The annual March for Life began on Jan. 22, 1974—the first anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion. Each year, on or around this anniversary, thousands of pro-life people gather in Washington, D.C., to show solidarity with others who support sanctity of life efforts, and to publicly advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves.
“It’s the dawn of a new day for life,” said Kellyanne Conway to the happy, peaceful masses who came to hear remarks from her and other leaders in the pro-life movement before taking to the streets of Washington, D.C. on Friday and marching to show support for life—inside and outside the womb.
Conway, a counselor to President Trump, told thousands from the stage on the Washington Monument grounds that she was “impressed with (their) faith and (their) resolve.”
Marcher Lauren Green McAfee knows what it means to have faith and resolve. McAfee—a third generation member of Hobby Lobby’s Green family and a Hobby Lobby corporate ambassador—sees her presence at the March for Life as an extension of her family’s activism in the pro-life movement.
The Green family made news in 2012, when their corporation filed a lawsuit over the federal mandate to provide life-terminating drugs through their Hobby Lobby employee health plans. As Christians, they value life and felt it was a violation of conscience to follow this mandate. The case made its way to the Supreme Court, and in June 2014, a ruling was made in favor of Hobby Lobby.
“My family has always held to biblical principles, which means we value life inside and outside the womb,” McAfee said. “I’m happy to be standing with March for Life, not only because we support life in the Supreme Court, but because we support life every day.”
Many of the faces in the crowd were those of millennials. Two college age women, Claire and Eileen, were among that largely represented group, ready to make a statement about the value of life.
Eileen said she was compelled to march because she was personally affected by someone who chose life; her brother is adopted. “Everyone has the right to life. Our Constitution even says so.
“I’m here to stick up for all walks of life—the born and unborn,” Claire chimed in. “This has been going on for 44 years too long. Every person deserves the right to life. Not only do I believe life begins at conception, but even the U.S. Constitution says we have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Like Eileen and Claire, Vice President Mike Pence cited our right to life, but one given by a higher authority than the United States Constitution: “We are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights—including the right to life.”
Vice President Pence made March for Life history as he became the first vice president to speak on the platform. In his address he urged the pro-life community to speak with gentleness and show kindness to those who oppose efforts to save unborn lives.
“Let this movement be known for love, not anger. For compassion, not confrontation,” he said. “We must restore a culture of life in America for ourselves and our posterity.”
