This week marked the 43rd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in our country. Since the court’s ruling, nearly 58 million innocent lives have tragically been taken. To put that into perspective, there are roughly 58 million people living in the states of New York and California—combined.
To share these startling numbers and advance pro-life policies, thousands of grassroots advocates from across the country, including Missouri’s 8thDistrict, are in Washington, D.C. this week for the Annual March for Life. For the last 43 years, the March for Life has been a rallying cry for all those who believe, as I do, that life begins at conception and that all life is valued. I admire the courage of their conviction to march for life despite long journeys and a blizzard warning here in our Nation’s Capital.
For this march, I am reminded of 1987, when Nellie Gray, the late President of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, joined with others to battle a fierce storm but continued to march. Nellie said at the time, “our continuing to march that day was not stubbornness to defy the elements, but willingness to cope as best we could in our determined efforts to defend the unalienable and paramount right to life of our born and preborn brothers and sisters.” The resolve of each person who trekked to Washington, while the city was under a blizzard warning and state of emergency, to march for life inspires me and renews my faith that together we can protect the sanctity of life.
This week serves as an important reminder to every elected official, doctor, father and mother that ALL life is precious. We are reminded that at the center of our Pro-Life struggle is the protection of all human life. We cannot live in a society where some life is valued and other life is not.
I stand united with the March for Life delegation and Pro-Life advocates across the country in the belief that all life is precious. All life has value and the casual taking of life is wrong. Across our great nation, millions of Americans are coming together today to demand that the federal government stop assisting in this great assault on innocent life. The federal government should not spend one single dime on Planned Parenthood or any associated groups. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to take the life of the unborn.
As work continues to overturn Roe v. Wade, we must also lay the foundation for a society that does not accept abortion as a form of birth control. Pro-Life advocates like myself have taken up this cause, but work still remains. Open hearts and open minds can heal our nation and change abortions into adoptions. We must join together to pray for the protection of the unborn. The intersection of prayer and action can produce amazing results. I know we can accomplish our goals, and innocent human lives can be saved.
