sets the agenda for legis Reeves I write this with and for people of faith, leaders in our respective faith communities, who unequivocally oppose Mississippi Initiative 26, the "personhood" amendment, and feel compelled to take a strong and public stand against this dangerous ballot initiative.

All of our faith traditions are built upon and within a fundamental embrace of the inestimable value and sanctity of human life. The mysterious, animating spark of life is a gift from God, and we are forbidden both religiously and legally from extinguishing it, except in narrowly defined cases. Our obliga- I write to clarify the quotation in the story "Personhood deeply divisive" in The Clarion-Ledger on Sunday, Oct. 30. The General Conference of the United Methodist Church speaks for the United Methodist Church and this body has not acted to declare thatabortion is always wrong, in every circumstance.

My complete statement as given to The Clarion-Ledger can be found at the following link: www.mississippi-umc.orgpagesdetail 1247. Hope Morgan Ward Bishop Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church Jackson job, building a record and coming through a competitive party primary on Aug. 2. What's your opinion? Should secretary of state be an appointed position? Go to clarionledger.com to join the discussion. Monday's question Should the insurance commissioner job be an appointed one? NO 68 ciarionledger.com euulde liss.

offices ns in stat heeded for gas omen 1964 and 1968-1972). She was also a state representative (1948-1952). In 1997, Gandy, a Democrat, was honored by an American Bar Association group as a pioneer for women in the legal profession and politi Elliott Associated Press Hyde-Smith, who's in the livestock business with her husband, said she will get the agency involved in recruiting jobs in agricultural research. She said that with predictable growth in world populations, Mississippi must be a bigger player in helping feed the world. Her chief opponent.

Democrat Joe Gill, said he'd like to institute a mentor or apprentice program to pair young farmers with senior farmers who lack heirs or family interests in continuing their operations. The Reform Party, which has no history of winning Mississippi elections, is running Shawn O'Hara for treasurer and Cathy L. Toole for agriculture commissioner. Jack Elliott Jr. is a writer for The Associated Prfess in Jackson.

Mississippi is on track to have one woman in statewide elective office for the upcoming term, possibly two. Still, Mississippi's track record of electing women to statewide office is dismal. Consider: Nellah Massey Bailey of Meridi- an, widow of former Gov. Thomas Bailey, was the first woman elected -to statewide office, serving from 1947 to 1956 as state tax collector. I-The office was abolished by the Legislature in January 1964.

Julia H. Kendrick (1968-1972) was the last statewide elected clerk of the Mississippi Supreme Court. The court now appoints the clerk. One woman, the late Evelyn Gandy of Hattiesburg, held three elective statewide offices: lieu- tenant governor (1976-1980), insurance commisfioner (1972-: 1976), and state treasurer (1960- to take full advantage of their opportunities." When Gandy left office in 1980, Mississippi returned to an all-male slate of statewide officials until 1999, when Amy Tuck, then a Democrat, was elected lieutenant governor. Tuck switched parties in late 2002 and was re-elected in 2003 as a Republican.

She was tenn-limit-ed and left office in January 2008. Men have held all statewide offices the past four years. Mississippians fill eight statewide offices in Nov. 8 general election, and new officials are inaugurated in January. The state will certainly have a woman in the office of treasurer the two major candidates are Democrat Connie Moran and Republican Lynn Fitch.

Fitch is head of the state Rprson-nel Board and has been deputy director at the state's employment office. Moran is in her second term as mayor of Ocean Springs and once managed Mississippi's trade office in Germany. Fitch said her relationships in Jackson will help make an immediate impact in attracting businesses to the state and growing current Mississippi-based businesses. She said such continuity in state government gives companies confidence to locate in the state. Moran was elected mayor of Ocean Springs in 2005, only weeks before Hurricane Katrina what she called "a trial by flood." She said her experience in finance and economics helped her guide the city to recovery without tax increases.

Odds are that Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith will be elected agriculture commissioner the first time a woman will hold the job. cal arena. At the event, Gandy said that in her early campaigns she told voters, "I'm proud to be a woman and I hope no one will vote against me because I'm a woman. Likewise, I don't seek votes on that basis." "I do not think we have done a very good job in educating women about how far we have come," Gandy said. "If they knew a bit more of the history of wy men's rights perhaps they could be more motivated.