I write in response to M. Tracey Brooks' recent letter ("N.Y. Senate failed women's health," July 4).
The 32 members of the state Senate who bravely voted against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's late-term abortion amendment are to be applauded. Contrary to what Ms. Brooks would have readers believe, the abortion bill that Governor Cuomo and his allies are promoting is dangerous to women. This bill would effectively allow late-term abortion for any reason under a broad "health" exception. The bill would also allow non-physicians to perform abortions. For these reasons and others, the bill is a terrible idea.
Ms. Brooks appears to believe that New Yorkers can be fooled into supporting her organization's late-term abortion agenda, which she labels "comprehensive reproductive health care access." Reliable polls show that most New Yorkers oppose late-term abortion on demand and do not agree that non-physicians should be allowed to perform abortions. Once New Yorkers find out what the governor's bill would actually do, only the most ardent pro-abortion extremists will continue to advocate it.
The one area where Ms. Brooks and I agree is this: Next fall, New York voters — and women voters in particular — should remember whether their respective senators had the courage and compassion to say "no" to the governor's plan, or whether they gave in to the misleading rhetoric offered by abortion advocates.
Kirsten Smith
Director, Place of Hope Pregnancy Center, Rochester