By Bruce Donaldson
On April 28th, over 350,000 pro-life demonstrators crowded around the Washington monument to be counted as the majority of Americans who are sick of America’s abortion holocaust. Their aim was to show the congress, the press and the nation that hundreds of thousands are prepared to travel at their own expense from all across the nation to make their voices heard.
Politicians generally assume that every letter they receive from a given perspective represents about two hundred other people who share the same view without bothering to write. How many people, then, do 350,000 live bodies represent?
President George Bush joined the rally via telephone saying “the widespread prevalence off abortion in America is a tragedy.” He encouraged everyone “to continue to work for the day when respect for human life is sacrosanct and beyond question.”
Vice President Dan Quayle appeared at the rally observing that the American people would not “continue to accept the notion that an unborn child is disposable…. Not in this country. Not now. Not ever.” Quayle reaffirmed that “the majority of Americans have shown, in poll after poll, they object to the abortion of an infant for almost any reason up to the time of its birth.”
“Those multitudes,” Quayle said, “stand together against the terrible reality of unlimited abortion on demand. That overwhelming majority constitutes the largest coalition in American politics.”
Overt political bias in the American press became evident as many of the country’s major news sources ignored the gathering which made up one of the largest crowds ever to gather in Washington D.C., although Cardinal John O’Connor challenged the many news teams present to “tell America the truth.”
Time and Newsweek did not cover the story at all; The Wall Street Journal told the whole story in less than one inch; Ted Turner’s Cable News Network reported an attendance of 60,000 most of the day then grudgingly admitted 200,000. Decidedly pro-death, National Public Radio wouldn’t budge from their report of 60,000 all day. Photographers shot away from the crowd toward the Lincoln Memorial where most of the overspill went, within earshot of the stage, to find shade and/or cool off in the fountain.
Many found their way to the Vietnam Memorial, a sobering 500 foot black wall, where National Right to Life President J.C. Wilke noted that if it was a memorial to the unborn, 25 million lives would need a wall 50 miles long. Wilke described the Rally for Life attendance as “awesome.” The crowds attitude, he said, was enthusiastic, optimistic, determined and inspired. “They had all come for one reason – a deep dedication toward the cause of stopping the holocaust that kills over 4800 babies each day.”
The dedication of the crowd gathered in Washington D.C. will carry over to the November elections with hopes that the candidates will respond to the majority’s concerns. Yet in states like Connecticut and Florida “right to privacy” laws are being interpreted as providing the right to abortion by the state supreme courts.
In Florida, the decision is based on a privacy clause voters added to the state constitution in the 1980. Section 23 of the Florida Constitution reads as follows:
“Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from government intrusion into his private life.”
In the parental notification case the Florida Supreme Court used this clause to rule that a 13 year old girl can have an abortion in one of its unregulated clinics without her parents’ knowledge. This ruling has ominous implications. First, even if leaders are elected to pass pro-life legislation, state Supreme Courts can use similar principles to rule that legislation unconstitutional. Second, even if the U.S. Supreme Court were to overrule Roe vs. Wade, Florida, at least would continue to be an abortion state.
The ballot box cannot be relied upon solely to turn the bloody tide of abortion. Pro-life activist Stephen Wood has recognized the only means powerful enough to break down an abortion stronghold – prayer. “If prayer can move mountains,” says Wood, “it can shatter strongholds. Christians need to engage in serious prayer that either the hearts of our (Supreme Court) justices would be changed, or that we would have a change of justices.”
Wood cites Psalm 82 which is about God judging the judges and rulers of the earth who failed to defend the poor, fatherless and afflicted. This passage of scripture is an inspired prayer and can be used in imploring God to intervene in our state legislatures.
Not far from the rally site, across the street from the White House, stood a sight to help inspire the much needed prayer of those concerned for our nation’s future – “The Cemetery of the Innocents.”
“The Cemetery of the Innocents” is a field of 4,400 crosses and Stars of David, which represent the number of babies killed daily by abortion. It was placed by the American Coalition for Life which claims 50,000 members nationwide. During the days surrounding the rally, people could be seen kneeling amidst an overwhelming sea of white memorials to those slain that same day.
Overall, the Rally for Life ’90 was a great success and should be an encouragement to those who for so long have given their lives, time, finances and prayers to see the long and embarrassing holocaust come to an end.
