Newport Beach : Pro-Life Vigil at Newport Beach Hospital Marks 14th Anniversary of Legalized Abortion

The 14th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision legalizing abortion prompted a protest Thursday by about 200 abortion opponents outside a Newport Beach hospital where the procedures are performed.

The peaceful demonstrators, carrying red roses, held a noon prayer vigil in front of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. Mary Curtius, a spokeswoman for Pro Life of Orange County, said: “Our goal is to make Orange County hospitals abortion free. We want to show there is a lot of community support to end their practices.”

A 1984 poll conducted by UC Irvine Prof. Mark Baldassare showed that Orange County residents were strongly in favor of the current law on abortion. The survey showed 70% of Orange County residents supporting abortion on demand, compared to 63% nationally.

“I don’t know of any polls that have been taken more recently than that,” conceded Janet Larson, regional director of the Christian Action Council of Southern California. “But I am not sure the polls are accurate.” Larson said most of Orange County’s political leadership is anti-abortion and that may more accurately reflect residents’ feelings.

Michael D. Stephens, president of Hoag Hospital, said in a telephone interview that the hospital’s policy is to allow “qualified physicians to perform abortion procedures in a medically approved environment.”

The hospital recognizes the rights of others to dissent, he said, “but we ask that they recognize the hospital’s right to offer needed medical services and our patients’ rights to receive this care.”

Orange County residents on both sides of the abortion issue are claiming their organizations are as strong as ever. “The pro-choice movement is as strong as it has ever been,” said Margie Seigle, the executive director of Planned Parenthood in Orange County. “Poll after poll has shown that people support pro-choice.”

Kathy Spillar, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization of Women, said there is “massive support” for the pro-choice movement in the county and across the nation. “We have definitely won this in the public arena,” she said. “It is not even controversial anymore.”

But Ruth Rozak of the Right to Life League in Orange County said, “Polls don’t mean a whole lot around here. The pro-life movement is a very strong movement. We are not losing any people.”

Curtius said her group is compiling a list of all Orange County hospitals that perform abortions in preparation for negotiations with the board members. “The wheels are turning,” she said.

Activists march in Capital. Part I, Page 26.