LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Abortion clinic must stay local
8/11/2014Ohio’s anti-abortion forces have won a battle to limit abortion access in Toledo, but the war is not over (“Abortion clinic vows to continue to serve women; Surgery license to end on Aug. 12,” Aug. 2).
Our Republican-dominated state government set up a Catch-22 situation for abortion clinics. Abortions are legal and can be performed as long as there is a transfer agreement with a local hospital. But in Toledo, no local hospital will agree to a transfer arrangement, so the license is revoked.
I hope that a federal court will find Ohio’s law to be unconstitutional, so that the Capital Care Network clinic can continue to operate and provide constitutionally protected abortion services to Toledo area women and girls. Meanwhile, the war between pro- and anti-abortion forces will continue unabated.
ROBERT KELSO
Sylvania Township
Closing clinic invokes dark ages
Closing the last abortion clinic in Toledo would be like sending women back to the dark ages (“Appealing for rights,” editorial, Aug. 2). Their health is on the line with no local means of clean, legal, and professional care.
Why aren’t abortion protesters championing adoption facilities? They are mostly conservatives who are the first to complain about single mothers on welfare. Planned Parenthood also helps low-income women in need, and not only for abortion. Protesters want to stop that too.
Women have to keep at it and not back down against the meddling tactics of abortion protesters. Keep voting for people who will stand up for our rights.
PAMELA TADSEN
134th Street
Women’s rights worth fighting for
I admire Terrie Hubbard, the owner of Toledo’s Capital Care Network clinic, for fighting the Ohio Department of Health’s order to close.
Every individual has the right to decide, instead of having some outside group or politician do so.
I can’t wait to change laws that curtail women’s rights to their health needs by voting different lawmakers into office.
JACOB KOSS
Ottawa Hills
Only poor women hurt by clinic loss
State lawmakers may congratulate themselves on stopping abortion clinics, but their actions affect only the poor.
Wealthy women will resume doing what they did before Roe vs. Wade: Fly to Japan for medical abortions.
PHOEBE BORMAN
Port Clinton
Chemicals bad, no matter where
The excessive amount of chemicals used to treat farmland is often identified as a major cause of environmental problems such as toxic algae blooms. The recent spraying of chemicals to ensure against West Nile virus also should be looked on warily (“Ottawa Hills group tries to get mosquito control halted,” July 31).
Although West Nile virus presents a risk we should be concerned about, the fear of the virus needs to be considered rationally against the fear we should have about pesticides.
The recent algae-bloom scare should encourage all of us to work together to try to reduce our reliance on toxic chemicals.
They do not provide a sustainable long-term solution to most environmental problems, including mosquitoes.
MATT COOPER
Ottawa Hills