Letter to the editor: Editorial on expanded abortion access a one-sided disappointment

I read, with disappointment, last week’s editorial about the shift of the abortion fight from the federal to state level (“Our View: Where is the public on abortion access? The writing is on the wall,” Aug. 13). The one-sided nature of your piece has become much more common than is healthy. Your editorial listed examples that reflected a groundswell in favor of abortion. In your opinion, that’s “a good thing.” The editorial claimed that elected officials were more conservative than their constituents.

Nathan Persinger of Hampden and other abortion opponents hold signs opposing L.D. 1619 outside the Maine House chamber at the State House in Augusta on June 7. The Judiciary Committee was holding a work session on L.D. 1619, a proposal to legalize abortion later in pregnancy if deemed medically necessary by a licensed physician. The bill was enacted July 6. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

The recent battle waged by Mainers over L.D. 1619, where we saw a historic turnout of voters testify against this bill for more than 24 hours and convene regularly to protest its passage, stands in stark contrast to your editorial.

Democratic leadership, fearing they lacked the votes, relied on underhanded tactics like demanding democratic legislators vote as a bloc, scrubbing government websites of documents about existing law, suspension of vote to ensure a majority. One legislator was instructed to pull her children from bed at night to meet the voting threshold. This reality reflects that our legislators are far more liberal than their constituents.

The pro-life battle is a formidable one. Pro-lifers here and across the country face many Goliaths: activists in government, well-funded abortion lobby, corporate entities and the media. But I was there for that historic night in Augusta and for the weeks following. I talked to legislators and others. The tide is turning. Pro-abortion advocates can sense it, too. We may have lost that vote, but it galvanized a whole new crop of engaged citizens for the battles ahead. We will reclaim surrendered ground.

Mary Fallon
Durham