Pro-Roe and Pro-Life groups peacefully protest Saturday

MT PLEASANT — Saturday afternoon, Iowa nice was on full display as opposing protest groups peacefully gathered in Mt. Pleasant.

While Iowa did not have any trigger laws waiting to be enacted at the overturn of Roe V Wade, Gov. Kim Reynolds did post the following to her Facebook June 28, “As governor, I will do whatever it takes to defend the most important freedom there is: the right to LIFE. Today we announced new legal action to protect life in the state of Iowa!”

As of July 6, despite five Iowa Supreme Court Justices declaring abortion is not a fundamental right under Iowa’s Constitution, there was not an agreed upon new legal standard for determining limits on when or whether Iowans can terminate a pregnancy.

The Iowa Supreme Court has denied Reynold’s requests to quickly enact abortion restrictions, and instead have opted to wait to see the Nation’s Supreme Court’s opinion pertaining to the Dobbs case because it “will impart a great deal of wisdom we do not have today.”

In light of these recent events and uncertainty in the state, over 100 men, women, and children gathered at Central Park in Mt. Pleasant Saturday afternoon for a Pro-Roe Rally.

“I’m a woman, I have a uterus, and I should have a choice,” Pro-Roe Rally attendee Grace Robbins said of her decision to join the protest.

The Pro-Roe Rally was met by a counter protest of approximately 75 people holding signs reading “Save them both,” and “Thank you your mom for having you.”

Counter protest organizer Jack Swarm said the group heard about the event from the preview in the paper.

“Babies are humans and should be protected,” Swarm said. “The government’s number one responsibility is to protect life.”

Both groups walked peacefully to the Iowa Wesleyan campus where co-event organizer Pam Bennette addressed the crowds at the Belle Babbs Mansfield statue.

Three speakers addressed the rally.

Miss Iowa contestant and Miss Upper Iowa titleholder Emily Faulker spoke to the crowd about mental health repercussions from the change in abortion rights for the nation.

Faulker’s platform in her pageant career has been based around mental health and propelled her forward to create her own nonprofit encouraging better mental supports in schools.

As Faulker spoke three young girls and their mother walked across the Iowa Wesleyan lawn to join the pro-life counter protesters who stood quietly at a respectful distance.

“We just want to be respectful,” Swarm said of the distance maintained by the counter group.

A man sat with his two daughters on his lap as he listened to Faulker followed by a speech from a minister with St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

There was a potential for conflict to break out as a few of the pro-life protesters could be heard discussing an opinion of legislature being able to address hard-sided issues concerning abortion.

A gentleman heard the quiet chatter and said, “Could you please be quiet while we listen to our speakers?”

Instead of hurt feelings from either side, the pro-life people apologized and stood silent and the pro-Roe man merely turned back around as House Representative Candidate Mike Heaton addressed the crowd.

“I’m glad they’re out here getting involved,” Heaton said of the counter protesters.

Both crowds of people raised their voices in agreement.

Heaton encouraged the crowd to be active in politics, to make wise voting choices, and to continue to exercise their rights to be active participants in this country.

“We’re going to back up and not interact with them as they finish,” Swarm directed his group.

Pro-Roe Rally organizer invited the counter protesters to grab bottles of water at the conclusion of the speakers.

Pro-Roe attendees were encouraged to utilize a table set up on campus for anyone who needed to update or register their information for voting purposes.

Then, just as peacefully as it began, both groups merely dispersed.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com