Smith wrong on abortion

After suffering through Rep. Jason Smith's latest inflammatory and dishonest attack on reproductive rights and health ("Standing for Life" 1/24/23), there is no doubt that "pro-life" legislation is rooted in Christian fundamentalism.

The opinion that life begins at conception is a belief shared exclusively by a few overly zealous Christians. As Justice John Paul Stevens correctly stated in 1989, there is no secular reason for legislative declarations that life begins at conception.

Anti-choice politicians like Rep. Smith continue to use the same easily debunked deceptions when trying to rationalize passing laws that force their religious beliefs on our society. The Hyde Amendment, as cruel as it is, still bans using federal funds to cover almost all abortions. Planned Parenthood provides many essential reproductive health services including cancer screening and prevention. Abortions account for only 3% of the care provided by Planned Parenthood. Attacks on reproductive health centers by "pro-lifers" have been an issue for decades, so much that volunteers are required to escort patients from the parking lot to the door to protect them from harassment by the omnipresent hordes of "pro-lifers" who don't know or care why the patients are even there.

The proverbial dog has finally caught the car. Three in five Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases (NPR/Ipsos poll 1/22/23). Our government is secular and will remain so despite the best efforts of Christian nationalists like Rep. Jason Smith.

Abortion is health care.

Rick Vandeven, Chaffee, Missouri