Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 22, 1993 TAG: 9301220317
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
ROE AT 20: A BITTER, SWEET DAY
THOSE ON BOTH SIDES of the abortion issue say today's anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing the procedure likely marks a significant shift in the legal and moral battle for its future.
It's not too unusual to see at least one or two people outside the Roanoke Medical Center on Tuesday nights and Wednesdays protesting the abortions conducted inside.
Those are the only days the clinic performs abortions, and protesters usually hope not only to make passers-by aware of what the clinic does, but to change some clients' minds about having an abortion.
Thursday night, they stood outside a closed and empty clinic.
This time they had no intention of confronting clinic employees or patients. This wasn't a protest, they said. This was a vigil.
As is the case with some church holidays, the evening before the abortion anniversary date was set aside for prayer, said organizer Tony Conrad of Covington.
About 25 participants stood for two hours in the wet and cold, praying for "an end to legalized abortion on demand; a change of heart to begin to respect the sanctity of human life; women experiencing crisis pregnancies; healing and forgiveness for women and men experiencing guilt and grief after having aborted their unborn child."
Anti-abortion activists may be placing even more emphasis on similar activities designed to "change the hearts and minds" of those who support abortion rights, they say.
Once people "recognize the personhood of the unborn child," Conrad believes, abortions automatically will decrease.
Conrad said today's anniversary is a "very, very sad day," for him, but that he prays that President Clinton will extend his efforts at inclusiveness to "the unborn child."
Today's anniversary is both "bittersweet" and "sweet," said David Nova, public affairs director for Planned Parenthood of the Blue Ridge.
On the one hand, a new administration likely means that abortion rights will be protected for some years to come, he said. Yet recent U.S. Supreme Court pronouncements have weakened the 20-year-old decision that legalized abortion and categorized it as a right.
"The greatest problem [for abortion-rights proponents] is making sure people don't become complacent," Nova said. Despite the political changes, abortion rights "could die a slow death" if supporters don't keep up the pressure for continued reform.
While supporters will continue to press for passage of a federal Freedom of Choice Act to write abortion rights into federal law, Nova said, other battles will remain.
"For poor women in America, it is not a matter of whether Roe vs. Wade is upheld or not. Since there is no state or federal funding for abortions," those women cannot get abortions even if they want them, he said.
Nova said abortion-rights proponents also will be watching organizations such as the Christian Coalition, which he said has "become more effective" at electing "local officials who oppose family-life education, certain birth-control methods, and abortion."
What he really hopes for, though, is to get away from reacting to efforts to restrict abortions "to take on a more proactive role . . . working to reduce the level of unintended pregnancies in Virginia."