LifePac of SW Washington

THE NATURE OF PRO-LIFE ISSUES
1. Direct threats to innocent human life include first of all the issues of: abortion, which takes the lives of well over a million US children annually; embryonic stem cell harvesting; direct euthanasia; and cloning. In addition, by using the consistent ethic of life principle in defending life, various other threats to human life have been identified. Often included among these issues are poverty, capital punishment, racism, unjust war, nuclear arms proliferation and exploitation. Each and every human being is unique and important, and one's personhood or worth should not be arbitrarily determined by another's choice. No one exists solely as a means to someone else's happiness. The choices we make, as individuals and as a society, must be weighed in light of their impact on human life and dignity. Do you acknowledge both the breadth of pro life issues (variously defined), and the primacy of some of those issues, namely abortion, embryonic stem cell harvesting, direct euthanasia, and cloning?

Yes

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE
2. Do you oppose I-1000's attempt to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide in Washington State?

Yes

ABORTION
3. Do you believe that life begins at conception and is present throughout pregnancy, and that, therefore, the State has a compelling interest in protecting that life from conception?

I believe that God, the mother, and father are responsible for protecting the unborn child. I believe that life begins at conception. I do not believe that the state has a compelling interest in protecting that life until birth. If the State is to protect all life from conception on, there is no room for exceptions. One of the Ten Commandments is “Thou shalt not kill,” however the Bible condoned David killing Goliath. Many theologians believe that God condoned the Crusades and there are many more examples of exceptions to moral laws. I believe that there are sometimes exceptions when horrible things happen; like rape and incest. Government is not known for grey areas in law. Usually law is black and white. Since there are exceptions I cannot agree with the conclusion drawn in the question; because there is life, the State must protect it. Once a child is born, the State has a compelling interest in protecting that life, however there are exceptions to that too; capital punishment.

4. Do you believe that a unique human life begins at conception?

Yes

5. Is taking the life of a pre-born child through abortion ever permissible? Check all that apply:

__x__ Yes, to save mother's life

__x__ Yes, in cases of rape or incest

EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS
6. Do you oppose federal funding for embryonic stem cell research or cloning?

Yes

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN ABORTION
7. Will you promote/support parental involvement laws (with judicial override) for minors when seeking an abortion?

Yes

MARRIAGE PRESERVATION
8. In order to affirm and protect children's rights and the primacy of those rights over adults' aspirations for novel family forms, do you oppose laws that change the definition of marriage to include homosexual and polygamous relationships?

Yes

MEDICAL CONSCIENCE CLAUSES
9. Should doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals be granted the right to refuse participation in the provision of medical services that violate the person's moral, ethical or religious beliefs?

Yes

PUBLIC SCHOOL SEX EDUCATION
10. Given that ESSB 5297 allows school districts a wide range in how they apply the law, will you work to maximize sex education that is wholesome and truly safe?

Yes

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
11. The death penalty in the United States should:

be used less

My answer to the Capital Punishment question is based in a similar belief to abortion; there are exceptions. I do not trust the government to be accurate 100% of the time when convicting someone of a “Death penalty,” crime. The exception is: sometimes the government and prosecutors make mistakes. I do believe in Capital Punishment but only when there is no question as to the guilt of the accused and they must have committed a horrifying crime. I would rather the government be cautious. I have witnessed prosecutors going after people that did not deserve the punishment they received. Sometimes prosecutors are overly zealous and sometimes the defense is inadequate. When this happens justice is not served.

GAMING
12. A proposed casino off I-5 near Ridgefield is projected to be one of the largest in the nation. What is your position on the building of this casino? Mark an "X" along the continuum for your answer.

_____________________________________________________________________x_______

Neutral

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMENTS
13. Please state your qualifications for office such as professional, educational, family and community accomplishments. You may also add any any further comments regarding the relationship of your candidacy to respect life issues.

I enjoy living here in Clark County. I was born and raised here. I attended public school and graduated from Hudson Bay High School in 1990. I have owned businesses and built homes here. I would not choose to live anywhere else. I attended Washington State University in Pullman studying communications. After college, and learning the construction trades from my father, I started my first construction business at the age of 21. Later, after gaining business administration experience first-hand; I co-founded Affordable Floors; I sold the business 3 years later. Once again using my business and construction experience; I spent two years building affordable Custom homes in the Rosemere and Minnehaha neighborhoods with my family. Currently I am the owner of Detail Construction; a small construction and remodeling company. I am raising 3 boys with my wife Cindy who says "Tom is a loving and compassionate man." I am active in my Church and have served the community through missions work.

WEBSITE POSTING
14. May LifePac post a digital image of your returned survey on its website?

Yes

Thank you,
Tom Langston
WA State Senate Candidate
49th District