The women's march during the weekend is said to have expressed the collective outrage of women across this county. Well, I am a woman, and I am outraged. I am outraged that a women's march whose original message was to empower women, promote inclusivity and acceptance, and advance many different women's issues told a feminist group, who also happened to be prolife, that they were not welcome. I guess their definition of acceptance only applies to a certain type of woman.

I am outraged that other women who showed up to march and stand up for their many rights were spit on, yelled at and called horrible names when other protesters found out they didn't support unfettered abortion rights. I am outraged that instead of female empowerment and progress, much of the messaging focused on the celebration and promotion of abortion.

It is one thing to think that women should have legal and safe access to abortion, but actually celebrating the most painful, burdensome choice a woman could ever make is not empowerment — it is disgusting, it is hurting our fellow sisters, and it is promoting a lie. The lie being that abortion is a regular, normal, easy choice to an unwanted pregnancy and that life will be fine or even better once it is done. The hurt being that some women downplay the reality that abortion is a lifelong choice with lifelong consequences. Abortion exacts an enormous burden on women, and to perpetuate the lie that this is something women should be excited and happy about is one of the greatest downfalls of modern feminism. Finally, I am outraged at the hypocrisy that a march that was supposed to be about women uniting was actually only interested in representing a specific type of woman.

Margaret Parler, Excelsior

• • •

President Trump is a flawed man in many ways. As a Christian commanded to intercede for those in authority, I pray that he take wise counsel from men and women who have a godly perspective. I also pray that he also come to the end of himself, recognize his own inadequacy to carry out the job of leading the nation, repent and have a genuine transformative experience with God.

Among Trump's faults is his misuse of women. It does not make it excusable just because Presidents John Kennedy and Bill Clinton exhibited the same behaviors, although they did not brag about it. Yet the feminist response seems to make abortion the crown jewel of their movement. Abortion is a personal and societal tragedy and not a magical solution to any of the problems that lead to it.

In all the discussion of the issue, the actual data is ignored. After abortion, there is significant long-lasting psychological harm leading to behaviors that further complicate the lives of those involved. This involves both the women who had the abortion and the men who would have been the father of the baby. Even the extended family and the abortion providers are affected.

I have compiled the research on my website, www.rossolson.org under "Abortion" in the article at http://rossolson.org/abortion/not_good.html.

Dr. Ross S. Olson, Richfield

• • •

Medical experiments notwithstanding, men do not yet have the biological ability to become pregnant. Perhaps we can all agree that men have never known what it is like to be pregnant, under positive or negative circumstances, or to give birth. Men cannot know the deep personal fear that pregnancy can occur under terrible circumstances, or even the indescribable joy a pregnant woman can feel.

Most important: Men cannot know, through lived experience, a woman's fear that pregnancy could cause her death at some point. The Centers for Disease Control reports that "over 600 women die each year in the U.S. as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications."

Basically, men who debate or legislate whether women should be able to obtain an abortion, no matter which side they take, do not know what they are talking about. Such an important decision should be made only by those who really understand what it means: women. Men should be banned from any legal action that affects only women so profoundly.

Christine Lewis, Minneapolis

• • •

I was delighted to see the demonstration Sunday at the State Capitol with signs urging people to protect life. It was an affirmation of the value of resisting laws that are perceived as unjust or immoral. Resistance to bad laws or incompetent leadership is patriotic. I look forward to seeing these protesters join other movements to protect life, such as efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons, the death penalty, irrational military budgets, support for violent dictators, and the use of torture. If these people are serious about reducing the number of abortions, they will insure that Planned Parenthood is fully funded. Valuing life means making health care available to all people, "universal" in President Trump's words, in the same way every modern nation in the world does. People who want to protect life are responsive to the demands of the Black Lives Matter movement and value the lives of refugees, the poor, the indigent, the incarcerated, and LGBTQ folk. If these protesters do not value all life by supporting these other movements and values, their message to me is that they scorn women and sex.

Chris Sullivan, Minnetonka

• • •

I am prolife.

I am for caring for all life.

I am for honoring all life, whether its place is prepared or not.

I believe a child is a child, whether it is wanted or not.

I am for honoring my creator and all that he provides.

I am for caring for the elderly — learning their stories.

I am for seeing the dignity and worth of the sick and dying.

I am for a living wage that allows parents to care for their families.

I am for promoting families.

I am for men who step up and raise their children.

I am for showing respect to all.

I am for embracing the movement of life within.

I am for giving medical care to moms and their babies.

I am for helping mothers care for their children.

I am for women.

I am for the scared and alone.

I am here to support those who are having a tough time.

I am here to provide prayers.

I am for this and so much more.

No, I am not merely anti-abortion.

I am prolife.

Jacquelyn Smith, Apple Valley
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TAXES

I'm 'people,' and I do care

President Trump continues to refuse to release his tax returns. He says those in the media are the only ones who care about this. I'm not a member of the media, but I am a media consumer. The media is one of the checks and balances of people in positions of power. So is the disclosure of tax returns. If we have neither, what are we left with? "Trust me?"

The Rev. Doug Donley, Mounds View