Maplewood residents march, and share photos

1. Michelle, my statement that I thought would be agreeable to people of differing opinions, was that all women have the RIGHT to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I didn’t claim they all were enjoying that right. Clearly, aborted unborn females have been denied their constitutional rights. Trying to claim that a fetus is not human and therefore has no rights is simply irrational, and sadly nothing I say may persuade you to believe otherwise. Hopefully someday all people will come to terms with the despicable and utter evil, (yes there is evil in this world religious beliefs or not), that sacrifices the child for the personal convenience or suffering, real or otherwise, of the mother.

2. Here’s the truth: about six-in-ten U.S. adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Perhaps you would be willing to bear a fetus afflicted with microcephaly, but I could not ask any woman to bear that burden nor should big government.

   There is a continuum of belief on abortion. Some feel that it should only be performed under extremely limited conditions, while others feel quite differently. Different people have different feelings about what is right for them. It is for that reason that the choice of an abortion should be left to the woman and not dictated by the government.

   When abortion was legalized in the United States in 1973, it did not mean that abortions began, it marked the end of women dying from abortions. Before then, abortions were available if you had the money and if you knew the right people. Abortions were not polite talk, but they are in everyone’s family history if you dig deep enough.

   Regardless of personal beliefs, everyone wants to reduce the number of abortions. Despite the propaganda, no one is pro-abortion.

   http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/law-should-not-put-doctors-wishes-over-patient-health/article_0a0f4d60-62da-53d9-94c2-6c3f820fcb46.html

   • Don Crozier, it may have marked the end of WOMEN dying from abortion, but sadly, marked the beginning of MILLIONS of innocent children dying during the same procedure. At least one human being dies in every abortion. And I would imagine that approximately half of them are female.

     • I assume then, that you are against the death penalty, would like to see guns outlawed for private citizens, support free healhcare, specifically ccontraceptives and prenatal care for women in poverty, advocate for comprehensive sex education, fight for LGBTQ rights, believe that black lives matter and would like to see our police held to higher standards, push back against any discussion of welfare being cut, want to raise the minimum wage, refuse to allow food stamps to be cut, are against any and all limits to the US accepting refugees, etc.? Because all of these advocate for life. If you want to call yourself “pro-life” you should probably care about all life. Otherwise you’re really just probirth.

       • I wish this site had a ‘like’ button like Facebook has.

3. The sad fact is the baby does not get a vote on the process. Who is going to stand up for the babies rights? Brutally killing an innocent baby in the womb is murder by any definition. I fail to see how any “civilized” person can feel that abortion is acceptable for any reason.

   • A baby will when it turns 18, but a fetus will not. But if that baby is shot down by a gunman, or beaten to death for being transgender, or starve to death because their parents’ food stamps were cut, or is sent back to a dangerous country because Americans don’t like their religion, or get shot by a cop because they have brown skin, that’s ok, right? It’s only when their lungs aren’t developed enough to breath oxygen and their food source come from a placenta that they matter?

     • Michelle, what the hell are you even trying to say? Regardless of how you spin it, a fetus is still a human, and will grow up one day to be a member of society. Nobody ever said that the lives of transgender children, impoverished children, children from other countries, and children of color don’t matter. Spoiler alert: THEY DO.

       Across the world there are BILLIONS of people who are trying to stand up for others. GM and myself are giving a voice to the hundreds and thousands of children killed every year by abortions. Does that mean that we don’t support transgender children, impoverished children, children from other countries, and children of color? NO. I can’t speak for GM on this one, but personally I want to see the end to death, poverty, and violence across the board.

       • Actually, the actions of many people who call themselves “pro-life” are showing how unimportant the lives of transgender children and immigrant children and American children living in poverty are to them. Do your homework. And how can I believe someone who isn’t even brave enough to use their own name? It’s easy to say you care about other people when it comes to abortion. There’s a reason why it’s such a popular talking point. Much harder to stand up to Conservatives using it to distract from the issues that truly lead to death.

