More than abortion | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Abortion, and a presidential candidate's position on abortion, ought not be the single reason for a voter's choice. Yet for many it seems to be a strong, even determining, motivation, because it is seen as so evil.

The American president must make critical crisis decisions about so many ills in the world that are far more evil: nuclear war, genocide, babies starving to death in a world flowing with milk and honey — these are more evil.

Young girls raped by enemy soldiers have no access to safe abortion, and the child born of the rape is seen as evil by her family and neighbors, and the girl is disowned. Millions die of tuberculosis and AIDS, when those and other fatal conditions are preventable and treatable. Only the privileged can rely on safe, clean water to drink.

The president of the United States is considered to be the most powerful person in the world. How can we voters (in fairness) decide who that person will be based only on a stand on abortion?

Priscilla Astling

Salt Lake City