LETTERS: CALL LEGISLATORS ABOUT ABORTION VETO

To the editor:

The Missouri General Assembly will reconvene for the purpose of casting its final vote on Senate Bill 275. This is the bill that passed in both the House and Senate banning partial-birth abortion. Overriding the governor's veto will require a two-thirds majority. The votes needed are 109 in the House and 23 in the Senate. This may sound easy, but it isn't. The governor, along with the abortion-industry allies, will be working hard and pouring lots of money into a campaign to sustain the veto.

For any of you who are not familiar with partial-birth abortion, the newspaper of the American Medical Association described it as "partially vaginally delivering a live fetus before killing it by extracting the contents of the brain." Thousands of partial-birth abortions are performed each year in the United States, primarily in the fifth and sixth month of pregnancy on the healthy babies of healthy mothers.

The child feels excruciating pain during a partial-birth abortion. Just as the government has an interest in protecting animals from cruel treatment, the government has an even greater interest in protecting children from cruel treatment. Clearly, the only difference between the partial-birth abortion procedure and infanticide is a mere three inches.

The AMA also stated that this is a procedure that they all agreed is not good medicine.

The bill passed by the Missouri Legislature allows a partial-birth abortion to be performed if necessary to save a woman's life. But pro-abortion groups and Gov. Mel Carnahan also demand an exception for "health" abortion -- a large loophole that would allow partial-birth abortions for "emotional well-being" or "depression." Medical experts testified before congressional committees that it is never necessary to kill a baby that has been almost delivered in order to preserve the life or health of the mother.

I am writing this letter in an effort to reach those in the community who value the sanctity of human life. Please writer or call your senator and representative before Sept. 10 and urge them to vote to override Governor Carnahan's veto on the partial-birth abortion. Keen in mind that the pro-abortion organizations are working hard to sustain the governor's veto. Your calls and letters are extremely important to the override effort.

SHEILA BAIRD

New Madrid