Letters to the Editor: This is how out of touch some Catholic leaders are on abortion

To the editor: The quote from the executive director of the California Catholic Conference shows how completely absurd and out of touch it is with women struggling with unplanned pregnancy. She said, “When families are struggling to put food on the table and pay rent, it is absurd for the state to focus on expanding abortion when the real needs of families for basic necessities remain unmet.” (“California lawmakers prepare to protect abortion access, starting with eliminating copays,” Dec. 17)

Churches are not meeting those needs, and the women are the ones to decide if they can handle another child.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, Catholic women have about one-quarter of all medical abortions. This could be because they are given confusing and inaccurate information about birth control and told that sex should be only for procreation.

The law today leaves birth control and abortion in the hands of women and doctors, where it should be. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and other state legislators are to be applauded for their efforts to expand abortion access.

Sylvia Hampton, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Opponents of the Texas antiabortion law, especially those of us in California saying our state should pass a similar law allowing people to sue over guns, are missing the point. Laws enabling lawsuits for enforcement have precedent here and nationally.

Our Proposition 65 is based on enforcement by lawsuit, as in large part are the federal and state endangered species statutes. The Center for Biological Diversity has cost our Department of Fish and Wildlife millions of dollars in litigation. The list goes on.

What is important is whether the state or federal government has the right to tell a woman how to treat a condition inflicted upon her by a man.

Rich Holland, Aliso Viejo