Demonstrators take stand on abortion
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Clockwise from top:
Jeannie Kula of Fullerton cheers keynote speaker Rev. Ronald
Ross on the steps of the Federal Building, 15th and O streets. Kula f
is president of the Nance County Right to Life committee “and |
proud of it.” Saturday’s walk was her 15th, she said.
Organizers estimated the crowd at 13,000 to 16,000. Police esti- I
mates were as low as 3,000.
Denise Buckley (left), and Judy Evans, both ot Omaha, show their 1
support at the rally.
Nebraska Comhusker quarterback Gerry Gdowski delivers an
anti-abortion message while Shirley Lang, walk organizer and
master of ceremonies, watches.
Photos by
William Lauer
Rally
Continued from Page 1
oppose us,” that God may bring
them to the anti-abortion side.
“But most of all we pray for the
children who... are dismembered
every day,” he said.
Several Nebraska football play
ers, both past and present, spoke at
the rally.
-4 4
Killing off our
young does noth
ing for our future.
Ross
Reverend of the American
Life League
-9 9
Steve Engslrom, a Nebraska
offensive tackle, led the crowd in
the Pledge of Allegiance. The crowd
added “bom or unborn” to the end
of the pledge.
Gerry Gdowski, a Nebraska
quarterback, said, “I just wonder
since 1973 how much of God s
talent has been killed.”
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court
handed down Roe vs. Wade, which
legalized abortion.
Jerry Krcps, president of Uni
versity of Ncbraska-Lincoln Stu
dents for Life, said that in “life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
... pro-abortionists are O for 3.”
Chris Noordhoek, president of
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Students for Life, said that in the
abortion debate, silence equals
death.
“Arc we going to sit by and be
silent while murder continues?”
he said.
Gov. Kay Orr was absent from
the march because of flu but sent
aide Marilyn Hassclbalch in her
place.
“Today we have come together
to celebrate life,” Hassclbalch said.
“There are those who want to
make it a political issue,” Hasscl
balch said. “This is not a political
issue. I am here not because it is the
political thing to do. It is the right
thing to do.”
During a rally at the Nebraska
Union after the walk, State Sen.
Bernice Labedz of Omaha said,
“We’ll win in the end because
we’ve got too many people out
there praying.”
17 include UNL group
Pro-choice supporters protest quietly
By Lisa Donovan
Senior Editor
Anii-abortion demonstrators
were greeted by silent opposition
Saturday as they walked irom the
State Capitol and the Federal Build
ing to the Nebraska Union.
Seventeen protestors, including
eight members of the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln Students for
Choice, lined the curb in front of
the Nebraska Slate Historical So
ciety at 15th and R streets from
about 10:30 a.m. to noon.
The pro-choice demonstrators
received little attention from anti
abortion demonstrators with the
exception of a few comments and
gestures.
Nanci Rivenburg, a UNL stu
dent and a member of Students for
Choice, said she and the rest of the
pro-choice demonstrators decided
to just hold up signs and not to
respond to heckling.
One reason Rivenburg said the
Students for Choice decided not to
organize their protest was because
“this is their (anti-abortion) event.”
Three separate rallies — at the
Slate Capitol, the Nebraska Union
and the Federal Building at 15th
and O streets - made up “Ne
“4 4
I want to make
sure that everyone
at least has the
option to a sqfe
and legal abortion.
Mize
of Lincoln
-♦ f
braska - Stand Up, Be Counted
and Walk for Life '90.”
Nell Eckerslcy, a UNL student
and a member of Students for
Choice, said pro-choice protestors
showed up of their own accord.
“We’re here to show our opin
ion, not shove our opinion ..at
people, she said.
Rivenburg said that although the
group of pro-choice demonstrators
didn’t organize the protest, ‘‘a
number of people thought the other ’
side of the story needed represen
tation.”
Eric Aspegren, president of
Students for Choice, said the 17
pro-choice protestors were dem
onstrating the “other side of the
coin.”
Rivenburg said about 100 stu
dents are on the Students for Choice
mailing lisland the grouphasabout
10 to 15 core members.
Aspegren defined the Pro-Choice
ideal as a “woman’s right to choose
her reproductive destiny.”
Janet Mize of Lincoln said she
demonstrated in favor of abortion
rights because she has had an abor
tion.
“I had to make a choice once,”
Mize said. “I want to make sure
that everyone at least has the op
tion to a safe and legal abortion.”