[madprof98]

I know a lot about this incident and what led up to it because several of these people are good friends, and I was there two years ago when the Park Police attempted a similar arrest on Nellie Gray's orders. Miss Gray has grown testier and testier about the political leanings of participants in "her" march--and she alone holds the permit for it. Three years ago she ordered PLAGAL out of the march, and the group did leave. Then, two years ago, after extensive conversations with the group, she tried to have the leaders arrested. The police backed off, fortunately, and Father Frank Pavone (of Priests for Life) personally intervened and thanked PLAGAL for participating. I don't know what happened last year, but I was not surprised to see an arrest this year.

I am deeply disturbed that a single woman is attempting to dictate who can and cannot declare him or herself a pro-lifer. Banners abound at the march for every sort of cause, including the "ex-gay" movement. The PLAGAL people are very sincere pro-lifers who take a beating in the gay community for their public stance (at Pride rallies, for instance, where abortion-rights people come out in force). For them to be turned away from the March for Life is outrageous and self-defeating.

[Arthur McGowan]

I agree. The stated purpose of the March for Life is to lobby for the "Paramount Human Life Amendment." That amendment contains no reference to homosexual acts or contraception. When the official mission statement of the March for Life includes opposition to homosexual acts or contraception, then those can rightly be taken into account when it comes to inclusion or exclusion in the March.

I don't support the "Paramount Human Life Amendment" or any Constitutional amendment regarding abortion, because to do so is to accept that Roe v. Wade was an interpretation of the Constitutional text as it now stands. There is, of course, no basis in the Constitution for a liberty to kill babies. Thus, the proper answer to Roe is for Congress to remove abortion from the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and for the Governors to defy the Supreme Court, to nullify Roe and all the other decisions that assert a right to kill babies.

[hillsborofox]

Agree, agree, agree.

Nellie Gray does the pro-life effort a huge disservice, year after year, by excluding the very good people of PLAGAL. She is a disgrace to the cause and should step down immediately.

Wide ranging and unexpected voices such as those of PLAGAL, Pro-life atheists, Vegetarians for Life Feminists for Life strengthen and enrich the anti-abortion message in ways that all the Bible quoting in the world cannot.

Ms. Gray has been holding the annual March for Life hostage for too long.