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Marchers and Walkers promote the sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death!
Every year on January 22, this country is reminded about a Supreme Court decision that gave women the right to abortion, as a means of dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. (A second case known as Doe vs. Bolton, extends the right to abortion during the entire 9 months of pregnancy.) Since 1973, approximately 54 million abortions have been performed according to the Alan Guttmacher Research Institute.
This year over 50,000 people in San Francisco gathered to Walk for Life, expressing a love for life and concern for the women affected by abortion. Two days later on Monday, January 23 more than 250,000 people joined the March for Life in Washington DC. Both events feature the faces of young people who do not believe in the right to abortion.
As President of Anglicans for Life and Co-founder of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, I attended the events on both coasts and host ‘gatherings’ at the Walk and March. People involved with the Silent No More Awareness Campaign who have personally experienced abortion, carry signs that read: “I Regret My Abortion” or “I Regret Lost Fatherhood.” After the Walk and March, in the public square, 60 women and 6 men collectively, shared their stories of how abortion impacted their lives and the help they found in Christian-based healing programs.
At the March for Life, the Anglicans for Life presence was 49 strong and included marchers from St. Timothy's, Baltimore, MD, Falls Church, VA, Truro Church, Fairfax, VA; St. John the Evangelist, Churchville, PA, Prince of Peace Church, PA, Virginia Theological Seminary, and others from other states including Washington, Ohio, New York, and Michigan.. Bishop John Guernsey from the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic joined fellow Anglicans to support the sanctity of life under the Anglicans for Life banner.
This year’s events saw an increase in anti-life protesters, many of whom were aggressive, rude and in-your-face. In San Francisco, the Walk was halted for 7 minutes while the police removed 10 people who were blocking the Walkers on Market Street. Once they were re-located to the sidewalk, they hurled profane and derogatory comments as families with small children walked past them.
In DC, a Charismatic Episcopal Church Prayer Service held in front of the Supreme Court Building prior to the March was interrupted as anti-life individuals screamed in the faces of the people praying and singing. And during a Youth Conference Saturday night, pro-abortion supporters unexpectedly entered the conference during the keynote address and wouldn’t leave until hotel security escorted them out.
Check out more pictures from these events on our Facebook page: AFL
One other protestor had a slightly different experience; this story was related by Jeanie, one of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign participants:
“I also wanted to share this story about the beautiful young women who held the sign ‘Abortion on Demand. No Apology’ She was alone, stoic, and defiant. When I first saw her I was angry and in my mind I thought ‘She has no voice. She does not belong here. She needs to go away’.
As I kept watching her, I saw a Silent No More woman who had just shared, speak with her and then hug her. I was stunned and walked over to this woman and asked her what just happened. She told me that this young woman was a victim of rape and felt that God had given her permission to abort her child. My heart broke for her. I was no longer angry. I was also asked to pray for her, which I immediately began doing. At this moment another women from Silent No More shared her testimony of rape and the subsequent abortion of her child. I turned to look at the young women holding her sign to see her crying.
She was trying so hard to wipe the tears from her face but they just kept coming. I was drawn to her out of compassion and asked her if she would like a hug. Fully expecting her to say no, she reluctantly agreed. I gave her a brief gentle hug and told her that I was glad that she was here.”
Support for life is growing and we are excited by the energy and enthusiasm expressed by the younger generation. Those who support abortion feel threatened, but trying to intimidate us isn’t going to work, we will be silent no more and maybe someday some of them will join us!
March for Life, Washington, DC
Walk for Life, San Francisco, California
