"The Darfur of America"

That's what our good friend, Preacher Walter Hoye calls the effect of abortion on America in general, and on black Americans in particular in today's San Francisco Chronicle:

"We want to create opportunities to dialogue on issues concerning life, and abortion is the leading cause of death in the African American community," Hoye said. "It is a moral issue as far as the church is concerned, and we want to strengthen the African American leadership."

And abortion is not just the leading cause of death among African-Americans but among American's in general. Look at these figures for 2004, from the Center for Disease Control:

Number of deaths for leading causes of death

Heart disease: 652,486
Cancer: 553,888
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 150,074
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 121,987
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 112,012
Diabetes: 73,138
Alzheimer's disease: 65,965
Influenza/Pneumonia: 59,664

In the same year, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, there were 1,287,000 deaths by abortion in the United States, more deaths than the next two causes (heart disease & cancer) combined.

What does it say about a society when by far the leading cause of death is voluntarily chosen? It says: that society is in desperate need of the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Preacher Hoye is the founder of "Issues4Life" and he is fighting this evil in the African-American community:

"Issues4Life has organized . . .events to coincide with the Jan. 22 anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 18 and Black History Month in February. All three events will feature Alveda King, the niece of the slain civil rights leader. A two-mile Walk for Life will be held in Oakland and a conference will be hosted at a Berkeley church Jan. 18."

And on January 19, the Fourth Annual Walk for Life West Coast will be held in San Francisco, starting at 11:00 AM, at Justin Herman Plaza. EIGHT Catholic Bishops will be there, Alveda King and the good Reverend Clenard Childress will speak, and 20,000 peaceful marchers will send the message: Choose Life! Be Not Afraid!