To The Herald-Whig:

On the lower left hand corner of Page 4C of the Oct. 28 edition of the Herald-Whig was a story of a Utah man being sentenced to five years in prison for "beating a pregnant girl to try to cause a miscarriage."

District Judge A. Lynn Payne sentenced the guy for third degree "attempted killing of an unborn child." It seems the gal's boyfriend was gonna break up with her if she didn't "get rid of the child," so she hired this thug in May to punch her in the abdomen in an attempt to terminate the pregnancy. The baby survived and was delivered in August.

Judge Payne, during the sentencing, told the offender, "I don't think words can describe the kind of conduct you entered into in trying to take the life of a child."

Now, I have a few problems with this entire deal: First, I thought Roe v. Wade made it legal to kill babies wherever and whenever it was convenient. Second, since the liberals do not acknowledge that life begins at conception, this was not really a baby at all, but just a clump of cells. Third, the guy was only paid $150 for his abortion attempt. I thought the going rate for an abortion was much higher than that, paid for by our tax dollars if deemed necessary. Finally, if this man was sentenced to prison for an attempted abortion, why aren't all the doctors and other abortionists treated in the same manner. If abortion is legal and an acceptable alternative, why did this guy get in trouble for it?

I sure hope that the baby was given up for adoption and is being cared for by a loving family that values every life that God puts on this earth.

To paraphrase Judge Payne, I don't think words can describe the conduct we have allowed to exist in this country, making it legal to murder unborn babies. God help us all.

Denny Meyer

Quincy