National pro-life movement has local ties to Beaver County

Jan. 29--For two consecutive weekends, activists from all over the world gathered in Washington, D.C., to have their voices heard.

On Friday, hundreds of thousands who support the pro-life movement March for Life held signs in opposition to abortion. The was the 44th annual march for the organization, with a theme of "The Power of One." On the event's social media pages, the slogan was explained as one person having the ability to make a difference in the world.

The march began at 3 p.m. Friday in front of the Washington Monument and featured such speakers as Vice President Mike Pence, Kellyanne Conway, senior counselor to President Donald Trump, and Utah Congresswoman Mia Love.

"Every time we kill a child, all of us suffer. We lose a little of ourselves and a whole lot of our future. We strip a child from their God-given potential when we, as a society, accept abortion as health care. My fellow Americans, we cannot accept what might have been. We won't know what might have been if we allow an organization to convince our pregnant women that they have no choice but to abort the life and the potential within them," Love said.

Paul Seifer, chairperson for the Beaver County chapter of Pennsylvania for Human Rights, believes many women have been counseled into abortion, a decision they often end up regretting.

"I'm not sure why other options aren't being supported. Why isn't adoption promoted?" Seifer said.

In reference to the 1973 Supreme Court ruling of Roe vs. Wade, Seifer said that abortion was never a popular choice, but instead a marketing term used to persuade women into thinking that an abortion equaled freedom.

"Why is killing offspring considered a right?" Seifer said. "Nothing should guarantee us the right to kill a living thing."

Last Tuesday, The U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 7 -- No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act -- by a vote of 238-183. The legislation will ban taxpayer funding of abortions, ensuring that no government funding or program directly pays for abortions.The bill now goes to the Senate.

Pro-choice advocates around the world have voiced their disapproval of President Trump's stance on reproductive rights, something Seifer hopes they will reconsider.

"This is a major victory for the Right to Live standpoint," Seifer said. "Whether you like the president or not as a person, it's important to look at the big picture. Pro-life advocates now have a sense of hope we haven't had in eight years."

In a study conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, Pennsylvania abortion rates in 2014 were 13.3 percent per 1,000 pregnant women; down from 15.1 percent in 2011. The study contributed the decrease to many factors, the largest being availability to contraception.

In Pennsylvania, the following restrictions have been placed on abortions:

State-directed counseling, including information meant to discourage termination, and a 24-hour wait period before procedure is provided.

The Affordable Care Act can only be used to cover abortion if the mother's life is endangered or in cases of rape or incest.

Public employees can only use their insurance policies to cover abortion in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest.

A minor needs parental consent before an abortion is performed.

Public funding can only be used for abortions in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest.

An abortion may only be performed later than 24 weeks of gestation if the woman's life or health is endangered.

While pro-life advocates are praising recent legislation, many are upset at the lack of anti-abortion representation at the Women's March on Washington last weekend.

Numerous groups voiced their discontent with the organizers of the pro-choice event on social media sites, saying that they were "not welcomed unless they supported abortion," and that the march was "extremely inclusive."

For pro-life advocates such as Kerri Harrington, supporting women and being against abortion go hand in hand. The Brighton Township mother and wife attended the March for Life in Washington on Friday, but had much to consider before agreeing to attend. Worried that protesters would possibly turn violent, Harrington knew she had a purpose for attending.

"I have a lot of friends who were very supportive of the Women's March last weekend," Harrington said. "I'm also a supporter of that movement, just not the pro-choice portion of it. I think that's really what fueled my desire to attend the March for Life."

For Harrington and many others, the desire to encourage options other than abortion are necessary in the pro-life movement.

"As Christians, if Roe vs. Wade were to be eliminated, I think the churches really need to step up and support single moms, young moms or any moms who need help and guidance. Pregnancy is scary -- I was scared when I was pregnant, too. But it's worth it when you see the face of your child," Harrington said. "I've had friends who have had abortions and regretted them."

As far as anti-abortion activists supporting women's rights, Harrington believes it's possible to advocate for life -- all life -- showing support to other women around the world.

"I don't think being pro-life is being in opposition of women's rights," Harrington said. "I believe it's actually supporting women and loving them as they are. You can be pro-life and pro-women."

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