From IHM School

Cecilia Bryan - Class of 2012

February 10, 2010

Dear Mr. President,

I am an American girl and a citizen, who, like you, believes our country is wonderful. I also feel that it needs some changes. I really respect the fact that you are a president who believes in being a man of the people, and you want to make America better for future generations. Mr. President, this is a serious something I’ve had on my mind almost everyday, which involves the future of our country, and me personally as a teenager. I would sincerely appreciate it if you would be willing to give it some thought.

Are you glad to be alive? I am glad my parents made the decision, seemingly uncommon today, that I was worth something, or good enough to keep. “If we are alive, we can change things.”1 Abortion is a decisive refusal to let all those babies have a chance to life, to change things.

A baby’s life starts at conception, when the sperm cell fertilizes the egg, and, when this occurs, this tiny human’s hair, eye, and skin color, their gender, facial features, intelligence and personality are all present within their genetic code. Implantation usually happens five to seven days after conception. By the seventh week, all pain sensors are in place, the baby can feel pain, and will try to avoid it. By two months, all the organs are present and functioning. All nine months are devoted to the growth and development of this little miracle’s body. I believe that the unborn deserve the same rights that belong to the humans visible to the naked eye.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
➢Equality: You and every other American want equal rights, so please change America’s present policy, and give them to the helpless, unborn babies, who can’t even fight for them.
➢Unalienable: This means, as I’m sure you know, that their rights can’t be taken away. Contained within this is the fact that abortion takes away a baby’s rights, especially those pertaining to their right to life.
➢Life: Abortions (I’m sure you know the many types and procedures) end life.
➢Liberty: Liberty is the freedom to do the right thing. We, as a country, are killing millions of babies a year, and all the while American couples are adopting foreign babies. I think this is an irony that needs consideration. Maybe, if a mother cannot keep her own child, a qualified American family could adopt the baby. Then the baby would have the liberty to live and the mother could be free from the guilt and trauma accompanying an abortion.
➢Pursuit of Happiness: Abortion not only doesn’t give the babies a chance to pursue happiness, but the women suffer mentally and physically from it.

Sir, as a Christian, I’m sure you believe in the truth of the Bible. There is a commandment that God gave to man: “Thou shalt not kill.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines “kill”as: “1.a. to put to death; slay. b. to deprive of life.” Murder is defined as, “1. The unlawful killing of one human being by another, especially with malice aforethought.” I think, after thoughtful consideration, one will come to the realization that abortion kills babies.

I have eleven beautiful nieces and nephews, and one on the way. I can’t imagine, now that I’ve seen and held and played with most of them, that their parents could even think about killing them. Mr. President, you have two gorgeous daughters. You have lived with them for more than seven years. If you could go back in time, do you honestly think you would (or could) slaughter them by abortion?

Mr. President, I’m a fourteen year old girl, and I ask you on behalf of all the people of my generation, to please end abortion in this country. You swore, Sir, to uphold the Constitution, and defend it against foreign and domestic enemies. Abortion is an enemy of our country. It has changed for the worst our country’s outlook on the respect shown to human life. It is annihilating the babies which would make our beautiful country flourish and continue to be “The Land of the Free and The Home of the Brave”. Mr. President, please do the duty you swore before God to perform, change the course we as a country are set on, and end abortion now.

Respectfully yours,
Cecilia Bryan

1) (my italics added) from movie “I Am David”

Variations of this letter were sent to NH Representative Barbara Richardson, NH Senator Molly Kelly, US Congressman Paul Hodes, US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and US Senator Judd Gregg.

Received 3/3/10 – handwritten (with a pamphlet entitled “Steps Toward Inner Peace” by Peace Pilgrim):

2/24/10

Dear Cecilia Bryan,

Thank you for your letter. I am a pacifist, believing that disputes between nations should and can be settled peacefully; opposing war or violence as a means of resolving disputes and refusing to participate in military action. Many years ago I met Peace Pilgrim, a woman who walked across the country many times — more than 25,000 miles — spreading her message: “This is the way of peace: overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” She wore a tunic with pockets that contained her only possessions. I’m enclosing a pamphlet put out by her friends that describes her travels and beliefs. She was an amazing person who accomplished much good. As the result of meeting her I extended my pacifism to include animals and became a vegetarian, eating no meat or fish. I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 50 years. However, I do not expect nor do I pressure anyone else to become a vegetarian. Regarding abortion — I personally would not choose to have one but I believe that choice is up to each woman and her physician, depending upon individual decisions and circumstances. Adoption is a wonderful way for children to be cared for in the event their own parents cannot properly care for them. I am a social worker who has worked with children who were abused and neglected and were placed in foster care until their parents could improve conditions so they could be reunited as a family, or if that was not possible the children could be adopted. It is fine to help a woman through her pregnancy but then it is important to follow through and be sure she has sufficient help to care for her child in an appropriate and caring way.  Some parents, unfortunately, are unable to raise and care for their children. If society provided the proper resources for families — jobs at living wages, appropriate services to deal with mental illness, substance abuse and other difficulties, children would have a better chance at growing up as happy, productive persons.

