Letters to the Editor: Democratic decline in America will kill Roe vs. Wade
To the editor: Americans have not been living under majority rule since the Republican Party learned to game the system. (“The Supreme Court is prepared to overturn Roe vs. Wade. It’s time to stand up,” editorial, May 3)
No one who has been paying attention can be surprised by the leaked draft decision from the Supreme Court that would overturn Roe vs. Wade. Former President Trump’s three court appointments were made with the specific goal of overturning Roe, a landmark 1973 decision that polls show up to 80% of the public wants to keep.
Our system of government was thought to guarantee fairness and democracy. With gerrymandering, blatant lies, use of the electoral college and other tactics, the Republicans strive to ensure minority rule.
The Supreme Court, three of whose justices were chosen by a president who did not win the popular vote, will hand down a vastly unpopular ruling that hurts poor women. The founders could not have anticipated such manipulation.
Personally, I feel sick.
Stephanie McIntyre, Simi Valley
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To the editor: Watching the appointment of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court was like watching the massing of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border. We knew an attack was coming, but we didn’t want to believe it would really happen.
These justices, having assumed their life-tenured roles, are free to unleash their right-wing ideology and impose their religious views on the people of this country. It was a given that they would soon act to take away the rights of women to make personal medical decisions that affect themselves and their families.
A woman knows if she can raise a child. Her decision must be respected.
The leak of the court’s opinion was wrong, but if this ruling does come to pass, it will serve to document for history the corruption of an institution that was designed to be a stronghold for justice in America.
Marcia Goldstein, Laguna Woods
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To the editor: The one important question neither your editorial nor any of your columnists answers is this — at what point, if any, up until the actual day of delivery does the termination of a pregnancy become infanticide rather than an abortion?
In other words, does someone have the right to “change her mind” and terminate the pregnancy even on the way to the delivery room after a normal nine-month pregnancy?
The answer to this question has to be part of any intellectually honest pro-choice argument.
Edward Martin, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Another victory for those who insist that freedom of religion gives them the right to impose theirs on the rest us.
Having started obstetrics and gynecology training before Roe vs. Wade, I saw wards full of women with multiple injuries from unsafe abortions, usually including sterilization.
Unfortunately, we’re going back.
Arthur A. Fleisher II, M.D., Northridge
