Planned Parenthood does not help women Re: “Planned Parenthood prevents more abortions than it provides,” From Readers, Oct. 23
Mr. Sandin is mistaken. Of Planned Parenthood’s pregnant clients in 2007, there were 332,278 abortions and 977 adoption referrals. PP does not prevent more abortions than it provides.
Mr. Sandrin cites the disproven canard that many poor women died from illegal abortions before Roe v. Wade. Antibiotics and the suction curette made abortion safer, not a Supreme Court decision. In the last year of illegal abortion, 39 women died. In the first year of legal abortions, 35 women died, and in the second year, 37 women died.
Mr. Sandrin appeals to the emotional pregnant-rape-victim argument. These unfortunate women are still carrying a human being, and studies show that aborting these victims causes them even more trauma. If PP only aborted rape victims they would soon go out of the abortion business.
William Luksic
Rockville, Md.
Facts show that marijuana is safe
Re: “Facts on medical marijuana are stubborn things, too,” Oct. 24
Joseph Summerill would like citizens to believe the prohibitionist federal government’s propaganda pertaining to cannabis (marijuana). For more than 5,000 years before the Food and Drug Administration even existed, doctors and humans have been using cannabis medicinally with out a single death. That’s more than a stubborn fact. That’ s safety on a biblical scale.
Stan White
Dillon, Colo.
Mayor Gray needs to leave
Re: “The R word (resign) comes up in Gray controversy,” Oct. 24
After reading Liz Farmer’s piece, I was compelled to write and comment. First of all, I sure do miss Mayor Fenty. Looking back, his only fault as mayor seems to have been his boyish, bike-riding arrogance.
As a 34-year resident of this great city, I would love to see Vincent Gray resign, and take a few more stale council members with him. Just like Congress, it just ain’t working.
Pam Hairston
Washington
