Why Rose Day matters
Annual faith-based anti-abortion event will be virtual
Rose Day, a series of activities aimed at promoting and supporting anti-abortion legislation in Oklahoma, will be virtual this year.
Brian Hobbs, Rose Day committee chairman, said the 2021 rally will be a video livestreamed program on Wednesday but instead of taking place at the state Capitol, Oklahomans are being encouraged to participate online.
“For nearly 30 years, Rose Day has brought many people of faith and pro-life citizens together annually to address the tragedy of legalized abortion in Oklahoma and across this land,” Hobbs said.
“While this gathering will not be able to happen in person in 2021, we believe the virtual and online event will be used by the Lord to make a huge difference in protecting unborn children.”
Here are several reasons why Rose Day matters in Oklahoma.
• Rose Day is a faith-based initiative, galvanizing hundreds of Oklahomans of faith each year to flock to the state Capitol to urge their legislators to support anti-abortion legislation. The event is open to the public regardless of faith tradition, but the anti-abortion program is by and large a Christian event.
• Notably, most participants are from churches associated with Oklahoma Baptists, the Southern Baptist Convention state affiliate. Oklahoma Baptists, also known as the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, is the largest faith group in Oklahoma. Another large group of participants come from the Catholic faith community. Each year, Rose Day visitors take roses to the state Capitol to present to their elected leaders as symbols of the sanctity of the unborn. This year, people will have an opportunity to send virtual roses to their legislators.
• Hobbs said the Rose Day Pro-Life Rally, which typically takes place after the distribution of roses, is the “largest annual pro-life event in Oklahoma.”
• Over the years, the event has brought prominent leaders in the anti-abortion movement to Oklahoma, giving Rose Day participants opportunities to hear from these like-minded activists first hand. Hobbs said this year's program will include an extensive interview with Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood clinical director. Johnson became an anti-abortion activist after spending eight years working for Planned Parenthood. She left when she decided to work in support of the unborn. Johnson went on to author the book “Unplanned,” which was adapted into a movie of the same name.
• Wednesday's virtual event also will include times of prayer, inspirational videos and brief messages from other presenters. Hobbs said the program will offer resources designed to help Oklahomans affect public policy on abortion and other sanctity of life issues. He is editor of the Baptist Messenger, Oklahoma Baptists' official news outlet.
• Numerous studies have shown that legalized abortion was one of the key issues in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. It continues to be a hot button topic in other elections across the country, as well, including state elections.