ABORTION FOES GATHER RALLY IN VALLEY CITES PROGRESS TOWARD BAN.Byline: Michael Coit Staff Writer MISSION HILLS - There was a confident mood at an anti-abortion conference in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. to mark Saturday's anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion. The Supreme Court's recent decision to review a Nebraska law that bans a late-term procedure its opponents call ``partial-birth'' abortion gave hope to the hundreds gathered for one of the largest anti-abortion events on the West Coast. Abortion opponents have made the late-term abortion late-term abortion Post-viability abortion Medical ethics Any abortion performed after the fetus would be viable if delivered to a nonspecialized health center. See Partial birth abortion. issue a rallying point Noun 1. rallying point - a point or principle on which scattered or opposing groups can come together point - a brief version of the essential meaning of something; "get to the point"; "he missed the point of the joke"; "life has lost its point" . They are heartened that Nebraska state officials sought the legal challenge, hopeful the nation's highest court will uphold the law. ``It's done more to awaken the public to what's at stake,'' said keynote speaker Pat Nolan, the former Glendale assemblyman who is a leader of Prison Fellowship Ministries. ``And it's good news that they've decided to take the partial-birth abortion partial-birth abortion n. A late-term abortion, especially one in which a viable fetus is partially delivered through the cervix before being extracted. Not in technical use. case.'' Cardinal Roger Mahony also sounded a confident tone in his opening remarks for the fifth annual Commitment to Life Conference hosted at Alemany High School by the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Mahony, archbishop of the diocese, said the public mood is increasingly turning against abortion. ``I am very, very encouraged,'' Mahony said. ``The fundamental change needs to be through a conversion of the heart.'' President Clinton told Democratic Party donors in Beverly Hills on Saturday that the future of legalized abortion depends on who wins the 2000 presidential election. Republican presidential front-runner George W. Bush endorses a constitutional amendment banning abortion. Both Democratic candidates, Vice President Al Gore and former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, support abortion rights and retaining the Supreme Court decision. The 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe Vs. Wade protected a woman's right to abortion. Abortion supporters marked Saturday's anniversary of the decision with small gatherings in Los Angeles. ``Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood A service mark used for an organization that provides family planning services. and the people in the pro-choice movement believe we are also committed to life in ensuring that every child brought into this child is a wanted child,'' said Nancy Sasaki, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. Family planning family planning Use of measures designed to regulate the number and spacing of children within a family, largely to curb population growth and ensure each family’s access to limited resources. advocates are frustrated that they still must defend the choice ruling 27 years later. ``We're still fighting the battle, we're still trying to get elected officials to recognize that a woman's right to choose is a constitutional right,'' Sasaki said. ``I certainly wish we could spend resources expanding our services and getting education out to more people as opposed to fighting legislative battles we thought we won in 1973,'' she said. The Valley conference was held to gather anti-abortion supporters in the Los Angeles area who can't attend Monday's march against abortion in Washington, D.C., or today's prayer vigil in the nation's capital. Mahony initiated the conference in 1996 after serving three years as pro-life chairman for the Catholic bishop's conference. Saturday's program included workshops on contraception and natural family planning natural family planning Biological birth control Any FP that does not rely on artificial agents–eg, OCs, 'morning-after' pill, spermicidal foam, RU-486 or devices–eg, condoms, diaphragms, IUDs to prevent conception Methods Rhythm–calendar method, , sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted diseases Infections that are acquired and transmitted by sexual contact. Although virtually any infection may be transmitted during intimate contact, the term sexually transmitted disease is restricted to conditions that are largely , sex education, pro-life legislation, assisted suicide assisted suicide: see euthanasia. and medical ethics medical ethics The moral construct focused on the medical issues of individual Pts and medical practitioners. See Baby Doe, Brouphy, Conran, Jefferson, Kevorkian, Quinlan, Roe v Wade, Webster decision. . Jenny Morgan and her mom, Pam Morgan, came from Diamond Bar to attend several of the workshops. Although Jenny Morgan attends an all-girl's Catholic high school, she said sexual activity is still a big issue. ``You hear about it all the time. It's like an issue that's always out there,'' she said. The 16-year-old noted that more students she knows seem to be abstaining from sex. She said several conference workshops validated the concerns of teen-agers over sexually transmitted diseases and other issues. ``You come here and learn all the consequences. They make you more aware,'' Morgan said. Nolan encouraged the anti-abortion supporters to stay committed to their beliefs and consider that people can change. After all, Nolan said, he is proof. The former Glendale assemblyman served 2 1/2 years in federal prison for a racketeering Traditionally, obtaining or extorting money illegally or carrying on illegal business activities, usually by Organized Crime . A pattern of illegal activity carried out as part of an enterprise that is owned or controlled by those who are engaged in the illegal activity. conviction following a sting that targeted state lawmakers in Sacramento. During his incarceration Confinement in a jail or prison; imprisonment. Police officers and other law enforcement officers are authorized by federal, state, and local lawmakers to arrest and confine persons suspected of crimes. The judicial system is authorized to confine persons convicted of crimes. , Nolan said he became convinced that many men were given unfair sentences. He also became a converted death penalty opponent. ``I never thought that being a legislator would lead to prison and now sharing God's love,'' Nolan said. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Cardinal Roger Mahony, left, addresses the Commitment to Life Conference at Alemany High, which began with a prayer, above. David Sprague/Staff Photographer (3) ``It's done more to awaken the public to what's at stake,'' said keynote speaker Pat Nolan, the former Glendale assemblyman who is a leader of Prison Fellowship Ministries. ``And it's good news that they've decided to take the partial-birth abortion case.'' --Pat Nolan, Keynote speaker Box: INSIDE --Clinton says future of abortion on outcome of 2000 presidential race. Page 6 |
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