A first in the Polish capital

I was kind of surprised when I heard that the recent March for Life and Family held in Poland was the first ever in that country. But then it's wonderful to hear that one finally took place and that it's being planned to be an annual activity. So how did the June 4 event go? Here's a report from Joanna who's part of the organizing committee:


Poland's first National March for Life and Family gathers over 2000, mostly youth and families

Warsaw, June 6, 2006: Over 2,000 mostly young people, many families with children, some elderly and disabled, marched last Sunday through the capital of Poland in a joyful affirmation of judeo-christian values and every person’s right to life from conception to natural death.

Marching to the sounds of band music, the participants of the Sunday rally carried signs saying “Right to life for everyone,” “Stop abortion,” “Marriage only between a man and a woman,” “I’m Pro-Life” and chanted “Hey, hey, hey, the family is ok!” Several well known personalities from the world of culture and politics joined the march with their families. Representatives of the U.S. TFP were also present on the march.

The organizing committee, Fundacja Pro and Stowarzyszenie Kultury Chrześcijańskiej im. Ks. Piotra Skargi says the turnout was a success, considering the fact that this was the first event of this kind organized by the new generation of pro-life and pro-family groups.

Also, the hostile attitude of some mainstream liberal media, such as the notoriously anti-family “Gazeta Wyborcza”, which not only misinformed the public prior to the event, but also ran an extremely biased and disproportionately small article after the march, played a part in discouraging the public from supporting the idea of the march.

Many mainstream media chose to ignore the event altogether, although they normally pay an undeserved amount of attention to low attendance, radical leftist gay pride events, even those featuring pro-pedophilia speakers, such as German homosexual activist Volker Beck.

The Warsaw March for Life and Family ended in a festive atmosphere with a concert featuring several groups, including “Jeremiah’s Sisters” - a family band that provided the march with its theme song, “Family”.

Some participants joined the rally to show their support to Lukasz Wrobel - a member of the organizing committee, student and pro-life activist persecuted in court for organizing a legal pro-life exhibition. Lukasz has been sued by leftist political activists and sentenced on two different occasions for 40 hours of social work and a fine of 2000 PLN (the equivalent of an average month’s salary).

The organizing committee are planning on making the March for Life and Family an annual event.

Abortion in Poland is legal up to 12 weeks of gestation when the pregnancy is a result of a crime, up to 20-24 weeks when the baby is diagnosed with genetic imperfection or disability, or when the mother’s life or health is in danger. Official statistics report about 150-200 of such cases a year. Homosexual unions are not legal but the attack on life and family by leftist radicals, feminists and the gay movement is well underway.