Whatever your religious views, you have no right to violate the right to an abortion | Opinion
As president of the Florida Interfaith Coalition for Reproductive Health and Justice, I know that faith leaders and people of faith in our communities support the autonomy and well-being of all people. We trust Floridians to exercise their right to make medical and moral decisions about their reproductive health care. We believe these decisions are best made freely, informed by their personal values, supported by their doctors, families and spiritual advisers, and are protected under both the U. S. and Florida constitutions.
We are not alone in grounding these commitments in our religious and ethical beliefs.
We join the world’s religious traditions in affirming the sanctity of life. But we acknowledge that there is no moral or theological consensus about when life begins or what constitutes personhood. These are complex questions that theologians and philosophers have argued about for centuries. What is dangerous is when individuals try to write their personal answers to these questions into law and impose them on the rest of us.
Our sacred texts neither condemn nor prohibit abortion. In fact, they call us to lean toward compassion when someone makes personal decisions about their health care. And when someone makes the decision to have an abortion, the care they receive should be safe, accessible, affordable and free from shame, judgment and the interference of government.
We condemn physical and verbal violence and harassment directed against abortion clinics, their staff and their clients, including recent attempts to penalize them. No government committed to human rights and democracy can privilege the teachings of one religion over another. No single religious voice can speak for all faith traditions on reproductive health care, nor should the government take sides on religious differences.
The Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant person’s right to safe and legal abortion care without excessive government restrictions. The Florida Constitution protects the right of privacy to access abortion care to an even greater extent than the U.S. Constitution. People making reproductive decisions must have the right to apply or reject the principles of their own faith without additional legal restrictions being imposed at the local level. We adamantly oppose any attempt to make specific religious doctrine concerning abortion the law for all Americans.
Therefore, we call on local policymakers to:
Reject unconstitutional city and county ordinances aimed at banning abortion and shaming those who seek care and those who support these patients.
Stop attempting to penalize healthcare providers and advocates for providing access to safe and legal reproductive health care.
Ensure that all residents in the community have access to legal, safe and affordable reproductive care.
Katharine Lannamann is president of the Florida Interfaith Coalition for Reproductive Health and Justice.
This story was originally published July 22, 2021 at 11:57 AM.