WASHINGTON — Despite windy weather and below-freezing temperatures, thousands of pro-life marchers rallied on the National Mall before their annual march to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to demonstrate against the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Calling the march “the largest and most important civil rights demonstration in the world,” Patrick Kelly, chairman of the board for the March for Life, told the crowd they were “freezing for the best cause.”
The cold temperatures were an ongoing topic at the march, second only to the march’s official theme, adoption.
“I know it’s a tremendous sacrifice for you all who are braving these extreme elements to be here, but no sacrifice is too great for this cause,” said March for Life President Jeanne Monahan.
According to Monahan, that sacrifice is necessary in part to celebrate the heroism of motherhood, saying that the real “war on women” has been a “war on motherhood.”
“1.21 million babies annually are aborted compared to 15-20 thousand domestic infant adoptions. There is something wrong when for every one baby that is adopted in our country, 64 are aborted. Something very wrong,” she said.
In addition to the pro-life advocates a number of Republicans lawmakers came out to show their support for the march, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor who cited the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the No Taxpayer Funds for Abortion Act as recent pro-life legislation considered in the House.
“You, the marchers — the advocates, who don’t mind enduring the worst weather Washington could throw at you for the opportunity to change one heart and one mind — you are our movement’s not-so-secret weapon. You are our strongest advocates, and those of us in public office are merely fortunate to stand on your shoulders,” he told the shivering crowd.
New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, co-chair of the Pro-life Caucus, added that the pro-life movement is “winning,” telling the younger members of the audience their “generation will end abortion.”
And Missouri Republican Rep. Vicky Hartzler, who is an adoptive mother herself, told the crowd “there are no winners” with abortion.
Also bringing a pro-life message to the frozen attendees were Auburn Homecoming queen Molly Anne Dutton, whose birth mother chose to have her instead of an abortion after surviving a sexual assault; Giovanna Romero of Latinas por la Vida; Nicole Peck of Silent No More, a group of women who regret their abortions; as well as Focus on the Family’s James Dobson and his son Ryan.
“We are the pro-life generation,” Romero said, after accusing the abortion industry of systemically murdering African-Americans and Latinos through the procedure.
The shivering attendees who spoke with The Daily Caller in advance of the march said that while they were cold, they were excited to march for their cause.
“The babies are suffering and that is why we are here,” Sharron Kensinger of Williamsburg, Penn. said.
