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Defunding Planned Parenthood misguided
Most of us share these two goals: Reducing the number of abortions and providing every child who is born with a healthy childhood. To a shocking degree, there is disagreement on how to reach these goals. The difference is clearly evident in the fact that Planned Parenthood is under attack.
The strategy adopted by most Republican officials is to criminalize abortion and defund Planned Parenthood. This approach is deeply flawed because the services provided by Planned Parenthood are the best method for reaching both goals. When women have access to birth control and prenatal care, fewer will seek an abortion and more will be able to give birth to healthy children.
This crusade against Planned Parenthood fails to recognize the enormous contribution this agency makes to the health of children. Unfortunately, there is little evidence such crusaders continue to be concerned about the well-being of children after they are born. This movement could be called “pro-birth,” rather than “pro-life.”
There is no better example of this omission than the present difficulty Congress is having in funding the Children’s Health Insurance Program. We are told that funds are not available to help children because of the huge tax cuts already provided the wealthy. An example of the price we are paying for these mistaken priorities can been seen in our child mortality rate, which is the number of children per 100,000 live births who die before they are 5 years old. Among the 20 wealthiest nations, the U.S. has the highest death rate.
An obvious way to correct this unacceptable situation is to convince our elected officials to change their misguided strategies. If they refuse, then we should work to elect officials who would enact better public policies.
P.L. Rowlett, Knoxville
Bible verse applies to president
I write this for all the evangelical believers to whom this might speak. Jesus said, "For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" in Luke 6:45. So many have been so proud of our president's outspokenness, but his words testify against himself. Don't keep burying your head about this man. Read Luke 6:45, the entire verse. See what it says about our president. Can you continue to deny the truth?
Fred Miller, Knoxville
Dam flooded archaeological sites
I found the Sunday Perspective column "Rising seas likely to swamp thousands of historical sites" interesting. Folks are concerned as to how rising seas could affect the coastal areas of the United States. However, several generations ago, when the dam was built on the Colorado River in Arizona, creating Lake Powell, no one was concerned that it inundated hundreds of historic archaeological sites, some of which are 1,000 years old.
Jerry Crossno, Norris