The only factual part of Janelle Teasdale’s recent rant again Monica Harrington is the fact that Harrington is indeed running for a seat on the Public Hospital District Commission.

Harrington is not pushing for Peace Health to have abortions here.

What Harrington has said, in writing, is:

“I support the Reproductive Privacy Act and I believe reproductive health care services should be supported with our local tax dollars. If PIMC chooses not to provide prenatal care or other reproductive health services, then the SJPHD should be able to contract with providers who will. It doesn’t mean babies should be delivered on island regularly, but it does mean we should support prenatal care services that can be delivered safely and cost-effectively on-island.  We all have a stake in supporting healthier pregnancies and in doing what we can to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy”.

Harrington is not pushing for Peace Health to assist people in their own suicide.  What Harrington has said, and put in writing, is:

“I support the Death with Dignity Act and I believe the SJPHD should support expanded end-of-life services.  … I know how important it is that patients have access to palliative care and that providers be ready and able to provide clear, unambiguous information on Death with Dignity.”

In other words, Monica Harrington supports the two acts that San Juan Islanders approved overwhelmingly in recent elections. To try and say otherwise is politically dishonest and I urge both Teasdale and Ledford to step back from such unethical campaigning.

Lee Sturdivant

Friday Harbor