Today, on the 41st anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, hundreds of thousands of Americans in our Nation's Capital are marching, in the snow, down Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court as part of the annual March for Life. Some say that the March for Life will not effect change, and that it is not through such public protests that laws will be changed, cases overturned, or opinions changed. If that were true, Why would we bother? If that were true, Why would they care?
On the contrary, the March for Life is indeed one way to start a chain of events that will contribute to positive changes for the cause for life - in Congress, in the courts, in our culture and society, and in individual hearts and minds.
So, we march to protest the Supreme Court's decision in Roe. We march to exercise our right to freedom of speech as good citizens. But, we also march for so much more.
We march…
To Encourage. We march to encourage pro-life politicians and legislators to continue in their efforts to protect the unborn and the sanctity of human life on the legislative level. We march to encourage individuals who work for pro-life organizations and pregnancy centers to continue the work they do every day to promote a culture of life. And we march to encourage those fighting in the courts for the cause for life to stay the course.
For example, Congress will soon be voting on H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ). This proposed legislation would permanently codify the Hyde Amendment for all federal funds - including those under the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare. The bill prohibits the use of federal funds by all government agencies for abortion and abortion coverage. It also eliminates tax credits and deductions for abortion expenses. On January 9, Honorary CLF Fellow, Prof. Helen M. Alvare testified in support of H.R. 7 before the House Judiciary Committee's Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee. Her testimony is available here.
To Educate. We march to educate our youth about the abortion issue. Every year, we see that the majority of those who participate in the March for Life are under the age of 30. I can testify that my personal experience in participating in the March for Life for the past 20-some years, since my middle school days, has played a crucial role in my education on life issues and the need to take action to defend life. We educate our youth about abortion so that they, in their turn, will take up the cause for life in their schools, universities, personal relationships, workplaces, and beyond.
To Collaborate and Mobilize. Many pro-life groups and organizations host conferences, meetings and receptions in Washington, DC on the day of the March for Life. For some, the March for Life is the only occasion of the year when they are able to be in the same place at the same time. These conferences and meetings allow individuals and organizations to come together, exchange ideas, and collaborate with each other as they make plans for a new year in the fight for life.
To Testify. We march to take a public stand in defense of the unborn. We speak on behalf of those who have no voice and cannot be heard. We march to publicly demonstrate that opposition to abortion in America is strong.