Letters 3-6

Women’s rights

Political games wrong with women’s health

I have jokingly talked about the “religious wrong” when discussing contraception and birth control, including abortion.

But now I no longer am joking, I am dead serious. Political games with women’s health and women’s lives are shameful and wrong — and they must be stopped.

There are “people” (and I use the term loosely) in Washington working right now to pass legislation that would allow your boss to tailor your workplace’s health care plan to his religious beliefs. Yes. And worse yet, they are doing it in the name of “religious freedom.”

Wake up, America, this is not “religious freedom.” It is control of others. And let’s call a spade a spade: It is all about control of women and reproduction.

Shame on them for telling women who need affordable birth control that their narrow ideology matters more than their future.

It is unconscionable to cut all women off from life-saving medical care because these politicians are part of an outdated, outrageous pseudo-religious belief.

By the way, most all of you have it all turned around. We’re not saying all of you have to believe in contraception or abortion. But those who do, and need their health insurance to cover it, have every right to those things.

As for “leaving your values at the door,” no one is asking politicians to do that. Just don’t leave them at the door of American women who have the individual right to choose.

Shay Bintliff, MD

Waimea

HOVE well

It never reaches completion

I have lived in Ocean View for 20 years, and have shlepped drinking water to my home that entire time either from Waiohinu or Kealia.

The prospect of a well at Ocean View is naturally good news to me. However, it seems to be the project that never reaches completion.

Perhaps those in charge of the Ocean View Well Project should consult McDonald’s. Its new store at Kona Commons went up seemingly overnight.

Jerry Tracy

Ocean View