With last year’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning the precedent of Roe v. Wade, the organization March for Life has shifted its attention toward changing the hearts of Americans to make abortion unthinkable by focusing on the state and federal level in a post-Roe world.
March for Life is the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world. The Dobbs case was an incredible pro-life victory that encouraged March for Life, and the organization is hopeful for the future. However, the work they must do is greater than ever before. 2023 marked 50 years of March for Life, and the past five decades have proven that they are up for the task of fighting for life even with the new challenges ahead in a post-Roe world.
Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, said, “Yes, there is still so much work to be done, but we are encouraged by the fruits of our labors so far, and we are emboldened by the incredible dedication and passion of our marchers to take these next steps in carrying out our joyful mission.”
Focusing to the state level, too
In 2023, the March for Life in Washington, D.C., shifted from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to the steps of the Capitol. Along with this shift, the new wave of future efforts will focus on the states, continuing to advocate for women and children as the decisions now lie in the hands of the legislators. The organization hopes to march in 10 states in 2023 and to be in all 50 states in the next five to seven years.
Instead of fizzling out in a post-Roe America, March for Life has grown.
The purpose behind these state marches is to expand the voices that have been heard in Washington for years. The leadership of March for Life understands how powerful it can be for unified masses of people declaring with one voice their commitment to protecting life. They want to send a message of clarity to legislators through the state marches.
March for Life is also committed to increasing support for pregnant women. Violence and misinformation have threatened the work of over 3,000 pregnancy care centers and maternity homes that provide care for expectant mothers and their children across the country.
“The Supreme Court decision, contrary to the false and widely held belief, did not make abortion illegal across the country,” Mancini said. “Rather, it gave people the chance to fight for life through the democratic process.”
Countering abortion activisim in a post-Roe world
In giving pro-life activists victory, the Dobbs decision also gave pro-abortion activists the opportunity for exploitation and to induce a spirit of fear in Americans. Their efforts threaten thousands of unborn lives in pro-abortion states, as they seek to make abortion policies even more extreme than they were under Roe. Many proposals of pro-abortionists include abortion up until birth.
Under these circumstances, education related to life, such as how preborn babies feel pain as early as 15 weeks’ gestation, is a key part of March for Life’s mission. The more the public is educated on topics like fetal development and abortion, the more they will support common sense limits.
The task of marching at the state level is daunting, but the leadership at March for Life is facing this new era with enthusiasm and faith.
“Our fight, which for the last five decades had been relegated to the courts, is now being waged in Congress, in our statehouses and in our communities,” Mancini said. “The landscape has changed, but our mission to create a culture of love and life where abortion is unthinkable remains the same.”
