Roe v. Wade

I have mixed feelings about the reversal of Roe v. Wade. However, I must first commend the pro-life people who worked to make this happen. They were focused, hard working and dedicated. They marched, picketed, put up crosses, demonstrated on street corners, elected pro-life politicians, etc. They showed what could be accomplished by a grass-roots effort. They achieved their goal.

I have to especially commend the Catholics. I'm not religious and certainly not Catholic, but they deserve a lot of credit. They were unequivocally pro-life. Not only that, they facilitated a lot of adoptions and other help for kids. The are not just about the birth. They are also about the baby. I respect that and wish more people felt that way.

The reason I have mixed feelings is because I fear the reversal will lead to more child abuse, child neglect, poverty, mental health problems and other bad things. I think bringing unwanted children into the world is a recipe for heartache. I've never met anyone who likes abortions, not even the pro-choice people. It's just viewed as perhaps the lesser of two undesirable outcomes.

Some people say to avoid unwanted children, just don't get pregnant. That's like telling an obese person to just not eat so much. The words are technically correct, but they don't solve anything.

Whether we agree with the reversal or not, I hope we can unite to support the babies.

Gary L. Gaines, Cape Girardeau