         • If you must know, my workplace prevents me from being able to use my name in a public forum such as this one. I think you are missing the point of my last comment. There is no such thing as “issues that truly lead to death”. Anything that causes a person to die is an issue that leads to death (i.e. abortion, suicide, shootings, disease, persecution, etc). If you do your homework, you will find that there is an advocacy group trying to put an end to almost every one of these issues. Trying to say that supporting one issue acts as a distraction to others is idiotic.

         • No one said “supporting one issue acts as a distraction to others.” You’re right, that would be ridiculous. Many of us are able to look at several issues at once, without getting “distracted.” I understand that this is a difficult concept for people who call themselves “pro-life” yet only care about fetus life. I am speaking specifically about people who call themselves “pro-life” and yet support gun rights, are anti-LGBTQ protections and rights, are pro-war, do not support welfare programs, do not think policemen should be held accountable for the deaths they cause, think that healthcare access should be cut, etc. If you call yourself “pro-life” and also agree that gun ownership should be limited, police should be held accountable, wars should be avoided, welfare programs should be expanded, healthcare should be easily accessed by all, LGBTQ individuals should have all the same rights and respect as others, then you are not the kind of “pro-lifer” I am talking about. Of course, anyone who really wants to support life should also recognize that the laws “pro-lifers” are pushing for will actually lead to more death. But that’s another subject. My point is that it is impossible to believe “pro-lifers” really care about life. There’s just too much hypocrisy in the movement. As I explained above.

4. As Don said, no one is “pro-abortion.” Many of us believe our bodies should be under our control, not the government’s control. Yes, it is legal for us to have children, but we are limited in many ways as to how many children we have, how we can prevent unwanted pregnancies, and whether we want to have any children at all. We are also limited when pregnancies that were very much wanted end up with complications and how we are able to make decisions regarding our bodies and our unborn child’s body. Like many conservative talking points, this is a much more complicated issue than the term “pro-life” makes it out to be. If you truly want to know what “pro-choice” advocates then educate yourself. There is plenty of good information out there. When you are researching make sure to remember that “pro-life” views are based on religious views and not based on scientific knowledge, or knowledge of how abortion and contraceptives actually work. Try to find unbiased, or less biased information. The best way to learn more is to start listening to women telling their stories without imposing your own morality. But either way, the march was not a “pro-abortion” march. There simply is no such viewpoint. When women want to have the power to make choices for their own bodies and their own family, that does not mean they are “pro-abortion.” Yes, many signs mentioned pro-choice ideas at the march, but that’s because pro-choice ideas are pro-women ideas that are a part of the goal of woman having autonomy over their bodies and their lives.

   • It is a common misrepresentation among those who support legal abortion, such as this writer, to say that Pro-Life views are “based on religious views and not based on scientific knowledge.” In my experience of over 40 years following this issue I have found that the exact opposite is true. Every scientific advance strengthens the proof that unborn children are truly human, only younger. It is the abortion supporters who try to ignore or downplay simple scientific facts. Pro-Lifers enthusiastically embrace scientific facts. That is why there are Pro-life atheists and agnostics. Saying that Pro-Life is based on religious views is simply an attempt to discredit Pro-Lifers. It is without foundation.

     • I also spent many years as a part of the “pro-life” movement and know what the movement believes. I’m sure there are atheist “pro-lifers” although I never met one in all the years I was a part of that community. But no, the views spread by “pro-life” groups are not based in science or fact. Propaganda and misrepresentation are more on par. I’m sorry, Bill, but you’re not the only person who has knowledge of this group and their beliefs. It is a movement that was started by a Christian and caught on in the Evangelical church. It was an idea put forth to energize the religious right to get involved politically and vote for Republicans. Maybe now it isn’t solely a Christian movement, but it began with Christians and the bulk of the members are basing their beliefs on religion, not science.

