The Jefferson Post encourages letters to the editor and comments to our posts at jeffersonpost.com. We believe that the interaction produces better understanding of important issues like the following. Whether you agree or disagree with the following letter, we believe that the community is better off to consider the issue and make your responses known. Democracy nurtures in the thoughtful, well-meaning discourse of public policy. Whatever your opinion of it, Roe vs. Wade and abortion are among the most important we consider.

To the editor:

January 22 will mark the 38th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the court decision that has resulted in the destruction of over fifty-five million unborn lives—the largest holocaust in the history of mankind.

Let’s take a look at the two "hard questions" the pro-abortion crowd hurls at the pro-life crowd to justify the multimillion-dollar industry of abortion: What about saving the life of the mother? And, what about cases of rape?

There are cases where a child has to be delivered early for the sake of the mother’s health. But in ALL of these cases the effort can be made to save both lives. Medical science has developed far past the days when killing the child for the sake of the mother is necessary. There are some extreme cases such as toxic infections where the child cannot be saved. But, that doesn’t mean that the child must be deliberately killed. Every effort to save the life of the child can be made. Plus the mother will be much safer in the care of a life-saving hospital team than she would be at an abortion clinic.

Rape is a horrible crime. The punishment for rapists should be severe. We should give great compassion and support to the victims of rape. But, in the cases where pregnancy occurs, does this include abortion?

You cannot answer this question honestly without considering the humanity of the unborn child. Genetic science has shown us the absolute uniqueness of every human embryo at even its earliest stages. Even though this child’s conception came as the result of a crime, the child is not the criminal. Does this child deserve the death penalty because of the crime of its father?

The victim of rape has severe emotional pain to deal with. Is adding the guilt of destroying another innocent victim the solution or does it add even more anguish to the situation?

Steve Casey

Stonewall