Pawlenty, Bachmann, Paulsen rally against abortion

Photo: Andy Birkey, Minnesota Independent

Anti-abortion activists marched at a rally on the Capitol steps on Friday at an event featuring prayers, hymns, and speeches by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Reps. Erik Paulsen and Michele Bachmann. Capitol police said that the rally, sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, brought about 5,000 people to the Capitol steps. The annual event coincides with the anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade.

“As millions of Americans March for Life today, it’s important to remember what is at stake because in one year alone, we’ve seen an onslaught of attacks on life and the unborn from this Congress and this Administration,” said Bachmann. She attacked Democrats for supporting abortion rights.

“We saw Democrats vote overwhelmingly against an amendment that would make Planned Parenthood ineligible to receive money for so-called ‘family planning’ services through appropriations funding for the Department of Health and Human Services,” she continued. “We saw the ban lifted on abortion funding for the District of Columbia. Funding for abstinence education was eliminated as well. And almost a year ago to this day after Americans marched to remember the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the President rescinded the Mexico City Policy, thereby making available millions of dollars to foreign NGOs that promote and perform abortion. The list goes on.”

“We have made good progress, just in the last few years in Minnesota we have passed and signed into law the Women’s Right to Know Act and that has reduced abortions in Minnesota every year,” said Pawlenty. “I’ve also signed other legislation such as the fetal pain legislation and the positive alternatives to abortion act… that program has already served 12,000 Minnesota women.”

“For those of us to have true happiness and true liberty, we must ensure sure that millions of vulnerable citizens are not denied the right to life,” Paulsen told the crowd.