Letter: Highly personal right should be protected

Abortion is one of those topics which many find unable to cope with, and difficult to face in the hypothetical, but could one imagine having to face this issue in the reality? In the instance in which a woman finds herself pregnant unwillingly or the victim of rape or incest, the hypothetical of abortion becomes a reality.

This reality which I have laid out happens to millions of women every year, and is a highly personal situation. I would take the Libertarian position (although I am not a Libertarian) that such a highly personal decision should be left to the individual to manage. Such a stance makes sense given the controversial nature of the issue, and should be considered when looking at the morality of abortion.

I understand the procedure ends the life of the fetus/embryo, but the right of the woman, I argue, outdoes the right of the fetus due to its subjection to the woman's body for survival until viability at about 22 weeks. (The reader should note that a majority of abortions take place in the first trimester of pregnancy, however, 22 weeks is merely a viable standard).

I would lastly look at a pre-Roe history, one in which back-alley abortions cursed America's streets, and women were threatened by providers of back-alley abortions. This is not a country I want to live in, and I do not think one in which you would like to live.

I urge readers to write to their legislators, and consider supporting abortion rights federally. Such a decision is highly personal, and should be protected.

Jared Boekenhauer

West Dundee