Letter: Legislation imposes moral conflict

I feel compelled to weigh in regarding the legislation under consideration in Olympia known as the “Reproductive Parity Act” as reported in the Jan. 27 story, “Abortion insurance bill continues to advance.” This legislation would require health care plans offered in Washington state that provide maternity care to also provide abortions. I’m morally opposed to abortion as I am convinced that it is a form of infanticide. That position aside, I would like to offer several additional reasons to oppose this law.

The name of this legislation is dishonest. Not even the most ardent pro-choice supporter can argue that abortion represents an equivalent to reproduction of human life.

Additionally, government mandates on health care providers and insurance programs are proven to increase costs and reduce availability of affordable health care.

This, in turn, will make health care less available to the most needy and vulnerable of our neighbors and citizens.

Finally, this bill, while imposing a provision that terminates life, does nothing to inform mothers of the nature of life that might be provided by mandating sonograms and counseling on alternatives to abortion. The law would be problematic in that it would impose a moral dilemma to organizations that are institutionally and morally opposed to abortion.

Andrew Geisler

Vancouver