ABORTION: A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO

CHOOSE

"I am personally biased against abortion, but I believe in a woman's right to choose. This is the only valid legal position," stated Lucille Huston at the Pro-Abortion Rights Hearings on September 7. Ms. Huston is an attorney and Vice-Mayor of Cleveland Heights.

She said that the Supreme Court decision, based on the 14th Amendment, established that the unborn are not persons, and that abortion is not murder.

"Opponents to abortion rights have no other recourse than a Constitutional Amendment, and until then the states cannot regulate abortions except as state law pertains to the health of the mother."

"Any female of childbearing age must have freedom of choice. The rights of the male parent are negligible because he does not undergo the pregnancy. The final choice rests with the mother," she concluded.

Gordon Beggs of the ACLU spoke strongly in support of the right to abortion, noting that "the rich have always been able to get abortions, while the poor had to depend on the 'laws of mercy'."

He said that the right of abortion is firmly rooted in the right of privacy, protected by the 9th Amendment, and noted that Justice Brandeis had called the right of privacy the most comprehensive of all rights, older than the Bill of Rights.

He indicated that "difference of religious belief is the basis of the abortion controversy. The Constitution was brought into being to enable people to escape religious persecution."

He pointed out several instances of Congressional attempts at subversion of the right to abortion by denying funds to the National Science Foundation and other organizations aiding abortion rights.

The ACLU is presently fighting Ohio's prohibition against using welfare funds for abor. tion. Minnie Player, representing the Welfare Rights Organization, briefly commented that WRO had not yet taken a stand on the issue.

"Women have always chosen to have abortions. They come in to have D&C's under the guise of finishing up an incomplete, spontaneous abortion when in reality they are having complete abortions," said Joan Warren, nursing director at Pre-Term, in her comments. "These women were usually white and well-off." "Since the Supreme Court decision in 1973 emergency room admissions for botched abortions have dropped, the number of deaths of women delivering have dropped, and infant mortality has dropped," she said.

Jean Serkownek, counselor at Pre-Term, reported that most cases she heard were women who were financially, psychologically or emotionally unready to raise a child at that time. Some were no more than children themselves.

She said, "Many are terminating a particular pregnancy, but will go on to have other preg nancies."

"Abortion is never a lighthearted decision but all the women feel it is the right decision for them. Each woman's reality is different, based on her own milieu and morality!" She concluded with "After counselling, some women change their minds about abortion, but not many."

Elaine Jacoby, speaking for the National Council of Jewish Women, 7300 strong in Ohio, objects to all attempts to get around the Supreme Court decision. "There have been about 1 million abortions yearly for the past several years. Since abortion has been legalized there has been a tremendous drop in the maternal death rate."

She further notes, "Abortion would not stop if there were a Constitutional Amendment." Also, "State regulation of abortion should be to no greater degree than for other medical procedures."

Discussing moral and ethical issues, Joan Campbell stated, "Every human life has value, but this has often been set aside by societies to enable them to conduct wars, genocide and legal executions. So much for the sanctity of life."

Ms. Campbell represented the Greater Cleveland Inner Church Council and expressed concern about the quality of life. She said, "the quality of life-of the mother-and of other children-must be considered. To deal seriously with life abundant, full and free, moral decision making must take place within the context of freedom of choice.".

The central concept of Unitarian Universalism is the belief in individual freedom and respect for the right to choose. Rev. Stephen Johnson, representing the First Unitarian Church, noted that 46% of abortions are performed on married women.

He stated, "The individual must have a free choice of abortion, sterilization, or contraception."

Rev. Johnson hopes that birth control education and practice will improve so that abortion will be unnecessary. "In keeping with our individual freedom philosophy, we support the Supreme Court decision regarding abortion." Rev. Bob Elliott of St. Mark's Episcopal Church stated, "No biblical doctrine provides definitive answers, but breathing and quickening are both mentioned as beginnings of life in the Bible."

He also said, "Sperm and ovum are living things in their own right — potential human beings. The fertilized egg from the moment of conception is a unique creature, but not a human being.

"Religion is very much a human institution, even though it purports to be devine. This allows many men and women isolated, dogmatic and often senile to control other's lives," said Doris Pechkurow, former nun and present member of NOW.

The Catholic Church claims to support the right to life in its stand against abortion. Yet, Ms. Pechkurow wondered, "Where was the outrage of the Church over the loss of life in Vietnam?”

The Church stands for equality, yet in Youngstown, Ohio, a parish refused to sell an old church building to a black congregation.

Ms. Pechkurow related another instance of hypocrisy in her convent. "Sisters prayed for five hours a day, yet persecuted a black sister." She summed up her condemnation, of the Church by saying, "Every Church doctrine is subject to revision by the hierarchy which has conferred upon itself the mantle of infallibility. The fact is that the same biblical passage can be used to substantiate contradictions."

The Hearings On Abortion, from which this testimony is drawn, were held Saturday, September 7. Statements covering legal, religious, medical, personal, psychological and sociological aspects of abortion were presented by proponents of a woman's right to choose. Due to space limitations our coverage of The Hearings will be continued in our November issue.

page 1/What She Wants/ October 1974