Eighteen years ago I voted for a UCSB professor named Walter Capps for Congress. He was elected but unfortunately died soon afterward. His young, attractive nurse bride, Lois, took his place and has been re-elected 10 times since. She’s probably the only nurse in Congress. At 78 she now needs a rest and plans to retire. I’m so proud of her. She has always voted for the environment. Her offices on the Central Coast have always encouraged young people.
At one time Santa Maria had more teen pregnancies than any city in the entire U.S.—terrible! Young women should avoid pregnancy until they have matured, which in my opinion would be 30 years of age. Our culture must lead on sex education. I guess the idea was that if you did NOT know about “sex” you wouldn’t be interested in it. HA! I’m a biologist, we are designed to reproduce. To prevent zygote formation we need sex ed and contraception availability, e.g. “morning after” pill.
I came to teach at Santa Maria High School in 1960, and I remember writing on the blackboard a new term: CONTRACEPTION. I worked hard to get Planned Parenthood started in Santa Maria—it was not easy—even today a group prays across the street of Planned Parenthood from 9:15 to 10 a.m. against Planned Parenthood six days a week. Ask them “why.” I believe it’s because of the Catholic Church’s former philosophy against contraception. The amazing thing to me is in Italy where the Pope lives, the government is worried about the low birth rate thus will give any women that will have a second baby a $2,000 bonus.
Lois Capps has represented us so very well for more than 10 years. She now deserves a REST. She has flown across the country so many times—for us. I’m amazed at all she has done. As she has said: “I never set out to be either mean or nice. But honey attracts more flies than vinegar. Why not get along with people and build rather than elbow our way?”
Nurse Lois, thank you for all you have done! Enjoy your retirement. YOU HAVE EARNED IT!
This article appears in Mar 3-10, 2016.