Life Chain tells abortion's truth

Demonstrators' signs prompt various reactions

- WCR photo by Ramon Gonzalez Eleven-year-old Kristi McGuire was one of 350 people who took part in the annual Edmonton Life Chain Sept. 30.

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

More than 350 people took to the streets Sept. 30 to remind Edmontonians abortion is wrong.

Holding signs that read such statements as, "Abortion kills children" and "Abortion hurts women," the demonstrators stood along 104th Avenue from 109th Street to 124th Street for more than an hour waving to passing motorists.

Called Life Chain, the hour-long demonstration was one of several taking place from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

"Our main objective is to raise awareness about abortion so young men and women who are contemplating having an abortion would seek more information," said organizer Vern Johnson of the Campaign Life Coalition. "We also want them to know that there is hope for them if them make the wrong decision."

Vicki and Maurice Beier of St. Albert attended the demonstration with their four daughters and one son, each holding a different sign.

Mom gave life

"I'm here because I am against abortion," said Kalila Beier, 17, while holding a sign that said, "Thanks mom for giving me life."

Noting that abortion kills "too many babies" each year, Kalila said she hopes her presence in the streets will get people to think and to talk about it. "Hopefully it will help change some people's minds."

Vicki Beier, Kalila's mother, said the idea is to bring the abortion issue back into people's minds. "At least when they see the signs, even if they make them angry, it's a response."

During a Life Chain demonstration two years ago, Beier made a dent in the fight against abortion when she convinced a woman who passed by not to go through with a planned abortion.

Holding a sign that said "Abortion Kills Children" was 13-year-old Michael Schiller, also from St. Albert. "I'm trying to make people aware that abortion is wrong because it kills children."

A few blocks away, Elise Nawrocki, an 11-year-old from Fort Saskatchewan, had similar hopes. "I'm here so people stop having abortions," she said. "I hope this will make them think."

Elise's dad, Paul Nawrocki, noted that a woman and her two children had just passed by and the woman was upset because she would have to explain to her kids what the demonstration was all about.

Talk about it

"I think it's important that people do have that conversation and that this issue is raised so that it is debated and the truth comes out," he said. "It's an issue that we haven't talked about for quite some time and I think it's important that it becomes part of the discussion that's going on."

Johnson, the organizer, said some 10,000 abortions are performed annually in Alberta, including 5,000 in Edmonton. Pointing to a sign that read "Worker Shortage? Stop Abortion!" Johnson said since 1973, approximately 300,000 Albertans have been aborted - enough to solve the province's current worker shortage.

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