Your view: The Pro-life impact

Recently the Missouri Department of Health released the abortion statistics for the year 2002. The figures show a continuing trend of declining abortion rates over the last several years. In 2001, there were 12,266 abortions while in 2002 there were 12,250. This may not seem like much of a change, but in the year 1980 there were 21,671, a substantial decrease.

While there are many reasons for the decline in the number of abortions, we think part of it can be attributed to the pro-life effort of several organizations in the Southeast Missouri region. One is the SEMO Lifechain which annually conducts a prayer meeting in Dexter on the second Sunday in October. Another is the local Right to Life chapters in this area and also a new organization called The Vitae Caring Foundation (previously known as the Vitae Society), which is new to the Poplar Bluff area.

We feel that Americans are growing weary with the culture of death and are more inclined to let their babies live when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. We applaud this move in the pro-life direction. Hopefully by next year we will receive more good news concerning a continuing decrease in the number of abortions in our area, as well as across the state of Missouri.

Gerald W. Beam,

Dexter