A people who won’t surrender

The “people of life” don’t surrender to the draft bill that reforms legislation on abortion making it more permissive. “Spain says yes to life” is the international pro-life rally due to take place March 7 under the Spanish presidency of the European Union, a decisive moment in the parliamentary debate on the draft bill on abortion. The march will extend Spain’s protest to Europe and across the globe. The Right to life (DAV) platform, engaged in the defense of life, will submit one million signatures against the draft bill to the Chamber next January 28.Yes to life. Last year, on March 29, the first pro-life rally was called to protest against the Spanish government’s initiative to reform abortion legislation, which would allow women as young as 16 to seek abortion without parental consent, enforce restrictions on conscientious objection on the part of medical staff and introduce abortion methods as a subject to be taught in medicine university faculties. Organizers hope to establish a tradition of celebrating pro-life rallies each year during March to coincide with the World Day of Life, which is celebrated on March 25. This year the pro-life demonstration will simultaneously be held across some one hundred cities, in Spain, across Europe and in the Americas. The theme chosen “Spain yes to life” underlines two aspects. Firstly, extending the pro-life cause across national borders and reaffirming that a large majority of Spanish citizens are claiming this right and don’t want that the law on abortion be imposed on them. The subtitle of the initiative, in Spain and abroad, will be “In democracy citizens want their voices to be heard”. Recent opinion polls on the law on abortion show that the majority of Spanish citizens are against the liberalist reform.Ten reasons for a referendum. The purpose of the demonstration is also to ask the Premier to hold a referendum titled “Are you in favor of the regulation on abortion introduced in the law on sexual and reproductive health and voluntary pregnancy interruption?”. Several civil movement organizations such as CONCAPA (Catholic Con-Federation of parents and students) and the Institute for Family Policies, called for a referendum that would enable the Country’s citizens to express their opinion on the new law. Dav, HazteOir.org, Professionals for ethics and other associations endorsed the petition for the “Pro-Life Referendum”. The promoters produced a list of ten good reasons to endorse the referendum. The first is that “abortion is objectively evil” and thus all legislation in favour of it must be rejected; the second is that the right to life “cannot be the object of a poll, but the unfair laws that denied it can be”. The third is that 350 MPs should not decide on a fundamental right in place of the citizens. Furthermore, fourth reason, the Spanish Constitution envisages the consultative referendum on political decisions with a relevant bearing”. The fifth is that citizens don’t want that an unfair law be adopted in their name. Finally, sixth reason, it is fair that those who wanted and supported this unjust law pay for their choice in the ballot boxes. Indeed, seventh and eighth reason, the law is not only unfair but also illegitimate and authoritarian. The promoters of the referendum demand, ninth reason, “that politics be as direct as possible” without depending on political parties. Finally, tenth reason, “life is beyond all legislation, but we ask that its defense be regulated with a law”.A day of feast. The pro-life rally in Madrid will take place March 7 at 12.00 p.m. It will be characterize by a festive and joyful atmosphere, with music and a special performance by young people, to the presence of opinion leaders and celebrities. Since now and until March 7 events will be held across the country to spread information on the pro-life march. Numerous adhesions have already arrived. These include: the European network of Family Policy Institutes, the Spanish Institute for Family policy, the university Francisco de Vitoria, Professionals for Ethics, the Federation of Civic Platforms in Defense of the Family, Free books, Religion in freedom Platform, Majesty do not sign, Liberal Forum, Association for liberties and civil rights, and the “Educatio Servanda” Foundation.