I believe each of us has our personal beliefs and way of life, but I do not believe we must expect everyone to believe and act as we do.

I wish you well in your life and trust you are open to listening to people who do not necessarily believe as you do.

Sincerely,

[signed] Barbara Richardson

Received 3/4/10

Judd Gregg, New Hampshire
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510-2904

March 2, 2010

Dear Miss Bryan:

Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts and concerns regarding abortion. I appreciate hearing from you.

Like you, I do not support abortion. Abortion is the taking of a life, and, as such, I would oppose any legislative attempts to ensure abortion on demand. As Governor, I vetoed legislation that would have dramatically liberalized New Hampshire law governing abortion. As United States Senator, I will continue to oppose attempts to make abortion widely available.

Again, thank you for contacting my office; I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. If there are other issues of importance to you, please do not hesitate to get back in touch with me.

Sincerely,

[signed] Judd Gregg

JG/dh

Received 3/10/10

Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510-2906

February 25, 2010

Dear Cecilia,

Thank you for taking the time to contact my office regarding public funding of reproductive health care. I appreciate hearing from you about this important issue.

In 1976, Congress passed a law called the Hyde Amendment, which, in general, prohibits Medicaid from covering abortion services as part of the comprehensive health care provided to low-income people by the federal government. In addition to low-income women receiving Medicaid, the Hyde Amendment denies access to federally funded abortions for multiple other groups, including federal employees and their dependents, Native Americans, low-income residents of Washington, DC, military personnel and their dependents, and disabled women receiving Medicare.

I support a repeal of the Hyde Amendment as a crucial step toward ensuring equal access to health care for all women. Bans on abortion funding for low-income women are discriminatory and have dangerous public health implications. While the Hyde Amendment makes exception for lifesaving abortions, women with non-fatal cancers, diabetes, heart conditions or other serious medical risks are denied coverage despite having had the legal right to abortion for over thirty years. In addition, many Medicaid-eligible women are forced to postpone their abortions until late in their pregnancies or seek self-induced or illegal abortions, further jeopardizing their health.

The decision to end a pregnancy is a complicated and deeply personal choice for many women. While I strongly support efforts to reduce the number of abortions, I also believe that each woman must be trusted to make the right decision for herself and her family. Please know that as we debate health care reform, I am committed to preserving access to reproductive health care services for all women.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me, and please do not hesitate to contact my office with any future concerns.

Sincerely,

[signed] Jeanne Shaheen

Received 3/11/10

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

March 8, 2010

Dear Friend,

Thank you for taking the time to share your views on abortion. This is a heart-wrenching issue, and I appreciate your input and thoughts.

I am committed to making my Administration the most open and transparent in history, and part of delivering on that promise is hearing from people like you. I take seriously your opinions and respect your point of view on this issue. Please know that your concerns will be on my mind in the days ahead.

Thank you again for writing. I encourage you to visit WhiteHouse.gov to learn more about my Administration or to contact me in the future.

Sincerely,

[signed or stamped] Barack Obama

Received April 26, 2010

April 22, 2010

Dear Ms. Bryan,

Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts about a woman’s right to choose. I truly appreciate hearing from you, and I am working hard to stand up for New Hampshire’s interests in Congress.

I know that the issue of abortion is one that engenders very strong emotion from both its supporters and opponents. Whether or not to have an abortion is an extremely intimate decision that speaks to a woman’s conscience. I do not assume that passing judgment on a woman who has made this difficult choice is my responsibility as a person or as a legislator. Choosing to have an abortion is a difficult enough decision for any woman. Government should respect a woman’s right to choose. That said, I believe abortion should be safe, legal and rare. One way to cut down on the number of abortions is to place a very strong emphasis on comprehensive education and pregnancy prevention. As a society, we can demonstrate family values by truly valuing and supporting families.

A woman’s choice to have an abortion is a freedom, which is protected by the Constitution of the United Stated. I believe in a woman’s right to make this very personal choice in consultation with her physician, based on her individual circumstances and beliefs, and oppose any efforts to weaken that right.

I encourage you to continue to contact me about issues that are important to you. Please feel free to visit my website [sic] at www.hodes.house.gov where you can share your ideas with me, learn about the services I can provide to you, and sign up for my periodic email updates on what I am doing to help New Hampshire.

Sincerely,

[signed] Paul W. Hodes

Member of Congress