An open letter to the picketers in front of the Atlanta Women's Medical Center in Buckhead:

Hey there, remember me? I spoke with you while you were out picketing. I complained about your sign —- the one that was about the size of a refrigerator with a photograph of a bloody and dismembered fetus.

I told you politely that two months ago, my 5-year-old saw your sign. Do you remember her? She was the one in her pink car seat on the way to school one Friday morning. She has curly hair and a ready smile and she still believes in Santa Claus and that most people are good. She screamed when she saw your sign. Screeched is more like it. "Mommy! That lady has a picture of a bloody doll!"

That night, she could not get to sleep. In fact, for the past two months I have avoided the route as to not have a repeat of the "bloody baby doll" incident. She's had nightmares for weeks. Thank goodness for the small blessing that she thinks it was just a doll.

Today, I told you what happened. I figured anyone as concerned as you are about children would understand why you may not want to hold up a huge sign like this on a route that leads directly into two schools and a public park. Your response? "It's time she learns the facts."

So here is what I was wondering. Do you think I ought to use your words and tell her that some mommies kill their babies and that you are out protesting? Do you think that would ease her nightmares?

Perhaps it's time I told her about Santa Claus, and fornication and murder and torture too. In fact, while we are at it, maybe I should just take parental controls off the TV and show other bloody corpses so she doesn't grow up to be a murderer. Maybe I should show her pornography so she doesn't grow up to have premarital sex.

Shall I keep going? Do you see the ridiculousness of your argument yet? Do you honestly think becoming a real-life version of the boogeyman is going to influence my daughter not to have an abortion? Don't you think you can achieve that in a more righteous manner by protesting and allowing me to tell her what you are doing without you having to scar my child?

Look, I get your cause. I support your right to stand there in the heat to protest whatever gets your fancy. What I don't support is you scaring my kid and giving her nightmares.

I had an interesting conversation with a cop. He told me your signs were not covered under the public decency laws. He said if I were to stand next to you, naked as God made me, he'd arrest me. However, you have a right under the law to hold up one of the most disgusting and frightening signs I have ever seen and show it to kids who can't get into PG-13 movies. Fine, the law covers you, so all I am left with is an appeal to your public decency, if you have any.

Please, as a parent and a protector of children, can you consider not frightening my children? Stand there with whatever words you want to use. Hand out whatever fliers you want to hand out. But please, don't force me to have to explain bloody and broken babies to a little girl with curly hair who still believes in the Tooth Fairy. Be the morality leaders you claim you are and rise to the occasion. Use the common sense God gave you and consider young children, in their car seats, eating their Happy Meals, who will also see your signs.

It would be appreciated.

> Caroline Updyke lives in Atlanta and is the mother of 5-year-old twins.