By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The 2021 Louisiana Life Marches have moved to a one-day socially distanced life chain event Jan. 23.
Originally, the life marches were scheduled to take place around the state over a three-week period in January and February, but novel coronavirus pandemic concerns caused organizers to alter the format for “Stand for Life, Louisiana.”
Only the Baton Rouge event will include a program from 9-10 a.m. on the Capitol building steps and will feature messages, music and prayer that will be streamed live on the Louisiana Right to Life Facebook page. A lineup of speakers will be announced closer to the event date. Attendance will be limited to 500 people, who must register online.
Following the event in Baton Rouge, pro-life supporters will gather from 10:30 a.m. to noon at designated locations around the state:
— Alexandria (Intersection of Jackson Street and McArthur Boulevard)
— Baton Rouge (756 Colonial Dr. and also Plank Road in front of St. Isadore Church)
— Bossier City (Airline Drive between Viking Drive and George Dement Boulevard)
— Marksville (Intersection of Ferdinand Street and Tunica Drive)
— Metairie (Intersection of Veterans Boulevard and Causeway Boulevard)
— New Orleans (Corner of Press Drive and Gentilly Boulevard)
— Opelousas (Union Street between Our Lady Queen of Angels Church and Holy Ghost Catholic Church)
— Shreveport (Youree Boulevard between Kings Highway and Southfield Road)
Participants are encouraged to hold signs declaring they stand for life.
A youngster stands for life.
“Despite restrictions from COVID, we wanted to make sure we stood for life in some way,” Alexandra Seghers, director of education for Louisiana Right to Life, told the Baptist Message. “We can’t get through January without protesting abortion. So, in order to maintain that memorialization of Roe v. Wade, we will have a simple program at the Capitol followed by people gathering at one of eight local life events. We ask that people be visible, keep the message simple and not be political – to be peaceful and focus on the pro-life message.”
According to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, preliminary numbers for the state in 2019 (latest data available) showed that 8,144 abortions were performed, an increase from 8,097 reported in 2018.
For more information on the Louisiana Life March, click here.
