Pro-Lifers Remember the 39 Million Victims of Roe v. Wade in Events Held Nationwide

By Liz Townsend

Pro-lifers began the new millennium with a renewed commitment to life, gathering in cities and towns across the country to demand protection for all human beings, born and unborn. The events commemorated the 27th anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

"We'll be here year after year . . . as long as it takes," Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told marchers in Little Rock January 23. "We're not against anybody. We're not against anything. We're for life. We're for any human being. We value life because every life is valuable."

Thousands of Arkansas pro-lifers marched down Capitol Avenue to the state capitol building, holding signs that read "Stop Abortion Now."

The state capitol in Columbia, South Carolina, also served as the site of a rally January 15. Speakers urged pro-lifers to continue their fight for life.

"After 27 years of abortion on demand, I know you are weary of running this race," Debra Bian-Lingle, president of South Carolina Citizens for Life, told rally participants. "But we must remember that this is not a sprint but a marathon."

On the same day in neighboring North Carolina, hundreds of pro- lifers attended the first annual Prayer Breakfast, followed by a rally and march in Raleigh. Carol Long Tobias, NRL PAC director, spoke to the crowd at the state capitol building.

The state capitol served as the backdrop to Idaho's march and rally in Boise January 22. Almost 2,000 pro-lifers heard from keynote speaker Bishop Michael Driscoll of the Idaho Catholic diocese and other speeches with the theme, "Taking a Stand . . . Making a Difference."

"Life, the First Right" was the theme for South Dakota's Hour of Reflection in the capitol rotunda in Pierre January 22. Beautiful weather greeted the over 300 pro-lifers who attended the annual event.

Further south, pro-lifers also enjoyed lovely weather in Phoenix, Arizona, January 23. About 3,000 people joined a rally and march to the capitol building, where they heard performances by inspiring singing groups and speeches from religious leaders and legislators, and gathered information at educational tables.

Education was also a focus in Sacramento, California, January 19. Pro-lifers attended citizen lobbying workshops to learn how to better lobby their legislators, and also participated in a prayer breakfast and the Rally for Life.

Across the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii, about 300 people attended a rally and march in the pouring rain in Honolulu January 21.

Two hundred and fifty Maine pro-lifers braved icy wind and bitter cold for their annual "Hands Around the Capitol" event in Augusta January 22. They proudly joined hands to circle the legislative building as passing cars honked their horns in support.

Cold weather also greeted the 2,000 pro-lifers who joined in the March for Life in Olympia, Washington, January 20. Marchers ranged in age from the tiniest babies to the elderly, with many teenagers and young adults there to show their support for life.

Young people participated as speakers at the Rally for Life in Louisville, Kentucky, January 24. Nine students from local high schools gave moving speeches about life issues. In the state capitol rotunda in Frankfort, about 500 pro-lifers gathered despite frigid temperatures January 27. Featured at the rally were over 25 state legislators who vowed to support pro-life legislation.

Other state capitals hosted rallies January 21 in Atlanta, Georgia; January 22 in Lincoln, Nebraska; January 23 in Salem, Oregon; January 24 in Trenton, New Jersey; January 16 in Providence, Rhode Island; and January 22 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Rallies in several states highlighted proposed laws intended to protect unborn babies and their mothers. New Mexico pro-lifers gathered in the capitol rotunda in Santa Fe January 22 cheered a proposed bill that would ban partial-birth abortions in their state. A successful partial-birth abortion ban was celebrated by hundreds of pro-lifers at a rally January 23 in Bismarck, North Dakota.

In Minnesota, legislators will attempt to pass a Women's Right to Know bill, requiring a woman to receive information and wait 24 hours before having an abortion. Elk River Mayor Stephanie Klinzing told the more than 5,000 people gathered on the steps of the state capitol in St. Paul January 22 that the law is needed to protect the women of the state.

"The abortion rights industry likes to say it offers free choice," said Klinzing. "But it's a hands-tied, blindfolded choice they're offering."

A Women's Right to Know bill will also be on the agenda of Texas's legislature in its next session. Thousands of pro-lifers attended the Rally for Life and Family in Austin January 22 to hear about the proposed bill and also to celebrate their tremendous legislative successes of the 1999 session. Several pro-life laws were passed and signed by Gov. George W. Bush, including a parental notification law.

