A Letter to the Editor,

I stumbled upon your article the other day and was intrigued by the title. However, as I continued to read, I was quickly enraged by the unprofessionalism. I understand that for many this is a touchy subject, and I try to respect and be open to others’ opinions. What I cannot logically respect however, is a commentary based without fact; even if such a commentary is located in the opinion section of the Pioneer. Let it be known that while my arguments center on the writing of person ‘A’, more fact based evidence should be included by both contributors.

The first statement that caught my eye was that, according to writer ‘A’, “sometimes the reasons for aborting a child are right, such as if the baby is going to be mentally or physically disabled.” One cannot hide behind the words ‘Abortion’ or ‘Choice’. We all have to come to grips with the true name of these acts: euthanasia, infanticide, genocide, and even gendercide.  In a world that fights against discrimination for minorities everywhere, I find it odd that you take this position against the helpless.

The second statement I would like to review is your thoughts on vacuum abortions. “First trimester…Vacuum abortion … Is not painful harmful or bloody … The Baby is not even formed at this point; it has no heart, no nerves to feel.” According to the Mayo Clinic, a baby’s heart, and you correctly called them a baby, is formed in the fifth week or embryonic period. As for nerves, their spinal cord is forming simultaneously with their heart. If I’m not mistaken, the fifth week is well inside the first trimester.

As to the actual procedure of the vacuum abortion, you are correct; the procedure is painless. Well, almost. I’m not sure that you can call a procedure painless when it requires a numbing of the cervix, according to Web M.D. You are also almost correct when you state that a vacuum abortion (clarified to be a surgical procedure) is not bloody. Upon my research, lack of blood is due to the simple fact that it is sucked up-by a vacuum.

Lastly, I’d also like to point out that Web M.D. has “emotional recovery for two weeks” listed under their expectations post surgery.

I would like to discuss this further, and talk statistics about how under 3% of abortions are for rape victims, or how only 1 in 10,000 women die in childbirth, but I must conclude.  Abortions do not exist because of evil doctors, but you are naïve to believe that most doctors require nothing more than a signature to perform these surgeries. You say, to choose or not to choose; I say, what exactly are we choosing? I am a woman, I believe in women’s rights, and I choose to stand with women (and men), especially those yet to enter this world.

Sincerely,

GCM