Hundreds of thousands march sending prolife message to nation

An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 prolifers participated in the 37th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on January 22, 2010. Marchers joined together for a rally at the National Mall and marched to the U.S. Supreme Court to share the message with lawmakers and the nation that all life is precious and deserving of respect and protection.

The March marked the 37th memorial of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the two U.S. Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. More than 50 million abortions have occurred since 1973.

The rally featured several speakers and members of Congress. Many spoke optimistically about the challenges prolifers faced in 2009 and recent momentum in stopping abortion from being included in the U.S. House health care reform bill. Following the rally, marchers walked down Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court building. Many participants, however, never made it to the end because of the deluge of prolifers wearing neon-colored scarves and carrying prolife signs peacefully taking a stand for life.

Karen Walacavage, office manager of the Right to Life of Michigan Ann Arbor Educational Resource Center, said she was very impressed by the turnout. Walacavage escorted the buses from the Ann Arbor area including many high school students. She pointed out that marchers don’t receive any personal gain from attending, yet come dutifully every year in greater numbers despite often poor weather conditions and expensive travel costs.

Walacavage said, “The best moment is when you get near the top of Capitol Hill, look back down on the crowd and have students tell you ‘this was worth it.’”

Some media outlets gave the impression that there was a significant presence of pro-abortion protestors and that the March was conspicuously absent of younger women. Those who attended reported only 60 pro-abortion protestors near the Supreme Court building.

Sherry Johnson, President of Gaylord Right to Life, said young men and women were well represented and made up at least half the crowd. Johnson, who led a bus trip to the March from Gaylord, said it was the biggest crowd she’s ever seen in five years of attending.

Johnson said, “It’s encouraging to know that so many people are taking a stand. Unfortunately, our President was out of town that day.”

While Michigan was well represented at the March, thousands also stayed to hold prayer vigils, local marches and other events in cities and towns across the state. On January 18, Rebekah Lang, pictured holding an Abortion Kills Children sign, participated in the Right to Life of Lenawee County prolife rally and march. Many churches also celebrated Sanctity of Human Life Sunday on January 17 or 24 by sharing a prolife message.

For information on local affiliate events and how you can get more involved in the movement to protect life, visit the Right to Life of Michigan web site at www.rtl.org.

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