A centenarian with a bullhorn exhorted a group of more than 50 sign-holding seniors ages 85-plus, to protest the reversal of Roe v. Wade during a march on July l0 outside Casa de Mañana retirement center in La Jolla.
“Fifty years ago I was in Washington, D.C. celebrating the passing of Roe v. Wade: It was wonderful,” said 103-year-old Casa resident Alice Yee outside on the front lawn at 849 Coast Blvd. “Never did I dream that, 50 years later, I would be marching to mourn the demise of Roe v. Wade.”
Pointing out senior women are “still on the line” regarding their Constitutional rights, Yee suggested their new motto ought to be “never turn back. The struggle will always be with us. Women should make their own decisions about whatever they do in relation to their bodies.
“So today, in a very small way, we’re saying, ‘Our lives are our own lives, leave us alone and let us do what we need to do,’” continued Yee. “Enjoy your march. Enjoy the fellowship of each other. This is the beginning of another struggle. The struggle will go on as long as I am alive, and as long as our children are alive. Hang in there. Believe in what you do. We will never turn back.”
“When women’s rights are under attack, what do you do?” asked local attorney Leslee Morris, who helped organize the event, addressing senior protesters before Yee spoke.
“Stand up and fight back,” said Morris answering her own question. She then pointed out, “Scott Peters is your representative in Congress. He is a strong supporter of women’s rights and abortion rights.”
Referring to a crowd of bystanders who had formed around the gathering of seniors on the front lawn of Casa de Mañana, Morris said, “They want to applaud what you are doing.”
Morris added the senior protest was all “about them.”
A Casa de Mañana resident identifying himself as Bob said he spoke on behalf of his three daughters and a granddaughter by saying: “This whole thing is just crazy. It is so politically motivated. It just doesn’t make sense. I understand that killing is death. But where do you define the line? That is the question.”
Asked if he was surprised by the Supreme Court ruling overturning Wade, Bob replied: “I knew what the Republicans’ point of view was. But I just didn’t think it really had a chance of turning around. At least, it’s a state’s rights situation (now). We don’t have to worry about people in California. But there are a lot of other states out there.”
Protesting seniors requesting anonymity before their July 10 march also had their say.
“I’m glad I live in California,” said one woman.
“The timing is purposeful,” said another woman about the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade reversal.
“You all who have been around, you’ve been marching for this how many times now?” questioned another lady.
“Their (seniors’) voices should be more important because they went through it the first time, and now they have to do it again,” said another senior woman who added, “They won a victory. And then they’re taking it away all these years later.”
The sign on the back of the wheelchair of one senior female protester summarized the views of many. It read: “I can’t believe I’m still protesting this (expletive)!”
