Pro-Lifers Prepare for March for Life 2009 under Obama's Shadow
"We will ask him, "Have you seen an abortion? Have you seen a child who has been subjected to abortion?"
As pro-life leaders and citizens across America and the world gear up for a historic chapter in Washington's March for Life on January 22nd, founder Nellie Gray gave LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) a preview of the message that the march plans to send to the country - and to Mr. Obama, one of the most virulent abortion advocates in American politics, two days after his inauguration.
In the final chapter of the presidency of George W. Bush - who was accustomed to speak to the March for Life rally via telephone to express his support - Gray discussed the effort to show the true face of abortion to a president who promised to abolish all legal abortion restrictions through the infamous Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).
"We will ask him, "Have you seen an abortion? Have you seen a child who has been subjected to abortion?" said Gray, who would also want the new President to know "that on the day of his inauguration, an estimated 3,000 children will be killed and the body and mind of their mothers will be traumatized that day.
"He (Obama) must understand what a child looks like who suffers abortion," said Gray. "If he doesn't know what (such) a child looks like, then he has no credibility at all in saying that he approves of this. if he has, then he has no credibility at all of being the president of all of the people."
Gray and fellow grassroots pro-life organizers began the March for Life on January 22, 1974, to commemorate the anniversary of legalized abortion through Roe v. Wade. The march drew 20,000 ralliers in its very first year, and since then has been accustomed to hosting a 100,000-strong crowd each year. Last year, a staggering 225,000 pro-lifers joined the effort petitioning the Supreme Court to abolish legalized abortion.
Gray hopes to remind Obama and like-minded politicians of abortion's hidden slaughter of the helpless - an atrocity condemned by the U.S. at the Nuremburg trials of World War II, where Germans were tried and executed for perpetrating the Holocaust. "We still to this day point an accusing finger at the Holocaust and say that should never have happened, but it is happening in our own country," said Gray.
Asked what she would want Obama's first impression to be of the pro-life movement in America, Gray responded, "I definitely want him (Obama) to see that Americans ... are telling him that this is our country, and our country does not kill innocent human beings. And now we are at the point of killing 50 milion innocent human beings - that's genocide. the reason for the March for Life is to assure that in history no one will be able to say, 'Why didn't those people stand up and do something?'
"The reason we are stading up is: never will it be said that American people allowed this evil, this crime against humanity of killing innocent humans - that we ever allowed it - we stood up for our country."
Gray told LSN that this year's focus would be the equal right to life of both mother and child - precluding the widespread acceptance of abortion in case of a threat to the health of the mother. Pro-lifers must remember, said Gray, "that abortion is both about the baby and the mother, and that they have an equal right to life." Therefore, "The life principles mean equal care with no exception."
Several pro-life events have cropped up around the crowd-drawing power of the March, and this year is no exception. In addition to a convention and Rose Dinner hosted by the March for Life the day of the march, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will again host the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the National Basilica the night before, which has proved immensely popular in the past.
Washington March for Life 2009 Conference and Activities Schedule
Compiled by Kathleen Gilbert
To help pro-life pilgrims plan a schedule surrounding the enormous March for Life quickly approaching next month, LifeSiteNews.com has compiled a list of the various pro-life events that will take place in and around Washington D.C.
Wednesday, January 21
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Cardinal O'Connor Conference
Georgetown University
for more information and to register: http://www.cardinaloconnorconference.com/
9 a.m.
Rock for Life Training & Activism Week Personhood Conference kick-off memorial walk
Planned Parenthood clinic on 16th St. in Washington
The walk will travel from Planned Parenthood, to the White House at 10:15 a.m., ending at the Supreme Court at 11:30 a.m.
For more information: http://www.rockforlife.org/taw/
go to http://www.rockforlife.org/taw/ to register for the Training & Activism Week and reserve a room at the hotel.
1 - 5 p.m.
Rock for Life pro-life workshops
the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel
415 New Jersey Ave., N.W.
The workshops will include an international panel to address the status of the global pro-life movement, a session on pro-life blogging hosted by pro-life activist and blogger Jill Stanek. Live music will be provided at a praise & worship rally and Rock for Life Concert in the hotel starting at 7 p.m.
http://www.rockforlife.org/taw/
2 - 5 p.m.
March for Life Convention 2009
Hyatt-Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
See http://www.marchforlife.org/content/view/18/32/ for more details.
