While the rest of the capital braces for a whiteout, thousands of pro-lifers spilled into the D.C. streets convinced that the real state of emergency is our culture. While the federal government, local schools, and area businesses hurried home to beat the blizzard, a generation undeterred by ice or snow continued their pilgrimage to the Supreme Court -- determined to stir the conscience of America and end 43 years of government-sanctioned bloodshed.
In bundled-up babies to busloads of students, this year's March for Life was a powerful reminder that Americans will do whatever it takes to protest the ugly legacy of Roe. "We are very concerned for people's safety and want everyone to be cautious," said a March spokesman. "However, the pro-life community is also concerned for the safety and well-being of the innocent, unborn in the womb." And the U.S. Park Police wasn't going to stand in the way. "This is a First Amendment event," an official told the Washington Post, "and if people want to come and demonstrate, we want them to be able to come say what they have to say."
For more than four decades, families have traveled over miles of wintry highways to do exactly that: be a voice for the voiceless. It will be difficult to doubt their commitment today, as the March braved one of the worst forecasts of its 43 years to highlight the travesty. It was a stark contrast to the frustrations of the Left, which were highlighted in the complaints of one of its abortion standard-bearers, DNC Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. "Here's what I see," she said bluntly, "a complacency among the generation of young women whose entire lives have been lived after Roe v. Wade was decided." Compare that to today's March for Life, which was overflowing with teenagers who are more determined than ever to end what the Supreme Court started.
As former FRCer and March President Jeanne Mancini pointed out, "Young people can see through something that isn't true and isn't empowering. Young people see abortion as the human rights abuse of today, and they're really the best ambassadors for life because they haven't been jaded, they're not cynical, and their energy and love for life is just contagious." And the polling bears that out. The majority of millennials reject the extremism that this administration has championed. Fifty-four percent want to outlaw abortion with just the basic exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. Another 76 percent would ban it entirely after the first trimester. Maybe what Wasserman Schultz sees isn't youthful complacence -- but enlightenment.
Fifty-eight million children have been caught in the nets of "choice," an injustice that's only deepened under the avalanche of the president's radical abortion policy. Now, as the nation starts to pushback against those laws with a wave of their own, pro-lifers are starting to see a light at the end of this eight-year tunnel. Abortions have been on a steep decline (12 percent) in the last half-decade, thanks to the strong effort on the local level. With record wins for states' pro-life laws (288 in five years!), the sea of faces at today's March hopes to build on the progress with a commander-in-chief who makes the unborn a priority -- not a target. Based on the energy in today's crowd, we all look forward to a time when those grave errors are corrected -- and a culture where all human life is welcomed and protected.
In the meantime, you can join in today's flurry (literally!) of activities by checking out the stellar ProLifeCon Digital Action Summit at FRC headquarters earlier today. Don't miss the really moving talk by Brandon Beull, of the "Jaxon Strong" Facebook Community (his remarks begin at 2:53:15), as well as pro-life heroes Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), David Daleiden, Ryan Bomberger, Alison Howard, and many more. Also, check out Ken Blackwell's new piece, "The March for Life: Fight for What's Right Irrespective of the Odds" on CNSNews.com.
