George,

Recently, the news of an "honor killing" of four women shocked the civilized world. The crime took place in Canada by a father and son.

At their trial the defendants were found guilty. No remorse, whatsoever, was observed.

The sentencing judge aptly stated "It is difficult to conceive of a more despicable, more heinous, more honorless crime. The apparent reason behind these cold-blooded, shameful murders was that the four completely innocent victims offended your completely twisted concept of honor, a notion of honor that is founded upon the domination and control of women."

As the news of the Republican-dominated legislative session percolates out of Richmond, I am appalled by the declaration of war on women by the male dominated legislature. I can't help but think it is more a gathering of a milder version of the Taliban, with a milder version of an Ayatollah awaiting the opportunity to put his stamp of approval on just about any repressive cruelty these radical right wing males can visit on women

The four letter word I choose to define this nightmare is, "EVIL."

The roadblocks and repression this gang of ideologues conceives seems to get worse with each session. To the point of denying Medicaid funding for a poor woman to terminate a pregnancy if the fetus has "a gross and total incapacitating" physical or mental deformity (HB62).

No, we have not resorted to "honor killing" but what is happening with the Republican dominated legislative action, supported by a governor waiting to pen his name to each repressive measure seems to have the same motivation expressed by the judge above, "founded upon the domination and control of women."

Harry Tenney (Electronic Mail, February 2, 2012)