(U-WIRE) WASHINGTON – Last Monday, tens of thousands of pro-life activists gathered on the National Mall to protest the thirty-second anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade.
The crowd, made up of protesters from around the country, marched in frigid conditions from the White House Ellipse to the Supreme Court, to voice their annual call for the 1973 decision to be overturned.
President Bush called in his support from a retreat at Camp David via telephone, encouraging a new “culture of life.”
“I appreciate so very much your work toward building a culture of life, a culture that will protect the most innocent among us, and the voiceless,” said Bush.
As members of the Supreme Court approach retirement, advocates on both sides of the abortion debate await the new appointees with anticipation.
Abortion opponents are optimistic that Bush will appoint justices in his second term that will work to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision.
President Bush gave the crowd words of hope that a legislative change may be on its way.
“We’re making progress in Washington. I’ve been working with members of the Congress to pass good, solid legislation that protects the vulnerable and promotes the culture of life,” he said.
Although there was not a significant presence of pro-choice advocates to launch a counter-protest at the march, they are working hard to make sure that their voice is not droned out.
“The million-plus people who marched for women’s freedom and privacy last spring represent the American mainstream a lot better than a small number of fringe activists who came to D.C. today,” said Nancy Kennan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, in a recent press release. “And if George Bush tries to pack the Supreme Court with out-of-touch far-right judges who want to take away our rights, he’s going to hear from that pro-choice majority loud and clear.”
Pro-Choice groups realize the threat of another four years of the Bush administration.
“As long as George W. Bush is in the White House, the threat to Roe v. Wade ‘to a woman’s right to choose’ is ever-present,” said Ted Miller, the deputy communications director at NARAL.
President Bush ended his telephone speech with a message of hope drawing on deeply religious and historical overtones.
“This is the path of the culture of life that we seek for our country. And on its coldest days ‘and one of our coldest days’ I encourage you to take warmth and comfort from our history, which tells us that a movement that appeals to the noblest and most generous instincts of our fellow Americans, and that is based on a sacred promise enshrined in our founding document, that this movement will not fail,” he said.
The battle in the Supreme Court is one being fought adamantly on both ends. Until a retirement is announced and a replacement decision has been made, both sides must continue instilling words of hope and determination to their supporters.
