This is in response to Patrick McLaughlin’s letter about Planned Parenthood’s “misinformation.” In his letter, Mr. McLaughlin tells the audience to check out the American Life Leagues web page for “DOCUMENTED” facts about contraceptives and alternatives. Well, I checked out the web page and found a lot of “pro-life” information written by members of the clergy, lobbyists, etc., but very few medically documented articles written by doctors or medical experts. Maybe I just didn’t dive deep enough into the web site. However, this is not why I am replying to your letter.

Mr. McLaughlin, I respect you for your passion about this issue. I believe everyone should have a cause they are passionate about. However, I have to wonder about how far you and the organizations commitment to the “little boy or little girl” (from the web site) is willing to go. The A.L.L. says that it doesn’t support abortion (in any circumstance), birth control methods such as the pill, morning after pills, IUDs, Norplant or Depo-Provera, euthanasia, homosexuality, sex education in the schools, and it seems like anyone who is not of strict Catholic beliefs. Are you and the members of this organization willing to support all the unwanted children born because a mother couldn’t get an abortion, wasn’t on the pill, didn’t learn about how one becomes pregnant in school (not all parents tell their children about the birds and the bees), or was of a different faith that is less rigid in regards to this issue?

Are you going to support the child who was born motherless because the mother had the child although the doctor said it would kill her … and did?

Are you going to help pay the hospital bills, funeral expenses and counseling costs when a family loses a child born with such extensive and painful disabilities that it did not survive more than a few minutes after birth, but could have been aborted earlier in the pregnancy after pre-natal tests concluded the extensive damage to the fetus?

Are you going to adopt every child born to a woman who has been a victim of rape or incest, when every kick of that fetus in her womb serves as a constant reminder to the horrors of the violent crime committed against her?

Are you going to donate money to all the families who cannot afford all the children they have because the natural family planning technique failed, and they have more children than they can feed, provide shelter for, clothe, etc.?

Are you personally willing to spend more tax money on welfare, Medicare and social programs?

Maybe these problems don’t exist in LaLa land, but in the real world, unwanted and unplanned pregnancies are a reality. Birth control methods help families have WANTED CHILDREN. The orphanages are full enough with unwanted children; why put more in this situation?

One last comment … I find it kind of funny that you, a male, wrote that letter when you will never have to face the pain, anguish, humiliation, uncertainty and ultimate fear of being pregnant when you are not physically, emotionally, mentally, or financially ready to face the situation.

Lori M. Nickla

Graduate student

Sports management