This is in response to Ann Schweers’ most recent letter, “Tough Decision.” I want to thank Ann for sharing some of her struggles with her child, Scotty. I can tell that must have been a painful and agonizing experience.

However, that experience or any woman’s experience giving birth does not empower them or make them God, with the right to kill a baby or child. The debate about when a baby becomes human is a serious one. To see no difference or level of difference between the heartbeat of a lizard and a fetus is truly “egregious” (extraordinary bad and sad). Having witnessed the birth of children, that experience increased my sense of awe and respect for life.

I commend Ann for her care for Scotty after learning of his diagnosis and for her refusal to pass that responsibility off to an institution. As she said, “We couldn’t do that.” That emotion she had then is the God-given emotion that is being trampled down and destroyed by legalizing ifanticide. God created all living things, but people were made in the image of God.

Rejoicing and cheering the passage of legislation legalizing late-term abortions or allowing live babies to be exterminated is horrific. I would not cheer the death of a lizard, much less the death of a living human being. That, Ann, is the real definition of egregious.