How dare Joan Beck conclude that abortion supporters seek abortion as our only goal (April 6, ”Euphoria of march masks the sadness underlying abortion”). When we march for abortion rights we march for reproductive freedoms, which include funding for birth-control research, free
contraceptives for poor and low-income women and the encouragement of pharmaceutical companies to develop more effective and reliable products. However, we have to focus on abortion rights because our ability to choose the abortion procedure is in jeopardy right now.
It is hypocritical of Ms. Beck to say that ”of course women must have control over their reproductive lives” and in the same breath exclude abortion as an alternative. The prevention of an unwanted pregnancy is a primary goal through improved family planning, education, contraceptive accessibility for all men and women and the encouragement of abstinence. However, when an unwanted pregnancy occurs, counseling by health professionals must include all alternatives from adoption to termination of the pregnancy.