"Give yourselves a big round of applause for the notification law," said keynote speaker Cheree Bartlett of the Center for Bio- Ethical Reform. "Because of people like you, having children and instilling in them the value of life, you've accomplished a great deal. We have a lot to be hopeful for."

Oklahoma pro-lifers hope to duplicate their neighbor's success with a proposed parental notification law. About 500 pro-lifers gathered in the capitol rotunda in Oklahoma City February 7, the first day of the legislative session, to hear about this bill and another proposal to restrict the use of fetal tissue. The ralliers heard words of encouragement from NRLC President Dr. Wanda Franz and Gov. Frank Keating.

Oklahomans brought roses to present to legislators, to remind them of the beauty and sanctity of life. In Denver, Colorado, each state legislator received a red rose representing victims of abortion and a white one representing victims of euthanasia January 21. The next day pro-lifers gathered for the March for Life at the West Steps of the state capitol.

Roses were also distributed to legislators in Albany, New York, January 22. Many New Yorkers took buses to join the thousands of pro-lifers in Washington, D.C., for the March for Life January 24 - - 40 buses from Long Island alone and a total of 70 buses from across the state.

States close to the nation's capital concentrated on gathering supporters for the national March for Life, including Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, but states as far away as Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Michigan had a visible presence at the march. Pro-lifers from Ohio and Kentucky held Congressional Breakfasts in Washington, D.C., on the morning of January 24, and later attended the March for Life.

Large rallies were not the only way pro-lifers commemorated the tragic anniversary. Towns across the nation held marches, candlelight vigils, Life Chains, and other unique events.

Erie, Pennsylvania, was the site of the annual March and Motorcade January 15. Almost 500 people marched through the streets of the town, followed by 121 vehicles. Pro-lifers also formed a motorcade in Jackson, Michigan, January 22, which led to a service at a memorial to the unborn in a local cemetery.

Right to lifers also grieved for the babies killed by abortion at a Memorial for the Innocents in Riverside, California, January 16 at the burial place of 54 unborn babies abandoned in Chino Hills. They dedicated a newly installed bench and an original memorial monument so people will always remember the lost children.

Over 200 pro-lifers formed a Life Chain in Nashville, Tennessee, January 23, despite freezing weather. Also in Tennessee, Knox County and Cocke County hosted memorial services.

Memorial services and prayer vigils for the millions of unborn babies killed by abortion were held in many other towns, including Los Angeles and San Diego, California; Cedartown, Georgia; Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Adrian, Brighton, Mason, Portland, and Warren, Michigan; Keene, New Hampshire; and Medford, Spooner, and Waupaca, Wisconsin.

More than 300 Massachusetts pro-lifers attended the 27th annual Interfaith Assembly for Life in Boston January 16. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., gave an impassioned speech in defense of life. "What would Martin Luther King say if he saw the skulls of babies at the bottom of abortion pits?" she asked. "If Martin Luther King's dream is to live, our babies must live."

Pro-lifers attended candlelight vigils in many towns, such as Fort Collins, Colorado; DeLand, Florida; Edwardsville, Illinois; Allegan, Alpena, Bad Axe, Ionia, Monroe, and Mt. Morris, Michigan; and Mineral County, West Virginia.

One unique activity could be found in Fresno, California, as pro- lifers formed a Life Tree with baby booties attached to notes of love, forgiveness, pain, and restoration. The tree was on display from January 16-23.

More traditional, but always inspirational, marches and rallies were held in Birmingham, Alabama; Fort Walton Beach and Jacksonville, Florida; Holland, Muskegon, Petoskey, Trenton, and Port Huron, Michigan; Cleveland and Coshocton, Ohio; McMinnville, Bend, Medford, Grants Pass, Eugene, Roseburg, and Coos Bay, Oregon; and Merrill and Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Louisiana pro-lifers promoted a White Ribbon Campaign in January, urging people to wear white ribbons "in support of the sanctity of human life, and in the memory of the millions of innocent lives destroyed by abortion," according to Louisiana Right to Life Federation President Dr. W. A. Krotoski.

"Our hope for the millennium is for a world where innocent life is truly respected; where our world's most precious resource, our children, are not only safe at home, in church, in school, and on the street, but, first of all, in their mothers' wombs," Krotoski added, echoing the prayers of pro-lifers across America. "We look forward to a world where women will never again be pressured to choose abortion as an alternative to childbirth."