Not facing the problem

It is good and right that Colorado state lawmakers are “Facing the Problem” of opioid addiction and the resulting overdose deaths. As reported in the Jan. 4 newspaper article an opioid overdose related death occurred every 27 hours in 2015 in Colorado. That is 324 deaths a year. As bad as that is, it pales in comparison to another problem — not being faced. That is the death of 13,160 Colorado babies due to abortion (2013). This is a problem about which some concern, interest and action should be taken by our legislature and by our country. Since the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973 there have been over 59,000,000 abortions in the U.S. More babies’ lives are lost each year in the U.S. to abortion (now about 1,000,000 per year, down from 1,600,000 in 1990) than there have been U.S. causalities (624,000) in all wars since the Civil War.

One study showed that in one year in Florida 98.5 percent of abortions are elective (for birth control, not related to the health of the mother or baby) and only 0.015 percent were due to rape, incest or endangerment of the mother’s life. 

Allowing the unconscionable practice of elective abortion to hide behind and even be promoted by the euphemism of “choice” is a moral disgrace and a stain on our claim to humanity. There are 43 states that restrict abortions based on viability (20 weeks-third trimester) and most require counseling prior to an abortion. Colorado has no requirements and no restrictions! 

Larry Von Thun,

Lakewood