Small families protect the planet

I was appalled by your May 10 article highlighting Mother's Day and the family with their 17 children.

In this day and age, with so many of the world's problems being caused by over-population, this type of behavior couldn't be more irresponsible.

There are now worldwide food, energy and water shortages, global warming possibly being caused by our overuse of fossil fuels, as well as readily available birth control.

People and religions have twisted around scriptural passages to defend ridiculously large families, but God has also given us a mind to make thoughtful decisions and we must consider the good of others in this world.

For next Mother's Day, I suggest finding a family that loves children but being aware of the world condition, elects to have only one or two of their own.

To make a difference, and to have more children in their lives, they have gone to China and adopted a girl with a cleft palate, or they have taken in foster children who have never experienced love in their lives.

This would be a meaningful Mother's Day article for the world we live in today.

Michael Haase

Mount Prospect