March Marks 35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
posted 9:11 pm Tue January 22, 2008 - Washington
Abortion opponents are streaming onto the National Mall for the annual March for Life, marking the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision.
This year marks 35 years since the landmark ruling that a woman has a constitutional right to have an abortion. Organizers predict tens of thousands of people will attend the march from the mall to the Supreme Court, despite the chilly weather.
Wanda Franz, president of the National Right to Life Committee, says a recent decrease in the number of abortions is a victory for abortion opponents and can be attributed in large part to their influence.
Also Tuesday, an abortion rights rally sponsored by the National Organization for Women is scheduled in front of the Supreme Court.
Intermittent street closures in the area are expected, including Fourth Street to Pennsylvania Avenue in Northwest, and Constitution Avenue in Northwest to First Street in Northeast. (CLICK HERE for a complete listing)
More than ten thousand anti-abortion activists gathered at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at Catholic University in Northeast Monday night to pray for an end to legal abortion in this country. They were expected to join the annual "March for Life" on Tuesday. "I've been doing this for three years now," said Alex Cuellar, whose parents brought him from from Providence, Rhode Island for the march. "I think it's a really great experience to get out there and do things for babies that cant talk."
Cuellar is one of the many teenagers and children who came to support the cause. M<any of them spent the night camped on the floor of the Basilica. They came prepared with sleeping bags, card games and a clear mission.
"I made the sacrifice not just for myself but for the babies that don't get to say I want to live. I made the sacrifice for them," said Vanesa Zuleta, also from Providence. "The babies cant speak for their-selves," said Alexander Andrews, from New Orleans, LA. "They need someone to represent them."
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