March for Life 2017

Thousands of people took to the streets of Washington, DC this Friday to attend the March for Life.

This annual pro-life march comes just six days after the massive Women’s March on Washington, an event which advocated for “open access to safe, legal, affordable abortion and birth control” among other issues.

The March for Life has been held annually since Roe v. Wade in 1973. This year, Vice President Mike Pence became the highest-ranking government official to speak at the event. “Life is winning in America!” said Pence to the crowd on Friday, emphasizing that we now have “a president who I proudly say stands for the right to life.”

Kellyanne Conway, senior counselor and former campaign manager, also spoke to the demonstrators. “It is no coincidence that the first right cited in the Declaration of Independence is the right to life,” said Conway. “It is a right; it is not a privilege; it is not a choice. It is God-given.”

Pence, known for his aggressive pro-life stance, took several actions to restrict abortion procedures in Indiana during his years as governor.

Trump, who once stated that he was “very pro-choice” adopted a conservative stance on abortion during his presidential campaign.

This week, Trump followed in the footsteps of other Republican presidents by reinstating the “Mexico Policy” – a rule that removes US funding from international health groups that provide abortion services. Trump has also promised to defund Planned Parenthood and to appoint only “pro-life” Supreme Court Justices.

The March for Life began at 1pm on Friday following a Christian rock concert and a prayer led by a Catholic bishop. “We demand the immediate eradication of abortion,” said the musical group Transform DJs. “As we follow Jesus, this atrocity will stop with us.”