By Dave Andrusko

Please send your thoughts and observations to daveandrusko@gmail.com.

It's not terribly often that pro- and anti-life forces agree. But when it comes to last Friday's annual March for Life held in Washington, DC, both sides grasp what the presence of multiple tens of thousands of young people signifies.

"If anyone tells you that young people are apathetic or disinterested when it comes to the big issues, point them in the direction of the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., where more than 17,000 teens and young adults will converge January 22 for the annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life on the 37th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade."
     -- From the pro-life Our Sunday Visitor.

"I went to the March for Life rally Friday on the Mall expecting to write about its irrelevance. Isn't it quaint, I thought, that these abortion protesters show up each year on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, even though the decision still stands after 37 years. What's more, with a Democrat in the White House likely to appoint justices who support abortion rights, surely the Supreme Court isn't going to overturn Roe in the foreseeable future. How wrong I was. The antiabortion movement feels it's gaining strength, even if it's not yet ready to predict ultimate triumph, and Roe supporters (including me) are justifiably nervous."
     -- From pro-abortion columnist Robert McCartney writing yesterday in the pro-abortion Washington Post.

A massive throng of humanity coming up the hill on its way to the Supreme Court. The annual March for Life drew people from all around the United States.

When we appreciate the context in which the March took place, it's easy to understand why alarums and whistles are now going off constantly in the heads of pro-abortionists. People like McCartney had already been, shall we say, sensitized to the impact of a tidal wave of pro-life youth gathering in our nation's capital by the election of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.

It's hard to exaggerate the debilitating impact on Democrats of the loss of "Teddy's seat," which they had persuaded themselves was theirs by birthright. Brown campaigned with clarity and purpose as a "No!" vote on the massive mess of pottage known as health care "reform," aka Obamacare.

At least for now the Democratic leadership is doubling down on their mistake, spinning this unambiguous "no" against the substance of the proposals into a protest against a bill not getting passed. Those not directly on their payroll understand this is turning the truth upside down.

McCartney evidently was on the Mall and talked to young people. He came away very impressed. (See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/23/AR2010012302400_pf.html)

More than 17,000 teens and young adults converged at the Verizon Center in Washington DC January 22 for the annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life on the 37th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.

For my money the most interesting and revealing three sentences came about two-thirds into the column:
"Activists who support abortion rights conceded that there's less energy among young people on their side of the debate. 'Unfortunately, I feel my generation is a little complacent,' said Amanda Pelletier, 20, co-director of the abortion rights group at American University. 'It just doesn't seem to be a very hip issue.'"
"Complacent," I understand but not a "hip" issue?

There were at least 17,000 pro-life youth who assembled at the Verizon Center the morning of the March. I'm told you had to have a ticket and be there by 7:00am to get inside.

As it happens, once the ceremonies were concluded the DC police directed the teens down 10th Street, which is where NRLC's offices are located. Wave after wave after wave of cheering, singing, chanting young people poured by us. I was busy elsewhere, but staff who were heard are still talking about this living testimony to the depth, breadth, and growing vitality of our Movement.

To McCartney this "suggests that the battle over abortion will endure for a long time to come." To the rest of us this mass of energetic, dedicated humanity signals that our Movement is stronger than ever with prospects for the future better than ever!

Editor's note. Before I forget, thanks to all of you who wrote about Friday's TN&V which was a quick take on the 37th annual March. I read every single response sent to daveandrusko@gmail.com, and I try my best to write back promptly.

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