Saturday's letters: Result of abortion access, arts protocol, antibody ban, more

Abortion allowed happy, productive life

This is how a safe, affordable, legal abortion shaped my life.

I finished college, the first person in my family to do so. I was a teacher for 30 years. I was paid well and had health benefits and a pension.

I could afford to raise two daughters, buy a home and keep that home after my first husband left me. I traveled with my daughters domestically and internationally, and provided them with opportunities like skiing and summer camp. I sent my daughters to college.

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I helped my daughters with their life goals, assisted them in buying their homes, provided swimming and dance lessons and extracurricular educational opportunities for my grandchildren, and hosted family vacations.

We had these opportunities because I was able to complete my college degree, which was possible because I did not have to proceed with an unwanted pregnancy, raise a child I could not afford or struggle with potential poverty and homelessness.

Access to a legal abortion provided a quality of life not only for me, but for my children that I eventually had, born to a mother who could afford to provide for them. Please explain to me why anyone would prevent a woman from having this choice.

Sharon Carloni, Bradenton

Safely attend Sarasota’s cultural events

No one has to miss the rich cultural offerings available in Sarasota – in person – in order to feel safe from COVID, thanks to the arts community’s adoption of its #SafeArtsSarasota protocol.

This protocol, which requires a negative test or proof of vaccination, plus continuous mask wearing inside, applies to most of the performing arts organizations in the community, and is essentially the same protocol used by Broadway theaters.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to our Sarasota arts organizations for blazing such a responsible trail for the rest of the community.

Obviously, each person must decide for himself what “safe” means, but I feel totally safe sitting in an audience surrounded by my negatively tested or vaccinated neighbors, all of whom are wearing masks.

I’m so grateful to be able to enjoy Sarasota’s amazing cultural bounty – in person – once again.

Roz Goldberg, Sarasota

Antibody ban: Does DeSantis know best?

My, oh my! I had no idea that Gov. Ron DeSantis, among all his degrees, had one in science as well.

Obviously, he thinks he has more knowledge and credibility than the scientists and doctors at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Medical Association and U.S. Health and Human Services (“DeSantis condemns FDA ban,” Jan. 26)?

DeSantis claims that President Joe Biden has supported the FDA’s ban on antibody treatments “without a shred of clinical data …”

What does he think the personnel at the FDA, AMA and HHS have been doing all their lives? For Pete’s sake! They aren’t running for office.

This all sounds like a political ploy to get more votes and create more dissension about COVID and its spread. Please, Gov. DeSantis, you are better than that.

Let’s stop the spread – along with this nonsense. Let's trust science, and use a little logic and critical thinking. Enough already!

Gary Pakulla, Sarasota

White ‘discomfort’ bill epitome of racism

Last week, a bill backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis was approved by the state Senate Education Committee. This bill, if passed, would prohibit public schools and private businesses from inflicting “discomfort” on white people during lessons or training about discrimination.

The intended and unintended consequences of such legislation could be seriously harmful. It is the epitome of racism to legislate that only white people are protected from discomfort.

If SB 148 is signed into Florida law, schools could be sued for teaching American and world history on topics regarding conflict over Native American lands, slavery and the Civil War, the Holocaust and many current events.

This would not be education. It would be indoctrination of only one viewpoint, that of white comfort. No one should be “comfortable” with this possible legislation!

Bonnie Menken, Nokomis

Bad actions result in bad consequences

For a government or a society to endure, it needs wise, informed leaders, and these are hard to find. The selfishness of each person quickly affects others. A selfish employee who steals from his company ruins its productivity. A selfish driver who drinks before taking the wheel makes the state highways unsafe.

A selfish spouse who has an adulterous affair often breaks up several families. When people live for themselves with little concern about the effect of their actions, the resulting, moral rot contaminates the entire nation.

Are you part of the problem or the solution?

Earl E. Crawford, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Abortion changed her life, antibody ban, DeSantis bill racist