The "Law of the Land"

Remember Alberto Gonzales, President Bush's pick for the next Attorney General, currently in hearings for confirmation? Here's a snippet of a question and answer session he participated in, with Senator Richard Durbin. It's informative, to say the least:

Sen. Durbin: The last question is a brief one, and it may have been touched on earlier. But when Senator Ashcroft in your position aspired to this Cabinet-level appointment, he was asked about Roe versus Wade, which he disagreed with on a political basis, and his argument was he would enforce, in his words, "settled law," and Roe versus Wade was "settled law" in America. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but could you articulate in a few words your position about the enforcement of Roe versus Wade or any other court decision that you personally or politically disagree with?

Judge Gonzales: Thank you, Senator. Of course, the Supreme Court has recognized a right of privacy in our Constitution, and in Roe the court held that that right of privacy includes a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. A little over a decade ago, the court, in Casey, had an opportunity to revisit that issue. They made a -- they declined to overturn Roe, and of course made a new standard that any restriction that constituted an "undue burden" on a woman's right to choose could not be sustained. My judgment is that the court has had an opportunity -- ample opportunities -- to look at this issue. It has declined to do so. And as far as I'm concerned, it is the law of the land and I will enforce it.

Of course, at no point in his statement does Gonzales address the unconstitutional and utterly arbitrary nature of this ruling. He simply accepts that the Supreme Court has reached this decision--whether he likes it, or not--but then goes a step further in stating that he will enforce this "law of the land."

Is this the kind of man we need in this powerful position? Do we want a man who has no public criticism of Roe v. Wade, when given a perfect opportunity to expound upon his beliefs? I don't really know if Alberto Gonzales is pro-abortion, or anti-abortion, in his personal philosophy. And in the greater scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. For what I do know is this: when it comes to taking an open, public stand against the evil of abortion, he has chosen the acquisition of power, in its stead. And in truth, that's all I need to know.