San Francisco—A huge crowd of pro-life supporters, many of whom carried signs that read “Women Deserve Better Than Abortion,” filled Justin Herman Plaza Saturday, Jan. 24 just before the fifth annual West Coast Walk for Life.
A full spectrum of participants of different race, age, and outlook took part in the rally and the following two-mile march along the Embarcadero to Marina Green.
“One of the greatest gifts we have are unborn children,” said Diana Nagy, one of the featured speakers. Protecting an unborn child is not a choice of a woman but a responsibility of a mother, she emphasized.
“I know the feelings and the emotions of an unexpected pregnancy,” continued Diana, who had been impregnated by her long-time boyfriend at fifteen, “I know how fearful it can be.” Yet strong Catholic traditions tied Diana closer to her parents after they overcame the initial war of emotions. “They hugged me,” she recalled. “And they said we’re going to get through this together.”
Diana fought her boyfriend in order to keep the baby boy, but unable to raise a child on her own, she eventually made the decision to give the boy up for adoption.
Traveling all the way from New Jersey, featured speaker Rev. Clenard Childress, northeast director of L.E.A.R.N., the largest African American pro-life organization, said, “In the spirit of activism, to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to send a message to the present administration that … we will loudly protest legislation and executive orders that increase abortions for women.”
According to Evelyn Li, M.D., a consultant for the documentary Life of Sale, 24 percent of women who have had abortions suffer from side effects such as increased risk in future pregnancies, inability to conceive, uterus rupture, etc. While 25 percent of the women who have had abortions find a need to see psychologists, she noted, this number is only 3 percent among women who have not had abortions.
“Of course, everyone should have a choice … However, the most important thing for us is to give them the real facts. Only then will they have a choice,” she said, hinting that many are still oblivious of the risks involved in abortion.
Results from a study last year showed that the death rate was 2.5 percent among one million teenage girls who had abortions last year, said Rev. Chow, one of several Chinese American community leaders present at the rally. Another 15 percent of the women who have had abortions cannot conceive. “Therefore, we feel abortion is very inhumane. It is also illegal and unreasonable,” he said. “Because while an infant is in the womb, [he or she] is already a life … Then abortion is murder in disguise.”
“Freedom does not give us the right to do anything, certainly not the right to kill,” said Frank Lee, coordinator of Asian Americans Against Abortion to a captivated crowd.
Second-year participant, Clark Bishop, who is studying mathematics and philosophy in a small liberal arts school in Los Angeles, was one among many young people at the Walk for Life. “I’m here in order to support women,” he said. “It’s not just a woman’s right … This is something that should not happen to the human race as a whole.” Two hundred other students from his school were present that day, according to Bishop.
Across the street, a smaller crowd of counter-protesters gathered in support of abortion rights. Although mostly one-sided shouting from pro-choice supporters occurred in the beginning, no confrontation took place. Despite obvious differences in stance, both have concerns about protecting minors.
Among the counter-protesters was Melissa Carginet, a nurse. “I think young women also need protection,” she replied when asked about the threat of elimination of the parent notification act for minors should the Freedom of Choice Act be enacted into law. However, it’s a complex society, she continued, and some families face very different issues.
“In an ideal world where all minors can talk to their parents … It wouldn’t be so inflammatory,” said retired psychology professor, Eleanor Levine. “But we don’t live in that kind of a world. We live in a world in which sometimes the parents get their kids pregnant, so minors need to be protected. They need to have the right to make decisions with assistance.”
“Minors need support. They need assistance,” she said, but when parents can’t help, they need other people to help.
“Most women do not opt for abortion, and I would encourage women to not opt for abortion,” she continued, “but if they need it, I think they should have the choice.”
A full spectrum of participants of different race, age, and outlook took part in the rally and the following two-mile march along the Embarcadero to Marina Green.
“One of the greatest gifts we have are unborn children,” said Diana Nagy, one of the featured speakers. Protecting an unborn child is not a choice of a woman but a responsibility of a mother, she emphasized.
“I know the feelings and the emotions of an unexpected pregnancy,” continued Diana, who had been impregnated by her long-time boyfriend at fifteen, “I know how fearful it can be.” Yet strong Catholic traditions tied Diana closer to her parents after they overcame the initial war of emotions. “They hugged me,” she recalled. “And they said we’re going to get through this together.”
Diana fought her boyfriend in order to keep the baby boy, but unable to raise a child on her own, she eventually made the decision to give the boy up for adoption.
Traveling all the way from New Jersey, featured speaker Rev. Clenard Childress, northeast director of L.E.A.R.N., the largest African American pro-life organization, said, “In the spirit of activism, to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, to send a message to the present administration that … we will loudly protest legislation and executive orders that increase abortions for women.”
According to Evelyn Li, M.D., a consultant for the documentary Life of Sale, 24 percent of women who have had abortions suffer from side effects such as increased risk in future pregnancies, inability to conceive, uterus rupture, etc. While 25 percent of the women who have had abortions find a need to see psychologists, she noted, this number is only 3 percent among women who have not had abortions.
“Of course, everyone should have a choice … However, the most important thing for us is to give them the real facts. Only then will they have a choice,” she said, hinting that many are still oblivious of the risks involved in abortion.
Results from a study last year showed that the death rate was 2.5 percent among one million teenage girls who had abortions last year, said Rev. Chow, one of several Chinese American community leaders present at the rally. Another 15 percent of the women who have had abortions cannot conceive. “Therefore, we feel abortion is very inhumane. It is also illegal and unreasonable,” he said. “Because while an infant is in the womb, [he or she] is already a life … Then abortion is murder in disguise.”
“Freedom does not give us the right to do anything, certainly not the right to kill,” said Frank Lee, coordinator of Asian Americans Against Abortion to a captivated crowd.
Second-year participant, Clark Bishop, who is studying mathematics and philosophy in a small liberal arts school in Los Angeles, was one among many young people at the Walk for Life. “I’m here in order to support women,” he said. “It’s not just a woman’s right … This is something that should not happen to the human race as a whole.” Two hundred other students from his school were present that day, according to Bishop.
Across the street, a smaller crowd of counter-protesters gathered in support of abortion rights. Although mostly one-sided shouting from pro-choice supporters occurred in the beginning, no confrontation took place. Despite obvious differences in stance, both have concerns about protecting minors.
Among the counter-protesters was Melissa Carginet, a nurse. “I think young women also need protection,” she replied when asked about the threat of elimination of the parent notification act for minors should the Freedom of Choice Act be enacted into law. However, it’s a complex society, she continued, and some families face very different issues.
“In an ideal world where all minors can talk to their parents … It wouldn’t be so inflammatory,” said retired psychology professor, Eleanor Levine. “But we don’t live in that kind of a world. We live in a world in which sometimes the parents get their kids pregnant, so minors need to be protected. They need to have the right to make decisions with assistance.”
“Minors need support. They need assistance,” she said, but when parents can’t help, they need other people to help.
“Most women do not opt for abortion, and I would encourage women to not opt for abortion,” she continued, “but if they need it, I think they should have the choice.”
