Women's health must include access to reproductive freedom

Echo opinion letter published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

Pro-life should mean all life- including the life of the mother.

Boy, am I naïve. I helped install pro-life legislators with my vote. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, I believed they would flood the halls of government with law and policy proposals to provide support for all these new mothers and their babies. Instead, they are rapidly instilling a reign of terror and intimidation. I expected much better. I was horribly, tragically wrong.

Of course, I am still in favor of protecting unborn humans. 

But, women whose lives or health is at risk, or women whose freedom and dignity have been brutally ripped from them by rape or incest, should have access to abortion without fear of consequences, either for them or the attending medical personnel. 

HIPAA protection should be immediately extended to women who request counseling regarding unplanned pregnancies

A pro-life position should defend the dignity of all life. I will not accept any less. I will not support a so-called pro-life candidate who will not also fight to protect women. To do any less would be to betray the pro-life values that have guided me for 50 years.

Herbert K. Lea,  Chickamauga, Georgia

Senator Marsha Blackburn's constituent speaks: "And I vote!"

A Tennessee voter opinion letter echo published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

The fight for choice begins anew for us! Senator Marsha Blackburn's political wake up call! (Medusa needs a comb, ya think?)

Senator Marsha Blackburn must listen to her Tennessee constituents! By the way, does Senator Blackburn happen to own a comb?  She sure needs one.

Dear Editor: A Supreme Court stacked with partisan justices stolen by corrupt politicians has overturned Roe with its recent ruling on Dobbs and gutted the federal protection of abortion rights and control over women's bodies. I'm here to say that we won't go back, and we won't back down.

The Dobbs ruling will impact people of color and poor people the most. People of means and privilege, mostly white women, who can afford the travel, expenses and potential wage loss, will continue to get abortions. Make. No. Mistake.

I won't stop fighting for abortion justice, and I'm not alone. You'll hear us. Millions of us; our voices loud, fierce and united. You'll see us. Millions of us; strong, committed, continuing the fight for abortion rights in our cities, towns and state houses across the country.

We will go to the polls. We will vote for elected officials that support protective federal abortion legislation and abortion rights in our states. And we will fight until we defeat every candidate, every legislator, who wants to impose bans on our bodies. I will vote.

And I am not alone.

Shelby Cobb