Annual March for Life Draws Huge Crowd
By Dave Andrusko
Threatening weather conditions and a change in date did nothing to deter a massive turnout in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the Supreme Court's infamous 1973 Roe v. Wade, which unleashed the abortion juggernaut.
Snow fell along the east coast, making transportation difficult, especially as buses neared the city. In addition, some were concerned that because January 22 fell on a Saturday and the March had been moved to January 24, this might hurt attendance.
Indeed, less than an hour before the scheduled noon start, the skies were overcast and the Ellipse seemed almost empty. But not to worry.
Around 11:20, the sun came out, the temperature began to rise, and tens of thousands of pro-life champions began to pour on to the Ellipse, located only a couple of blocks from the White House. There the crowd - - estimated by various sources to be between 60,000 and 100,000 - - listened as speaker after speaker extolled the virtues of patience, persistence, and prayer. (See Congressman Chris Smith's remarks on page 15.)
Following the rally, the crowd marched down Constitution Avenue past the Supreme Court building. Many took the opportunity to lobby their elected officials.
Roe's 27th anniversary was also commemorated by marches, rallies, and prayer services around the nation. (See story, page 14.)