Christian '40 Days For Life' Campaign Aims To Make Opposition To Abortion Rights Top Issue For Voters

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 24 Oct 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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With less than two weeks until the presidential election, Christians participating in the national "40 Days for Life" antiabortion campaign are "hitting the streets hard" to encourage voters to take abortion issues into account on election day, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. Participants in the nationwide campaign -- which is timed to end on Nov. 2, two days before the presidential election -- take turns holding up signs, praying and fasting outside of abortion clinics for 40 days. Demonstrations are taking place in 179 cities nationwide, according to the Commercial Appeal. David Bereit, the national campaign director for 40 Days for Life, said participants hope to make abortion the "forefront issue" in voters' minds on election day. Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) supports abortion rights, and Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) has said that he would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, the Commercial Appeal reports.

Christie Petrone, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region, said 40 Days for Life participants demonstrating at a Memphis Planned Parenthood clinic are attempting to intimidate women from entering the facility to receive health care. The demonstrators at the Memphis clinic have been handing out literature, praying, fasting and holding up signs, according to the Commercial Appeal. Petrone said, "The vast majority of our services focus on prevention of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted [infections]," adding that abortions represent only 3% of Planned Parenthood services nationally. Devanie Cooper, Memphis campaign director for 40 Days for Life, said the campaign is not political and that it is intended to support women and "save children" (Melvin, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 10/22).

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