Letter: Keeping abortion ‘safe and legal’

I have friends who have different views on abortion, but because we’re friends and respect each other.

To Americans’ great disappointment and fear, we’re learning that U.S. Supreme Court justices on the far-right don’t have such respect. In fact, they are demonstrating utter disrespect for both women and for judicial precedent, despite testifying under oath not to let their personal beliefs conflict with their oath to uphold the Constitution. This in light of the fact that a clear majority of Americans want abortion to be safe and legal.

Few women make the decision to terminate a pregnancy casually. As a former public health nurse, I’m familiar with the heartbreak that ending a pregnancy causes. There are morally based reasons why families faced with difficult choices may decide that termination of a pregnancy is the most responsible reproductive decision they can make for the health of the woman or the family struggling with providing for other children. Some Supreme Court judges, rigidly relying on their own religious views or perhaps political agendas would turn over this most private and intimate decision to state legislators who have increasingly shown in this day of politics of outrage that they can be swayed by fear and hate-baiting.

Extremists have made it clear that forced birth in every state is the Republican goal, and unless Americans express their views, we can only look for more government intrusion in our private lives. What’s the next target? Birth control? Marriage equality? Interracial marriage?

As former President Obama so eloquently said in urging us to act to preserve our freedom: “If we want judges who will protect all, and not just some of our rights, then we’ve got to elect officials committed to doing the same.”

Joan Davis

Huntley