To the Journal editor:

Step back in time to 1973 or earlier. A child out of wedlock was a disgrace; the mother was a bad girl. This reputation may affect her future schooling, job opportunities, and surely limit her social strata and advancement. There was little financial support for the mother and workplace rules were not in existence. There were no or few pregnancy centers or “Care Clinics” to support a new unexpected mother before, during and after her pregnancy. Laws to protect the mother (guaranteed time off work, etc.) were few and sporadic.

Fast forward to 2019. Today, the resources to help a pregnant woman and mother are tremendous — guaranteed time off work with pay, medical insurance, alimony laws that are usually enforced (could be better), in certain cases college education paid for, etc.

The social stigma is gone or nearly gone.

A recent Wall Street Journal article reported national healthcare statistics that the 2018 total fertility rate was a record low in the history of the nation! It has fallen below the replacement level since 1973 — the year of the Roe vs. Wade Landmark Supreme court decision. 61+ million children have had their lives abruptly ended through abortion.

This is a time when families who want and are unable to conceive wait years to be able to adopt a child. For our current labor needs we must allow significant legal immigration just to meet our current open jobs.

According to the recent Gallop pole 68% of Americans favor eliminating abortion or restricting it in certain cases such as when the life of the mother is in danger.

The tide is turning with many states now outlawing abortion except in case of life of the mother, etc.

This issue isn’t about women’ s rights — like right to vote, equal pay, equal opportunity, etc.; it is about the emerging recognition that the child in the mother’s womb has a right to life equal to the mother.

Please come to the Lifewalk 2019 at 10 a.m. Saturday in Mattson Lower Harbor Park to see what it really means to care for the whole family, mother, father and child.

This year’s theme is No Judgment only Love.

MATTHEW SONGER MD, MBA

Marquette