As researchers studying abortion after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling, we are alarmed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promise to implement the president’s national anti-abortion policies.
As health and human services secretary, Kennedy will oversee the Food and Drug Administration, the agency with regulatory authority to approve mifepristone. The combined use of mifepristone and misoprostol now accounts for 63% of abortions in the United States. Other high-income countries have even higher rates — in Finland, Sweden and Norway, nine out of 10 abortions are safely performed through this drug regimen. Since it was first granted FDA approval in 2000, mifepristone has proven to be safer than Tylenol and prescription drugs like penicillin and Viagra. But if the FDA rescinds approval, residents of states with abortion restrictions who could have accessed medication abortion with licensed providers through telemedicine will have to travel for care or source abortion medication from illicit pathways.
For lower-income women of color who are both most likely to seek abortions and face the biggest obstacles to getting them, traveling is exceptionally complicated and requires time off work, finding child care and trekking long distances. Traveling for abortions is expensive, and abortion-seekers must cobble together funding from abortion and practical support funds to cover costs. Coordinating these details is often overwhelming, and misinformation from anti-abortion organizations augments obstacles to receiving care.
Surrounded by five states that restrict abortion access, Illinois has experienced a 71% increase in out-of-state abortions since 2020. It has become a sanctuary for those seeking reproductive health care by passing legislation to increase the pool of eligible providers, prevent the spread of misinformation, and protect providers through shield laws.
Other rights-protective states can follow suit and do more. If mifepristone is re-regulated, clinics and funds will need more resources as they switch to alternative medication protocols and prepare for an influx of travelers. States could increase state-level Medicaid payouts for abortions and provide grant funding to abortion funds and clinics. They can also expand shield laws to include provisions that protect doctors who prescribe medication abortion to those living in states with bans.
New protocols that don’t rely on mifepristone are being tested for efficacy. With the looming threat of further restrictions to access coming from the federal government, rights-protective states will need to step up to protect women’s right to bodily autonomy.
Claire Decoteau, professor of sociology, and Kim D. Ricardo, law professor, University of Illinois Chicago
SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 375 words.
Trump’s pardon of Blagojevich lets corruption spread
Throughout Rod Blagojevich’s race against my late mother, Judy Baar Topinka, for Illinois governor in 2005, campaign advertisements would state “What is she thinking?” as if to indicate that she was mentally unfit to lead. Blagojevich’s defamatory campaign against my mother was treacherous and untrue. Legal proceedings against Blagojevich came too late, not only for Baar Topinka’s campaign for governor but also for the state, which still suffers from many of the dismal policies that Blagojevich espoused while governor.
The rule of law was mocked by Blagojevich who embodied the “pay for play” politician. Many agreed with my Republican mother that Blagojevich was unethical and corrupt, including his own Democratic leaders who led the impeachment and removal of Blagojevich from the position of governor in 2009.
My late mother often told me that people would come to Blagojevich’s office when he was governor asking various constituent questions. His office was less than accommodating. These people were just your average Illinois citizens trying to get help from their governor. They often ended up at Treasurer Topinka’s office for help instead. Judy Baar Topinka never turned people away, whether they contributed money to her or not. Blagojevich was the model of making money off his elected position, with a resulting campaign “war chest” of more than $20 million when he ran against my mother.
Mr. President, you have now allowed a cancer from Illinois to regenerate and possibly spread to another country. What were you thinking, Sir?
Joseph Baar Topinka, New Braunfels, Texas
Return the Columbus statues
Comes the dawn!
Congratulations and cheers to Ald. Anthony Napolitano for having the courage to stand up in Chicago’s City Council and call for the return of the statues of Christopher Columbus. The alderman is so right. The maligned reputation of Columbus by history revisionists brought Chicago politicians to their knees, as former Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for the “temporary removal,” of the images.
