Stronger laws needed to stop U.S. abortions

To the editor:

In a historic mandate of the people, the Republicans have been given control of the White House and both houses of Congress. In less than two weeks, thousands of pro-life advocates will again be marching in Washington to mark the 30th anniversary of the legalization of abortions.

The whole abortion issue and everything that goes with it has cheapened life and degraded women, destroyed families and family values. Abortion, which promised women a future, instead has doomed them to a life of fear and hopelessness.

I call on the Republican Party to boldly pass a bill banning partial-birth abortions without an exception for the life of the mother included in it. "The "life of the mother" exception is a fraud perpetrated on the American public.

I further challenge the party to endorse a human life amendment to the Constitution that will protect all pre-born children regardless of how they were conceived or whether they have genetic defects or handicaps.

CHRISTINE E. STEPHENS

Cape Girardeau