I really do like the March for Life and events surrounding
it. It is nice to network with other pro-life individuals of various
organizations and levels of experience. I enjoy the trip I’ve been able to make
twice with my university group and the ability to get to know new people and
old people better. I think the March as a whole is a good statement to make.
This year, my group had to make a tough but right call to
forego the trip due to an expected “historic” blizzard in the D.C. area. And
the forecast came true. I heard of one Indiana parish that was stuck on the
Pennsylvania Turnpike overnight with even the National Guard unable to reach
them.
I was very much looking forward to traveling and spending
time with people, as well as the things I could learn there. But I wasn’t all
too upset we had to cancel.
Unfortunately, the March for Life brings out the stupid
pro-lifers. No, not that all pro-life people are stupid. I haven’t become a
turncoat. But I hear some really bad arguments against abortion from way too
many pro-life individuals.
Take the argument that uses fetal development. “The heart
starts beating at 18 days.” So would abortion be right before then? If not,
then that isn’t a good argument. Or try this one: “That baby could have been
the one to cure cancer.” So we value people based on what they can do rather
than the simple fact that they are human? “Margaret Sanger was a racist.” So if
she wasn’t, abortion would be permissible? “Women regret abortion.” What about
the ones that don’t? Were their abortions okay?
I knew being around ignoramus pro-life people would have
tried my patience, so no, I’m not too upset I missed the March for Life.
Walk the route of the March, and you may think it’s more of
a parade. “Hey Obama, yo mama chose life.” “We love babies, yes we do. We love
babies, how ‘bout you?” Idiotic chanting. We look so trivially at something
that has taken 55 million lives in the United States alone. Let’s not be somber
about genocide. We need to have our fun.
Yes, fun. The March for Life has been advertised before as
“The Biggest Pro-Life Party of the Year”. The movement isn’t about ending
abortion. It’s not about saving lives. It’s not about trying to make a deposit
into a nation going morally bankrupt. It’s a party. Heck, why end abortion at
all? We’d have to find another excuse to have fun.
So no, I’m not too upset I missed the March for Life.
Of course, the only quasi-somberness found during the March
is the iteration of rehearsed Catholic prayers. Don’t get me wrong, I value the
Catholic colleagues I’ve found in the pro-life movement; in fact, they are more
committed than evangelicals, sadly. But I can only stand hearing this so many
times:
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord
is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.
Tell me how the endless repetition of idolatrous words does
anything, ANYTHING at all, for the pro-life movement. What power is there in
these words? When I pray to God to end this genocide, I ask Him. I’m specific.
“Father, use this new law to shut down the Planned Parenthood in Cincinnati.” I
don’t talk to a dead human being.
Hearing memorized prayers? It’s another reason I’m not too
upset I missed the March for Life.
There were a few people who were really upset about missing
the March. I sort of pitied them. Why? Because it’s all they do.
The March for Life is a giant festival that costs people
very little. They have a trip with other people like them, march as a giant
group, attend a conference, and say, “See you next year.” There is no real
sacrifice involved. Most of these people don’t volunteer at pregnancy centers.
They don’t contact their representatives. They don’t defend the preborn in the
public square. In fact, reference the arguments above: they don’t have the
first clue about how to share their beliefs. The March for Life is just their
annual excuse to party and meet other people as detached from the reality of
abortion as they are. It’s why they get mad when someone would dare show the
graphic reality of abortion along the route of the March. One person actually
complained that they were “having such a good time” until they were exposed to
the very thing they were supposedly marching against. These individuals don’t
want a reality check. It might actually motivate them to do something
meaningful.
So no, I’m not too upset I missed the March for Life.
But we’re winning! All of you, every single one of you.
Winners.
That’s the message relayed at the Students for Life of
America Conference. In fact, it was the theme. “Born to Win”. How nice a
thought. Once we look past the fact that there are still over 2900 abortions
daily in the United States, and that there is a mockery of justice in that
Planned Parenthood is again let off the hook for illegal activities, and that
abortion is still a legal activity, it’s easy to see that we’re winners. As
long as we don’t think about what abortion actually is and refuse to look past
ourselves, we’re winning. Who cares about the preborn as long as we feel good
about ourselves? God help me if I had to sit through that garbage. I would’ve
had to get back on the bus and explain to my group that they’ve been fed a
giant lie, not by the abortion industry, but by those who are supposed to
oppose it.
We’re not winning as long as children are dying.
So no, I’m not too upset I missed the March for Life.
See, the problem does not lie in the March itself. It is a
good event that draws attention to the pro-life message, whatever that is
anymore. No, the problem lies in its attendees. Somewhere, we lost sight of
what our true purpose is. Thirty years ago, participants in Operation Rescue
were willing to be fined and even go to jail to prevent abortion mills from practicing
their trade. They understood that there was no difference in value between born
and preborn, just as there wasn’t between whites and blacks twenty years
earlier. And their actions showed it. Now, there is no realization of how
serious and cruel and awful abortion is. The primary objective is fun, not
salvation.
We need to bring it back to the basics. Why is abortion
wrong? Why are we involved in the pro-life movement?
Taking an innocent human life is wrong, and that is what
abortion is. Therefore, we need to treat it seriously and do all in our power
to stop it.
If that isn’t your answer, you need to evaluate yourself,
because you are part of the problem.
In the meantime, I’ll continue going to the March for Life.
But I refuse to remain silent while my own people treat the slaughter of my
fellow humans so trivially.
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