Your editorial asserts, “These [Title X-funded family planning] services are critical” (“Resist censoring family planning,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 27). But are they, really?

Planned Parenthood apparently disagrees, seemingly caring less for non-abortion services widely claimed to represent 97% of their business, in voluntarily refusing all Title X grants nationwide to protest no longer being allowed to include abortion counseling. Likewise our governor, not tapping $2 million in Title X funding for Hawaii, as well as our Legislature, which voted only to partially replace these federal funds with our state money.

Interestingly, Title X has always explicitly excluded abortion as its final word: “None of the funds appropriated under this title shall be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.”

Clearly what is critical is protecting that 3% of the business: abortions sought for convenience.

David Beers

Waipahu

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