BTColumn – It’s time again to March for Life

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Flloyd N Hall

The annual “March for Life” will not be held as an in-person rally this year.  Instead, the organizers are having a virtual event on January 29, 2021.

While the cancellation of the physical rally might be disappointing news to many, the decision is an understandable one in the light of the prevailing atmosphere in the nation’s capital.

Attended by thousands of supporters each year the “March for Life” rally brings into sharp focus the plight of the unborn in the US.

The pro-life human rights event defends the right to life of the child in the womb, and has been held annually since 1974 – “one year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade decision that legalized abortion across the United States”
(article by David Crary, Washington Post January 16, 2021 www.washingtontimes.com).

The paper also stated that not “even blizzards in 1987 and 2016 [could] force cancellation, although turnouts were smaller than usual.”

This obviously demonstrates the consistency and signal purpose of the organizers to galvanize support for the thousands of babies who are aborted each year.  Certainly, a tragic loss of human life and potential.

This aggressive killing of unborn children in the leading nation of the world for such a long time, has no doubt inspired and emboldened other nations to do the same.

But this practice by any nation – great or small – is despicable to, and despised by God.  For human life has always been precious to Him. And the Lord has not changed His view after all these years.

In a statement recently, “March for Life” president Jeanne Mancini explained that the cancellation of the event was due to
a number of factors.

She said that right now the country was struggling with a pandemic which is possibly at its peak.  Therefore, it would not be wise to have thousands of supporters meet in Washington for the rally.

Also, law enforcement officers are presently under tremendous pressure with regard to security in and around the Capitol.

“The protection of all of those who participate in the annual March, as well as the many law enforcement personnel and others who work tirelessly each year to ensure a safe and peaceful event, is a top priority of the March for Life,” the statement said. (www.marchforlife.org).

Desiring to secure the safety of the large crowds which attend annually, and the law enforcement officers is a very noble gesture.

So, this year’s “March for Life,” for the greater part, will be held virtually.  Only a small group of pro-life leaders from across the US will be invited to physically march in Washington D.C.

However, the event still promises to be just as inspiring and effective as previous ones.

As always, the keynote address will be a major highlight of the March.

Last year, President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to address the gathering.

This year, the keynote speaker is Tim Tebow, a professional baseball player “known for his outspoken Christian faith as well as his athletic prowess [and] his practice of genuflecting in prayer” on the field. (www.wikipedia.com).

Mancini looks forward to having once again the in-person rally next year; and we pray that will be possible.

In the meanwhile, let us join her in saluting “the countless women, men, and families who sacrifice to come out in such great numbers each year as a witness for life” (www.marchforlife.org).

And we also take our hats off to the organizers who have done well in their determination to bring attention to this great cause.  It ought to be the concern of all who value the dignity of human life.