Responsibility, choices go hand in hand

On 2/19, supporter Anne Wilson’s letter to the editor titled, “Responsibility, choices go hand in hand,” was published in print and online. It was in response to the recent trial of Scott Roeder who was found guilty of murdering Dr. Tiller.

Editor:

Thirty-seven years ago I graduated from high school, the TV broadcast of an Elvis concert was seen by more people than the moon landing, the last U.S. soldier left Vietnam, construction of the World Trade Center started and Richard Nixon resigned as president. And the Supreme Court overturned state bans on abortions -- commonly referred to as Roe v. Wade.

A lot has changed in 37 years. Our daughters know of Elvis, Nixon and Vietnam only from their history books. They first became aware of the World Trade Center on the day it came down. And their idea of the "abortion issue" is that physicians are shot while attending church and angry people parade around with
gory pictures.

A lot has changed. Our daughters grew up knowing they were in control of their lives and their bodies. They are aware of their responsibilities and opportunities, and I hope they are never unfortunate enough to need an abortion. (No thanks to sex education in the schools -- but that is another letter).

They know it makes no sense to say killing a fetus is wrong, but killing a physician is OK. They also know people are all interconnected, yet we are responsible for our own lives and decisions. And some things, especially medical issues, are best left private.

I think if we, as a country, can't agree on one choice -- whether that be one choice of religion or one choice of phone company or one definition of personhood -- then we have to allow people to have choices, even if that means some might choose to have an abortion.

Anne Wilson
Wooster