Wednesday, November 2, 2022

FROM 2012. A LETTER FROM TIM ROHR TO THEN-SENATOR BJ CRUZ

Posted by Tim Rohr 

From about 2009 to 2012, I (Tim) had many heated public battles with then-Senator BJ Cruz. However, during a vote re the Esperansa Project backed bill for informed consent for abortion, Senator Cruz did the right thing, and I told him so. Note: this bill, as enacted into law, is now at the root of the ACLU suit to permit telemedicine abortions. 

TIMOTHY ROHR
THE ESPERANSA PROJECT
October 25, 2012


RE: BILL 52-31
  
 
Dear Senator Cruz, 
 
 
There is probably no other senator with whom I have battled more in public than yourself. It is certainly no secret that you and I have been on very opposite sides of some very sensitive issues. And there certainly has been no love lost between us over the last few years. 
 
The reason for the letter is to thank you for being the voice of reason yesterday. I'm sure you did not like the spectacle that Bill 52 had become any more than anyone else did. However, you put your feelings aside and spoke clearly about what Bill 52 was actually about, saying:
 
"It's not what anybody else thinks what it is. It's not going to affect whether or not one is pro-life or pro-choice. It's just allowing the women to be informed."
 
No clearer words were spoken yesterday. But beyond that, you said something even more true when you said at some point "this problem is going to have to be treated holistically."
 
You are so right. A society's abortion rate is a measure of its inner collapse. Informed consent legislation is really only a last gasp bandaid to try in some small way to slow the bleeding of a society that has already cut itself - as our newspapers so often remind us.
 
I believe your Bill 415, despite the reservations with some elements in it which I shared in my written testimony in support of your bill, is a large step in the right direction. 
 
I admit, given our previous battles, I was suspicious of your intentions. I even said so on TV. Unfortunately, most of my relations with the Legislature have been immensely soured and my suspicions raised since the night of November 26, 2010 (the debate over Bill 54-30), and a six-month long battle to obtain a copy of the journal for that session.
 
However, your clear and reasoned approach to the issue at large yesterday, in the midst of so much emotion, was a true example of how personal feelings could be put aside and the true work of the legislature can actually get done. 
 
Coming towards the end of the session as it did, your words brought a certain peace to a terribly turbulent situation. And I confess to being the one that probably started that turbulence. I make no apology. I have been fighting to have a fair debate on informed consent legislation since February of 2009 when Bill 54-30 was first introduced. 
 
Whether Bill 52-31 would have ever seen the light of day had I not attacked those who attacked it, is anybody's guess. But we're beyond that now. And again I simply want to thank you for what you said yesterday and I want to express my support for Bill 415, at least in its intent if not in detail - something I would be willing to work with you on.
 
In fact, Senator Cruz, you have my vote. In fact, this is why I am sending this letter and making it public, and copying it to the press. In fact, Senator Cruz, if you had voted "no" on Bill 52-31 you would have still had my vote for simply being intellectually honest and saying what you said about it, which I repeat here:
 
"It's not what anybody else thinks what it is. It's not going to affect whether or not one is pro-life or pro-choice. It's just allowing the women to be informed." 
 
I was so very impressed by how you rose above the personal and did the people's business and that deserves a vote. You will have mine.
 
 
God Bless You and Thank You,
 
Tim Rohr
A citizen

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