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

Here.

To the Editor:

While Ross Douthat attempts to make supporters of a woman’s right to choose feel guilty for permitting a “disgusting” procedure, he conveniently forgets that countless other surgeries can be perceived as “barbaric”—an amputation, a colectomy or even open-heart surgery, where the surgeon has to break through the breastplate. All of these could be described in terms that would upset the casual reader.

Abortion may be unpleasant to talk about, but the Planned Parenthood representatives caught on tape are guilty of nothing except insensitivity. Distorting these “gotcha” videos to undermine an essential woman’s right is what is truly “disgusting.”

JAKE FISHMAN

Boston

Note from KBJ: Excellent analogy, Jake! Except it's not. I think you know why.

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I've been blogging since 5 November 2003, but I've been on TypePad for only the past seven years. I first used TypePad on 1 August 2008, having tried Blogger, PowerBlogs, and WordPress with mixed results. I'm happy to report that TypePad is an excellent service. If you're thinking of starting or moving a blog, I recommend TypePad.

To the Editor:

“Ending the Abuse of Laws, Workers and the Environment at Sea” (“The Outlaw Ocean” series, nytimes.com, July 27) lists how we can conserve the oceans and rightly points out that much more needs to be done. As your series has shown, we need to open our eyes to what’s happening out at sea: flagrant disregard for environmental laws with pillaging of fish stocks and egregious pollution, not to mention human rights violations.

Given the complexity of the issue, we must use all the tools available to combat illegal activity. In addition to the solutions listed in your article, there must also be effective marine policies, more cooperation and information-sharing among enforcement agencies, policies that make it “business smart” for industry to play by the rules and ensure that company supply chains are free from illegal products, and consumer awareness.

The United States recently committed to combating illegal seafood imports with multiagency efforts. These must include an effective and comprehensive system of traceability to stop black-market seafood from entering our ports. As one of the largest seafood markets in the world, the United States is too big a player to sit on the sidelines of this global problem.

MICHELE KURUC

Vice President, Oceans Policy

World Wildlife Fund

Washington

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