PLANNED PARENTHOOD

The latest assault by Trump and his Republican enablers on Planned Parenthood is another shocking reminder--as though we needed one!--that we would benefit from more science in our public policy, and less religion. The evangelical right has been militating for decades to deprive women of the option to even receive basic information about their reproductive rights, let alone the exercise of choice in the matter of abortion. Call it misogynism, if you will, or the persistence of long-discredited patriarchal beliefs, or simple arrogance, their aggressive intrusion into the lives of others is based in and justified by religious beliefs that have great emotional appeal but no scientific justification.

Science, logical thought, reason and compassion tell a different story. They ask, for instance, whence comes the right for one human being--or even a whole bunch of them--to make decisions that affect another human being's body; and indeed their life. Reasonable people support decisions that are made by one who is fully informed of all relevant facts, and not coerced or intimidated. They do not deny anyone the right to reject abortion if their conscience and other circumstances so dictate, nor to speak their minds about the matter in a public forum. But they object to being shouted down or shouldered out of the discussion by those who disrespect considered opinions other than their own, and being forced to surrender to the imposition of restrictions that defy the logic of science and reason.

Let's elect to the US Congress at least one more mind that is practiced in the exercise of scientific logic, one more voice that speaks out for public policy--especially, but not exclusively in policy affecting the health of all Americans--that is supported by reason, sound research, factual data, and informed decision-making rather than by emotion, faith-based religious intolerance, and gut feeling. Haven't we had enough of these already?