Abortion advocates challenge County Executive David Zook

Cache County Executive David Zook has released a statement countering charges leveled at him by members of the Cache County Council on Oct. 27.

CACHE COUNTY – During a routine interview Tuesday on Utah Public Radio, presumably local residents advocating for abortion challenged the integrity of Cache County Executive David Zook.

On the mid-morning Access Utah program hosted by Tom Williams, two listeners sent veiled accusations via e-mail that turned a polite question and answer session into personal attacks.

The first digital message commented on Zook’s previous remarks to the effect that, ideally, government should not be too involved in citizens’ lives, including issuing mask mandates.

“Does Mr. Zook have the same opinion when it comes to government and reproductive rights?” the sender wrote. “Should people have the right to make their own decisions in that case?”

“I believe that we should all have freedom,” Zook replied after a moment’s thought, “as long as our rights don’t impinge on other people. That’s a really difficult line to find sometime. But when you’re taking someone’s life, that’s pretty clear.

“I’m pro-life. I feel that abortion is murder. That’s a personal feeling. I’m sure that some listeners have other thoughts about it …

“The person whose’s life is being taken has rights, too … I know that there are a lot of arguments on when those rights begin and we could spend years debating that. But that’s my position.”

Although abortion rights are now under political pressure in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the constitutional right to abortion in its 1973 decision in the case of Roe v. Wade and has reaffirmed those rights in subsequent decisions.

Since 2010, according to Planned Parenthood lawyers, various states have enacted nearly 500 laws limiting access to abortions. The most common of those state restrictions include parental notification requirements for minors, public funding limits, mandated counseling and waiting periods.

The most restrictive recent U.S. law limiting abortion now is under review by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court, after the new conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in that case.

Abortion is legal in Utah, but there are only two clinics providing that service in the entire state (both in Salt Lake County). Fewer than 3,000 Utah women have undergone abortions on average in recent years.

Another listener to Access Utah wrote in digitally to argue that Zook’s opinion that “… abortion is murder is not supported by law.”

He also accused the county executive of “… hypocrisy, because he is willing to protect zygotes in the womb, but not adults with a mask mandate.”

Zook quickly rejected any equivalency between having an abortion and being required to wear a mask during a pandemic.

“There’s a lot of difference between having an abortion and wearing a mask,” he said bluntly. “There’s more choice available around people’s freedom of movement, where they go, how they associate with others or if they’ve vaccinated.

“But it’s clear to me is that (abortion) is wrong … What I think is most important is that we find ways to avoid it.

“Public policy decisions about people’s freedoms are very difficult,” Zook acknowledged. “I would recommend to people that, if they think making these decisions are easy, then let then run for office and try making them. “

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11 Comments

  • K. Nielsen February 2, 2022 at 9:13 am Reply

    I fully support Mr. Zook’s opinion. We need many more public servants to speak out for the lives of the unborn. The writer, Charlie Schill, appears biased when he states; Fewer than 3,000 Utah women have undergone abortions on average in recent years. That number is outrageously high! Until society demands protecting developing human beings who have the right to life, help for crisis pregnancy and support for new parents, this genocide will continue. At conception, a baby has its own DNA. Planned Parenthood is a leading provider of fetal tissue/organs for experimentation. Abortion harms women, kills a child and is big business.

  • DRA February 2, 2022 at 1:36 pm Reply

    I support Mr Zook even more now than I did before and would like to repeat this quote from him.
    Zook acknowledged. “I would recommend to people that, if they think making these decisions are easy, then let then run for office and try making them. “

  • DRA February 2, 2022 at 1:39 pm Reply

    The choice of headline and wording in the article appear to make it sound like the vast majority were against him.
    Reading word for word, and between the lines, tells me differently.
    Also a phone call to a person that was there confirmed the facts.

  • I Accept Steven Bradford Bower February 2, 2022 at 10:04 pm Reply

    David Zook is from all accounts doing a Very Good job however neither he nor any other politician should interfere with a womans right to Choose.

    • Bo February 24, 2022 at 8:23 am Reply

      I wholeheartedly agree.

  • Deanna February 3, 2022 at 3:26 pm Reply

    Bravo to him for being willing to publicly state that abortion is murder. The “right to choose“ is a euphemism that we have allowed for too long. Women and their babies deserve better than abortion. Those who create babies have a responsibility to them. We seem to have forgotten that as a society.

    • Bo February 24, 2022 at 8:27 am Reply

      So when a woman is assaulted, which creator of the subsequent baby has “a responsibility,” the victim or the assailant? This issue isn’t black and white, people like you seem to have forgotten that.

  • Atticus February 3, 2022 at 6:21 pm Reply

    All right I have a place where you can adopt a crack baby. They have developmental issues, they are multi racial, they need resources and they need love. Who above is will to pony up and save that child. If you say thats not my problem, or not me, then you should be pro abortion. There are many things in life worse than death.

  • PM February 6, 2022 at 1:13 pm Reply

    I agree with David Zook.
    I have felt for many years now as I have heard the statement ‘a women’s right to choose’, that the statement is right. Women have the right to choose. They have the right to choose if they will participate in the act that creates another human life or not. Once they make that choice it should not be a woman’s right to choose to end the life of another. If a woman was not able to choose the first time, as in rape, then she should have the right to determine what the next steps should be.

    I have now had COVID twice. The first time, I and everyone I was around always wore masks, but some people were still coming to school when they were sick because they were wearing a mask. The second time, only those who were feeling sick were asked to wear masks. The common thread here is that people were still coming to school when they were sick. While I totally believe the wearing masks slows the spread I don’t believe it will stop the spread. Using common sense and staying home when sick will do more to stop the spread. The year at school that we had to wear masks was the healthiest my students have ever been, partly because most people who felt under the weather, at all, stayed home.

    A society that is concerned for others more than self is the answer to both problems.

  • LD February 6, 2022 at 10:31 pm Reply

    Thank you, Mr. Zook for standing up for what’s right.

  • Marsha October 19, 2022 at 10:54 am Reply

    So grateful for someone who will take a stand against abortion. While I totally agree there are extreme circumstances that may justify it.. and there are laws already in place to assure that …Women and men ALREADY DO have many many CHOICES and options readily available to them as to the prevention of creating a new life before sex…Instead of just ending that life once created. Responsibility for actions comes into play here. Once a new life is created their choice is over. It is no longer their body they are deciding for. It is that of a tiny child they are choosing to kill.

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