To the Editor:

Does Issue 1 impact the right of parents to be involved in their child’s “reproductive decisions”? Advocates for Issue 1 say no, because the words “parent’s rights” aren’t used in the amendment. However, the word “abortion” isn’t used in the U.S. Constitution either, but the U.S. Supreme Court found a “federal right to abortion” there on Jan. 22, 1973. It would be incredibly naïve to believe that the wording of this amendment wasn’t carefully crafted by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood to advance their causes on numerous fronts in future court cases.

For instance, this amendment guarantees “every individual” the right to make and carry out their own “reproductive decisions”. “Every Individual” includes a 7-year-old son or grandson and a 12-year-old daughter or granddaughter, doesn’t it? Every individual means “every” individual! It’s no accident that the authors of this amendment didn’t focus solely on “adult women” getting abortions. They are after your kids and grandkids!

So how do they do it without using the words “parental rights”? The amendment criminalizes “anyone” who interferes with a child’s exercise of these new rights. “Anyone” includes the parents! A parent will be guilty of infringing on their child’s newfound constitutional right if they try to steer them away from making certain “reproductive decisions”. And this isn’t just abortion, this is trans-gender medications and surgeries as well. Anything remotely related to human sexuality. Parents will become criminals for helping their children make the right choices during vulnerable periods of their lives. This amendment puts little children in charge of “reproductive decisions” and “protects” them from “parental interference”.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office recently released a legal analysis of the amendment and its likely impact on many of Ohio’s existing laws. Email me if you want a copy. You shouldn’t be surprised to find that many laws that the authors of this amendment have unsuccessfully challenged in court will not survive future challenges if this amendment passes. The language in this amendment is purposely written to overturn laws they don’t like, including parental consent laws.

Issue 1 creates radical “new” rights that go way beyond what was legal under Roe versus Wade and turns the family unit on its head by putting vulnerable children in charge of their “reproductive decisions” and stripping their parents of their rights to care for them.

Vote “No” on Issue 1.

Dan Cecil – [email protected]

Sidney