NRL News
Page 14
February 2011
Volume 38
Issue 2
January Rallies Display Amazing Pro-Life Spirit
By Liz Townsend
An incredible nationwide wave of pro-life energy could be seen in January, as thousands of right to life champions took to the streets of their state capitals demanding protection for unborn children.
About 4,000 Nebraskans walked for life January 29 in Lincoln, vowing to pass more legislation like last year’s Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The first bill would ban abortionists from using web cams to prescribe RU486 to women in distant locations. “We don’t want this to start in Nebraska,” Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director Julie Schmit-Albin told the crowd. “Do you want Planned Parenthood in your communities?” They responded, “No!”
Minnesota pro-lifers plan to follow Nebraska’s lead and introduce a bill to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks, when unborn children can feel pain. Almost 4,000 gathered at the capitol in St. Paul January 22 to support this legislation as well as a proposed ban on taxpayer funding of abortion. “Our state currently faces a six-billion dollar budget deficit, but we are still paying for abortions!” said Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Legislative Associate Elisia Meyer. “This is the year to stop the killing!”
Over 1,800 attended the March for Life in Boise, Idaho, January 22, where speakers encouraged pro-lifers to support fetal pain legislation that will be introduced this session.
In Kansas, about 1,500 pro-lifers rallied in Topeka January 21. Despite the cold and snow, they were warmed by the knowledge that their new governor, Sam Brownback, will sign proposed legislation to regulate abortion clinics and enforce existing pro-life laws. Gov. Brownback attended the Mass for Life and then spoke at the rally, saying, “We gather today for a celebration of life. Every human life is sacred. … [N]ever forget that this message is one of kindness, hope, and compassion.”
Raleigh, North Carolina, was the site of a January 15 rally with about 1,500 enthusiastic pro-lifers. Their goal is to pass a law this year giving women the truth about abortion. “When our top priority, Abortion—Woman’s Right to Know, becomes law it will save many thousands of unborn children from abortion every year in North Carolina,” Barbara Holt, president of North Carolina Right to Life, told the ralliers. “The unborn children and their mothers cannot afford to wait any longer for our state to pass such a law.”
A huge crowd of about 5,000 pro-lifers marched to the state capitol in Little Rock, Arkansas, January 23. Priority legislation for Arkansas pro-lifers includes a ban on taxpayer funding of abortion through the mandatory ObamaCare health insurance exchanges. “We are always concerned about public funding of abortion, which is what the health-care law intends to do,” said Rose Mimms, executive director of Arkansas Right to Life.
Former U.S. senator Rick Santorum energized the crowd of 2,000 in Columbia, South Carolina, January 15 in the annual Stand Up for Life March and Rally. Santorum urged the attendees to work to protect life at all stages. “The pro-life battle is being fought at the bedsides of the very young, the very old and the disabled,” he said. “This isn’t a debate we should even be having. Life should be respected at all levels.”
The largest crowd ever attended the March for Life in Washington state January 18. About 9,000 pro-lifers filled the steps and the grounds of the state capitol in Olympia.
Thousands of pro-lifers in Santa Fe, New Mexico, attended the January 19 Sanctity of Life Unity Awareness and Unity Day. Over 3,000 people joined the procession, which began at the Santa Fe Cathedral and ended at the Roundhouse, the state capitol building.
Pouring rain did not deter almost 1,000 right to lifers in Oregon from rallying in Salem January 16. They mourned the unborn victims of abortion at a memorial wall and heard a moving speech from Oregon Right to Life oratory award winner Alexa Sleadd, 17, who encouraged the assembled crowd to live the pro-life movement every day with love.
Despite wind chills in the single digits, more than 300 hardy Maine pro-lifers joined their Hands around the Capitol in Augusta January 15. At a rally held before the march to the capitol, they greeted their new pro-life governor, Paul LePage, with a standing ovation.
Birmingham, Alabama, welcomed 750 pro-lifers to the annual United for Life March and Rally January 15. Right to lifers also rallied for life in Mobile and Montgomery.
Marches and rallies were also held in the state capitals of Atlanta, Georgia, January 21 in the silent Together for Life memorial walk to the statehouse steps; Phoenix, Arizona, January 23, which included a diaper drive to benefit crisis pregnancy centers; Denver, Colorado, January 22 with a silent pro-life walk through a cold wind; Honolulu, Hawaii, January 22 with a march, fun fair, pro-life exhibits, and hula; and Springfield, Illinois, January 23, where ralliers heard from a former abortionist who experienced a “miraculous conversion.” Pro-lifers also came out in force in Boston, Massachusetts, January 16 for the annual Assembly for Life; Helena, Montana, January 17, where attendees heard about proposed pro-life state legislation; Concord, New Hampshire, January 15, with about 150 in attendance; Trenton, New Jersey, January 24, with inspiring words from pro-life Gov. Chris Christie; Pierre, South Dakota, January 22 for the annual Hour of Reflection; and about three hundred Vermonters braved the cold weather to Rally for Life in Montpelier on January 15th.
The growing pro-life momentum inspired Louisiana citizens to gather in force for the first-ever Louisiana Life March in Baton Rouge January 22. Over 3,000 right-to-lifers marched to the state capitol building to hear speakers and to learn about pro-life ministries across the state. Pro-life Gov. Bobby Jindal later met with key leaders to discuss ways to develop a stronger pro-life Louisiana.
Louisiana pro-lifers also met in Washington, D.C., before the national March for Life. The 800 college and high school students at the “Geaux Forth 2011 Preaux Life Youth Rally” returned to their state energized and ready to work for the protection of the unborn.
Kentucky right to lifers have held a gathering in D.C. at the National March for Life for many years, and 2011 was no exception. Their Congressional Breakfast January 24 was only one event for state pro-lifers, as they also gathered in the state capital of Frankfort February 3 and in Louisville January 24.
In addition to pro-lifers from Louisiana and Kentucky, the national March for Life was the destination for hundreds of thousands from many states. Signs proclaimed the dedication to life of groups from Virginia, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, West Virginia, Missouri, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—just to name a few!
Pro-lifers also brought their spirit to their neighbors in local events. Pennsylvanians rallied January 15 in Erie, January 22 in Beaver County, January 23 in Lewiston, and January 29 in Scranton. In Tennessee, pro-lifers held large rallies in each region of the state: January 16 in Memphis, January 23 in Knoxville, and January 23 in Nashville.
Other local events included a January 15 March for Life in St. Augustine, Florida. In Stevens Point, Wisconsin, hundreds attended the Portage County Walk for Life January 30. Tucson, Arizona, was the site of a pro-life march on January 22. A large crowd of right to lifers marched in Moscow and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, January 22.
Alaskans held an Interdenominational Prayer Service at the Anchorage Memorial Cemetery January 22. A representative of pro-life Gov. Sean Parnell read a letter at the service that summarized the efforts of all who stood up for life across the country.
“By gathering, we proclaim the timeless truth that each child is a gift and endowed by our Creator with the inalienable right to life,” Parnell wrote. “When we treat the least of our people, the most vulnerable, as having that right to life, we bring out the best in each other.”