39th annual March for Life takes place downtown

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - A leader with Allen County Right to Life said Thursday the abortion rate in the county has dropped 56 percent over the last five years.  The news comes three days before the 40-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade.  The decision legalized abortions in the United States.

Saturday, the Allen County organization held its 39th annual March for Life.  More than 1,700 people attended the event.

Allen County Right to Life Executive Director Cathie Humbarger listed several reasons for the decrease in the abortion rate.

"We attribute that to the 40 Days of Life campaign, which focuses on prayer," she said.  "The passage of patient safety ordinance in Allen County, and the advance of technology and availability of ultrasound.  Most importantly, the huge number of students and young adults who are coming to this movement in unprecedented numbers."

According to Humbarger's numbers, there have been more than 55 million abortions to date, with more than 30,000 taking place in Allen County.

The march began with an hour-long presentation at the Saint Francis Performing Arts Center where politicians and other community members voiced why they wanted to end abortion.  Among the speakers included U.S. Congressman Marlin Stutzman.

"The Supreme Court may be the highest court in the land but that doesn't mean they always get it right," said  Stutzman in a statement released Saturday.  "Since 1973, more than 55 million children have been killed in what ought to be nature's safest environment, enshrining Roe v. Wade alongside Dred Scott as one of the worst decisions in history.  It must be overturned.

"I realize that may seem like an impossible task.  But despite the fact that a majority of Americans returned the most pro-abortion President in our nation's history to the Oval office, they also returned a pro-life majority to the House of Representatives.  For this reason we cannot lost hope.

"Earlier this month, when referring to the tragedy at Sandy Hook, President Obama asked if we were 'doing enough to keep our children - all of them - safe from harm.'  Mr. President, as Planned Parenthood performs more than 900 taxpayer-funded abortions each day, the answer is resounding 'no.'  I call on the president to make good on his promise to do everything in his power to keep all of our nation's children safe and stand for the rights of every single person, born and unborn.  We must end the taxpayer subsidy to Big Abortion and overturn Roe v. Wade once and for all."

Planned Parenthood of Indiana's President and CEO, Betty Cockrum also released a statement on the anniversary of the court's historic decision.

"Planned Parenthood of Indiana believes that everyone should have choices and the ability to express their opinions," she said.  "On this important anniversary, we recognize the need for continued access to safe and legal abortion if and when a woman needs to consider it.  A majority of Americans support and respect the decision each woman must make make about their own pregnancy and oppose efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Cockrum went on to say, "Abortion is a deeply personal and often complex decision for a woman.  Ultimately, decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child must to be left to a woman, her family, and her faith, with the counsel of her doctor.

"Unfortunately, instead of focusing on jobs and the economy, politicians still insist on interfering with women's personal health decisions.  What's clear is the Hoosiers, like the rest of America, don't want this."