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Show FORUM... ' To the editor and public thinks department: I would like to draw attention to an evil that is existing exist-ing in the state of Utah at the present time. It is one that I am sure the people would want erased if they realized its existence for I believe most people in this state claim to be Christians and this practice to which I refer is certainly cer-tainly not Christian. It was recently brought to my attention that it is a requirement in Utah for birth certificates of illegitimate births to have the word "illegitimate" boldly written on the birth certificate. Anyone who will stop to think realizes that ithis is not punishment for the parents, par-ents, as I suppose it was originally- intended to be, but is a punishment punish-ment to an innocent child. Imagine having to present such a birth certificate cer-tificate throughout life whenever a certificate is required. I have to leave the state shortly but won't someone "start the ball rolling" and eradicate this "malicious" "malic-ious" practice from an otherwise lovely state? Rut,h DeWitt, Provo, Utah Editor's Note: While the information referred to in the above letter is required by the health department at the time of birth, this information is withheld from all birth certificates or copies used for public information informa-tion and the only person to whom the record of illegitamacy is available avail-able is to the blood mother or to the child after he becomes of age. |