Many Catholics support birth control availability

In response to Kathleen Parker's Feb. 7 column, “Komen, Catholics and the cost of conscience.” Parker is biased and some facts are untrue.

I am a Catholic, wife, mother and grandparent. Many Catholics are supportive of President Obama's decision to include the availability of birth control products in the Affordable Care Act. More than 75 percent of Catholics choose to use some form of contraceptive. More than 60 percent of Catholics support a woman's right to choose an abortion. These figures reflect national population trends and data.

In the book, “The Means of Reproduction” by Michelle Goldberg, is a story of a young woman who worked for a Catholic institution and her pharmacy there refused to give her a birth control prescription, which she could not afford without insurance coverage and which was required for a menstrual condition. The condition worsened and she died shortly after.

Parker's column did not point out that all men and women, no matter what their faith denomination, or lack of one, can choose to not have any prescriptions filled for any product that their conscience would bother.

The news story about the Komen Foundation and its small funding of Planned Parenthood indicates the public interest in women's health care. Many people of all denominations support the good work and medical services that Planned Parenthood provides, especially to uninsured and young people. We must all be vigilant about our basic human rights and health care.

Linda Armitage

Cedar Rapids