In regard to the letter writer”s rebuttal in “Fifty-five million and counting” in Thursday”s Record-Bee to my “All hospitals should provide abortion services” letter from March 14, I offer this. Of all this nation”s citizens” freedoms, the freedom to control a person”s own body should be at the top of that list. This, I must add, includes the right to end a person”s life when they deem it an absolutely necessity to do so.
I was in a hospital not long ago where they rang a chime when a baby was born; cute yes, but no sound was made when someone passed. We have made death something to fear, a horrible event, yet it is as natural as any birth.
Vast amounts of our own and often taxpayer”s money is made on the promise to keep us alive longer, with no comment on the pain, grief and vast suffering that comes with doing so. This affects not just the person dying, but those loved ones near to them. The amount of time needed to say goodbye should not run into months and years to be humane by anyone”s standards. In this day and age, the elderly share far too much time comparing the aches and pains and suffering they have daily when they interact with each other. Would it not be better to close out this gift of life we have had with a lot less fear and sadness than we experience today?
To ask a person, mostly female, to endure pregnancy for nine months, and the responsibility that usually carries on into a lifetime, against their personal decision, based on personal reasons, not to bring a new life into a point in time that would or will cause a deepening hardship of their own daily lives is asking too much. Many people are oblivious to the tragedies this can eventually cost to the parent and those around her.
Taxpayer money may eventually be expended due to others making the wrong decision for the needy parent. The inner strength of each of us varies widely as to the down turns we all may find ourselves involved in or facing. A person should never be judged on this fact, as it”s proven that some folks can be caregivers and others can”t.
The letter writer”s last sentence shows his use of degrading a personal decision of folks when he has never take a single step in their shoes. Then, too, there”s the fact that all of our lives are adversely affected by the continuing increasing drain of resources on our planet.
Try understanding war if you have never fought in one. The same goes for understanding the grief of losing a child in war, or having one dreadfully injured if you have never had too. Would it not be better to provide comfort and understanding to a person who has made a tremendously hard decision in living their life as best they can?
It”s too bad folks like the letter writer don”t have enough faith in a person making the best personal decision that involves their lives and theirs alone.
Jim Hall
Clearlake Oaks