We at the Italian American Human Relations Foundation of Chicago concur that the city has perfectly demonstrated the term coined by the alderman, “selective censorship,” of public art. Clinée Hedspeth can’t have it both ways. As commissioner of cultural affairs and special events, her reasoning and refusal to remove what some have called an offensive piece of artwork flies right into the illogical rational that has kept the Columbus statues in secret storage since 2020, suffering the same fate as the magnificent artwork at being hidden at the University of Notre Dame. Let’s pray that the powers that be all come to their senses.
Lou Rago, president, Italian American Human Relations Foundation of Chicago
No time to waste on Peoples Gas
As a ratepayer to Peoples Gas, I believe the utility wants to continue its business-as-usual strategy of locking in Chicagoland residents to burning gas far into the future. Despite the need for decarbonizing our buildings from polluting fossil fuels and mitigating the climate crisis, Peoples Gas wants to perpetuate their business model to the detriment of our environment and the lives of future generations.
The Peoples Gas pipeline replacement plan in its current form is a wasteful expenditure. Buildings in Chicago account for 70% of fossil fuel emissions in the city and we need to swiftly decrease those emissions. Instead, Peoples Gas seeks to maintain the status quo. The City of Chicago and the state of Illinois need a comprehensive plan to transition homes away from methane gas for heating and cooking and toward electrification of appliances such as cooking stoves, water heaters, boilers and furnaces.
We don’t have time to wait. The climate crisis is upon us with the fury of uncontrolled wildfires, ever more violent storms that devastate communities and cause billions in damage while deadly heat waves kill the most vulnerable among us and lead to destructive droughts that are costly to farmers.
The Illinois Commerce Commission should only approve replacement pipelines based on actual safety issues and not on the greed of Peoples Gas and their Wall Street investors. We can’t afford any more wasteful spending on fossil fuel infrastructure by Peoples Gas. Doing so will only make the climate crisis worse!
Larry Coble, Albany Park
Protecting freedom of artistic expression
As the debate continued in the City Council over the removal of the puppet display in the Cultural Center, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) warned us of the dangers and far-reaching effects that removal of the puppets would bring. The dire consequences for freedom of expression and the values we cherish are at risk. The road to fascism begins with banning provocative art. Before World War ll, Hitler in Nazi Germany ordered the removal of “degenerate” art from public viewing. The art in question here is not anti-Israeli or anti-American — it is their government’s war and complicity in Gaza. It is anti-genocide.
Rabbi Sharon Borous of IKAN said during a television interview that we must recognize genocide for what it is, no matter who commits it. The principle behind ‘Never Again’ applies to anyone, anywhere. ‘Never Again’ implies a moral obligation to stand against genocide with any non-violent means available. Extremists may use any means of censorship to suppress the truth. This means excluding facts and opinions that are contrary to their position.
“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” (Flannery O’Connor)
Out democracy is at risk when these tactics are employed by government officials. Prevent this from occurring by not barricading the road to the truth.
Roberta Motanky, Rogers Park
Not an issue of free speech
To properly frame the relevant issue about the anti-American, antisemitic puppet “art” now on display at the Chicago Cultural Center, people should ask a simple question: would a similar puppet of Mayor Brandon Johnson be displayed?
Seriously, if there was a puppet of Johnson with racist, exaggerated features with blood on his hands depicting all the crime in Chicago, would it be displayed? Or if the puppet displayed Palestinians as evil, murderous, blood-thirsty animals, would that be ok? Of course not.
To be clear, the issue of the puppet now on display has nothing to do with the First Amendment. It has nothing to do with “censorship.” It only has to do with discretion.
The First Amendment would only apply if the government seized or censored the display from a private home or gallery, which obviously is not the case here.
Simply stated, nobody has the right to have their art displayed at the city’s cultural center. The First Amendment is inapplicable. Instead, the curator made a choice, reflecting the city’s values. The fact the mayor has not criticized it or demanded it be taken down speaks volumes.
The city is not “censoring a viewpoint.” To the contrary, it is voluntarily promoting a viewpoint, and just one viewpoint, as there are no pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian puppets displayed. It’s actually the opposite of censorship.
