I appreciate the recent opinions regarding Gov. Sarah Palin’s stand on abortion and sex education.

The public attacks toward Palin regarding her ability to be a mother and a leader are unfair. I’m a 37-year-old mother myself, but I was 17 when my oldest son was born (the same age as Bristol Palin), and I can say from personal experience that the actions of young people don’t always accurately reflect the teachings of their parents. Palin’s stand on abortion and abstinence-only sexual education in schools truly reflect the values that young women should have.

The time to decide whether motherhood is right for you is before having sex and not after.

When deciding whether abortion is a viable option when the mother’s life is at risk or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest really depends on the individual’s faith. every woman needs to know and believe that she deserves and should demand respect, commitment and love. The real issue should be pro-self, and that’s what abstinence teaches.

With all of the sexually transmitted diseases, high divorce rates, struggles of single parenting (I know them well) and the fact that we never see a young man’s face in the tabloids with the words “John Doe soon to be a teenage dad,” every woman should know and believe that her spiritual, mental and physical health needs are her most important priority before becoming sexually active.

Amber Ford

Smiths Grove