“Seeing is believing” is an ancient idiom. It teaches that a dispute can often be resolved by presenting physical evidence.

Opponents of the ultrasound bill passed last week by the Virginia legislature and expected to be signed soon by Gov. Bob McDonnell, thought they could stop the measure because they said it would require an invasive vaginal probe to determine the age of the fetus in an early-stage pregnancy. The bill passed after it was modified to mandate only a non-invasive procedure.