Abortion right activists don't get it. We lost a daughter not a potential human being| Letters

Letters to the Editor
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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 21: (L-R) Rev. Pat Mahoney, Peggy Nienaber of Faith and Liberty and Mark Lee Dickson of Right to Life East Texas pray in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on April 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. Organized by The Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution, the small group of demonstrators called on the Supreme Court to affirm Federal District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's ruling that suspends the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775968886 ORIG FILE ID: 1483862729

Our daughter's life was sacred

Three years ago, I gave birth to our stillborn daughter Phoebe.

Early on, we were told she had trisomy 18 and was "not compatible with life." I carried her for 34 weeks while we purposefully loved her every day. She passed peacefully. Although we couldn't bring Phoebe home or hold her alive, she was very much alive inside me.We did not lose a pregnancy, nor did we lose a "potential human being."

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We lost a daughter, sister, cousin, and granddaughter. Phoebe made us better people, reminding us of the value of life. She taught us to love more fiercely.

We could have terminated her life, allowing her to be dismembered in a painful late-term abortion. If we had made such a "choice" and stolen the life that Phoebe had, we would have also robbed ourselves of the joy we discovered in knowing her.Proponents of Issue 1 disregard these young, innocent humans and boast that a woman's choice to abort her child reigns supreme over that child's innate value.

Our view: Issue 1 opponents want Ohio to have the most extreme abortion ban in US. Don't let them.

Life does not lose value simply because it is inconvenient, imperfect, or unwanted by someone. We may all meet that criteria in time. Every human life is sacred.

Issue 1, if passed, will allow abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. This is one of many reasons I will vote "no" on November 7.

Sarah Bellman, Celina

Support Life Saving Leave Act

In 2015, I was diagnosed with a blood cancer, multiple myeloma, and needed a stem cell transplant to survive. My story is unique—I was the donor and recipient.

Doctors collected my stem cells, and after undergoing chemotherapy, replaced the cells in my body to produce cancer-free cells. It worked and I have been off treatment for two years. Not all patients have that option in their search for a cure and so they depend on a volunteer donor.

With the establishment of a national bone marrow registry in the mid-1980s, Congress promised patients with blood cancers that they would have a way to find a life-saving donor match. 70 percent of people don’t have a match in their family and rely upon National Marrow Donor Program to find one.

I recently discussed the Life Saving Leave Act with staff for U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson, R-12th Congressional District.

This bipartisan bill would give bone marrow donors the same basic job protections that kidney and other organ donors have, guaranteeing 40 non-consecutive hours of unpaid leave from work.

This means they can take time off to save a life, without the fear of losing their jobs. I hope Rep. Balderson will consider cosponsoring this critical legislation.

Jim Lubinsky, Galena

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Ginther should share the stage with Motil

My thanks to the Dispatch for publishing last Monday a long, front-page story reporting in detail on the two candidates for mayor of Columbus: Joe Motil and Andy Ginther. Voters need to know about both candidates.

I am very disappointed that Ginther has refused to defend his record in public debates or candidates' nights.

He should share the stage, explain his accomplishments, provoke dialogue and energize a campaign that invites citizens to participate in the democratic process. Thirty-second attack ads are no substitute for dialogue.

I also am disappointed by city council and the Franklin County Democratic Party that created a system of council by districts, but with all council members elected citywide. That was done to ensure that a Democratic-leaning city leaves little room for Republicans and independents to find representation.

The result is fewer candidates running for public office. Six of the nine Council districts have only one candidate. The four candidates for Franklin County Municipal Court have no opposition. Only four candidates are on the ballot for the four seats on the Columbus Board of Education.

Ultimately, voter interest in elections will decline as the outcomes will be preordained by the Franklin County Democratic Party. If voter participation declines in Franklin County, that will impact state and national elections as fewer urban and suburban voters will be a counter-balance to the energized Trump supporters of rural Ohio.

Stephen A. Sterrett, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Issue 1 supporters disregard lives like my daughters for women's choice