teen endangerment act

Two letters in the New York Times opposed to CIANA:

To the Editor:

Re "House Tightens Parental Rule for Abortions" (front page, April 28):

Given that the parents of the pregnant girl had no say in her becoming pregnant, why should they determine whether she chooses to terminate the pregnancy?

This is just another example of zealots who, in pursuit of their own agenda, press to put Big Brother in our bedrooms, doctors' offices, drugstores, libraries and schools, while proclaiming they want smaller government and less government interference in our lives.

Beatrice Williams-Rude
New York, April 28, 2005

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To the Editor:

The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act does nothing to discourage young women from having abortions. All it does, in fact, is make abortions more dangerous.

Those who see abortion as a moral issue should address the problem at its root instead of placing the safety of women in jeopardy. Politicians often fail to honor complexity when they "solve problems." Simple solutions to complex problems, however, erupt.

How about focusing upon improving sex education for young women and men? How about teaching them about safe sex earlier?

Those of us who oppose this bill are not "pro-abortion." We are pro-safety, pro-education and pro-dialogue in the face of complexity.

David Tolley
New Haven, April 28, 2005

I'll add this question to Mr Tolley's: how about facing reality? Teenage girls do get pregnant. Many of them won't want to or be able to become mothers yet, and can't confide in their parents. Let's not make criminals out of the other caring adults in their lives.

Maybe she'll tell her parents one day, when it's all over. Maybe she never will. Let's give her all the options we would want for ourselves.

Also, please read more about the implications of this law in your own state.