About 60-70 anti-abortion activists demonstrated in downtown Brainerd, the same day as the man they hope will help end legal abortion was sworn in as president.
The annual March for Life began at the corner of South Sixth and Oak streets, the same place where the Brainerd Planned Parenthood was located before it closed in 2011. From there, the marchers were escorted by two Brainerd Police Department squad cars to the Crow Wing County Courthouse, where they prayed and rallied in the lobby. The march, which has gone on for decades, is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision on Jan. 22, 1973.
The crowd consisted mostly seniors, although there was a sizeable contingent of children and young adults along as well.
Mary Dischinger has been chairing the Crow Wing County chapter of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for life for about 15 years, she said. She was encouraged by the presence of a younger generation of abortion opponents who would carry the torch after the older generation had passed away.
Jim Dullum of Nisswa walked in the march on his 85th birthday, carrying a sign that quoted the Old Testament, Isaiah 44:2. He was reluctant to answer questions at first.
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"Reporters are a disease in this nation of ours," he said.
However, he was fervent in his devotion to the cause.
"Life in this country is precious, and we're murdering more people in this country than ISIS does," he said.
He was hopeful that Roe v. Wade would be overturned during the Trump administration, but added it was up to the American people to achieve. There was widespread opposition to abortion in the Brainerd lakes area, he said.
"They're just now having the courage to step out and make their position known," he said. "When you get courage in the leadership of this country, then the people will follow."
Representing the younger generation were the Nierenhausen siblings of Crosslake, including Jack, 19 and Maddie, 17. They were there because they believed that life began at conception, he said.
"By showing people, being a witness of what we believe, more people will believe the same," he said.
During a speech to the assembled marchers inside the courthouse lobby, Dischinger said it was the pro-life movement that was responsible for electing Donald Trump.
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"I believe, even though the media says differently, it was our prayer and our pro-life vote, that put a pro-life president in the White House," she said.
Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, gave an update on potential anti-abortion bills coming in the Minnesota Legislature during the 2017 session, including requiring clinics that provide abortions to be licensed and inspected and a "fetal pain" bill that would ban abortion beginning at the stage of pregnancy where proponents say the fetus can feel pain.
"The humanity of the baby should be acknowledged, and abortion should be prohibited after this developmental milestone," he said.
