Letter: Do we want religious right making rules?

Saturday, Nov. 4, 2000 | 3:20 a.m.

Brian Greenspun ended his Oct. 29 column, "Bush threatens freedom," with the statement: "I await the mail." Here is a response he may not have expected.

You are absolutely correct! I am a retired obstetrician-gynecologist and certainly do not wish to see a return to the horrors of illegal abortions before Roe v. Wade.

However, the issue is much broader than just abortion. The religious right has an agenda which a President Bush would help fulfill.

Although Bush says he trusts the people to make their own choices, in matters of religion he would allow people such as Pat Robertson and Ralph Reed to make those choices. Their goals pertain not only to abortion but to prayer in school (adults cannot accept differences among religions -- how can we expect it from children?) and to school vouchers.

Freedom of religion would mean only for those who agree with those making the rules.

We certainly do not need more Neanderthals such as Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court. It is unfortunate that a large percentage of the population does not understand what is at stake and may wake up only after they lose some of their freedoms.

ALVIN LANGER, M.D.

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