Anti-abortion demonstrators march despite cold and ice

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As a part of the 38th-annual Plattsburgh March for Life, organized by Champlain Valley Right to Life, more than 100 anti-abortion protestors walked down the icy sidewalks Sunday afternoon along Broad Street from the Newman Center to St. John's Church, where James Sedlak, vice-president of the American Life League, later gave a presentation. P-R Photo / Gabe Dickens

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January 16, 2012

Anti-abortion supporters brave cold for annual event

ASHLEIGH LIVINGSTON Press-Republican The Press Republican Mon Jan 16, 2012, 02:28 AM EST

PLATTSBURGH — Despite frigid temperatures, crowds walked together along icy sidewalks in Plattsburgh Sunday as part of the 38th-annual Plattsburgh March for Life.

Men, women and children carried signs bearing statements such as "Justice for all born and unborn" and "I regret my abortion," as they made their way down Broad Street from the Newman Center to Saint John's Church.

The march was organized by Champlain Valley Right to Life, a regional anti-abortion organization.

"What we try to do is give an expression to the sanctity of innocent human life, so all of us here have the same idea," co-founder of Champlain Valley Right to Life John Middleton said in an interview with the Press-Republican.

"We are really opposed to killing babies."

Following the march, about 100 people gathered in Saint John's Church to pray for an end to abortion and hear the words of James Sedlak, vice president of the American Life League, a Catholic anti-abortion organization.

"Things are looking up for the pro-life movement in January 2012," Sedlak told the crowd.

He cited the Planned Parenthood Federation of America's 2009-10 Annual Report as proof that the efforts of abortion opponents are paying off.

In addition to other sexual and reproductive health-care services, the organization's Plattsburgh clinic performs abortions.

The report indicates that the number of abortions the organization performed nationally dropped from 331,796 in 2009 to 329,445 in 2010. The report also indicates that Planned Parenthood's total revenue decreased about 5 percent in 2010.

But in an effort to increase its income, Sedlak told his audience, Planned Parenthood will attempt to sell more services.

"You will see an effort here to increase abortions," he said.

Martha Stahl, vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood of North Country New York, told the Press-Republican that, while she agrees that money is tight for the organization, as is the case for many health-care providers, it certainly has no intention of encouraging people to have abortions.

"That's pretty much the opposite of what we do," Stahl said.

Planned Parenthood is all about lowering the rate of unintended pregnancies, Stahl said, which in turn would lower the abortion rate.

She explained that 97 percent of the services Planned Parenthood offers are basic family planning services, including annual exams, testing for sexually transmitted infections and cancer screenings.

Sedlak said Planned Parenthood would try to bring in more clients, particularly young people, by trying to get them to lead sexual lifestyles.

"Sexual sins are the worst kind of sins, and Planned Parenthood wants us to accept that they are natural.

"Young people don't have to have sex," Sedlak said. "God gave young people self-control."

Stahl said Planned Parenthood's goal is not to encourage people to have sex, but to provide information and counseling to its patients.

"Most of us in our lifetime end up engaging in sexual activity," she said.

"The goal is to make sure that when folks do make that decision, that they have all the information they need in order to keep themselves safe and healthy.

"To say that young adults and teenagers are never going to have sex, I think, is out of touch with reality."

Sedlak said that those who have participated in Plattsburgh's March for Life and protested abortion outside of Plattsburgh's Planned Parenthood clinic over the years are making a difference.

"It's working," Sedlak said. "God is answering your prayers.

"Do not give up because you are so close."

Email Ashleigh Livingston at: alivingston@pressrepublican.com