I see that the sole remaining abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi is destined to close because of legislation that requires the doctors there to have admitting privileges to a near-by hospital. What a shame.

Closing all of the abortion clinics in the world will not prevent abortions from being performed no more than prohibition laws in the 20s prevented drinking and no more than the “War on Drugs” has curtailed drug use today. If people want it and have the funds, they can and will get it — no exceptions.

Unfortunately now, women who have been able to have an abortion in a clean environment, using sterile equipment and being performed by a trained physician, will find less safe methods, like “Uncle Joe’s” abortion parlor.

Uncle Joe will be a stealthy creature using an alias name who can only be contacted through mutual acquaintances. He will do cash-only abortions, probably without anesthetics, in a filthy back room of an abandoned house somewhere using dirty implements. Life-threatening infections and hemorrhaging will be commonplace.

Poor women will not be able to afford Uncle Joe. They will be forced to have unwanted children, turned loose on the streets and knowing no childhood discipline. Children raised under these conditions are more likely to steal from you or even take your life.

The way I see it, now the mother will be more likely to die during an abortion. This new well-intentioned law will then cause two people to die — one who is known and loved by friends and relatives (the mother) and one who has never been seen before (the embryo).

I truly hope that our daughters and granddaughters never have to choose to go under the knife of old “Uncle Joe.”

 

Ed Field

Natchez