In response to Kyle Coveart's inflammatory letter, "Fetus is human, not merely 'wad of cells'" (SN 2/10), I would like to stand up for the "left in this country" in negating his statement that we are pro-choice because "pregnancy is such an inconvenience to (our) promiscuous sexual lifestyles."

Not only is this an atrocious statement to make, but it is extremely fallacious. I can speak with great certainty when I say that I was not the only one offended by these remarks. To imply that women seek abortions to remain sexually appealing and more able to have sexual relationships is very degrading.

As a woman who was adopted, I am by all means thankful that my birth mother chose adoption over abortion and I have great respect for the value of a human life. However, I also consider a woman's ability to control her own reproductive organs of great importance. Coveart refers to those in favor of this right as pro-abortionists — however, I do not know of anyone who is telling everyone they must get an abortion. It is instead a pro-choice movement, merely giving each individual woman the ability to choose for themselves what to do with their body.

Rather than condemning those who are pro-choice, it is more important to examine the root of the problem. The problem is not abortion itself, but the reason why some women are put in the position of having an unwanted pregnancy in the first place.

By pushing an abstinence-only agenda and not educating the public, as well as having pharmacists who deny women access to birth control, women are put in the situation of needing an abortion, a more expensive and risky procedure than a birth control pill. Those who want the United States to be abortion-free should put more energy into advocating ways to avoid pregnancy in the first place, instead of telling adults that they cannot be in a sexual relationship.

Kris Johnson
nutritional sciences and premedical senior