The anti-abortion faction arrived in Washington to protest the Constitutionally-protected right allowing women to terminate pregnancies. Every year thousands converge on the United States Capitol to march against the passage of Roe V. Wade 49 years ago. Individuals attending the March for Life rally on Friday believe the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) could soon abolish the ruling. Pro-life organizations say they are preparing a post-Roe America.
Based on social media posts and comments from anti-abortion rally attendees, they seem confident this could be the last time they will need to protest abortion. “I just can’t even believe it. I am so thankful that God has brought us here. And we are so, so, close,” 18-year-old Rachel Young excitedly told reporters.
This was her third March for Life Rallies in the nation’s Capitol. Young traveled five hours to the rally and other Franciscan University of Steubenville students. In addition, the Roman Catholic school sent several busses of anti-abortionists to Washington.
The marchers pray for states to be allowed to protect unborn babies soon. Their hope is bolstered by the Conservative Supreme Court Justices appointed by the former president. Anti-abortion proponents point to significant changes in state laws SCOTUS allowed. For example, instead of ruling for or against Texas’ law that bans most abortions, they allowed it to stand.
“Roe was wrongly decided, and…it can and should be overruled,” argued Clarence Thomas. However, after hearing almost two hours of oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the six Conservative-majority seem poised to uphold the Gestational Age Act enacted by Mississippi lawmakers in 2018 that bans abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The law has yet to take effect since two lower courts blocked it based on Roe v. Wade that allows terminating a pregnancy up to 24-weeks when a fetus can survive outside their mother’s womb.
“As you gather today for the March for Life, I am with you in spirit,” reads a statement from former President Donald Trump. The former vice president, Mike Pence, also added his support for the anti-abortion faction.
“The media always like to pretend the March for Life doesn’t exist bit the pro-life generation is here, growing and it’s winning,” tweeted Mercedes Schlapp. “It took two hours for everyone to walk from Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court” because the crowd was so big, posted LifeNews.com.
Anti-abortion proponents argue that women use pregnancy termination instead of using birth control. Arlington Catholic Herald posted a video with this assertion. “The young lady’s comment about women using abortion as contraception is so stark and true. God bless her for her deeply soul-stirring comments. Thank you for defending life,” writes S.D.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Reuters: Anti-abortion activists march in Washington, hoping it’s the last time under Roe v. Wade; by Gabriella Borter
ABC News: Anti-abortion rights proponents say they are prepping for ‘post-Roe America;’ by Brittany Shepherd
Politico: ‘Our fates are intertwined’: abortion rights activists warn Roe’s fall will hit blue states; by Alice Miranda Ollstein
LifeNews: 100,000 Pro-Life Americans March for Life, Look Forward to Overturning Roe and Ending Abortion; Micaiah Bilger
SCOTUS Blog: Majority of court appears poised to roll back abortion rights; by Amy Howe
Images Courtesy of Elvert Barnes’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License