Answering Wyman column

While we can find little with which to disagree in Jasper Wyman’s guest column (BDN, Sept. 10), we have to say that he is being somewhat disingenuous in this column. What he does not say is 1) he is — at this moment, anyway — still opposed to a woman’s right to choose, and 2) his moderate-sounding make-niceties are uttered largely because of current political aspirations.

Since 1984, when Wyman and his associates defeated the Equal Rights Amendment to Maine’s constitution, he has softened his stance to the point where if one did not remember the name one would not recognize the man — the same man whose hands penned the words that denounced the ERA as the downfall of civilization as we know it, the ruination of the family, unisex bathrooms, and on and on — painting the ERA’s supporters as not-quite-once-removed from the witches of Salem.

And even harsher language was reserved for those of us who have dared to say that only a woman has the right to make the difficult, wrenching decision of whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. Someone else much wiser (a man), more moral, and probably a total stranger was far better able to decide the rest of her life.

After all, only women of loose morals who have sex indiscriminately become pregnant and then want to use abortion as birth control. Motherhood must be her (unstated) punishment for acknowledging she is a sexual being. Why not be honest and haul our a red “A” and hang it around her neck?

Although in his column Wyman spoke only generally about abortion, it is important that his anti-choice views be clearly articulated and understood by the electorate — because he wants to be Maine’s governor. And as a Republican, with a national party platform that is out of sync with the majority of the country, he has every right to be concerned about its reflecting badly on his candidacy.

Like Wyman, members of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) are also deeply committed to the sanctity of life. We support, as one philosopher put it, the life in progress, with a history that gives some indication of what the future might become. We believe life evolves constantly, from birth to death; that our lives are works in progress, that young women’s lives do matter, and that there are just times in women’s lives when it is the wrong time to bear a child.

And at those times there are no good choices — only hard choices, gut-wrenching choices, courageous choices. We make no judgments about what those decisions are — whether they are abortion, adoption or carrying to term. Each is equally difficult, equally valid. We say now, as we have always said, that abortion must continue to be one of those choices.

Maine NARAL supports and will actively work to implement, programs that reduce the number of abortions, that support women with children, for child care, pre- and post-natal care, sexuality education, information about and dissemination of birth-control devices.

What the antis don’t want to recognize is that being pro-choice does not mean being pro-abortion. Pro-choice simply means being for choice — period. Whatever choice you make is up to you; but in order to make a reasonable decision, all options must continue to be available to all women — whatever their age, economic or marital status or educational background.

With some clever verbiage Wyman has tried to give the impression that he has moderated his stance on choice. Do not be swayed by soft words or honeyed phrases, examine carefully any gift horses left lying about, remember Napoleon’s maneuver along interior lines and always read between the lines! Barbara Bowler Board of Directors Maine NARAL, Bangor