ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 7, 1996 TAG: 9610070095
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
Opponents of abortion filled a busy Roanoke intersection Sunday with pleading signs and somber faces.
The "Life Chain" protest, a local tradition for seven years, drew 250 people to Orange Avenue and Williamson Road, a small fraction of them children.
Participants stood mutely with signs facing traffic for an hour before dispersing. Most were almost shoulder-to-shoulder with family and friends. A few, like Mark Shelton, parted from the main concentration of protesters to be alone.
"I just want to encourage in a nice, gentle way some folks to think about the issue and maybe change some minds," Shelton, a 34-year-old warehouse worker, said.
Churches advertised the event to their congregations, but all people were welcome to pick up one of the free signs available, reading "Abortion Kills Children," "Jesus Forgives and Heals," "Adoption Loving Option" and "Lord Forgive Us and Our Nation." No particular sponsoring group or organization was evident.
Legrand Whitlow, 35, attended with his wife, Bonita, and sons, Ryan, 11, and Nathan, 9.
"We could have been home resting, but when you're talking about children's lives, it's meaningless what we're giving up," Whitlow said.
Asked by his mother to tell why he was present, young Ryan said: "Abortion's not right, and God said, 'Do not kill.'"
Traffic appeared to be flowing through the intersection at a rate of about 2,000 vehicles an hour.
Two tour buses came through, their passengers looking out with interest, and so did four men on Harley Davidson motorcycles. One biker waved in the direction of protester Helen Beavers, 38, a self-employed baker.
"A lot of people are acknowledging us in a positive way," Beavers said. "They toot. They thumbs-up. A lot of them thumbs-up."
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff Abortion opponents line up Sunday onby CNBOrange Avenue and Williamson Road during the annual "Life Chain."