Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

To the Editor:

Re “Abortion and Health Care Reform” (editorial, Oct. 1):

The traditional mantra of the pro-choice movement has always been “If you don’t like abortions, don’t have one.” I always felt that to be a simplistic and somewhat arrogant characterization of the moral stance held by most abortion opponents—that abortion is intrinsically evil. But I could live with the idea that not all Americans share that view.

What I can’t accept is the philosophy, expressed in your editorial, that “in a rational system of medical care, there would be virtually no restrictions on financing abortions.”

Mandating that my tax dollars be used to finance someone else’s abortion forces me to underwrite what I consider an immoral act, and also violates my First Amendment rights.

So to paraphrase that other ubiquitous abortion-rights slogan, “My body, my choice,” my response would be “My wallet, my choice.”

Christine Flowers
Philadelphia, Oct. 1, 2009