:: The S.I.C.L.E. Cell ::

:: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 ::

My letter to the editor of a local newspaper:

Why are liberals, whose hearts bleed on cue for women, opposed to legislation that would improve the physical safety of women seeking legal abortion procedures?

I'll bet many readers don't know that in Florida abortion clinics that go all the way up to 28 weeks are not mandated to offer the same standard of safety practices as outpatient surgical centers, hospitals and other doctor's offices. When you consider that second trimester abortions are more dangerous for the woman than first trimester abortions, it is obscene that safety requirements would be lower for second trimester procedures. Abortion facilities don't care about women's health.

The Women's Health and Safety Act would raise the level of safety for women who choose second trimester abortion by enforcing health standards comparable to those in doctor's offices and outpatient surgical centers.

Many abortion advocates oppose such regulation citing the fact that some abortion facilities will not be able to afford to implement newer, safer policies. They reason that some clinics will shut down, and access to legal abortion will thus be limited. The primary focus therefore is not women's safety but the availability of abortion period. Obviously, offices that shut down because they can't meet high standards of safety are exactly the ones that need to shut down.

I have been seeking out and reading through statutes and codes all morning. I'm not a lawyer or a licensing board, but it seems to me that Florida veterinary clinics are more regulated than Florida abortion clinics. It is absurd that anyone would have to argue that women deserve a safer surgical environment than a dog. Women deserve better. Shame on women's advocacy groups who care more about abortion than women. Floridians who are actually concerned for women should support the Women's Health and Safety Act.

SICLECell@hotmail.com

:: ashli 9:26 AM # ::
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