Abortion Foes Rally 3,000 Marchers Observe Anniversary

About 3,000 abortion foes marched on the Capitol on Monday, taking sober note of the 25th anniversary of legal abortion and turning their attention to fighting the procedure they call “partial-‘birth” abortion.

Several dozen legislators railed against abortion on demand, with Rep. John Koster, R-Monroe, calling it “our own American Holocaust.” But most speakers made clear that, for now, they aren’t expecting the Supreme Court to overturn its Roe vs. Wade decision.

The new strategy for this year will be to try smaller bites.

First, the Republican-controlled Legislature is expected to approve a public vote for November on the “partial-birth” procedure. The chairmen of the House and Senate Law & Justice committees said they expect their panels to approve the measure next week. The House panel has a hearing this Friday; the Senate committee will consider the bill next Tuesday.

A secondary priority is to pass legislation to require parental notification before a minor has an abortion.

Democratic Gov. Gary Locke, an abortion-rights supporter, said last week he would veto both bills if they come to his desk. Sending legislation to the ballot would bypass the governor. Backers of the “partial-birth” bill already have permission from GOP leaders to add a referendum clause, but sponsors of the notification bill still are hoping Locke will change his mind.

The crowd, staging the 20th annual “March for Life,” hooted when Locke’s name was mentioned by speakers. They cheered, though, when three speakers invoked the name of state Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders and read remarks about protecting “innocent human life” he made at a similar rally two years ago.

Speakers said the large crowd, including busloads of students from religious schools, was testament to continuing opposition to abortion.

The crowd, which included the Republicans’ 1996 gubernatorial candidate, Ellen Craswell, carried red roses, white crosses and placards. Two giant banners featured full-color pictures of aborted fetuses, later described as two of the “35 million martyrs” since the Supreme Court’s decision.

The crowd sang, prayed and shouted their approval for speeches by most of the 35 legislators who attended. Koster, chairman of the newly organized Conservative Caucus, called abortion “a monster beyond our comprehension” and the “partial-birth” procedure “infanticide, plain and simple.’ He was one of several who likened abortion to Nazi genocide.

Several speakers called for compassion for women who have unplanned pregnancies. Society should plead for them to have the babies, and then make sure the children find good homes, said Sen. Bob Oke, R-Port Orchard.