Several months ago, friends from our church helped organize a "Life Chain," a nonconfrontational demonstration against abortion. When they invited me to participate, I agreed.

That Sunday afternoon, our family gathered with several hundred others to line one of our major streets. We stood ten feet apart, quietly holding signs. Some of the signs were blunt: ABORTION KILLS BABIES.

Others were a bit gentler: ADOPTION NOT ABORTION.

Others took the positive but less specific tack: LIFE IS THE BEST CHOICE.

During our two-hour vigil, I was fascinated by the reactions of passing motorists, some ninety per minute. (I counted!)

Many drove by honking their horns and giving the thumbs-up sign.

Several drove by with a different finger upraised, which I interpreted to mean they held a differing opinion on the abortion issue.

Most, however, kept their gaze straight ahead, studiously avoiding eye contact with anyone holding a sign.

One young man with shoulder-length hair drove the length of the line twice, horn ...