Insured forced to cover all kinds of illness

ad planned to stay silent on the topic of abortion coverage in the student insurance plan, my frustration level has hit bottom.

I’m sure that Gina Tortorella’s thoughtful and sincere letter published 3/23 reflects the sentiments of many students. However, I take issue with her statement that “no one should be forced into participating in something they believe is wrong.” First, no one is forcing anyone to have an abortion.

Medical insurance, taxes, tuition, etc. pay for many things that certain people might disagree with.

I disagree with the death penalty and the war in Iraq, but my tax dollars support both of these endeavors and I cannot opt out of paying for them.

I don’t think people should smoke – but my insurance plan pays for those who blatantly disregard all warnings and end up with emphysema or lung cancer.

Finally, abortion is a religious and medical issue. I am a Christian, I do not believe that my religious beliefs should govern everyone.

For those who think that opting out of paying for abortions is taking the moral high road, then please consider opting out of paying your taxes on April 15, unless of course you feel that killing an Iraqi five-year-old is more moral than aborting a five week old fetus.

Mary natvig Associate professor of music [email protected]

Find out why trustees held closed meeting

Perhaps the staff of Yhe BG News could use their privilege by actually finding out useful information.

For example, they could find out why the Board of Trustees had a closed meeting when discussing legal issues regarding the Student Health Insurance Plan.

Instead of writing highly offensive staff editorials criticizing activists in the community who actually take the time to participate in organizations that spread awareness about important issues, maybe the writers should really think about how much our community could do if we all did something constructive with our time.

Amanda M. Monyak Undergraduate Student [email protected]

Pro-choice means being able to choose

Maybe I don’t understand the term pro-choice.

When I hear this term I would like to believe that it means I have a choice and that folks who label themselves pro-choice are fighting to give me more choices.

Under the current BG health plan, being a male, I have one choice: Pay for elective abortions I cannot have.

As a female you have some choice: Have an elective abortion; don’t have an elective abortion.

And neither males or females have a choice of allowing their money to cover or to not cover elective abortions.

Now if we compare the choices, the new plan gives males one extra choice and females two extra choices!

Isn’t that what pro-choice should stand for (giving all people more choices)?

Maybe we should change the term pro-choice to “pro-Mandate Our View On Everyone So That I Get My Own Way And No One Else Gets A Choice.”

Robert C. Green II Graduate Student [email protected]