march for life

Enthusiastic Pro-Lifers March for the 34th Year

By Henrietta Gomes
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 1/25/07)

Touting banners and flags representing various organizations and dioceses, hundreds of thousands of people from all corners of the country descended upon the nation’s capital on Monday and were united in the same conviction to uphold the dignity of life. The throngs of activists crowded the streets near the National Mall to participate in the peaceful protest against the 1973 Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in America.
Despite the 34-year struggle, the spirit of the march seemed optimistic and hopeful. As they trekked through mud and melting snow, some prayed the rosary, others sang songs, and many chanted catchy tunes.
“It’s easy to get discouraged, but we have to continue to fight because this is worth fighting,” said Martha Rogers, 21, a student at Marymount University in Arlington.
Though people from all walks of life participated, the majority of the crowds were the vibrant and lively youths. “It’s so encouraging how young this march is,” said Christina Flores, a third order of the Institute of the Incarnate Word. She attended the march with members of her community, which included other lay members, priests and religious sisters. “Most of the media describes [participants] as extremists and radical conservatives, and not as mainstream,” said Flores. Looking around the street she said, “But clearly this is very mainstream.” Flores believes that Roe v. Wade will be overturned, however, not in one political move, but through a cultural change. As the group from the Incarnate Word engaged the crowds to participate in the upbeat music they played in the streets, Flores said, “This is the answer to Woodstock. That was a youthful event that changed the culture. This is in the same line.”
Patrick David, 24, a parishioner of St. Timothy Church in Chantilly, agreed that the march is “driven by the youth.” He came to “represent the unheard voice. We’re fighting for those who are oppressed.” Those born after 1973 are the ones who are being directly affected, David said. Nearly one-third of his generation has been wiped out due to abortion. “This is our cause,” he said. Through the presence and persistence of the pro-lifers, “We’re reigniting the fire of hope.”
The march began with a rally on the Ellipse near the National Mall where speakers addressed the crowds and encouraged them to stand up for life. They then swarmed into the street and walked up Constitution Avenue passing the Capitol building.
Many of the teens and young people proudly displayed pro-life stickers on their coats and sweatshirts, and many were clad in apparel which read, “I’m pro-life,” or “pro-life to the Max,” or “I survived Roe v. Wade.”
Filled with fervor for the pro-life cause, Jake Gaudet, a sophomore at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, attended the march with some of his classmates. “My dad was adopted, so this is personal,” said Gaudet. “We need to turn from abortion to adoption,” he said. “If my dad had been aborted, I wouldn’t be here.” Gaudet, who has four siblings said, “Not having an abortion doesn’t just save one life, but it’s a ripple effect and many other lives are saved.”
Jane Longo left the warm and sunny Diocese of Venice to participate in the march and to support the young people. “Kids see the truth instinctively. They see right through the politics,” said Longo.
“The abortion clinics are filled with girls our age,” said Laura Kane, 15, who attended the march with her family. “We need to stand up against abortion,” said the parishioner of St. Philip Parish in Falls Church.
“There’s a growing awareness of the gravity of abortion,” said Matt Harris, 29, also a parishioner of St. Philip. “We must stop the American Holocaust.”
The cold weather did not deter Jeannette Schmitt from coming to the march. “Freezing toes doesn’t compare to what we’re saying,” said Schmitt, a senior at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. “Abortion impacts us young people directly, and we’re here to make a stand.”
With his walking stick in hand, Jose Urgino braved the cold to defend the unborn. “I’m here because I love children. I have nine of my own, and 23 grandchildren,” said Urgino, who came representing Families in Christ Jesus. “I just need to stand up for them. The unborn are being murdered in a country that’s supposed to support life,” said the parishioner of Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria.
The march culminated at the steps of the Supreme Court with live music and prayers. “If I were a baby, which I was, I would want to live,” said Nicholas Shermer, 11, who helped his father hold up a sign representing his parish, Our Lady of Hope Church in Potomac Falls. The youth, who was joined by his older sister, said, “I’m glad my mom and dad are pro-life and let me live.” Without a blink of the eye, Shermer quickly added, “Life is a gift, not a choice.”