Abortion Debate at State Level

I found Gary McDowell’s column (“Abortion Debate Finds the Appropriate Stage,” Op-Ed Page, Oct. 15) to be a starry-eyed view of the state legislatures’ role in the anticipated upcoming abortion battles. The fact of the matter is that the majority of our legislators are upper middle-class white males who will never be affected by the outcome of their “moral debate.” The only effect the outcome of this debate has on these gentleman is whether or not they keep their jobs. Can McDowell really believe that men who have their financial and political futures at stake will argue this issue on “moral” grounds?

To say that our state legislatures are an appropriate place to hammer out this issue is to overlook the fact that women in this country should be as equally assured of their basic human rights as men are. A poor woman in Pennsylvania should have the same rights as a rich woman in New York, regardless of what the men who should, but don’t, represent her believe is morally correct.

I say let the women of this country decide, since it is they who must face the consequences. Let’s have a special female-only referendum on this issue.

KAREN DARDICK

Encino