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Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Anti-abortion demonstrators take part in the "March for Life" in Washington on Monday.
WASHINGTON -- Tens of thousands of abortion opponents marched to the U.S. Supreme Court in chilly, soggy weather on Monday to mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the court's decision legalizing abortion.
The "March for Life" has been held every year since 1974, a year after the landmark Supreme Court ruling. It is consistently one of the largest protests of the year in Washington, although weather likely kept this year's numbers down a bit.
House Speaker John Boehner told the crowd that he is one of 12 children and that anti-abortion views are part of his identity.
"With your help this bipartisan majority is standing up for life," he said. "We are heeding the voice of the people who oppose taxpayer funding of abortion."
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, talks about the ongoing battle over abortion and a woman's right to choose.
Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, urged supporters to "make sure we have a pro-life House and elect a pro-life Senate ... and most importantly that the most pro-abortion president in American history, President Obama, no longer occupies the White House."
Participants carried signs reading "I Vote Pro-Life First," "Defund Planned Parenthood" and "Face It ... Abortion Kills a Person."
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., urged anti-abortion voters to unite behind the eventual GOP nominee.
"We don't have the luxury of disunity or nominee disappointment or apathy," Smith said. "For the sake of the innocent, failure to unite is not an option."
Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney has said he wants to see Roe v. Wade overturned. But Janet Hoven, 55, of Chester, N.J., said he still needed to do more to court anti-abortion activists.
"He's going to have to come out very strong for life. I certainly will pray that he will," said Hoven, a Romney supporter.
Carolee Zentkovich, 68, of Columbia Station, Ohio, said she supports Santorum but would gladly vote for Romney in the hopes of getting Obama out of office.
Americans remain strongly divided on abortion.
A Gallup poll last year showed that 49 percent of respondents identified themselves as "pro-choice," while 45 percent called themselves "pro-life." The same survey found that 50 percent of Americans believe abortion should be legal under some circumstances, 27 percent said it should be legal in all cases and 22 percent said it should always be illegal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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Funny thing. A report came out last week that more abortions are performed in countries where abortion is illegal. Not only that but women are more likely to die during the procedure since it is being done in poor conditions.
So what do these geniuses expect would happen if it were outlawed? I'll tell you. Increased abortions and more women dying during the procedure.
So those that are against legal abortion are FOR increased abortions in general and increased deaths of women having them. Way to go!
Really can't trust those statistics since the procedure is illegal. If it were outlawed, maybe adoptions would increase, maybe mothers will have a change of heart. Maybe men and women will stop being too promiscious. Maybe people will get it through their heads that abortion is killing an innocent human being. Maybe respect for morality will become an honorable virtue again. Go ahead have at it, really not much to lose here. Just a life, ya know.
Sadly, the public is unaware that US Abortion clinics have not been required to regulation like ambulatory surgical centers. Any other facility performing invasive procedures is required to be regulated, audited and maintain credentials on licensed practitioners. No requirement to comply with a standard of care for the mother. People think just because abortion is legal in the US that means it's safe. Very sadly, that's definitely not so. While an outpatient surgical center has to jump regulation hoops for patient safety for a colonoscopy, nothing is required to remove a baby from the very delicate tissue of the uterus.
One of the most respected women of the 20th century had an opinion on abortion :''"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child - murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?'' speech given at a state dinner at the Clinton white house in which Mother Theresa was given a standing ovation,what a truly great lady! Who is like her today this woman carried the moral authority to make such statements as she lived her life for those who were unable to care or defend theirselves.
.....And these most likely are the same people who applaud at the ' tough sh1t ' attitudes of the republicans....
We've already been through all of this before, if you're old enough to remember it. Roe vs. Wade was passed in the 60's because of the very fact that women were dying in back-alley botched abortions. They were low-income women, of course. Wealthy women were flying out of the country, as they had for quite awhile, to receive legal abortions elsewhere. Promiscuity wasn't affected by the lack of legal abortions then, and it won't be any different this time around, if Roe vs. Wade is rolled back. It just means that more children will be born who aren't wanted, won't be given the care and love they need, and the number of women dying from illegal abortions will climb again. And don't try to argue that these children can be put up for adoption; most weren't before, and they won't be again. People are thinking with their hearts, but they aren't looking at the reality of the situation. And believe it or not, a group of women who were, at that time, the biggest supporters of Roe vs. Wade was Republican women - who were relieved their daughters would have options if they ever had to face an unintended pregnancy. Bottom line, no one likes abortion, but once again, it comes down to the fact - it is indeed a personal decision made by each person in her particular situation, and no law will alter that, regardless of what other people think.
Roe versus Wade - 1973 not the 60's. It's easy to espouse personal rhetoric but alot more challenging when you actually research the facts.
So trainsarebetter made a mistake. Get over it, Dennis Parker. Obviously trains has been around for a while. You will be too someday, if someone doesn't off you first for your attitude. The memory sometimes gets foggy when you get older, but the statement made is good. It's a choice.
So go back to your cave.
A country that kills their young is doom as a civilized country.
the legalizing of abortion caused a drop in crime like 13 years later?
im mean im not suggesting anything but
many of these women can not afford children
when they grow up in a family that cannot pay for the food on their table. the kids grow up and commit crimes at a higher rate
legalized abortion= lower crime rate and statistics
sorry, but the Freakonomics abortion-crime rate ratio was debunked right after it was published. go find a new argument.
I celebrate the Roe decision as a victory for individual liberty.
I have been in the position of my ex-husband trying to force an abortion, as well as mentoring women who definitely needed an abortion. Anyone opposed to abortion, has no intelligence to oppose it, if they have not known women who needed one to say their lives.
I did not get an abortion. But I got rid of my ex-husband.
Perhaps if he was doing this, http://www.meatspin.com .... he would have been better off then. =:D
Do any of you know that Norma McCorvey (the "Roe" in Roe versus Wade) recanted? She never had an abortion. She is now adamantly pro-life and tells a pretty amazing story. Kind of exposing the money racket and big bucks behind the law and Planned Parenthood.