San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
ABORTION OPPONENTS RALLY AT WALK
San Diego Roman Catholic Diocese’s annual event draws an estimated 3K; groups offering abortion alternatives set up information tents
Despite rain, a pandemic and a tsunami warning, thousands of people turned up Saturday at the Waterfront Park for the 10th Annual Walk for Life, an antiabortion rally and march in downtown San Diego.
An estimated 3,000 people of all ages filled a corner at Grape Street and Harbor Drive for the annual event organized by The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Many brought signs with messages including “Choose life” and “Pray to end abortion.”
Last year the event was a car caravan due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Bishop Robert Mcelroy said it was important that Californians encourage state-level change to restrict access to abortion as lawmakers in states such as Texas have done.
“We must continue the struggle,” said Mcelroy during remarks at the rally. “We must continue to educate, convert minds and hearts to point to the unborn child and see the preciousness of that life.”
Shawn Carney, co-founder and president of the national 40 Days for Life, an international anti-abortion campaign, also took to the microphone before the walk to share his thoughts on the importance of valuing and defending human life.
“This walk is such a beautiful thing because we are reminding ourselves of the dignity of the human person,” Carney said.
Maternity homes, adoption services, churches and anti-abortion groups promoted their causes and passed out literature from dozens of vendor tents set up near the park.
Around 10:45 a.m., the walk got under way. Rallygoers
streamed along the sidewalks on the march around the County Administration Center.
Some participants held homemade signs bearing messages including “PROGOOD choice” and “Love both of them” next to an artistic rendering of a woman with a fetus in her belly.
Members of the Knights of Columbus, a global Catholic fraternal service group, led the procession.
A couple of passing vehicles honked in approval, and one driver waved.
Virginia Sankey, 57, of Rancho Peñasquitos, said she thinks it conveys an important message to pregnant women who are scared, alone and feeling like abortion is their only option.
“I think we need to let women know there are other alternatives and options,” said Sankey. “What I like about being here is it’s not just saying abortion is wrong and should be changed, it’s saying there are options, there is support, that women can have.”
The event comes on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month regarding a Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy — before some women even know they’re pregnant. There is no exception for rape or incest.
The Texas law is to be enforced by allowing anyone to sue someone who “aids or abets” an abortion, such as doctors and nurses.
The bounty-like enforcement system allows successful litigants to collect up to $10,000.
The high court’s decision greatly limited who abortion providers could sue, but it allowed providers to continue their lawsuit against Texas licensing officials.
It kicked the case back to a lower court to decide how litigation should proceed.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was reviewing the case as of Saturday.
Another case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court is a challenge to a Mississippi law that bans abortions at 15 weeks.
Some legal experts have said the court’s decision could overturn Roe v. Wade, a 1973 case that created constitutional protection for abortion.