Letters, Feb. 25, 1974

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Is Abortion a Boon?

Sir / Your arrogant article that would have us believe abortion to be a modern boon to man is most reprehensible [Feb. 4].

Your story implies that Catholics are the reactionaries blocking the path to social enlightenment.

As a Jew, I hold the right to life of an innocent just as sacred as any Catholic may.

It is true that Catholics are particularly mobilized against abortion. Why shouldn't they be? Are not Jews particularly mobilized against genocide—or is that wrong?

How is it possible that a line of distinction can be drawn between kinds of human life?

ISSAC H. GOLDBERG, M.D.

New York City

Sir / No one should try to impose his moral values on society by denying anyone the use of abortion. We believe that God wants us to control birth, just as diligently as we now control death, to achieve population stabilization. Man never was at the center of the universe as he once thought; he has yet to learn that he cannot continue to multiply forever. Abortion should be available to any woman.

ELIZABETH B. FRASER-SMITH

Los Altos, Calif.

Sir / I fear that casual abortion will lead to worse evils than unwanted children do, but laws denying abortion only to the poor constitute class discrimination. I wish all that energy could be directed toward finding a safe, sure method of birth control.

MARILYN MORK

Long Beach, Calif.

Sir / There are very few guarantees in this life: when one eats, one risks getting fat; when one drives, one risks accidents; when one has sex, one risks pregnancy. Inconvenient timing is not a good excuse for ending the life of a fetus.

MARLENE WAGNER

Lansing, Mich.

State of the Union—and Nixon Sir / The President, in his appearance before the joint session of Congress, delivered an effective 40-minute preamble, but his five-minute speech on the State of Richard Nixon was grossly inaccurate [Feb. 11]. We have already suffered under five years of Watergate: three while it was operating secretly as Administration policy, a fourth during the covert coverup, and the fifth one of a cover-up of the coverup. That's five years too much.

J.G. PRATT Keswick, Va.

Sir / President Richard Nixon, in giving his State of the Union address, was seen by millions. He looked well. He sounded fine. He was brilliant.

The stories of his health, well-being and the unflattering pictures appearing in TIME cause wonder. Is distortion what TIME Magazine is all about?

ALICE M. KROUSE

Nashville, Tenn.

Sir / The attitude of some members of the House Judiciary Committee comes out in the following letter that—I imagine—they want to send to the President:

"Dear President Nixon:

"We would very much like to impeach you. Since we have no formal grounds (as yet), we ask you kindly to let us know what impeachable offenses you have committed and to send along all proofs thereof.

"If you do not comply with this request, we will say that you are uncooperative and only trying to cover things up. You must see that you cannot win either way, so why don't you just resign and thus save everyone trouble?"

EDWARD E. MAYER

Greencastle, Ind.