OPINION:
Rep. Chris Smith’s “The life-saving amendment” (Web, Sept. 29) is riddled with myths and misinformation about the Hyde Amendment, a 40-year-old policy that politicians use to deny abortion coverage to low-income women.
Perhaps the most insulting implication is that women should somehow be grateful to the bullies that, by taking away coverage, have forced one in four poor women seeking abortion to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term. Smith should be ashamed, not proud, to have played a part in denying women the ability to make our own personal decisions about pregnancy and parenting.
The piece also misrepresents the public’s views on Hyde. A poll released earlier this month shows that three in four (76 percent) voters in battleground states agree with the statement “However we feel about abortion, politicians should not be allowed to deny a woman’s health coverage for it just because she’s poor.” There is broad consensus on this point across party lines with 76 percent of independents, 66 percent of Republicans, and 89 percent of Democrats in agreement.
The Hyde Amendment is outdated, cruel, unpopular and most important of all, bad for women. A woman who wants to get an abortion but is denied it is more likely to fall into poverty than one who can get an abortion. Smith talks about “protecting women,” but if he really believed that, he’d oppose a policy that threatens our health and disregards our humanity.
DESTINY LOPEZ
Co-director
All* Above All, All* Above All Action Fund
Washington
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