Anti-abortion advocates at a Friday March for Life rally informed a gathering of a whole bunch on the state Capitol constructing that Colorado was “struggling by way of constructing a tradition of life proper now.”
State Rep. Brandi Bradley, a Douglas County Republican, described Colorado as a state “centered on loss of life” with among the most “radical and excessive abortion legal guidelines within the nation.”
At a time when surrounding states like Arizona have enacted abortion bans or restrictions, Colorado has earned a popularity as a haven for individuals searching for abortion and reproductive well being care.
Months earlier than the U.S. Supreme Court docket in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade — the 1973 ruling that secured the precise to have an abortion within the U.S. Structure — Colorado enshrined the precise to an abortion in state legislation.
In 2023, Democratic legislators handed further legal guidelines providing protections to medical doctors who carry out abortions for individuals coming from states with abortion bans, amongst different reproductive well being points.
Colorado voters have constantly rejected abortion restrictions over time.
“We’re a pro-murder state,” Bradley stated. “This state shouldn’t be pro-choice. It’s pro-abortion solely.”
Bradley and different anti-abortion audio system on the rally warned of a proposed state constitutional modification brewing that will additional safe abortion rights within the state.
Proposed Initiative 89 would codify the precise to abortion entry within the Colorado Structure and repeal a ban on public funds going towards abortions, which means state workers or college students on college well being plans may use their insurance coverage to pay for an abortion.
Coloradans for Defending Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of abortion rights advocates, introduced Friday that that they had surpassed the variety of signatures wanted to get the initiative on the 2024 November poll the place voters can determine its destiny.
The a whole bunch of attendees who turned out for Colorado’s first March for Life rally have been largely faith-based contingencies of ladies, males and youngsters of all ages. Church buildings throughout the state bused congregation members to downtown Denver. Attendees represented their church buildings, non secular faculties and anti-abortion counseling facilities with banners, shirts and indicators.
Audio system, who ranged from politicians to clergy to anti-abortion activists, gave due to the army, veterans and first responders within the crowd.
Bradley famous a number of instances that extra anti-abortion politicians have been contained in the Capitol preventing for Second Modification rights as the gang cheered.
Audio system earlier than the march shared prayer and private testimonies to encourage attendees to talk up in assist of pregnant moms and the unborn, assuring the gang that even one voice and one individual could cause change.
Krystal Clark, 43, got here to the rally from Colorado Springs, the place she helps lead a gaggle referred to as Embrace Grace at Radiant Church. The group, she stated, helps pregnant moms.
After having an unplanned being pregnant at 16, Clark stated she selected to have an abortion at 19 due to the difficulties of teenybopper being pregnant.
“They don’t let you know in regards to the post-abortion traumatic stress you expertise,” Clark stated. “The toughest and most troublesome second in our lives is after we are companions within the loss of life of our infants.”
Clark stated she had a imaginative and prescient of her son in heaven that gave her power to start serving to and supporting pregnant moms.
Clark felt energized by anti-abortion advocacy in surrounding states and stated she thinks extra anti-abortion advocacy will take maintain in Colorado.
“I believe the church goes to stand up,” Clark stated. “We’re going to chop off the bloodline of the enemy. Each believer ought to be voting.”
Michaela Woods, a 20-year-old Regis College scholar, stated she got here to the rally to guard the unborn.
Woods appreciated the audio system who talked about mercy and supporting pregnant moms with love and compassion.
The Catholic lady stated anti-abortion activists want to talk up about their beliefs extra. Woods stated she speaks her thoughts in school and on the campus of her non-public, Jesuit Catholic establishment.
“It’s the concept of not shaming however wanting to assist,” Woods stated.
In the course of the rally, audio system had attendees maintain up their telephones and textual content a quantity that will join them with updates from March for Life to maintain them higher knowledgeable in regards to the anti-abortion motion within the state.
Karen Middleton, president of Colorado reproductive rights group Cobalt who was not on the rally, stated the anti-abortion motion is struggling within the state as a result of it needs to inform individuals what they need to or shouldn’t do with their our bodies.
“Abortion is healthcare,” Middleton stated. “When you select to entry one, it’s best to have the ability to. You get to determine whether or not or not that’s best for you and no one is telling you that you should make one alternative or one other. The flip facet is we’ve got the anti-abortion motion who needs to let you know you can not entry abortion. Nearly all of Coloradans don’t consider the federal government ought to intervene with selections about whether or not or to not have a toddler or entry an abortion.”
