Most don't favor abortion rights

While Cynthia Tucker has a good point that more available contraception may help the unwanted pregnancy rate of the under-resourced adults in our country, she is way off base in her assertion that "most Americans believe abortion laws should remain as they are ... most of us agree, (the abortion option) should be left to a woman, her physician, and her conscience."

In fact, most of us do not agree at all. According to Wikipedia, a CNN Poll in 2007 where respondents were asked: "Would you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?" resulted in 45 percent claiming pro-choice and 50 percent responding pro-life.

One week later a Gallup Poll posed the same question and found 49 percent claiming pro-choice and 45 percent responding pro-life. I am not a statistician, but anyone can see this demonstrates a split right down the middle.

Tucker admits the abortion rate has dropped to the lowest rate since 1974, yet she discounts the abstinence education programs. Does she really think teens are using more condoms?

What about the 12 states that have made ultrasounds available to those considering abortion? As of this year, 60-75 percent of those who are shown an ultrasound of their lump of tissue sucking their thumb and looking back at them have decided against abortion.

Granted this column is an editorial, but it should be supported by the facts. Most of the people I know do not believe abortion laws should remain as they are, and we do not want to be told we agree with you.

Mary Ellen Sherman

Algonquin