Even in the landslide of 2009, when Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli crushed their opponents statewide by almost 20 points, Northern Virginia went Democratic. In years more favorable to Democrats, “NOVA,” as it is often nicknamed, has singlehandedly reversed the results achieved across the rest of the state.
Northern Virginia — specifically Fairfax County, Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax, and Prince William County — has, over the last decade, increasingly been the “tail that wags the dog” in reducing, upsetting, or overturning political outcomes in otherwise “red” Virginia. This is particularly true on social issues such as the sanctity of life and the preservation of marriage.
The NOVA Project (TNP) is made up of average citizens of Northern Virginia who want to do something about this situation and are organizing to stand up and be counted for life, family and traditional marriage. TNP seeks to reconcile the disconnect between the existence of numerous organizations, individuals, and churches who fully support traditional values, and the poor record of political results and the overall dominance of liberal/progressive and politically-correct thinking and policy in the public square.
Our current initiative is the Northern Virginia IS Pro-Life Rally. It is being held this Saturday, October 23, at the Fairfax County Government Center-Ellipse from
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Nine pro-life speakers and three musical performances will defend the unborn and proclaim the sanctity of life.
The spirit of the event is to highlight, celebrate, and unify the surprisingly high number of pro-life citizens, organizations, and churches in Northern Virginia. We will bring to the heart of an area long thought a liberal bastion the voices and faces of an alternative vision: the existence of a thriving pro-life community and movement seeking to impact the political and moral tone of our community and celebrate life and God.
It is felt that in this era of the Tea Party, and the many signs of growing support for the sanctity of life, NOW is the time to make a statement, in the heart of the most liberal part of Virginia, that there are many defenders of the unborn — and we are organizing and unifying to become a force to be reckoned with in this election cycle and beyond.
Purposes of the event:
- First, to provide a focus around which to identify and mobilize pro-life leaders and churches in Northern Virginia
- Second, to significantly raise the profile of the issue of the sanctity of life in a region normally characterized as liberal and pro-abortion
- Third, to provide an event to unite with African-American churches in Northern Virginia
- Fourth, to identify and support those candidates who are with us prior to the November election
Peter Shinn is the president of Pro-Life Unity.