Letters to the Editor: Antiabortion laws have always been cruel. The new ones are even worse

To the editor: When you consider there is no absolute consensus as to when human life begins and the fact that the U.S. Department of Justice reports that 73% of sexual assaults are perpetrated by non-strangers, in many cases a family member, how can anyone in good conscience deny a woman the ability to have an abortion after she’s been raped and impregnated? (“Rape exceptions to abortion bans were once widely accepted. No more,” April 8)

Imagine having to face your attacker over and over or worse yet include him in your life as the father of your child.

I for one do not want to live in a country where the government, federal or state, can pass laws that would take away a woman’s right to control her reproductive life and condemn her to face perhaps the most traumatic event in her life in perpetuity.

Abortion should be safe, legal and accessible.

Julia Springer, Santa Barbara

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To the editor: The statement by Students for Life’s Kristan Hawkins, “You are valuable regardless of how you came into existence,” rings hollow when these antiabortion bills do not provide universal pre- and postnatal care, when they don’t provide psychiatric care for the mother, or when there is no provision to make sure the child is properly cared for and educated as it grows to adulthood.

It seems to me that antiabortionists are simply blaming the woman for getting pregnant and making it her penance to carry to term an unwanted fetus.

If life is sacred, let’s hear antiabortion groups lobby to stem the violence in this country generally and against women and children specifically. Let’s hear them support sensible gun control and universal healthcare. Otherwise, their opposition is just religious cant.

The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, which includes freedom from religion. These folks want to inflict their religious beliefs on all. They need to be challenged, and a woman’s right to choose needs to be defended.

Steve Peterson, North Hollywood

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To the editor: Sadly, the lack of exemptions for abortion in cases of rape or incest is not surprising, as women have been and continue to be demonized as the sole cause of their situation.

The mentality of “she asked for it” and “pregnancy cannot happen during a real rape because the juices don’t flow” is far too prevalent in society and among elected officials (unless of course it happens in their own family).

Sara Schmidhause, Goleta

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To the editor: I have been raped. I didn’t have to fear pregnancy. I don’t wish rape on anyone.

I hope these laws bite the antiabortion people and their supporters badly. They continue to show they are mean, heartless and not family oriented.

Barry Greenfield, West Hollywood