The following comes from a Jan. 24 story by the San Diego Reader.

Two events drew out civic exhibitionists in San Diego on January 19, each expressing a different view about what it means to be pro-woman.

An estimated 20,000 participants in the Women’s March gathered at Waterfront Park to express their viewpoints and listen to speeches. A mile uphill, an estimated 4,000 gathered among the trees of Balboa Park for the Walk for Life.

At 10:40 am (1.5 hours before the March) the Walk marchers went north through a winding trail in the park.As they walked, the diverse group of women, men and children held signs in English and Spanish that read “choose life” or “elige la vida.”

Some drivers passing by honked their horns in affirmation, others in disagreement. One driver stuck out her middle finger as she held down her horn. Walkers responded with smiles and waves.

One couple wearing green and carrying green balloons held a green sign that read, “Down syndrome lives matter.” Equal rights for those with disabilities was the theme of this year’s Walk.

Ashlynn Harris spoke at the rally before the Walk about how three decades ago her parents looked for a baby with Down syndrome to adopt. She was born with spina bifida, another condition that often leads parents to choose abortion after a prenatal diagnosis.

Her parents adopted her brother Caleb, who stood on stage with her. She talked about his job as a greeter at Johnny Rockets and how “people don’t go there for the fries and shakes. They go there for the person who greets them.”

Meanwhile, a crowd of women (with some men and few children) wearing pink “pussyhats,” pink Planned Parenthood shirts and holding pink signs surrounded the County Administration building for the rally before their march. The event was emceed by Nora E. Vargas, a Planned Parenthood vice president. (Planned Parenthood is the leading abortion provider in San Diego.)

At the end of the march the diverse group of women (some dressed in Kumeyaay attire and others in Islamic garb) at the front of the procession turned to make their way back into the park.

A look of surprise came over many of their faces when they were confronted by a small group of out-of-town, pro-life activists displaying a large picture of a dismembered body and the words “Abortion is murder.” (No graphic signs were displayed at the Walk for Life.)

As the procession moved on, some of the marchers who came up later surrounded the small group, tried blocking their signs and drowned out what they were saying by yelling and blowing an air horn.