Board of Health,

May the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia prosper under your care as you serve all of us as our Governor.Im writing to you this morning because it has recently come to my attention that you are one of the lead advocates for the repeal of certain health and safety standards that our government currently requires of those who administer abortions. I want to respectfully ask you to change course on this matter, despite how risky that must be for someone in your position.Now, I dont have anything to offer you except the promise of a clear conscience, which I have found to be of immeasurable value. You strike me as the sort of person who is genuinely concerned about others. I get that sense when I listen to you, and so I want to appeal to your sense of care for the women who will inevitably seek abortions in this Commonwealth.The very least we can do is to uphold health and safety standards that will ensure sterile environments for those who elect to undergo such procedures. Wouldnt we want that for patients receiving any sort of invasive care" Why, then, would we allow political allegiances to keep us from seeking the most sterile conditions for women in this case"Again, as one concerned citizen, I appeal to you as our Governor. I know that many on the other side of the political aisle are using this simply as a tactic to shut down various clinics. I also freely admit that I look forward to the day when we will all view children in the womb as human beings who deserve our best efforts to nurture their lives up to (and well beyond) the point of birth, regardless of their particular stage of development or the circumstances which led to their conception.However, while our citizens are currently divided upon the question of the full humanity of children in the womb, I would have to believe that there is more agreement among us concerning our desire to see women receive the best possible care in the most sterile and safe environments. It is precisely this shared desire that I am asking you to seek at the moment.Even as I appeal to the God who made you, I appeal to you as well. Im praying that you will do the right thing. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and guide your heart and your pen as you resume the weighty task of governing this great Commonwealth of Virginia. Raymond Goodlett