In an Op-Ed piece, nationally syndicated columnist Ellen Goodman dramatically denounced the ban on partial birth abortions passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate Judiciary committee.

Employing the "inflammatory inaccuracy" she claims to abhor, she attempted to persuade readers that the "Oh My God" reaction to bad news during an ultrasound examination must logically lead the horrified mother to a decision to abort the child. Any compassionate person would agree, right?

When my then-pregnant wife, Rose, was informed that her ultrasound examination had revealed abnormalities in our unborn baby Caitlin's spine and head which usually indicate brain and spinal malformations, she was scheduled for another ultrasound one week later.

We prayed our way through a very long week and then went to keep the appointment. With Rose on the exam table, a lump in my throat and the room seeming to hum louder and louder, I listened as the doctor and a technician explained that they wanted to be certain of any problems early on, so that we could exercise our option to "terminate the pregnancy."

I have never been more proud of Rose than when she raised herself up off the table and demanded to know: "Why would I kill my own baby?"

After a very thorough ultrasound exam, the doctor stated that she could see only a very minor abnormality and that it probably would have no serious consequences.

The pregnancy progressed and on the morning after our daughter's birth, the pediatrician on duty entered my wife's room and happily announced, "I've just examined your baby and she's perfect!"

If we had given in to the subtle, yet powerful, pressure and listened to the 'experts,' typified by Goodman and the "caring" crowd who stand against any restrictions on abortion, our little Caitlin Marie would be dead. Another victim of "Choice." Instead, she is a bright, healthy child (Editor’s note: At the original time of this article, Caitlin Marie was 20 months old. She had been speaking in complete sentences for about 1 ½ months and she sang, ran, danced, played with her dolls - she was a very careful little mother! - and won arguments with her 3 ½ year old brother by wrestling him to the floor and sitting on him. Caitlin is now a beautiful 12 year old, has a bubbly personality and wacky sense of humor, plays violin, loves arts and crafts and sings special numbers for our church's Music Team).

I wonder if anyone who participated in the "medical procedure" of taking Caitlin's life would have had the integrity to tell us that there was nothing wrong with her after all.

A Seattle radio station interviewed me a few days ago following a news release by my organization, Washington for Traditional Values (WTV), which congratulated House members for their efforts to ban partial birth abortions. I was not too surprised when the program's host announced that he and his wife were also pressured to abort their child. They too resisted and now have a happy, healthy child. A lady who volunteers part time secretarial work for WTV tells a very similar story about her daughter.

Goodman questions National Right to Life leader Maureen Malloy's statement that "on demand" abortions are performed on "healthy women carrying healthy babies." I think Goodman should really be asking: Who is actually doing the demanding? How many frightened young couples and terrified single women are stampeded into ending the lives of their own healthy children?  Should a possible imperfection - often mis-diagnosed - be enough to condemn an innocent baby to death?

Last Sunday, the day of Goodman's abortion column, while on a family visit to a shopping mall, Caitlin gave her very first wave to her proud Aunt Merna. Then, just to be sure we were convinced, Caitlin batted her eyes, smiled and waved to each of us in turn.

For Goodman, it would simply have been a woman's choice if that little arm and hand had been severed and pulled out through the birth canal. It would have been the compassionate thing to do if the small head and face had been crushed, forever destroying the miracle of creation.

Goodman objects to the "graphic" nature (read uncensored reality), of the pictures that will be shown in Friday's Senate Judiciary hearing.

Too bad. If it will help save the lives of little ones like Caitlin, and help America to consider what compassion really is, maybe a little dose of grahpic reality is a healthy thing.

Bob Larimer