A call for civility on abortion debate

In a previous life Susan Campbell had a sour experience as a Christian fundamentalist. So sour that her residual bile now flavors her view of people who raise concerns about abortion. Apparently, only fundamentalist Christian crackpots support the Dobbs decision. Ms. Campbell quotes Scripture and shares her knowledge of the Muslim and Jewish faiths to further marginalize the crackpots and others, whether for religious reasons or not, who have serious concerns about our treatment of the unborn.

As an op-ed writer she is welcomed to her opinions. But, sadly, her recent column adds nothing constructive to the debate — a fair-minded, respectful debate that we should be having now that Dobbs has sent the abortion issue back to the states and, more importantly, to the voters. There are a number of questions we could be discussing. I believe that Connecticut law allows for abortion through 25 weeks. Why 25 weeks? Do voters want to change that? Do voters prefer unlimited choice (abortion on demand) through nine months? In our very blue state, maybe that is the way voters want to go. Or does current science on fetal development and viability suggest limiting abortion to some time frame less than 25 weeks? No easy answers. But the time is right to discuss these issues, make decisions as voters and treat each other with respect as we do so.

Immediately after the Dobbs decision was handed down, Ms. Campbell's colleague at Hearst, Dan Haar, chose to visit with Hartford Archbishop Leonard Blair to get his reaction to the undoing of Roe v. Wade. I would guess that Mr. Haar leans heavily toward the “pro-choice” side, but in the heat of the moment his calm interview with the archbishop shed some useful light on the issue. I hope that Susan Campbell and others at Hearst CT might follow his lead. Rather than demean and marginalize, listen and understand as the debate rages on.

Clif McFeely New Canaan