I can’t tell you how saddened I was to read the editorial in the May 6 Catholic Messenger entitled “Anti-abortion but not always pro-life.”
I can’t imagine the pain — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual — which an abortion causes.
Anything, and I do mean ANYTHING, that CAN be required to give a woman “full and complete information” before she has an abortion MUST be required.
I applaud the new Oklahoma law requiring a mother to see her unborn baby via ultrasound before she ends the child’s life, and feel it should be the law nationwide. The question was asked, “why is the law going this far to coerce consciousness only on the woman while her partner in the pregnancy is completely ignored?” Do you not know that legally a father has no say as to whether his child will be aborted or not? Yet, if the woman chooses to give birth, the father is forced to pay child support. (And rightfully so.)
But talk about disparity?! The writer (columnist Frank Wessling) goes on to say, “Men are left out of the abortion equation because there is no reasonably sure way to match this man with this pregnancy and thus haul him in to watch that ultrasound picture.” The editorial also says, “The dignity of women is important.” If the woman doesn’t even know who the father of her child is — where is the “dignity” in that? If this is the case, I think there is more to worry about here than the fact she is being made to learn of the development of her unborn child.
We must always remember, and encourage, the awesome gift of adoption!
This editorial by a Roman Catholic in a Roman Catholic newspaper troubles me greatly.
Karen Crossland
St. Mary Parish, Fairfield
