To the Editor:
Abortion produces strong feelings and opinions as to how to address it. It strikes close to the heart of many local readers as well. Since July 14, when the first in a series of undercover videos was released exposing the stomach churning practices at Planned Parenthood facilities throughout the country, there have been many worthy headliners on the front pages of national newspapers. This issue, however, seems to, at best, find a subsection deep inside back sections of American news outlets. Its gravity and severity should warrant more direct attention from our national journalist class.
We see almost a daily update as to the status of Hillary Clinton’s email server. Did she wipe it clean, or didn’t she? Were emails classified or weren’t they? Are these questions relevant for front page attention? Yes. However, I would argue that the past and continuing practices of Planned Parenthood also deserve their day in the sunlight of front page coverage. In light of these revelations our society deserves to have the discussion about so many of the alarming practices that these exposes have uncovered.
With the passage of time and advances in technology, our society has readdressed many major issues once debated (and often thought settled) by previous generations. Some of the issues include slavery, suffrage, immigration, civil rights and the death penalty. With the advances in technology, among other things, this issue also deserves to be readdressed.
When does life begin? Does the law supersede the beating heart of a baby inside her mother’s womb? Should our government compel taxpayers to subsidize ending life, given that we now know when a baby boy/girl has their first heartbeat? Why are various death penalty methods considered inhumane, but using a “feticide” for abortion considered societally acceptable?
Many questions regarding procedures used in Planned Parenthood deserve front page attention. As taxpayers, compelled by our government to send our money to Planned Parenthood, we deserve answers.
Jeremy Plank
Options Now
Godfrey