You can’t impose your beliefs through laws: Second Look

Letter to the editor:

In the most significant ruling on abortion rights in more than 20 years, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law widely regarded as the toughest in the nation.

The 2013 law required that physicians performing abortions have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, and that abortion clinics meet the minimum standards of surgical centers.

Although Texas lost the legal battle, the true intention of the law — limiting access to abortion services — has been achieved. Only a handful of clinics remain open, and doctors have been driven away. It is unlikely that any decision will change these any time soon, if ever.

The decision is a pyrrhic victory for pro-choice advocates. So long as conditions on the ground in Texas are as they are, the courts alone cannot be depended upon to defend against assaults on a woman's constitutional right.

Benjamin Moody; Huntsville, Ala.

Facebook comments are edited for clarity, length and grammar:

The Supreme Court made the right ruling. Americans really need to understand that just because they personally disapprove of something does not mean it is within their rights to force others to believe as they do. I personally oppose abortion, but I strongly support pro-choice.

— Mary Melcher