Letters: Anti-abortion laws a hate crime. Time to mandatory vasectomies.

Make abortion harder to need

As expected, the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade and access to abortion in this country has changed dramatically. In our state and across the country, many have welcomed this occurrence.

For those celebrating, let me give an important reminder: Your journey is not finished; it is only beginning.

More: The day that Roe v. Wade fell: Panic, praise at Ohio's abortion clinics

If your goal is to reduce the number of abortions that happen (rather than some other goal, such as rendering women second-class citizens), it is vital to remember that simply making abortion illegal will not get you to that goal: there is real work to be done.

Now is the time to make abortion not just harder to get, but harder to need. We do that by improving health and reproductive education, by providing reliable access to contraception for those whose moral code allows it, by strengthening and supporting adoption and fostering, and by providing economic stability in our society so no woman ever feels she cannot afford to have a baby, and no family feels they cannot raise that baby.

If that sounds like hard and long-term work, you’re right. Being pro-life is an everyday, all-year, rest-of-your-life commitment. It is more than easy slogans and passing a law or two.

Being pro-life is difficult.

Now is the time to prove yourself.

Mark Passerrello, Westerville

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Give babies to Clarence Thomas

In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling on abortion rights and a woman's right to choose what happens to her body, I think the next appropriate step would be mandatory vasectomies for men.

No age limit required for this. After all, women don't have any choices. Why shouldn't men face the same lack of choice?

More: Letter: Fathers need to take responsibility for kids

I suggest that women who are forced to have a baby that they cannot care for or afford, or a baby conceived by rape or incest gently put the child on the front porch of Judge Clarence Thomas. I'm sure he will welcome these babies with open arms.

Sandra Oleske, Etna

Anti-abortion laws a hate crime

Ohio broadly defines a hate crime as a criminal act which is: (1) motivated by prejudice or intolerance; and (2) is directed toward a member of a specific racial, religious, gender, or social group. Clearly, as shown below, the state's anti-abortion laws fall under this definition, and thus, I propose a new term – the “legislative hate crime.”

The Supreme Court's gutting of Roe v. Wade last week is just the latest assault in the decades-long Republican Party's war against women.

In Ohio, a law banning abortions after six weeks has been allowed to go into effect, and Republican legislators are considering an absolute ban.

More: Columbus groups at forefront of abortion fight plan for future after fall of Roe v. Wade

This isn't about the sanctity of life. If it were, our legislature would long ago have taken action to address the many issues that negatively affect women and children in the state, from income inequality to infant mortality.

No, this is about returning women to the status of chattel as existed 150 years ago.

Anti-abortion laws do real violence toward women.

They will not stop abortions; they will only force women to seek unsafe procedures in back alleys and on kitchen tables as was the case in times past. And women will die as a result.

What can we do?

We can vote.

This November, go to the polls to make sure that no Republican is returned to office. It's really that simple.

Tom Baillieul, Columbus

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Time to mandatory vasectomies. Anti-abortion laws a hate crime