LETTER TO THE EDITORR / WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

By Roger C. Kostmayer

A strong majority of Americans, of both political parties, want women to be able to make decisions about their own health and bodies.  For some 50 years the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision gave them that Constitutional right.  Last June, the conservative SC majority overturned Roe and took away those rights from women and their doctors.  Today, young women – daughters and grand daughters – no longer have the freedom and Constitutional rights their mothers had for all those decades. Thus, we are going backwards!

The ideal solution would be for Congress to follow the needs of their constituents and support the liberties to which American women are entitled.  And that means passing a law that codifies Roe.  Sadly, the chances that Republicans in the House today will allow that to happen, are: slim and none.  The hypocrisy is evident when you hear some Republicans rant about the peril of government intrusion – “Government isn’t the solution; government is the problem.” In this case they are right.

The only reasonable, but imperfect, alternative (according to the NYTimes editorial board), is to change the STATE constitutions by public pressure that gets the issue on the ballot.  Following which, we must elect a congress and/or appoint a non-partisan SC that will follow both common sense and our Constitution by reinstating women’s health rights.

Ultimately, it is on us, the voters, and our commitment to act to protect women’s rights.