This year's March for Life in Washington D.C. was the 31st for the pro-life movement. Even a begrudging media admitted that at least 100,000 people attended the event. (Organizer Nellie Gray said it was 125,000.) Pro-lifers from across the United States, and indeed a number from around the world (including a contingent of Canadians), marched to mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Jan. 22, 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that made abortion on demand legal across America. Later, Norma McCorvey, the "Jane Roe" in that decision, became depressed as she regreted her role in the legal precedent, became pro-life and founded Roe No More Ministries, where she is now trying to legally challenge the three-decade-old decision.
There were so many special moments, inspiring happenings and great people to talk about, we could fill this space with such stories. It will have to suffice to say that people left reinvigorated and hopeful for the future. One reason was certainly the incredible youth presence, easily more than half the crowd. Their enthusiasm, energy and vigour are not the future of the pro-life movement - they're the present. We have an eager, dedicated and intelligent core of young people to go out and proclaim the truth about abortion, to engage the culture at the universities, to enter the professions (medical, legal, teaching, media) and help change the minds and hearts of millions of people.
Particularly moving was a witness by Silent No More, a group of women who are now speaking out about the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual damage they have experienced because of their abortions (see page 1). These testimonials are a powerful weapon against the abortion culture, demonstrating that abortion, far from being a woman's right, is dreadfully harmful to women.
Another inspiration was a telephone call from President George W. Bush, who said he appreciated the "devotion to such a noble cause" that those who attended have. He said, "You believe, as I do, that every person, however frail or vulnerable, is a blessing ... Each of us has a special dignity, a place and purpose in this world. And in the Declaration of Independence, our founders stated this self-evident truth: the right to life does not come from government, it comes from the Creator of life." He listed the progress America has made "toward building a culture of life," including the passing of the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, legislation supporting maternity group homes, passing the partial-birth abortion ban and working to get a ban on human cloning. How wonderful to have political leadership unafraid to pledge support to the cause of protecting unborn babies from abortion.
Not only was there political leadership, but religious leadership as well. We are mindful that the fight to protect the sanctity of human life is not our fight, but God's battle, in which we are his foot-soldiers. More than 8,000 people participated in the Catholic Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, including 300 priests, 40 bishops and four cardinals. Baltimore Cardinal William Keeler, the current chair of the U.S. Conference of Bishops Pro-Life Committee, urged the youth (who made up a majority of the crowd) to "be not afraid" and to take up the "five smooth stones" of conviction, courage, compassion, charity and constancy in the fight for life. Everyone agreed that the experience of the Mass was very uplifting. As the LifeSite news service reported, "The huge crowd of pro-lifers praying for the right to life, hundreds, even thousands, kneeling in aisles on the marble floor, was truly inspiring and instilled a sense of great hope for the future."
People around the world noticed CLC's presence in Washington, as we had a table at the pro-life conference organized by Nellie Gray. We met with pro-life leaders from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Germany, India, Northern Ireland and the United States. It is sad to report that many of the challenges we face in Canada in trying to restore the rights of the unborn are faced by our pro-life brothers and sisters around the world. Then again, at least, we are not alone in the challenges we face.
It must be remembered that 30 years ago, the March for Life did not attract hundreds of thousands of supporters, but that it began small and grew. Building on the successes and energy of each new year, the march is now a huge, incredible and important event where pro-lifers are united in standing up for the unborn. We were privileged and excited to be involved in this wonderful day's events, even if it marks a terrible day in history.
Jim Hughes, a member of the editorial advisory board of The Interim, is national president of Campaign Life Coalition.
