January 22nd, 2018 was the 40th annual March for Life, held on the steps of the state capitol legislative building in Olympia, Washington. The March for Life, held at multiple locations nationwide, was organized 40 years ago in response to the Roe vs. Wade decision 45 years ago. There were hundreds / thousands of people in attendance, depending on which news source you consult. The two stories I’ve seen give differing attendance counts, but they both are written in a biased manner, very much against the gathering. I was very happy to be able to attend the event this year, and while I’m terrible at estimates, the crowd did indeed seem huge from where I stood on the outskirts, as usual. I’m a tiny person, and I don’t do well in the middle of large crowds!
“Anti-abortion advocates.” “Activists.” “Abortion rights opponents.” That is what the news has been calling those who were gathered on the steps this afternoon. And I guess the names are not incorrect, but then again, they are not accurate.
Pro-life. All life. Unborn/pre-born child, mother, father, and older people who have been ignored. We are concerned with the health and well-being of everyone involved in the abortion debate, yet the media writes “abortion rights opponents.” A negative name instead of a positive one.
Whatever the number, the crowd gathered at the Capitol campus was huge! It was heartening to see such a large number of people who care enough about unborn babies and their parents to come out in the cold and rain to peacefully assemble and speak freely (exercising our First Amendment rights) and to petition their representatives for changes to protect families of unborn babies
As with any gathering of this nature, there were protesters. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to the Washington State Capitol campus, but across from the Legislative Building’s front steps is the Temple of Justice, where the protesters usually gather. I’ll admit, all 10-15 of the protesters were very determined to be as big of a nuisance as possible, and they did their job well. One lady (who seemed to be leading the charge) had a megaphone, and was using it at every possible opportunity. I highly doubt she will have a voice in the morning. A few of the male protesters seemed to only want to cause trouble, not protest any specific issue. Thankfully the police were there.
On that note, I have always been grateful for everything the Washington State Patrol has done to serve and protect the people of Washington State. I was grateful for their presence at this gathering, as it isn’t unheard of for large protest-type gatherings to turn violent… don’t worry, Mom and Dad, I was fine!
I don’t know whose bright idea it was to schedule Nurse Legislative Day on the same day as March for Life, but it happened. This meant that the many nurses who were there to discuss/petition for nursing issues had to muscle their way through the crowds gathered on the front steps. We were instructed to keep certain walkways clear for the nurses to get through, and most of the time, it worked just fine. Lost of confused faces as they passed by. Hopefully something said/read on a sign may stick with them in a good way. Who knows.
The Pro-Life movement is not just about the babies. Mothers and fathers are also included in the mission to aid those dealing with unplanned / unwanted pregnancies. There can be lasting physical and psychological issues stemming from an abortion. Most of the time the focal point seems to be on “saving the babies” (not wrong), which leads me to believe that either pro-abortion advocates ignore the other aspect or simply don’t know.
I know that abortion is a hot topic nowadays. Those who have in the past / are currently dealing with an unwanted pregnancy are going through more than I could imagine. As a Pro-Life Advocate (a positive name) who works with tiny babies whose gestational age would allow them to be aborted, I have such a love for these little angels and their families. I want to help the entire family during what can be a confusing and terrifying time.
All in all, a good day. It took me a good 5+ hours to thaw and re-warm after standing in the rain for almost 2 hours, but it was worth it. Bonus: I got a last-minute reprieve from work today. Yay me 🙂
A Special Strength 