There’s an old John Wayne movie in which three bank robbers, fleeing from the law, come across an abandoned covered wagon in the desert. They find a young woman who is giving birth to a tiny baby boy and promise her before she dies that they will take care of the baby. As the movie continues, these desperate outlaws make it clear that they would rather spend the rest of their lives in jail than break a promise to a dying woman, and they would rather die themselves than see the infant perish. Apparently, in 1948, when the movie “Three Godfathers” came out, this concept was not too far-fetched to believe. Where are the godfathers today? Where are the men who will do whatever it takes to protect innocent life?

It’s not a scientific study, but I have long believed that most women who abort their children would not do so if there was even one important man in her life to support her. How far we’ve come since 1948! Now we have “health care” bills that propose using our tax dollars to pay for abortions. West Virginia is one of only 22 states that uses tax dollars in such a deadly way. Where are the legislators, where are the Congressmen who will protect little unborn babies? We have been slowly and subtly led to believe that a growing, living child is not really a person until he or she is born. Does that make sense to you?

If you are willing to be a godfather or godmother speaking up for and working to protect children who haven’t had their first birthday yet, join us in Wetzel/Tyler County Right to Life. Our meetings are the first Thursday of each month, 6:30 p.m., at the Conference Room in the new section of Wetzel County Hospital, or call 304-455-6137 for more information.

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of our Lord as a small, vulnerable baby, it’s a good time to remember the 1,300,000 precious lives that will have been sacrificed by the end of this year.

Diane Strippel

New Martinsville