ALYSSA JOHNSON Lincoln Journal Star – Jan 28, 2024 – pg A8

My cmnt: I was at the Walk for Life this Saturday past. My guesstimate is that there were around 1600 marchers present at the event. The temperature was in the upper 20s with light winds, so the shirtless guys didn’t have it as bad as we’ve experienced in many previous marches. All the photos below were taken by me.

Nebraskans bundled up for the 50th annual Nebraska Walk For Life on Saturday in downtown Lincoln.

Hosted by Nebraska Right to Life, the event began at 10 a.m. at the Capitol. The group of around 1,500 anti-abortion advocates started the morning off by opening with a prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem sung by University of Nebraska-Omaha student Katelyn Glinsmann.

My cmnt: Any Lib-Left group of nut jobs, that the LJS naturally endorses with enthusiasm, can call themselves any bizarre euphemism that they wish to dream up and the entire democrat-media establishment will refer to them unerringly as such (i.e., they/them (of an individual), Democratic Republic of the Congo (that is neither a republic nor democratic), Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (that is a horrific fiefdom of the murderous, dictatorial Kim regime and neither democratic nor of the people), a man (who is biologically (i.e., in reality) a female), a woman ((who is biologically (i.e., in reality) a male), the democratic party (who hand select their candidates against the will of their own voters), Brittney Griner a woman (who is 6′ 8″ tall, has an Adam’s apple, is a size 13 in a man’s shoe, a deep male voice, no breasts, and is in fact an intersex hermaphrodite) and will gush all over the fact that “she” can dunk a basketball and beat-up on real women, and Fallon Fox (very telling first name) a man pretending to be a woman literally beating the hell out of real women MMA fighters). But let tens of millions of American refer to themselves as ProLife and the Libs will unfailingly call them anti-abortion.

This is the second event since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, ending federal protection for abortion rights and sending the issue back to the states. It marks the first rally since Gov. Jim Pillen signed a 12-week abortion ban into law in May.

Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Sandy Danek, president and executive director for Nebraska Right to Life, has been asked many times why the walk hasn’t been moved to the warmer weather in June. Danek said lives were lost because of the decision of Roe v. Wade on Jan. 22, 1973, and it’s important to honor the babies that have been aborted since then.

“More than 65 million of our precious little babies have been slaughtered,” Danek said. “We have to honor them. We have to honor that their lives have been lost, that their lives have had meaning and that every one of us have been affected by them not being with us here today.”

A large range of ages were in attendance Saturday morning to which Danek said that they inspire her each and every year by being present.

“You are the heartbeat of this movement,” Danek said. “We’re going to need you in a big way this year.”

Local and state officials, including Pillen, Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, Sens. Deb Fishcher and Pete Ricketts, Rep. Mike Flood and Nebraska Auditor Mike Foley, spoke at the Capitol.

While sharing their joy at the large group of attendees present, they also shared their concerns over a ballot initiative that seeks to enshrine the right to abortion until fetal viability into the state’s constitution.

Pillen asked each person in attendance to think about their mother and to think about the gift of life each mother gave and share hope with young girls present at the rally.

“I think it is incredibly important that each of us this year spend more time bragging about our mothers,” Pillen said. “If we brag about our mothers, there is no way on earth that every young girl growing up won’t understand that the greatest gift of life is to be a mother and choose life and choose love and walk it every single day.”

Pillen closed his speech by noting the petition, which if successful, would place it on the ballot in November.

“We have to be together no matter the circumstances because we have to win the ballot,” Pillen said. “We have to make sure that we do everything we can in this state to make sure that we save as many babies growing in mothers’ wombs as possible.”

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion advocates in seven states have petitioned ballot initiatives, all of which have won. Ricketts said the line has been drawn in Nebraska and the fight will go on to protect the babies.

“The other side has money, but we have our spirit, our sweat, and our toil and with the help of God, we will defeat this ballot initiative here in Nebraska and set the tone for the rest of the nation,” Ricketts said.

“We need you to get involved.”

Saturday’s keynote speaker was Melissa Ohden, a survivor of an abortion attempt, who last spoke at the event 13 years ago. Since then, Ohden has reconnected with her birth family and said she forgave her birth mom for what she did.

Prior to leaving the Capitol, the group closed with a prayer before turning to the pink and blue balloons that were released into the sky while the sound of a baby’s heartbeat was played over the speakers.

“The pink and blue balloons represent so many millions of unborn babies as well as their mothers and fathers,” said Patrick Reese, the Nebraska Walk for Life emcee.

Participants walked from the Capitol to the Nebraska Union where Ohden spoke again. Booths were set up in an adjoining room showcasing a variety of services and anti-abortion advocates.

Sarah Louise Peterson was at the Sidewalk Advocates for Life booth for her second year. Peterson said her group is the opposite of protestors and promotes a peaceful, prayerful and law-abiding presence on sidewalks outside of abortion facilities.

“One thing about today is to be able to celebrate life, celebrate that babies in the womb. Pre-born babies, are special, are valued, they’re just as important as people outside of the womb,” Peterson said.

Steve Zach from Omaha was among the group and was passing out a “Nebraska Pro-Life Directory” he created which encompasses a list of counseling, health, housing and legal services for mothers. He began handing out the papers 40 years ago when the list only contained two places for mothers to go.

“Nebraska’s embracing life,” Zach said as the list now fills an entire page.

Dr. Katherine Penny, a pediatrician in Omaha, attended for her first time and brought her 7-year-old daughter Isabella to participate in the walk.

“We just hope to change hearts,” Penny said. “If we can plant seeds and change hearts then that’s a win.”

Several abortion-rights advocates gathered by the Capitol and the Nebraska Union.

Among them was Jackson Meredith from Lincoln who said he wants to remind Nebraskans that they are out here too and care about the abortion issue.

“These folks want to pretend abortion wasn’t a thing before Roe v. Wade, which it was,” Meredith said. “Roe v. Wade didn’t create or enable abortion, it just brought it out of the back alley with scary implements.”

Reach the writer at 402473-7241 or ajohnson2@ journalstar.com. On Twitter @ajohnson6170