7 p.m.
National Prayer Vigil for Life 2009
Basilica of the National Shrine
go to http://www.usccb.org/prolife/prayervigil/schedule.shtml for the all-night activity schedule.
Thursday, January 22
7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Rally for Life and Youth Mass 2009
Verizon Center (formerly the MCI Center), 601 F Street, NW, Washington, DC.
http://www.adw.org/news/default.asp?id=507&EventType=0&TimeFrame
8:00 am
Lutherans for Life worship service
Immanuel Lutheran Church
1801 Russell Rd.
Alexandria, VA 22301
http://www.lutheransforlife.org/march_for_life.htm
8:15 a.m.
Interdenominational prayer service led by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life
location TBA
http://www.priestsforlife.org/roe/index.htm
12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
March for Life
Washington, D.C. National Mall
see http://www.marchforlife.org/content/view/30/40/ for details and route map.
4 p.m.
Silent No More
Post-abortive women share their stories on the steps of the Supreme Court.
See http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/events/ to register to speak.
4:45 p.m. - 7 p.m. (doors open at 3:45 p.m.)
International Culture of Life "Champions for Family" Award Reception, honoring the Hon. Joseph Pitts (R-PA), Rene Bullecer, M.D. and Rev. Jerome Magat.
Phoenix Park Hotel (above the Dubliner)
520 North Capitol Street, N.W.
Special guests include White House Commissioner Vellie Dietrich-Hall, President's Council for Asian Americans; His Excellency, Willy Gaa, Embassy of the Philippines; Congressman Chris Smith and Mrs. Marie Smith; Congressman Todd Tiahrt and Mrs. Vicki Tiahrt; Congressman Trent Franks, Co-Chair Human Rights Caucus; Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, Member Foreign Affairs Committee; Ms. Jennifer Kimball, Exec. Director, Culture of Life Foundation; Ms. Deidre McQuade, Secretariat, Prolife Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Mrs. Eileen Macapanas Cosby, Filipino Family Fund; Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life; Mr. Al Santoli, Asian American Initiative; Mr. Bobby Schindler, Terri Schindler Schaivo Foundation; Mr. Michael Schwartz, Chief-of-Staff for Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D.; Ms. Wendy Wright, Concerned Women for America.
http://www.culture-of-life.org/
http://filipinofamilyfund.org/championsevent.html
6 p.m.
March for Life Rose Dinner
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
6:00 PM Foyer - Social Hour
7:00 PM Opening Prayer - Dinner
go to http://www.marchforlife.org/content/view/19/34/ for more details as they arrive.
Friday, January 23
8:45 a.m. - 3 p.m.
American Life League's Personhood Conference
The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel
415 New Jersey Ave., N.W.
Catholic Mass - 7:30 a.m.
Free breakfast and Pro-Life Blog Awards - 8 a.m.
Featured Workshops - 8:45 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Lunch break 12:10 - 1:30 p.m.)
Speakers will address personhood as civil rights' last frontier, personhood legal initiatives, and media and technology in the pro-life movement.
Speakers include Lila Rose, cofounder of Live Action Films; Judie Brown, president and cofounder of American Life League; Alan Keyes; Kristi Burton, founder of Colorado for Equal Rights; David Bereit, national campaign director of 40 Days for Life; and Dr. Theresa Deisher, founder of AVM Biotechnology.
go to http://www.rockforlife.org/taw/ to register and reserve a room at the hotel.
Saturday, January 24
9 a.m. - 9:20 p.m. (Check-in begins at 8 a.m.)
Students for Life of America Annual Conference
Pryzbyla Center, Catholic University of America
for more information and to register: http://www.studentsforlife.org/index.php/conferences
Contact: Kathleen Gilbert
Source: LifeSiteNews.com
Source URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com
Publish Date: December 23, 2008
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/081224_2.htm
The IFRL is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in Illinois. A non-profit organization, that serves as the state coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our society. The IFRL is composed of people of different political persuasions, various faiths and diverse economic, social and ethnic backgrounds. Since 1973 the Illinois Federation for Right to Life has been working to end abortion and restore legal protection to those members of the human family who are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Diverse though we are, we hold one common belief - that every human being has an inalienable right to life that is precious and must be protected. IFRL is dedicated to restoring the right to life to the unborn, and protection for the disabled and the elderly. Click here to learn more about the IFRL.
