Thirty-three years after the Supreme Court first handed down its seminal Roe v. Wade decision to legalize abortion, Penn State students recognized the date yesterday to both commemorate and protest the court's controversial law.

Today, around 40 members of Penn State Students for Life will travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in the 33rd annual March for Life.

Ben Douglass, outreach coordinator for Students for Life, said the issue of abortion legalization is a problem for the whole country but is especially acute at Penn State.

"The culture of Penn State is one of binge drinking, sexual decadence and contraception," Douglass said.

Ryan Kasun, president of Students for Life, said the march attracts more than 100,000 participants each year. In protest against the Roe v. Wade decision, participants will march from the Washington Monument to the Capitol and the Supreme Court.

In the past, top political leaders have appeared at the march to show support in the fight against abortion legalization. U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum has spoken, and while President Bush has never attended, he makes a telephone speech during the march.

"It's inspiring because during the march you just see a flood of people down the street," Kasun said. "It shows you have an entire army of people that are praying and fighting for this cause."

Groups in the State College community are also working to spread awareness about the importance of upholding the Roe v. Wade decision.

Yesterday, students and members of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) gathered at State College Medical Services, 900 W. College Ave., to commemorate the anniversary of the court decision. Today at the HUB-Robeson Center, a table will offer information on the importance of Roe v. Wade and its positive impact on women's lives, Meghan Ochs, president of FMLA, said.

Ochs said this year's anniversary is especially important because of the current political climate.

"The Supreme Court keeps chipping away at Roe v. Wade, and with the upcoming nomination, there's a chance it could be completely overturned," Ochs said. "We want people to be aware of what's at stake here -- not just abortion rights, but civil rights and the separation of church and state."

Ochs said reversing the legalization of abortion would be devastating, and would hit women in lower socioeconomic classes first. With no money for education and decreasing funds for heath care, she said these women would be left defenseless.

"People say that you are killing an unborn child, but those same people don't do anything to help women raise that child," Ochs added.

However, Douglass said the March for Life and projects such as last year's Genocide Awareness Project are necessary because Penn State's biggest problem is ambivalence toward abortion.

"People swallow platitudes, like it's not a person until it's born or until it breathes," he said.

On the anniversary of the court's controversial decision, students joined in the debate also.

For Kerry Ann Meyer (sophomore-actuarial science), this is her 10th time attending the March for Life, and it is a highlight of her year.

"It's the one time of the year where we get the chance to really show how many people do not believe in this sort of law," Meyer said.

Spring Cooper (graduate-biobehavioral health) used yesterday's anniversary to commemorate the court's decision.

"I came to show my support for SCMS (State College Medical Services)," Cooper said. "It's important to be seen in the community."

Ochs said even though pro-choice advocates are legally winning the abortion battle right now, it is still important for supporters to make their voices heard.

"People don't realize how close we are to having this right taken away from us," she added.