Letter: Withough need, abortions will end

To the Editor:

I was struck recently by a sign that said “Pray to End Abortion” and I realized that most people who post that and read it interpret it as “pray for laws making abortion illegal.”

Abortion is a national tragedy, thousands of lives ended each year before they even begin. And many people outraged by this equate abortion with murder and seek to end it by making it illegal.

But, I ask myself, is it really murder and can law end it? How many of these young women are seeking it because of husbands or fathers that will beat them for having the baby? How many have been duped by our society into thinking sex is a free fling (or worse, the price of acceptance) and are now facing a ruined life because of that lie?

Is this murder or self-defense? And if it is murder, who is really to blame?

These young women are suffering from inadequate guidance and support. Our society as a whole has abandoned so many of our children. Our media portrays dreams (and nightmares) that are out of step with reality. 

It takes a strong home and a strong community to counter that. But many homes are not strong, and so many are cast entirely to their own resources. 

We say that we have good communities and support systems, but in my experience that is more wishful thinking than reality. We address such small pieces of the problem, and we think we are doing well.

If we had strong families, good guidance, and solid support, few of our daughters would get into these nightmares and the few that do would have the support to get through it without such a tragic solution.

So do not pray or act for laws to end abortion. Sadly abortion existed long before it was legal, so there is no reason to believe that law can end it. 

Instead, pray fervently and act desperately to end the need for abortion. Without the need, the practice will end without a law.

Bruce Koerner

Red Wing

Tags: opinion, letters