Ending pregnancy should not be subject to legislation
Dear Editor,
In response to Cal Thomas’ column (“Court can correct a legal and moral wrong,” Freeman, Dec. 3):
First, the United States does not “allow abortion at any stage of pregnancy with minimal exceptions.” It allows it to the point at which the fetus is deemed able to live outside the mother’s body — about 24 weeks. It is not the usual time when abortions are performed.
To limit the time to 15 weeks or even worse, 6 weeks, as in Texas, removes the occasions on which a fetus is determined to have conditions incompatible with life, which are often discovered at the 20 week u/s. Since these things are not taken lightly by the medical staff, nor the mom, by the time confirmatory testing is done, it is well past the 20 weeks.
These issues should not be subject to legislation, but should be private medical care between a woman and her physician. It is especially disgusting as forcing a woman to carry such a child has further ramifications, since there is no legislation to ensure care for the woman nor the child, who may require extensive lifelong care. Where is the legislation for the male who created this child as well?
This whole issue should be nonexistent. There is no legislation over men’s bodies. Rapists who cause pregnancy are rarely punished and in some places even have rights over the fetus. Despicable. It doesn’t end there. Once this is passed, contraception has already come to the table for the self-appointed decision makers for all women. Lack of access to contraception and abortion has far reaching impacts on women’s ability to have careers, be selfsupporting, or to further their education, and is absolutely key to preventing the repression of women.
None of you anti-abortion folks are actually pro-life; you are pro-fetus. There is no care once the child leaves the mother. Be honest. It has nothing to do with pro-life. If it did, you would be spending this energy on climate change, rather than suppressing women. — Roberta Keogan, Saugerties, N.Y.