After thoughtful consideration, counsel, and prayer, I have made the decision to postpone the Oregon March for Life.
There is always a level of unpredictability that is a part of this event. Counter-protesters and others have tried to disrupt it, thankfully without success. However, the safety of our advocates, staff, and volunteers has and will continue to be our primary concern.
Not only are cases of COVID-19 on the rise in Oregon, tensions are also. We have seen some very unsettling incidents at our own capitol as well as at the nation’s Capitol. Fringe elements on both sides of the political spectrum have been turning orderly events into dangerous spectacles.
The Oregon March for Life is not only a protest of Oregon’s radical abortion laws but also serves as a peaceful memorial for the 61 million lives lost to legal abortion. It would be tragic to have the event co-opted by people who want to push their own political agendas. Worse still if, in their struggle, our innocent advocates were hurt.
The weight of responsibility I feel is tremendous. Trust me when I say I did not make this decision lightly. I know how important it is for our advocates to stand in opposition to abortion.
It is our hope that we can reschedule the event to the end of the 2021 legislative session, sometime in the spring. We also hope to hold a virtual event on Saturday, January 23 in place of the March. More details to come.
In the meantime, we are going forward with our annual conference, Together We Advocate, on March 6 at Rolling Hills Church in Tualatin. Please endeavor to join us.
Disappointment at postponed March. We should not allow intimidation and threats to silence us
I want to contact my state legislators, not only about the life issues, but also about the voting system. I feel that the mail-in system is wide open to abuse and fraud. I read today that people in Pennsylvania are working through their state legislators to change the mail-in law. We should have polling places with poll-watchers to receive each person’s ballot.