Despite temperatures in the 20s and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, more than 1,000 anti-abortion advocates and Nebraska politicians gathered at the state Capitol on Saturday morning for the 47th annual Nebraska Walk for Life.
Attendees marched from the Capitol to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Newman Center during the event, which marked the 47th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
Several speakers addressed the crowd at the Capitol, including Gov. Pete Ricketts, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, U.S. Reps. Jeff Fortenberry and Don Bacon and state Sens. Suzanne Geist, Joni Albrecht and Julie Slama.
Sandy Danek, executive director of Nebraska Right to Life, reflected on the need to hold this year's event despite the pandemic and current political climate as she welcomed the crowd.
“Why are we here? Why are we pro-life? Why do we feel in a pandemic it's necessary to gather?†she said. “And all I can think of is, it's in our hearts. God has placed this in our hearts.â€
Many of the speakers celebrated the successful passing of Sen. Geist’s bill prohibiting dismemberment abortion in the state during the 2020 Legislative session. Geist thanked the crowd for their work in helping pass the bill.
“It passed the very last day of a very contentious session, and it passed because you prayed,†she said.
Many of the speakers celebrated President Donald Trump's support for the pro-life movement and his appointment of pro-life judges. They also discussed their opposition to President-elect Joe Biden's abortion-rights stance and the possible removal of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits tax dollars being used for abortion.
“We need a prayer for conversion of President-elect Biden, to change his heart and remember his Catholic roots and remember the unborn and not go about the policy changes that he's promised to do,†Ricketts said.
Many attendees said they were there simply to show support for the unborn and the right to life.
“I'm here to support all of the unborn lives and hopefully make a big change in Lincoln,†UNL freshman Joel Marmie said. “Hopefully it’ll be my generation, the next generation to come through to hopefully, finally change it once and for all.â€
Gina Tomes, director of the Bethlehem House maternity home in Omaha, was at the march to express her enthusiasm about the right to life movement, she said.
“Our culture of life is excited about the future and positive,†she said. “There are people out here who love each other and just want to show our support for life.â€
A small group of abortion-rights counterprotesters gathered across from the Newman Center. One was UNL graduate student Sarah Thompson, who said she sees hypocrisy in politicians who oppose abortion but don’t want to fund health care and welfare programs.
“We are here today to let people know that Nebraska is not a monolith when it comes to beliefs about abortion,†she said. “There are people who think that women have the right to make decisions about this sort of thing.â€