“Leave your morality at the door!” was the demand given me by some after the I stood by my “no” vote turning down the Federal Grant called Title X for “family planning”.
Really, is that what the majority of citizens wants from those elected to lead our governing bodies? No morality?
Morality has been the heartbeat of this wondrous and unique nation since before the first musket shot was heard around the world. Those who first stepped upon our shore did so seeking religious freedom. Our very foundation of liberty is based upon the rock of Judeo-Christian faith. The First Amendment in our US Constitution protects both the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion, thus guaranteeing this nation the protection of never having a state sponsored religion such as The Church of England.
Many teach and would have you believe that it is freedom from religion. However, constitutional scholars will quickly correct that notion, unless of course, they are of the progressive left needing to promote their socialist beliefs upon the unsuspecting. I encourage every citizen to learn for themselves the truth of our founding fathers and the depths of their faith. It was from the pulpit that the concept of freedom first took flight.
My morality demands that a parent have the ultimate say over their minor children’s health and safety, not the government. And, I would ask, whose morals are embedded in the rules governing the acceptance of Title X family planning funds – the rules that strip away the right and responsibility of the parent? Are we then to accept those morals without question because they come from the federal government?
“In a July 29th, 2005 press release, the World Health Organization declared that combined estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives are carcinogenic to humans. Specifically, they said that, “Use of OC’s increases risk of breast, cervix, and liver cancer.” Research also shows that the earlier the carcinogens are taken, the higher the risk for cancer. This is backed by the companies that make birth control pills, the FDA, and the Mayo Clinic.
The fact is that any age child can go to a Title X clinic for not just birth control, but for testing and treatment of sexually transmitted disease and a pill that, no matter what those who wish to deny the truth tell you, usually results in a chemically induced abortion. All this forbidding parental notification. This is something I cannot support. Especially when little to no research is out on what the long term effects of these carcinogens are on the developing reproductive organs of our youth.
Really, mom and dad, grandparents, do you want your beloved children given drugs with that potential impact without your knowledge or guidance in helping with their decision making? Really? That is what the pro Title X people claim.
Water runs downhill, the path of least resistance. So to does human kind when enabled. Yes, there are some parents who do not communicate well with their children or worse yet, are uncaring or abusive. However, to deny the huge majority of parents their rights to oversee their children’s lives when it comes to medical procedures and medications, to not demand a full health history which needs parental involvement when dealing with minors prior to giving birth control pills, STI treatments and morning after pills, that is simply something I cannot support.
Talking to one’s parents about these issues is embarrassing and difficult; however, not having that check takes away the balance in decision making for a minor. No talk with mom about birth control, cool I can be sexually active at 11 or 12 and no one who is responsible for me needs to know. “Why do I feel so sick, hey, don’t go to mom, go to the public health nurse, she knows what is best for me.” Really, parents?
A child cannot be given an aspirin at school, get a piercing or tattoo without parental consent, yet we are to accept that any age child can get treatment by strangers for reproductive health without such involvement. The law states that a parent cannot prevent a minor child from getting reproductive health care so why deny them the right to participate in an area where children are most vulnerable?
Suzy Foss
Ravalli County Commissioner
