I feel very strongly that we are dealing with an innocent life, and to me that demands government protection

I might be more inclined to agree with that sentiment if the government did indeed offer protection to that innocent life.

But denying abortion to a woman who requests it is almost certainly going to be to the detriment of all concerned, particularly the "innocent life" itself. Receiving poor or more likely no pre-natal care, it may well be be born with fetal alcohol syndrome or crack addiction, or physical or neurological deformities. Should it survive at all, there is a very high likelihood of it being "raised" (if you can call it that) in a life of pure misery and hell.

Jeff, there are worse things that can happen to an "innocent life" than never being born!

tanstaafl.