Letter: Constitutional Amendment 2 will strip women of their right to medical care
To the editor,
I am writing in response to the letter from Amelia Clements from Cox’s Creek. As the treasurer of the Democratic Executive Committee and president of the Democratic Woman’s Club of Nelson County, I feel that it is necessary to clear up the rhetoric regarding the proposed Amendment to the constitution known as Amendment Two.
First, the flyer that was mailed did not imply that the candidates running for office are supporting Amendment Two; nor did it imply that the candidates were or were not pro-life. A person’s stance on abortion is a personal belief and has no place in the political races for magistrate, judge executive, jailer, PVA or Coroner. In fact, it should have no place in the political process at all; it is a medical decision that one person has to make. It should not be made for her by politicians.
Second, Amendment Two is NOT a pro-life amendment to the constitution that would prevent tax dollars from being used to kill unborn babies. Kentucky already has a law that prevents public funds from being used to fund abortion. Health plans offered in the state’s health exchange under the Affordable Care Act can only cover abortion in case of life endangerment. Abortion is not covered in insurance policies for public employees. Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest. However, Kentucky’s trigger law went into effect in August, which prohibits abortion except as necessary to prevent possible death or risk of permanent injury to the pregnant woman.
Amendment Two IS an amendment that would deny women their constitutional right to make medical decisions about their own health and well-being. If you vote yes on this amendment, you are prohibiting approximately 2,240,299 females in Kentucky of their constitutional rights to medical care. I would rather put medical decisions about my life in the hands of my doctor and my God – not my elected officials.
Before you condemn these candidates and make assumptions, you need to understand that we already have the second most restrictive abortion law in the country (Texas has the most restrictive). So all Amendment Two will do if passed is ensure that all women in Kentucky have lost equal rights under the law. If you are a woman in Kentucky do you really want to be a second-class citizen?
Martha A Nest
treasurer, Nelson County Democratic Executive Committee
president, Democratic Woman’s Club of Nelson County
Bardstown
