AUGUSTA — Pro-life advocates marched around the Capitol demanding change Saturday during the Maine Right to Life’s annual Hands Around the Capitol Memorial event.
Teresa McCann-Tumidajski, executive director of Maine Right to Life, said, “Over 57 million innocent babies have died from abortion in our country so we are here to give those babies a voice.”
Gov. Paul LePage attended a rally prior to the march and spoke to hundreds of pro-life advocates, saying, “To me it’s not about a woman’s right it’s about morality.”
Newly elected Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine’s 2nd District also took part in the event. LePage and Poliquin have both taken a stance against abortion.
“I choose to support the birth of babies and some don’t. They have the right to do that because it’s the law,” said LePage.
Thursday, Jan. 22 will mark 42 years since the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe V. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide. McCann-Tumidajski believes abortion should be abolished like slavery.
“It is the same level with abortion, with slavery not every slave was killed and we knew it was a bad practice. With abortion it kills a baby so we believe that abortion is the new holocaust and the new slavery,” said McCann-Tumidajski.
It’s clear not everyone in the state agrees with pro-life advocates who took part in Saturday’s march.
According to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, 57 percent of Maine voters say they believe abortion should be legal in many circumstances. In addition, 68 percent say they prefer candidates who support a woman’s right to make private health decisions.
“We live in a free country and we have the right to think the way we want and I don’t object to anybody feeling the way they feel,” said LePage.
Pro-life advocates rang the Capitol bell and placed 42 long-stemmed roses at the base of the bell to symbolize the number of years since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision.