U.S. divisiveness a bigger threat than Russia or China

Charles Beren, in the Dec. 11 Letters to the Editor, believes President Biden is weak and the U.S. and world are threatened as a result, ignoring the fact that Russia and China have been aggressors before Mr. Biden came to office. May I suggest that the U.S. is decidedly more threatened by a critical divisiveness and lack of trust in government? Jan. 6 demonstrated that. Until we can accept and respect our different political ideas and cease vilifying each other, we are in danger of self-destructing and thus destabilizing the world. We don't need help from Russia or China.

Beth Glass, Palm Beach

Abortion law reminiscent of E. Germany

In her important new book The Chancellor, a biography of Germany's legendary leader, Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, author Kati Marton recounts Merkel's first meeting with America's then-President, George W. Bush. Bush asked the Chancellor, "You really grew up in a police state?" Texas' new abortion law encourages anyone who is aware of a woman seeking an abortion to report the woman and will then be eligible to receive a monetary award for doing so. This sounds like East Germany to me. If this law is allowed to stand, Texas children will be growing up in a police state and, given abortion legislation being considered by Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature as an example, Florida's children may eventually grow up in one, too.

Dan Liftman, West Palm Beach

Columnist comes up short on abortion

I hold David Brooks in great respect for his kind heart and his desire to achieve balance in this partisan world. But he did not inform himself well on abortion after 15 weeks. How could he? Families who have learned after 15 weeks that a hoped-for pregnancy has a birth defect, or is threatening the woman’s health, are not going to tell him about their trauma. Women who are heavy, or near menopause, often don’t have regular periods; will they be telling David about their “mistake?”

Girls who ignore their missed period due to shame, lack of sex education, or just cluelessness, probably don’t live in David’s world. Or poor women who spend their lives, and all their money, organizing the care of their children and elders, and are in the habit of putting themselves last. Who hears these stories? Women’s Emergency Funds like Emergency Medical Assistance Inc., who give financial support in states without Medicaid coverage, like Florida. They also help with the travel needs of women living under abortion bans. Women who share their stories with EMA do not tell of “moral and emotional anguish,” but of relief. To achieve real balance, people of good will, like David, must hear those stories, too.

H. Joan Waitkevicz MD, West Palm Beach

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Internal divisions hurt U.S. more than Russia or China ever could