Women and abortion; traffic stop rights

Women and abortion

Barbara Chiarello’s Tuesday letter said: “Planned Parenthood gives women control over their own bodies.”

I feel we all have more control over our bodies than any organization can provide. There are ways to enjoy marital closeness without growing a baby. If birth control is desired, it should occur before a baby is conceived.

Abortion should never be considered birth control. We cross the line when we demand that an innocent life be taken to bail us out from our lack of personal responsibility.

— Patty Fenoglio, Fort Worth

A Tuesday letter claimed that Planned Parenthood and birth control give women control over their bodies.

However, birth control fails so often that, according to Planned Parenthood’s own statistics, 54 percent of women seeking abortions state they were using contraceptions in the month they became pregnant.

Other statistics show that, while the use of birth control has steadily increased since 1960, the number of babies born to unwed mothers has also steadily increased. Rather than decreasing the rate of unplanned pregnancies, birth control actually fuels the abortion industry.

Those who oppose Planned Parenthood do have great interest in women and their care during and after pregnancy. Pregnancy centers all over the country offer free sonograms and support for the woman and her family.

Women called Gabriel’s Angels are trained to be guides, mentors and friends to women in crisis pregnancies. They provide babysitting, baby showers, transportation to doctor visits and help with plans for health and the future.

Seeing the great mental and physical harm abortion does to a woman fuels the desire to help her make a better choice.

— Eileen Finkenkeller, Arlington

When was I ever a “lump of tissue” in my mother’s womb?

I was me, all the way back to conception.

I admit that early on I didn’t look like me, just a few cells, but I had all the DNA and the spirit that made me me.

So what if a mother didn’t want me? (Although my mother did want me, very much.)

That’s no excuse to kill me.

— Curt Lampkin, Azle

Traffic stop rights

As a former police officer and criminal justice professor, I felt compelled to respond to an Aug. 2 letter, “No rights at stop.” I agree with much of what was written, but one’s rights are not relinquished because of a traffic stop.

First, if you are arrested on felony charges, you have rights and the arresting officer is required to tell you these rights.

Second, there is a difference between a felony stop and a stop for a traffic violation.

I don’t remember being taught that part of my job was to force a citizen to obey me, even if deadly force is needed.

Does that mean if the motorist fails to obey, the officer can shoot? What police manual or state law contains this little gem?

Perhaps we’ve stumbled onto part of the problem. Perhaps some Americans are seen as second-class citizens who have no rights.

If a police officer can’t get a citizen to comply without using deadly force during a traffic stop or the officer is in fear of his life, as many are taught to say, then perhaps they should explore another profession.

— Samuel R. Greene, Fort Worth

This story was originally published August 13, 2015 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Women and abortion; traffic stop rights."