Jake asks whether I would have been opposed to Rebecca Allison's letter to the editor if she hadn't highlighted the religious underpinnings of her reasoning. I would still have written the response because I believe that the Pence Amendment was not something that should've been supported in any way. The amendment was designed soley to attack one organization, Planned Parenthood, and served to appease anti-choice voters (the large majority of whom are religious). Furthermore, the great majority of anti-choice advocates are drawn from the ranks of religious groups and religion forms the back-bone of their opposition to reproductive rights. As for Congressman English, he has publicly stated his opposition to abortion rights and federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. His membership in the "Pro-life Caucus" speaks for itself.

Also, thank you James of Butler for the compliments you paid me in your webletter.