Readers write

PHIL SKINNER / PSKINNER@AJC.COM

PHIL SKINNER / PSKINNER@AJC.COM

Pregnancy prevention should also be a focus of abortion debate

As if we didn’t already have enough issues to divide our country, abortion has again come front and center.

While I don’t like the idea of abortion, I don’t think the government should dictate what a woman can do with her body. But what is surprising — and disappointing — to me is that all I’m hearing is the cry for greater access to abortion.

I don’t get it. Pregnancy is largely preventable. Instead of arguing for abortion on demand, shouldn’t we be focusing on greater efforts to prevent pregnancy? Have personal responsibility and accountability gone out of style?

I understand that accidents happen, and I think it’s appalling to force a woman to carry to term a pregnancy caused by rape or incest. But equally appalling is using abortion as a form of birth control. If people can access an abortion clinic, they can access contraception — and likely get it for free.

TRICIA GRINDEL, WOODSTOCK

Now, even gullible adults confuse fantasy with authenticity

In the 1950s, “Supermanwas a popular television show. As a marketing gimmick, Superman capes were sold to the public. A few naive kids attempted to “fly” like Superman. Voicing concern, actor George Reeves (as Superman) pleaded to have them taken off the market. He reminded children, “No one, but no one, can do the things Superman does. And that goes especially for flying!”

Today, it’s not a few naïve kids but thousands of ignorant and gullible adults who so often confuse fantasy with authenticity. “Reality” shows, essentially scripted fiction, are the current substitute for truth and genuineness.

Much of this might be attributed to weakness in education. Maybe we should be more concerned about the art of reading (reading for comprehension, reading for depth, reading for inspection) versus what the kids are reading. Maybe we should be concerned about something much deeper than inane and oft-repeated slogans.

J.M. SAULSON, PH.D., SNELLVILLE