Thousands show up for pro-life rally

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Thousands of Texans descended on the Capitol for the 2012 Texas Rally for Life.

The rally gathered at 15th and Colorado streets before heading out to the Capitol. It commemorated the 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, which legalized abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy.

Texas Rally for Life participants said they stood up for the more than 77,000 unborn babies who will lose their lives in Texas alone this year.

"We’re here because we believe very strongly in the sanctity of life, and nobody has the right to take that life away," said pro-life advocate Stephanie Heyl. "Nobody gives life. Nobody can take it away. And we are here to support that cause and hopefully really reduce abortion rates in the United States and in Texas and really ultimately to abolish abortion because it’s just an injustice to an unborn child."

Some 53 million children have been aborted in the wake of Roe v. Wade, according to rally officials.

Even so, there are still plenty of people who believe people have the right to choose.

"I believe people should be pro-choice because of issues that may be unfortunate things to happen to them," said Emanuel Salazar, who was visiting the Capitol from Dallas. "For example, if they were to get raped and if they have a child with someone that may not want to keep the child, so it may be a negative situation surrounding the people that are like that."

Pro-life advocate and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott showed up to the rally to administer the Choose Life license plate fund that promotes adoption. Abbott also defended the state's sonogram law, which is now in federal court.

A federal appeals court ruled Jan. 10 that the abortion law passed last year -- requiring doctors to show sonograms to patients -- can be enforced while opponents challenge the measure in court.