Remember, this is the Chicago Cultural Center, so apparently the display reflects the current culture (and values) of Chicago. As such, the people of Chicago are being used and manipulated like a puppet.
William Choslovsky, Sheffield Neighbors
Musk, Trump ‘stripping government for parts’
As an elder, I’ve lived through many political crises in this country — but I have never seen an attack on our democracy like this. In the past, there was bipartisan opposition to lawlessness. Today, the guardrails are being dismantled before our eyes, and we must sound the alarm. Musk/Trump are stripping the government for parts, and soon all we’ll have left is an empty chassis sitting on blocks by the side of the road.
Only the oligarchs will benefit from this destruction. They’ll profit from it directly with decreased taxation and oversight, and indirectly from the sense of helplessness and political apathy it will create, which will deliver the state into their hands. This is the typical playbook perfected by 20th century neo-fascists like Vladimir Putin, and it’s happening here.
Zachary Schiffman, West Ridge
Get federal debt under control by making wealthy pay
In response to Larry Craig’s letter about federal layoffs saving money, I agreed with several of his points, such as we need to get a handle on our spending and that our national debt will bring the government crashing down if we don’t get it under control.
However, I disagree with indiscriminately firing thousands of dedicated government workers who do important work in this country, such as medical research and helping veterans. The money saved by doing this will be a pittance compared to how much money we could save if we put a stop to Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy, which amount to about $4 trillion over the next decade.
Furthermore, wealthy tax cheats cost this country an estimated $688 billion in 2021 and could near $1 trillion this year, but President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are reportedly firing people at the IRS, who could recoup this money. We could fund Social Security and Medicare for decades if we would eliminate the Social Security tax cap and make the wealthy pay their fair share. Quit giving wealthy people and corporations tax breaks they don’t need. That is how you reduce the national debt, a debt that Mr. Trump increased by trillions during his first term.
Jim Rodgers, Bloomington
Mayoral malfeasance
Why?! Mayor Brandon Johnson is pulling out the Donald Trump/Project 2025 playbook for these reckless ‘retirements.’ Obviously he thinks since Trump is seemingly getting away with the same chicanery, he can do it too. This is unacceptable. Where is the transparency, the collaboration, the compassion he preaches? Tell us why, tell us now.
Marty Regan, West Loop
Thoughts on Trump from a British reader
Are you ashamed of your president? I’m from another country across the pond and if Donald Trump was my president, I know I would be ashamed. No doubt he is a ruthless, take no prisoners type who made his fortune by being cruel to everyone. But he’s shown his true colors by labeling Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky a dictator. Well I know it takes one to know one. It should be remembered that Russia was the aggressor and started the war but Trump said he could have stopped the war before it began without loss of life. Absolutely rubbish.
I never thought I would see the day when an American president colluded with a Russian leader. Ex-president Ronald Reagan must be turning in his grave. I am proud of my leader, Keir Starmer for promising troops on the ground to help Ukraine. It seems like the U.S. might also put troops on the ground, but to help Russia, not Ukraine. I have no wish to alienate American people, but I have great principles on this subject. I was not surprised but greatly disappointed when Trump won the recent election.
Keep your British nose out of American affairs, I hear you say. I don’t blame you, but what Trump does affects me and my children so I have a right to a voice.
Stephen Mould, England
Call for a general strike
Given Chicago’s long history of leadership in civil rights and civil disobedience, its legacy of fighting for and defending fair labor practices, its robust multi-generational community of immigrants, its rich and proud and vibrant cultural diversity, and its bone-deep love of liberty . . . we have a responsibility to stand up to an unjust government attacking the working class, poor families, immigrants (including legal refugees), the Black/Indigenous/people of color community, the LGBTQ community.
Which organizations will take the lead in calling for a general strike? Labor? Civil Rights? Economic justice? Environmental justice? LGBTQ? Ideally all of the above. Let’s go, Chicago. Let’s show the rest of the world who we are and who we are not.
Christine Skolnik, Highland Park