BECAUSE I AM A pro-choice peace activist in dialogue with pro-life advocates, I read "Reaching Across the Barricades" (by Marcia Timmel, August 1993) with interest. I work for a world in which women are supported in not choosing abortion, but I am committed to keeping safe abortions legal.
Pro-life advocates offer that women choose abortions most often because of injustices heaped upon them. Then large reductions in abortion rates will result when women feel more supported in carrying babies to term and in avoiding unwanted pregnancy in the first place. The energy spent in eliminating abortion as a choice does not address either of these issues affecting those seeking abortion.
When one opposes something--abortions, hand guns, nuclear weapons, prostitution, marijuana, or alcohol--prohibition seems a logical end goal. Yet "outlawing" disturbing human behavior often proves counter-productive. Prohibition of alcohol resulted in disastrous criminal production and distribution without management of quality. Prohibition of abortion may be undesirable for similar reasons.
Nathaniel Batchelder
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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