Pro-Life Advocates Hold First of Slew of Events Nationwide Condemning Abortion
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 18, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Over the weekend, pro-life advocates began holding the first of thousands of national, state and local events to mourn the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions.
Thousands of Arkansas residents gathered in Little Rock for their annual March for Life and talked about preparations for pro-life state legislation.
Rose Mimms with Arkansas Right to Life said that’s needed to counteract Barack Obama’s pro-abortion agenda.
"Unfortunately our new president believes in abortion — even partial birth abortions — and we want to protect and defend innocent human life from the abortions that take them,” she said.
Participants in the 24th annual Walk for Life in Dubuque, Iowa also aren’t very fond of the nation’s incoming pro-abortion president.
"His whole record has shown that he is not for the culture of life, protecting the little child in the womb," said the Rev. James Parker, of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in East Dubuque. "We are going to pray for the new president and we respect his office, but we are a little bit scared."
Meanwhile, despite the sub-freezing weather, well over 1,000 pro-life supporters marched and rallied at the South Carolina state capital on Saturday. They celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary of South Carolina Citizens for Life.
SCCL director Holly Gatling said her group faced the typical media blackout despite press announcements about the enormous gathering.
"As far as I can tell, there was no secular media coverage, although Associated Press, The State, and four TV stations in Columbia were contacted," she told LifeNews.com.
Still, Gatling was energized by the large presence of young people standing up for the pro-life perspective.
"Of the hundreds of brave souls standing up for life on the approach to the 36th anniversary of the legal Roe v. Wade decision there were 600 Catholic youth from around the state of South Carolina," she said.
In Laredo, Texas, the Diocese of Laredo held their ninth annual pro-life walk Sunday afternoon.
Father Anthony Mendoza said, “We hope everyone will pray to God to show them how they can best help promote respect for every human life.”
About 100 people took part in the fourth annual "March for Life in Chicago” as participants carried signs and said prayers during a walk from Holy Name Cathedral on State Street to the Water Tower.
Another 60 people put up 3,000 crosses in Redding, California to mark the number of deaths of babies every day from abortion.
Michelle Wright, director of Post-Abortion Services at Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center, participated and said she knows how abortion patients are treated.
"I remember sitting in that gloomy room at Planned Parenthood. All they gave me was a gown. No one ever consoled me or comforted me. No one gave me a choice."
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