![REAGAN, Ronald. Autograph draft letter signed ("R. R.") as Governor, to Ted Robinson, [28 June 1967]. 1 page, 4to, on "West Coast Latvian Song Festival" letterhead (written on verso).](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2005/NYR/2005_NYR_01685_0249_000(110648).jpg?w=1)
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REAGAN, Ronald. Autograph draft letter signed ("R. R.") as Governor, to Ted Robinson, [28 June 1967]. 1 page, 4to, on "West Coast Latvian Song Festival" letterhead (written on verso).
"I FOUND THAT I COULD SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF A MOTHER TO TAKE THE LIFE OF AN UNBORN CHILD IN SELF-DEFENSE."
REAGAN EXPLAINS HIS ANGUISHED DECISION TO APPROVE CALIFORNIA'S LIBERAL ABORTION BILL IN 1967. "I don't know of anything in recent years," Reagan tells an angry voter, "that has caused me more soul searching, study & research than this bill." Robinson had written to deplore Reagan's signing into law the "Therapeutic Abortion Act," which permitted a physician to terminate a woman's pregnancy in the first 20 months if there was a specific finding by the physician that continuing the pregnancy would "gravely impair the physical or mental health of the mother," or if the pregnancy had resulted from rape or incest.
"I was amazed," Reagan continues, "to find how few people involved in this on both sides could back their positions with anything but dogmatic statements. Finally I tried to satisfy myself on the basis of logic and morality. You say our religion forbids any but God taking life. But is that completely true? Don't most of us accept the right of the state to take human life in our defense against crime, the right of society to take life in defense of that society in time of war and for that matter the right of the individual to take life in self-defense? Following this line of thought I found that I could support the right of a mother to take the life of an unborn child in self-defense. I can not find any moral justification for taking that life simply because we think the child might be born less than perfect. I made it plain I could not sign such a bill and it was amended. It didn't entirely meet my objections but at least it does not permit the murder of the imperfect child." Reagan did not think he was "justified in vetoing and reversing the will of the legislature & the majority of the people because of my own personal viewpoint."
"I FOUND THAT I COULD SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF A MOTHER TO TAKE THE LIFE OF AN UNBORN CHILD IN SELF-DEFENSE."
REAGAN EXPLAINS HIS ANGUISHED DECISION TO APPROVE CALIFORNIA'S LIBERAL ABORTION BILL IN 1967. "I don't know of anything in recent years," Reagan tells an angry voter, "that has caused me more soul searching, study & research than this bill." Robinson had written to deplore Reagan's signing into law the "Therapeutic Abortion Act," which permitted a physician to terminate a woman's pregnancy in the first 20 months if there was a specific finding by the physician that continuing the pregnancy would "gravely impair the physical or mental health of the mother," or if the pregnancy had resulted from rape or incest.
"I was amazed," Reagan continues, "to find how few people involved in this on both sides could back their positions with anything but dogmatic statements. Finally I tried to satisfy myself on the basis of logic and morality. You say our religion forbids any but God taking life. But is that completely true? Don't most of us accept the right of the state to take human life in our defense against crime, the right of society to take life in defense of that society in time of war and for that matter the right of the individual to take life in self-defense? Following this line of thought I found that I could support the right of a mother to take the life of an unborn child in self-defense. I can not find any moral justification for taking that life simply because we think the child might be born less than perfect. I made it plain I could not sign such a bill and it was amended. It didn't entirely meet my objections but at least it does not permit the murder of the imperfect child." Reagan did not think he was "justified in vetoing and reversing the will of the legislature & the majority of the people because of my own personal viewpoint."