GROUP CANCELS PROTEST

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Local Right to Life organizers canceled a protest trip to the nation's capitol to show support for the war in the Persian Gulf.

For the past 17 years anti-abortion groups from across the country have staged a protest march in Washington D.C. to mark the Jan. 22 anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision legalizing abortion.

Bernice Buehrle, treasurer with the Southeast Missouri region Missouri Citizens for Life, said a bus of protesters from Southeast Missouri was scheduled to leave Cape Girardeau Monday.

"We will not be sending a bus." she said. "In fact, Missouri will not be sending any buses. We are united in Missouri."

A caravan of 24 buses was scheduled to leave Monday and travel to Washington for Tuesday's protest march. "This is no time to go up and march around the capitol in protest," Buehrle said.

"We thought the issue with soldiers in the gulf was more important to keep before the people."

"This is the first year we haven't gone with a bus from Cape Girardeau," Buehrle said. "We thought this was a time to stand united behind the president and the congress."

Buehrle said locally, bells will ring Tuesday marking the anniversary.

Loretto Wagner, state coordinator for Missouri's caravan, said: "At this critical time in our nation's history, we need to join together as a nation and direct our prayers and concerns toward the brave men and women fighting for peace in the Persian Gulf.

"We feel that it would be inappropriate at this time to divert the country's attention from this tragic crisis."

Wagner added, "This decision does not reflect a lessening of our resolve to bring about protection of all unborn children. Our mission continues, but marching in the streets of our capitol with the additional security problems this would pose would not be in the best interests of our nation."