Abortion not trivial

I use the Herald-Leader opinions page as an opportunity to try to understand varying points of view without judgement. I have been successful until I read the letter entitled: “Walk a mile…” The writer had me right up to the last phrase of his first paragraph, “others see abortion as a trendy lifestyle option.”

I ashamedly admit I found myself thinking, “I knew this was written by a man.” And my eyes shot immediately to the writer’s name to confirm this. I have never done this before.

But I must state that no woman who contemplates the heart-wrenching decision of an abortion thinks it is a “trendy lifestyle option.” Women are well aware that this is a life-changing choice.

No sane person would call the shootings at Sandy Hook or Las Vegas a “trendy lifestyle choice.” A background check may have prevented these mentally ill perpetrators from obtaining guns. Many children would have been saved from murder or suicide if each gun was equipped with an automatic gun lock.

The writer’s points would have been better served if he compared apples to apples in a much less insulting fashion. But I guess that was his “trendy lifestyle choice.”

This story was originally published November 22, 2017 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Abortion not trivial."