Church, state intrude on women’s rights | Letters to the editor

Archbishop Thomas Wenski wrote in a Sun Sentinel viewpoint essay that opposing the abortion amendment is the best way to support human life.

While I agree with the church that abortion is a terrible choice, I think it’s also clear that no one “favors” abortion, as if it were a recreational activity. Abortion is sometimes medically necessary, and at all times is a deeply difficult personal decision for women.

What’s worse is government intrusion into women’s personal medical decisions — and worse yet, Donald Trump’s claim that there must be punishment for women who have abortions.

Texas hunts down women who might violate its abortion ban. Louisiana declares certain long-time approved medications in the same class as heroin. Idaho criminalizes anyone who helps women leave the state to get a legal abortion.

All this is because Trump-appointed justices overturned Roe v. Wade. Women used to have personal autonomy to handle their own decisions. The meddling by the government in these matters is worse than the worthy goal of reducing abortions.

Of course, the church wants to make contraception illegal. Better availability of contraception would prevent the need for abortion in the first place. I’m voting for Amendment 4 to help get government out of these decisions in Florida.

James Carbone, Fort Lauderdale

Be wary of misinformation

It appears that many of the archbishop’s statements are not true.

Amendment 4 will not overturn basic health and safety requirements at clinics where abortions are performed or change informed consent requirements for physicians performing abortions. It will not change laws that limit public financing of abortions, and it will not change the requirement that a minor’s parent or guardian must be notified before she can access an abortion.

Amendment 4 does not legalize full-term abortion. No health care provider allows abortion up to birth.

The current six-week abortion ban is extreme. It makes no sense, since most women do not realize they are pregnant at six weeks.

Common-sense laws have gone out the window in Florida and voting yes on Amendment 4 will help. Abortion must be a choice that a woman makes with her family and her physician and not decided by state legislators. America is a democracy, not a theocracy run by the Catholic Church.

I believe human life is sacred. The life and dignity of a woman must be respected. Whether to protect her health, or if her fetus is not viable, or she’s a victim of abuse or rape, abortion must be her decision — no one else’s.

Abortion is safe. Women don’t need to be protected from the harm of abortion, but they must be protected from being forced to give birth against their will. Everyone has the right to their opinion, but no one should have the right to control what a woman chooses to do with her body and her life.

Rosemary Blumberg, Plantation

On ‘radioactive roads’

I am frightened and appalled after reading the article in Sunday’s paper regarding Mosaic’s proposal to use radioactive waste from the mining company in roads across Florida (“Feds expected to decide this year on Mosaic’s ‘radioactive roads’ plan”).

Exposing the environment and the public to radioactive roads so a company can make money from its own radioactive waste seems extremely frightening, cruel and ridiculous. I don’t think anyone would like roads leaching radioactive poison into their air and groundwater.

This is the bill that state Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Plant City, sponsored to benefit Mosaic, which organized a $25,000 campaign fundraiser for him.

Is this what our Republican Legislature is doing to help Floridians? I certainly hope that an uproar from the citizens and by Gov. Ron DeSantis shuts down this idea quickly.

Diane Miller, Plantation