Hundreds of anti-abortion supporters gathered in front of the Capitol building in Lincoln Saturday to show their support for an end to abortion. The occasion was the 50th annual Nebraska Walk for Life, a tradition which, for the first time, took place in a post Roe v. Wade world.
Melissa and Mike Scyz attended the rally with their six children. As Catholics, they say their faith urges them to support a total ban of the procedure.
“We believe that life is sacred and so we support that from natural birth to natural death,” Mike Scyz said.
“We also know that science teaches that for those that don't follow a faith, the facts are there,” according to Melissa Scyz. “The science is there. Life starts at conception and that's it.”
Another attendee, Joe Sedoris, said he recognized that there are many nuances to the issue but, like most gathered, he doesn’t believe abortion should be an option.
“That is a human being. And that human being deserves a chance at life, no matter how it came into existence, whether through rape or whether through a choice. The answer isn't killing that child, the answer is to provide for that child somehow, some way and to provide for the mother as well,” said Sedoris.
The Scyz’s and Sedoris were among hundreds who gathered in freezing temperatures to take in speeches from a variety of anti-abortion civilians and lawmakers, including Gov. Jim Pillen, Rep. Mike Flood and Sen. Pete Ricketts, each of whom championed their anti-abortion plans.
“For 50 years we have worked and walked and prayed to get that terrible Supreme Court decision overturned so that people in the States could decide how to protect preborn babies,” Ricketts told the crowd. “And, folks, now we have that opportunity here today.”
Ricketts was referring to the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v.Wade last year which effectively eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortions and handed the decision to state legislatures. Many attendees were enthusiastic about a potential state-level ban of abortion.
A small gathering of abortions rights supporters also gathered near the rally. Although dwarfed by the number of anti-abortion supporters, the counter protesters used bullhorns, drums and signs throughout the event to attempt to disrupt proceedings. One counter protester, Rebecca Weixlman said she was not intimidated by the big show of support for ending abortion.
“I have seen the kind of hate that these people who claim to be Christian and Catholic hold in their hearts,” Weixlman said. “It's terrifying because they believe so wholeheartedly that they're correct and what they actually want to do is control women and maintain the status quo. And it's disgusting.”
After about an hour of speeches, the anti-abortion supporters marched to the University of Nebraska Student Union with police escort, but not before closing the rally at the Capitol with a group prayer, asking God to bring an end to abortion in Nebraska.
A bill that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is around six weeks, is set to be discussed in committee Wednesday afternoon.
