The Editor, Sir:

This is a response to letter 'Birth control first step to end poverty'. The writer, Mr. Watson, stated that "these worthless parents, are bringing kids into the world to fight the fight for them".

Who exactly are these worthless people? I am positive he couldn't be speaking about Jamaica's poor people who fight for survival daily. Mr. Watson speaks as though these "worthless people" are some kind of domesticated animals and should be fixed in order to prevent them from breeding. Who are you to impose something such as permanent birth control on fellow human beings?

Sex was created for procreation, but it is also the ultimate expression of love. So wa yaa seh? Poor people shouldn't be able to express their love? And you even contradicted yourself by saying abortions should be counted and then sterility should be bestowed upon them if they have exceeded a certain number. Well, wouldn't you say the "worthless person" who had this abortion is trying to prevent a child from coming into the world to live in poverty? Why then should this person be punished for valuable foresight?

In this world that we live in, the poor have always and will always exceed the rich. Birth control is one thing, and that falls under normal methods such as condoms and pills, and these should be made free. But proposing a method that can make a person sterile forever is simply cruel. Yes, something needs to be done about the poverty and most definitely about the children, but making people barren for the rest of their lives, simply isn't the way.

I am, etc.,

ROMAIN BAKER

toppa-tingz@hotmail.com

Brampton, Ontario

Canada