5. Great job! You represented Maplewood well!

6. Actually it was planned months ago, this march was. It was intended to be a march in celebration of the election of our first woman President. As that didn’t turn out, and alot of the things had been paid for (now I am talking about the big…all city…march, that was planned), they decided to make it a March to celebrate women, mostly. It really turned into a march for a lot of things. Not just one thing. It would have been so much better for one thing…Kind of confusing the way it turned out. I think they got more ridicule about it than anything. I, for one, thought that the ladies, Madonna and also Ashley Judd, really were so ignorant…..one speaking about dreaming to blow up a government building (against the law) and/or killing the President doing that. And the other lady, I listened to her for all of 3 or 4 minutes, before I got tired of the expletives and her stupidity… and just turned her off. And the way some of the women were dressed and the signs which were bad…..shameful. I am glad to hear that the one we had in St. Louis, was a lot better. Hooray for St. Louis.

7. So Mr Completely so if there is one sign in all those pictures that is pro abortion then the whole thing was. By that logic I saw one picture with a man with a beard so maybe it was a pro beard march. Just my 2 cents.

   • There’s also a sign that says “Hugs,” so it was a pro-hugs rally. I was there, and it was a very positive event.

8. Love all the pictures! Proud to live in Maplewood amongst my fellow activists!
   Mr Completely, you have a great “alternative name” to go with your “alternative facts”. You COMPLETELY don’t get it.

9. Well Katie my opinion that the little get together was a pro-abortion rally is based upon extensive research; I looked at picture # 6 in the story which contains a giant sign reading “keep abortion legal” then I scrolled down to picture # 7 of an adult male at the rally with a small girl on his shoulders. Alternative fact you say……right.

   • Mr. Completely, as the mother of that small girl in the picture I would never have brought her to a “pro abortion” rally. Yes, many of the people there did support abortion & that is fine because that is their right, but if you look closer at the pictures I think you will see that the majority of the signs have nothing to do with that. The focus of the rally was to show strength & support to minorities who have felt slighted by recent events, specifically women, & whatever rights they feel they deserve. I am proud to have had my children supporting that equality & hope that it will help them realize & respect the power they can have in our democracy.

     • The march was a pro-abortion march. They would not let pro-life women in the march. From the signs I saw, it didn’t look like a place that was appropriate for children.

       • “Pro-life” groups do not support women’s rights. They support fetus rights. Not the same thing.

     • As a momma who marched with my 11year old…I found it so awesome to open up a lot of dialogue about what she was seeing and experiencing. The pro choice group tried to give her a pin…I politely let them know she’s 11 and she will get to make her decision on that when she’s ready….at 11 she’s not. We were completely treated with respect from the woman. Also, Denae you are a great mom.

10. The January 21st “march” was IMO a pro-abortion event. Sadly I’m sure many of the young people who proudly participated weren’t aware. Let Freedom Ring…..

    • Mr. Completely, did you attend the march? By your statement, I’m guessing not. Glad you have your opinion though, it’s your alternative fact.

    • I was there. This was a march at which thousands of opinions were expressed. I saw signs supporting science, human rights, contraception, equal pay, bodily autonomy, clean water, personal safety, immigration, voting, and many others. Trying to make it a one-issue march based on a sign you saw in a picture is not just short-sighted, it’s blind.

    • No one is pro-abortion. Those who march believe that the decision belongs with the woman and not with politicians.

      • I don’t know of any laws restricting a woman’s right to bear children. We’re not like China, thank God! So to what decision are you referring to specifically, that the marchers believe in?

        • Ugh, John Burke. You and Mr. Completely are so silly! For real, let’s find some common ground!

        • how about you venture a guess?

          • Don, I already know the answer, but you, like most progressives, are afraid to admit the truth. America knows what the march was really about, but don’t worry, you don’t have to answer here. Perhaps during your next attempt at running for office your true positions will become clear.
            To humor Beth, I would love to find common ground with those of differing opinions.
            Can we all agree with the following statement?
            In the United States, all women with a beating heart, have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Common ground, yes or no?

          • John Burke, you clearly do not know what many women are dealing with if you think we all have the “right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” And please stop being so ridiculous about the real reason for the march. If women’s rights and all that phrase entails is too complicated for you, just ask questions. But stop acting as if it’s some grand conspiracy on the part of liberals.

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