It appears that the Virginia Board of Health will again have the opportunity to review the rules and regulations related to Women's Health Care Providers, and I implore you to consider my comments on this matter when deciding what action needs to be taken to continue to have readily available these legal services for all women who choose to use them.

In the past, rather than sending “letters to the editors” or unsolicited correspondence to elected officials, I usually express my opinion at the voting booth.  I hoped that the candidates of my voting choice would win and introduce legislation that they presented in their pre-election platform as well as supporting the laws which would be of benefit to most people in their districts, their Commonwealth/State and the USA.  I believe that the Founding Fathers of our great country were truly wise and compassionate people who provided us with a Constitution and Amendments that will remain relevant even after we have passed.  Religion has been here since humans have acquired the capacity to think, and it will be here, in some for or other, until the end of time.  Thus, these brilliant men chose to acknowledge the existence of various religions in our young nation and to protect the rights of the people to choose what they wished to believe.  I would hate to think that 40 years after our Supreme Court ruled that abortions are legal in the USA, there are elected or appointed government officials who refer to their personal religious tenets when making decisions that affect all people in our Commonwealth!

As we will be commemorating Memorial Day this coming Monday, I think appropriate to include not only the thousands of our men and women who sacrificed their lives in more recent times when trying to bring the light of Democracy to countries being ruled by Theocrats.  Also, we should remember the American Diplomats that were slaughtered in Libya and those killed and maimed in Boston at the Marathon.  These heinous acts were committed by persons who supposedly were following the dictates of their religions, which obviously led to a hatred of the USA and our principles.

I consider myself to be very fortunate and most appreciative of the opportunity that this great country afforded me as originally a refugee from Nazi Germany, a veteran of the US Army from the Korean War, and a former CEO from a government-approved health services provider.  It was and IS an honor to have pledged allegiance to my country and to defend its principles which are based on our CONSTITUTION  and ALL its (current and future) amendments.  They should serve for the benefit of all present and future residents or our beloved nation and as an example for others who are not as fortunate as we are. 

Sincerely,

Henry Bochner