Letter to the Editor: Legislating morality a bad idea

Dear Editor:

Over 40 years ago I was in Tennessee during an election where the predominant theme was prohibition.

Much to my surprise, I saw people who I knew were in the business of producing moonshine also campaigning in favor of prohibition. When i asked them why, they told me it is very simple. Prohibiting alcohol would increase the demand for moonshine and business would increase substantially.

The same could be said about the recent Supreme Court overturn of Roe v. Wade. It will not stop abortion. It will simply increase the number of illegal abortions and it will be a very attractive profitable opportunity for illegal abortion clinics.

Trying to moralize through legislation has never worked. We saw it during the Great Experiment which only increased crime and did not stop people from drinking. We see it when cigarettes makers continue to increase their profits in spite of many attempts to legislate them out of business and we will see it again with abortion.

Legislating against abortion will not stop it. It will simply drive it underground. If people want it, there will be somebody who will supply it.

Jorge Montero
Downey