Despite all the back and forth over what will or won’t happen during the shutdown – like the hilarious exchange of letters between Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and President Trump – one event that should never have been in question was the 46th annual March for Life. In preparation for this year’s protest of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, somewhere in the realm of 100,000 anti-abortion activists gathered at the National Mall to carry on the tradition. And once again, President Trump had a message of support for Marchers.
Come Hell or High Water
The first March took place in 1974, on the first anniversary of the fateful Supreme Court ruling that stopped states from banning abortion outright. It has been repeated every year since, regardless of weather or any other consideration. In 1987, an estimated 10,000 attended despite a snowstorm. Even the 2016 march saw thousands of attendees – after a blizzard dumped 24 inches of snow on the city. Over the years, the event has ranged in size from merely a few thousand to as many as 650,000 in 2013.
Of course, it was never going to be canceled or delayed over a government shutdown. But just to reassure those who might have had doubts, the organizers gave official notice on their site:
“PLEASE NOTE: We plan to march even if the government shutdown is not yet resolved. We have marched for 45 years and will march again this year to end the human rights abuse of abortion.”
The Line-Up
Guest speakers included Ben Shapiro, a bipartisan showing of legislators – that’s right, even Democrats – former abortionist Dr. Kathi Aultman, Director of Civil Rights for the Unborn with Priests for Life (and niece of MLK) Dr. Alveda King, founder of And Then There Were None Abby Johnson, President of Princeton Pro-Life Ally Cavazos, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, and Mike and Karen Pence.
President Trump also had a message for the march, though he did not attend in person. This is the second year Trump addressed those gathered in opposition to the legal recognition of a right to kill the unborn, via video.
Vice President Pence discussed his and his wife’s life-long dedication to opposing abortion and pointed out the steps the administration has taken to support life. Trump declared that, as president, he would always defend the first right named in the Declaration of Independence – the right to life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAmHrvlGflw
Donald Trump isn’t the first president to address the March for Life – though none have yet attended in person. Ronald Reagan phoned in his message of support and a vow to help “end this national tragedy” in 1987. George W. Bush thanked attendees via phone for their “devotion to such a noble cause” in 2003. In 2018, Trump became the first president to join the event via livestream. Will he become the first to attend in person? Perhaps we will see next year.
Dems for Life
As previously stated, Republicans weren’t the only political party in attendance. The Democrats for Life were also present. Though the ever more “progressive” DNC does its level best to keep these names off the ballot, there are, in fact, some Democratic politicians who believe that every life is precious – many of whom also believe in both the First and Second Amendments! Shocking, I know. But it should come as a relief to all who value these ideals that there are, in this issue at least, a few allies across the aisle. According to the Democrats for Life website, one in three Democratic voters are actually pro-life.
Pro-Life Is Pro-Science
The theme for this year is “Unique from Day One: Pro-Life Is Pro-Science.” Seldom have truer words been spoken, and this is what should form the core of any anti-abortion argument. We often lambaste those on the left for arguing based on their feelings, so we must hold ourselves to the same standard.
The reason religious arguments against terminating pregnancies fail is that they are only valid to members of the same – or a similar – religion. To the atheist, for example, God can’t be against abortion because He doesn’t exist. To convince a non-believer through Scripture, one must first convert him.
There is no need to argue from a weak position when, as the event organizers embraced thematically this year, pro-life is pro-science. It is those who reject the fact that life begins at conception who are – to use one of the left’s favorite terms against them – science deniers.
