Caring for women

Local health centers are where many people turn for trusted healthcare. Community health centers, like Planned Parenthood, often serve as an entry point for essential healthcare needs. Locally, Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast provide for women's health and medical needs through their various health centers.

Today, one in four women who receives contraceptive care does so at a women's health center. One in six who obtains a Pap test or a pelvic exam does so at a women's health center. One-third of all women who receive counseling, testing or treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, do so at a women's health center. Such basic healthcare is essential, particularly during difficult economic times, to give women the tools they need to protect and support their families.

This is particularly true when you consider that women of childbearing age spend a remarkable 68 percent more in out-of-pocket healthcare costs than men, in part because of reproductive-health needs.

Protecting community healthcare providers in national reform is fundamental to a just and equitable healthcare system. We need to ensure that women have access to reproductive healthcare and to trusted healthcare providers wherever they live. Women must not be worse off after healthcare reform than they are today.

REV. DR. LAURINDA HAFNER, senior pastor, Coral Gables Congregational Church, Coral Gables

A musical delight

The University of Miami's Frost School of Music's Six Operas in Sixty Minutes delighted the senses with innovative music and librettos originated by professors and performed by students to the delight of the audience.

Some had plot, one did not. There was intrigue, conflict, romance and tragedy. Over too soon, we wanted more. I'm pleading, encore!

SUSAN ACKLEY, Miami Shores

Not the same

The greatest statesman of the 20th century, Winston Churchill, was never awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. Ronald Reagan who negotiated treaties, substantially reduced nuclear arsenals, and defeated the Soviet Union without firing a shot was never awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. Other notable omissions include: Poland's Irena Sendler and Pope John Paul II, India's liberator Mahatma Gandhi, Czech Vaclav Havel, and Corazon Aquino of the Philippines.

With its unanimous 2009 award to an inexperienced, untested, newly elected American president, the committee has sadly established this world-renowned prize as erroneous, insignificant and irrelevant.

CARLOS LUMPUY, Miami

No easy answer

If President Obama does not send troops to Afghanistan, as requested by the commander in the field, he will be condemned by the right for failing to do what is necessary to win. If he sends the requested 40,000 troops, he will be condemned by the left for escalating the war, and we may see antiwar marches and riots in the streets.

If he decides to send a lesser number of troops than requested, he will be condemned by the right for being timid and ineffectual, and by the left for continued support of a lost cause and ``mission creep.''

It's a no-win situation.

ANTHONY LIOTTI, Sunny Isles Beach

Unfair power law

The Oct. 9 article FPL to pay $25M for blackout blunder says that under state law utility customers cannot be compensated for outage losses. If residents pay for electricity every month, why is the government receiving most of the money?

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@