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Dear Editor,

In 1969, I had to get a lot of money to help a friend pay for an illegal abortion. She had to go far away and was really scared that she could die. Thousands of women died trying to abort for economic or health reasons. She was fine and years later met a man she married and had three children. She maintains to this day that she’s so glad she got the abortion. She got a second chance to live a life with a family she chose to have. Since the 1960’s, I’ve known and helped other women to get safe, legal abortions. Almost all of them were using birth control. No contraception is 100%.

One of the conversations I had with a deeply religious woman who had to get an abortion was enlightening. She said she looked to God’s creations for guidance. She knew that black bears and other animals can put their fetus “on hold” for long periods of time. If the mother bear doesn’t have enough fat or is highly stressed due to a lack of habitat or whatever, the fetus is aborted by God. God chooses the mother over the baby, knowing what good is a baby with no mother. So she was at peace with her choice.

I’m lucky I never had to make this choice, but I feel strongly that I cannot judge those who have. As an American, I feel that every woman should have the freedom to choose her own path through life. No politician should stand in the way of a woman’s inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Sandy Bruton

Cumberland