… I was distressed by the March 20 Washington Bureau article by John Day, which continually referred to the abortion rights movement as “pro-abortion” instead of pro-choice. There are several reasons why it is important to make this distinction.

To begin with, a large number of people who are pro-choice do not like the idea of abortion, or would not choose abortion for themselves. But what I see shared by pro-choicers is the realization of the importance of not letting the government legislate our bodily rights. Especially important, we are not presumptuous enough to try to impose our personal or religious beliefs on someone else.

Many people who vote pro-choice are concerned about the dangerous reality of illegal abortions. Yes, they do happen, and will continue to happen if abortion restrictions are not stopped. For this reason, too, abortion must be kept safe and legal….

Would voters like to see Maine become like Minnesota, where a young woman must have consent of both biological parents, even if the father has not been seen in years? Or like Indiana, where currently, the court official who has the final approval in granting a waiver also serves as the head of the Indiana pro-life committee? Or perhaps you would like to elect state officials like one in Indiana who told a member of my lobbying group that it was a young woman’s own fault she died from an illegal abortion in 1988 because she had been having pre-marital sex. We should push our policy-makers to stop these ineffective and harmful laws and concentrate on protecting women’s rights, and providing teens with accurate information on birth control.

As I urge everyone to become involved in the political process, consider this carefully. Whether or not you approve of abortion, please realize the implications of letting our government legislate our personal lives, and against our freedom to choose. Sarah E. Mossman Hampden