Pro-lifers: the trend is our friend.

The trend is your friend is a classic stock market pearl of wisdom.  It means that an existing trend is likely to continue and worthy of your attention.  The declining trend in the number of abortions in the USA has decidedly been in the pro-life camp.  Although the number of abortions is still much too high, the direction the trend is taking is encouraging.  

The reasons for this downward trend are still not clear, but I think the following could be considered:  prayers, the increased closures of abortion clinics, the legislative effort by many states to stiffen abortion rights by adding restrictive measures to existing laws and regulations, the work of pro-life supporters, faith-based peoples voting abortion rights candidates out of office or into office, declining birthrates because of increased contraceptive use,  alternatives to abortion education initiatives and changing attitudes about abortion have all combined and contributed to this downward trend in abortions in the USA.  

The trend is our friend.  The decline in abortions from a high in 1991 of 1,554,510 to our latest figures of 862,320 in 2017 is encouraging in one respect, but still terribly sad in another.  We have much more work ahead.  As a country we are better than that.  I hope and pray this trend continues.  I’m reminded of Blessed Theresa of Calcutta when she says:

Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.  This is why the greatest destroyer of love is abortion.