Last Friday, 19 January, thousands of pro-life men, women and children braved sub-zero temperatures in Washington, D.C., for the National March for Life. “Everyone has a right to exist”, said one marcher. “The snow won’t even stop us!”
The act of public witness, the second since the repeal of Roe v. Wade, marched past the Capitol and concluded at the US Supreme Court.
“The goal of the national March for Life is to not only change laws at the state and federal level, but to change the culture to ultimately make abortion unthinkable”, its official website states.
Other pro-life events took place at the time, including a rally where pro-life Americans heard speeches from high-profile activists and politicians, including Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“I am, myself, a product of an unplanned pregnancy”, Speaker Johnson told the crowd. “In January of 1972, exactly one year before Roe v. Wade, my parents, who were just teenagers at the time, chose life. And I am very profoundly grateful that they did.”
“[We are] marching today because it takes a lot of work to convince people that every single human child, every unborn child, has a value that’s too precious to ignore”, he continued. “We have every reason to be optimistic that we can change public opinion.”
Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, told a summit of young activists that “the key to victory always lies in those who persist… We need to be bolder. We need to be louder.”
Reflecting on the event, March for Life President Jeanne Mancini lauded the high turnout among young people in particular. “They are the best ambassadors for life. They are so enthusiastic”, she said.
Building a better world for all
Daniel Frampton, SPUC’s Editorial Officer, said: “The effort to make abortion unthinkable in the United States and around the world is far from over. While the reversal of Roe v. Wade was a significant victory in 2022, the culture has yet to be won.
“It is important to remember that abortion goes beyond politics, since it concerns the very soul of a nation and how its people view and treat the most vulnerable, including the unborn who have no voice.
“That is why these marches matter, to give a voice to the unborn and build a culture of life so that unborn children are given every chance to be born, thrive and create a better world.”