To the Editor:
Ross Douthat writes, “Monogamy, not chemicals or latex, is the main line of defense against unwanted pregnancies.” This is the highest order of absurdity. Monogamy doesn’t prevent pregnancies. Monogamous women become pregnant all the time, both accidentally and deliberately. Accidental pregnancies take place either from failure to use birth control or from a birth control method that has failed.
Even the best, most loving families may do everything possible to short-circuit an unwanted pregnancy, and why not? That birth will probably cause a major deterioration in the lifestyle of everyone affected. Major expenditures of money, time and labor will be required for a very long time if there is a new baby.
When the baby isn’t planned and birth control has failed, abortion becomes the primary mechanism for avoiding this immense disruptive happening. Despite the many times one sees it argued in print, a very large portion of the people in this country see nothing morally wrong with abortion.
W. MOSELEY
Towson, Md., Feb. 19, 2012
Note from KBJ: By the letter writer's logic, parents should be able to kill their infants, not merely their fetuses.
