Sports Calendar

Abortion should only be allowed in cases where there is a real danger to mother and/or child and in cases of rape victims, and then only on the approval of three doctors. If it is to be allowed for all and sundry it should be carried out at the 'mother's' expenses and not on the NHS except in the exceptional circumstance above. The money saved could then be diverted to real medical emergencies. Thomas Garnell, Peacehaven, East Sussex

Whilst having been incredulous for some years at the self-centred approach of pro-choice lobbyists, the latest revelations about late abortions and, in particular, the deliberate ending of life of foetuses due to their accidental development of superficial conditions such as webbed feet or minor deformity, staggers belief. The shock, grief and, frankly, the despair felt by many, and not just by men, at the "women's only issues" attitude to such basic breaches of human rights, can, in a consumerist, short-sighted and egocentric society as ours, only be truly understood when one considers the manner in which we have moved on as a society on issues such as racial and sexual tolerances. 150 years ago, for a woman to have the vote would, for many in this country, have been a laughable notion. Just over 50 years ago, in USA, for blacks to have done so would have been greeted with rather more than a laugh. I hope and pray that, one day, women will hold dear the notion that an unborn child is as much a child as the new born and, as such, has the same equal rights before man as he - or she - has before God or, indeed, before laid-bare conscience. I fully empathise with the distress felt by a woman who has conceived outside the planned approach. However, sex does tend to result in new life, however inconvenient it may be; that's why we are all here. In every other instance, to kill simply because you have been inconvenienced is a crime. For pro-choice lobbyists to throw the issue of the rape victim or the dangerous back-street abortion into the equation, is out of proportion to the reality of the carnage that is happening to foetuses conceived after consented sex which was, presumably, enjoyed by two people. For people like me, the destruction of unborn babies on the scale we see today is as unacceptable as unjust wars against a country and it's people anywhere in the world. Jim Meehan, Liverpool

Even more appalling than these latest horrific incidents of abortion is the massive con trick engaged in by the left-wing fanatics who control far too much of the media. Whenever the issue of abortion is raised they shout that abortion must be allowed out of compassion for the victims of rape and incest. Yet the sickening reality is that in the US, less than one per cent of abortions are conducted on victims of rape or incest. That leaves quite a large percentage of girls, women and men who apparently wish to take no responsibility for their actions or the logical outcome. They also seem not to realise that their wilful contempt of human life does have consequences well beyond their small personal worlds. A society faced with such violence against its most vulnerable, prospective future members is bound to turn on itself. And there is, of course, also the fact that our society is becoming quite a bit smaller population-wise as a result of all these abortions. Katherine Bar, Austria

I'm appalled at the story describing how 20 late-term abortions have taken place where the foetus has been found to have club foot. Before I go any further I need to make two things clear - one - I have club foot and two, I am pro-choice. However, being pro-choice does not mean I can support the actions of the parents who have chosen to abort on the basis of club foot. I have a PhD, I've represented Wales at lacrosse and I've skied every year since the age of ten. But apparently, my club foot would have been enough for some parents to abort me. My parents love me unconditionally - my foot is only a small part of me. Can the parents that have done this say the same? I also question the doctors that have suggested to parents that this might be an appropriate situation for abortion. Are they really informing the parents of the true nature of this condition? This is not to say that the condition is simple and easy - and I feel that the article does present it in an overly simplistic light. I've recently had my fifth operation and the condition is most definitely a life-long one. However, I don't believe that this makes me any the less valuable as a person. And, please, next time talk to an adult with the condition and truly demonstrate what is possible for people with club foot. Sarah Jones, Cardiff

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