The birth of misconceptions

It seems that your editorial page has promoted some misconceptions. Let me help clear them up:

First off, no one is asking taxpayers to pay for college student birth control. This argument would be valid if we had single-payer health care, but we do not. Insurance pools the costs of health care only among the policyholders.

Second, birth control pills have one dosage. Whether the patient is single, married, monogamous or promiscuous, or even if they take the pill for non-contraceptive uses, there is one pill taken every day, therefore one cost.

Third, it is up to each one of us to decide how large our family will be; not a Republican presidential candidate, not a church, not a university. Freedom of religion ends when the church gets into the business of education, health care, or anything else beyond its front door.

If we can’t start off with facts, we can’t have an informed discussion. Discussions are good.

Oh, and one more thing. Shame on you for censoring Doonesbury last week and preventing a discussion. I hope, however, many print readers you have left find the storyline from a less timid source.

I know I have.

Tim Hamm

Spokane