In our opinion, by being a co-sponsor of SB 1387, Rep. Vito Barbieri was not representing the majority of his constituency, but his own personal beliefs. We see no problem if he lives by his personal beliefs, as long as he does not force them unto others.

The March 28 article in The Spokesman-Review mentioned that “this bill made no exception for victims of rape or incest.”

It went on, and I am quoting exactly, “Barbieri, who is chairman of the board of a crisis pregnancy center in Coeur d’Alene, said that didn’t concern him. ‘My perspective is that it’s a life,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t matter to me how the baby was conceived.’ ”

This is outrageous. I suspect that Barbieri would probably change his tune if a member of his family was the victim.

How can he sponsor, as a Republican and by definition an opponent to government regulations, such an intrusion into the private lives of others? This is utter hypocrisy.

Come the next election we will certainly bring this subject up with our acquaintances.

Juergen Nolthenius

Coeur d’Alene