Undeterred by ice and fog, hundreds of dedicated pro-lifers gathered on January 12, 2013, in Augusta, Maine to mourn the 40th Memorial Anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
The annual event, “Hands Around the Capitol,” is sponsored by Maine Right to Life Committee and consists of a Rally and March to the state Capitol. The marchers carried “Stop Abortion Now” signs, and many wore black arm bands.
According to Teresa McCann-Tumidajski, Executive Director of Maine Right to Life Committee, the event is the largest pro-life gathering in the state of Maine.
“Forty years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that an unborn child’s fundamental right to life was superseded by a pregnant woman’s right to life style,” McCann-Tumidajski stated.
She went on to say that “we all anxiously await that glorious day in which abortion… is abolished forever, just as slavery has been. But TODAY, unfortunately, is not that day. Today we pray, we gather, we rally, we march, and we provide unwavering witness in our commitment to protect and defend our precious unborn children from the horror of abortion…and to protect Maine women and men from a lifetime of pain and regret.”
The rally included a diversity of supporters: young and old, men and women, and families with young children.
“You are the foot soldiers in the battle to reclaim the soul of our nation,” McCann-Tumidajski told the crowd. She went on to say that trends are changing more and more towards pro-life attitudes and pro-life decisions. The momentum is shifting.
Thanks to the efforts of pro-lifers in the state, we have seen a reduction in the number of abortions in Maine for a third year in a row—and an overall drop of 14 percent from the all-time high. Additionally, the Family Planning Clinic is South Portland, Maine closed its doors last summer.
We will never give up as long as a single human life is in need of a voice.
Thank you so much for the Stop Abortion Now signs—they are particularly well made, and the reverse side is great….They arrived in time for us to use on Saturday for our statewide Hands Around the Capitol program!
I am attaching a brief write up about Maine’s activities from our Rally and March in this email, as requested.
Also—listed below is a link to the statewide newspaper coverage which we received for the event, FYI.
We had one of Maine’s Pro-Life University graduates lead the march with the banner “Take my hand, not my life.” We processed with 40 long stemmed red roses which we placed lovingly at the base of the Capitol bell as it was rung 40 times representing each year since the passage of Roe v. Wade.