Nevadans join demonstrators

Suzanne Struglinski

Monday, April 26, 2004 | 9:06 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Nevadan from across the state joined hundreds of thousands of people in Washington on Sunday in the "March for Women's Lives," a rally for reproductive rights.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., held a reception for the 100 participants from Nevada on Saturday and marched on Sunday.

"I've never participated in a march, even at my age, so I thought it was time that I did," Berkley said. "I think I'm the only member of the delegation that is pro-choice and given that reality, I felt I had to be here."

Berkley explained that "none of us here are pro-abortion" and that she would "probably never choose that option" but she said that should not be the government's decision on what a woman can do.

She said the larger concern was on the November election and mobilizing people to vote.

"If you are here to march and not registered to vote, you are wasting your time," Berkley said.

Elizabeth Naccarato of Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada got 10 people to come to the march.

"It's important for the people of Nevada to be connected to the great pro-choice movement," Naccarato said. "I wanted to let the nation know that Nevada cares about protecting a woman's right to choose."

"It about our ability to decide whether and when to have children and have the access and means to make responsible choices," Naccarator said.

Las Vegan Holly Harris, who also came with Planned Parenthood and represented the Hadassah Women of Southern Nevada, a Jewish organization that works on women and children issues, wore a paper hat printed with the American flag on which she taped a wire coat hanger and a sign saying "never again."

"I know what is like to be without choice," Harris said. "I was working in health care before Roe v. Wade and saw the results of what this (pointing to the hanger) can do to women, because they didn't have a choice."

Vicki LoSasso of Reno and Laura Deitsch of Las Vegas took turns holding a poster with a map of Nevada "a pro-choice state" with stars drawn on Henderson, Elko, Reno, Sparks and Fernley.

"It's important for me to stand up and be counted," Deitsch said.

"And make history," LoSasso said. "I need power, women need power and as long as we don't control our bodies, we don't have power."