"America Is Better Than This"

Jason Reed/Reuters

Excellent round-up from Danielle Bean, and American Papist has outdone himself with not only a link round-up, but a flickr page and a youtube page as well. WaPo does its usual "these people are against everything, statistics mean nothing schtick." I give them credit for admitting the youth of the crowd for once:

Many of the participants in the annual March for Life were teenagers

And I know that's the first time in 20 years they've allowed a picture indicating the size of the crowd to run. I'd be interested to know if that will run in the print edition. I haven't heard an estimate of the crowd size. For PC reasons, the Park Service no longer provides them, but the March for Life does. Any given year the crowd ranges from 50-75,000.

Let's not forget, however, that as of a couple of years ago, there's also a West Coast version which attracted 25,000 people this year. (In San Francisco, where it's gutsy to show up; the one here in DC is like a family reunion.) And this year, Dallas got into the act.

President Bush addressed the March (he'd already proclaimed Sunday National Sanctity of Human Life Day).

Thirty-five years ago today the United States Supreme Court declared and decided that under the law an unborn child is not considered a person. But we know many things about the unborn. Biology confirms that from the start each unborn child is a separate individual with his or her own genetic code. Babies can now survive outside the mother's womb at younger and younger ages. And the fingers and toes and beating hearts that we can see on an unborn child's ultrasound come with something that we cannot see: a soul. (Applause.)

Today we're heartened -- we're heartened by the news that the number of abortions is declining. But the most recent data reports that more than one in five pregnancies end in an abortion. America is better than this, so we will continue to work for a culture of life where a woman with an unplanned pregnancy knows there are caring people who will support her; where a pregnant teen can carry her child and complete her education; where the dignity of both the mother and child is honored and cherished.

We aspire to build a society where each one of us is welcomed in life and protected in law.

Speaking of presidents, in previous election years, the Republican candidates always turned up. Where were Mitt & Huck? Everyone understands they have to be in Florida, but they couldn't call or write? John McCain --smart fellow-- had Sen. Brownback read the crowd a letter.

While our nation struggles with the issue of abortion and the division it has wrought on our society and culture, Americans on both sides of this debate should agree that the proper solution for this debate to be settled is through the democratic process, not through judicial dictate. Seven judges in 1973 took the issue of abortion on themselves to settle this issue for every American, in all fifty states. They assured us that by sheer judicial will and power, the question of a so-called right to abortion was settled' and that our society would now arrive at a shared consensus by virtue of their ruling.

They were wrong to make this assumption. Your presence in Washington today marching for Life proves just how wrong they were.

If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement. The pro-life movement appeals to the best instincts within each and every one of us.

[Update: Ron Paul addressed the crowd. Huck addressed (in person) the "Together for Life" March in Atlanta. Prof. K thought very highly of his speech. He also issued a press release in which he promised to March in DC next year if he's President. Mitt Romney also issued a press release.]

A friend walked out into the crowd [back in DC now] on his lunch hour today and emailed the following suggestions:

Has someone done a documentary on the marchers preparing themselves (spiritually as well as physically)? It could be very effective. It was an almost festive mood.

And later:

The other thought I had was that 1/3-1/2 of the depicted fetuses should be non-white--that's for the media to pick up on.

Unborn baby at 5 months.
Image pinched from Danielle Bean.