Saturday letters: Miffed about her decision

Priorities

Regarding “Abortion fight goes to high court” (Page A1, Tuesday), Marni Evans of Austin had to use her frequent flier miles to fly to Seattle to get her abortion, as the clinic she was using refused her the abortion on grounds that the clinic did not have hospital admitting priviledges. She was saving her frequent-flier miles for her honeymoon for her fiance and herself when they got married. What she should have saved for her honeymoon was her virginity and she would still have her frequent flier miles to use on her honeymoon. Simple algebra!

Cecilia Patlovany, Houston

Lifestyle

The Marni Evans abortion story aptly points out what abortion rights proponents don’t want us to hear: Abortion is a lifestyle choice. Poor 37-year old Marni Evans and her fiance, John Lockhart, reportedly cannot afford to raise the child that they have already conceived together. To obtain an abortion, Evans claims that she must now use frequent-flier miles reserved for her honeymoon to travel to another state for the abortion. Get that? The couple planned a honeymoon involving air travel, but the child is unaffordable.

Most honeymoons involve a substantial sum of money, but the child is unaffordable. How were those frequent flier miles obtained? Previous air travel or other expenditures perhaps, but the child is unaffordable. Thanks for portraying the true story of abortion: the murder of children so that the parents’ lifestyle is not compromised.

Mike Schultz, Missouri City

Choices

The article is the most absurd story I have ever seen. The young lady could have made a phone call to another clinic in Austin which would be in compliance with Texas laws and get an abortion before the 20th week of her pregnancy. If that was not her choice, she could have driven to a clinic in a nearby city. Abortions in Texas are still legal as long as they are performed in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy in a clinic with a doctor who has admitting privilege to a hospital nearby. Since her age is 37, it seems reasonable that she would want to have this done as safely as possible with the assurance that she can be taken to a hospital if something goes awry.

The fact that she is choosing to use her frequent flier miles to travel to Seattle is her choice. She is not being forced to do so by Texas law.

Margaret Thomas, Houston

Responsibility

How sad for the baby about to be aborted. When my husband and I were expecting our first child, we were very young, had no money and no insurance.

But we accepted the responsibility of our actions and lovingly received this wonderful child into our lives. Today he is a responsible, contributing member of society and a very cherished part of our lives.

Sandra Williams, Houston