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March for Life: thousands gather in DC with new sense of hope for Trump March for Life: thousands gather in DC with new sense of hope for Trump
(35 minutes later)
On Tuesday night, Mikki Deters and her younger sister, Marail, boarded a bus in Wichita, Kansas. Twenty-four hours later, the sisters arrived in the nation’s capital, where on Friday they would join thousands of anti-abortion activists in the annual March for Life. On Tuesday night, Mikki Deters and her younger sister, Marail, boarded a bus in Wichita, Kansas. Twenty-four hours later, the sisters arrived in the nation’s capital, where on Friday they would join thousands of pro-life activists on the National Mall to march to the steps of the supreme court, where 44 years ago the justices legalized abortion.
They waited in the winding security line awash in posters that read, “I am the pro-life generation” and “Don’t need Planned Parenthood”. Some held graphic images of fetuses while others chose more subtle messaging: “A person’s a person no matter how small – Dr Seuss” read one young girl’s colorful sign decorated with stickers.They waited in the winding security line awash in posters that read, “I am the pro-life generation” and “Don’t need Planned Parenthood”. Some held graphic images of fetuses while others chose more subtle messaging: “A person’s a person no matter how small – Dr Seuss” read one young girl’s colorful sign decorated with stickers.
This is the fourth March For Life rally that Mikki, 22, has attended, but this year feels different, she said, noting a greater sense of excitement and optimism from the crowd. The March For Life is something of a tradition in the Deters family. Deters, 22, who traveled to DC as part of a multi-bus caravan with Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, a private high school in Wichita, said this is her fourth year attending – and hopes it’s her last.
“This is the first year I’ve come when I’ve felt like we might not have to come back next year, ” said Mickki Deters, 22. “And what I mean is that maybe we won’t have anything to protest next year and I won’t have to take an overnight bus again.” “This is the first year I’ve come when I’ve felt like we might not have to come back next year,” Deters said. “And what I mean by that is that maybe we won’t have anything to protest next year and I won’t have to take a bus again.”
Deters, who voted for a third-party candidate because she didn’t trust that Donald Trump was pro-life, said she is hopeful that Trump would appoint a conservative supreme court justice who will overturn Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion in America. Deters, who voted for a third-party candidate because was wary of Donald Trump’s stance on abrotion, said she is hopeful that the as president he would follow through on his promise to appoint a conservative supreme court justice who will overturn Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion in America.
“Trump has been keeping his promises, and he considers himself pro-life, so well, I just hope he is,” Deters said.
The March for Life, which bills itself as the “largest pro-life event in the world”, comes less than a week after millions of women, disgusted by Trump’s campaign rhetoric and behavior, took to the streets in cities around the world to protest the new president and his agenda.The March for Life, which bills itself as the “largest pro-life event in the world”, comes less than a week after millions of women, disgusted by Trump’s campaign rhetoric and behavior, took to the streets in cities around the world to protest the new president and his agenda.
As thousands gathered along the National mall for the afternoon rally and march, Trump tweeted his solidarity with their action. “The #MarchForLife is so important. To all of you marching – you have my full support!”As thousands gathered along the National mall for the afternoon rally and march, Trump tweeted his solidarity with their action. “The #MarchForLife is so important. To all of you marching – you have my full support!”
The president was initially expected to call into the rally to spotlight the event, but on Friday, he was no longer expected to do so, according to his press secretary Sean Spicer. Instead, the crowd heard from vice-president Mike Pence, who introduced himself as he often does, a “Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order”.The president was initially expected to call into the rally to spotlight the event, but on Friday, he was no longer expected to do so, according to his press secretary Sean Spicer. Instead, the crowd heard from vice-president Mike Pence, who introduced himself as he often does, a “Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order”.
“Because of all of you and because of the many thousands who stand with us in marches like this all across the nation, life is winning again in America,” Pence told the crowd to loud applause. This was the first time a sitting vice president had attended the March for Life, in its 44-year existence. “Because of all of you and because of the many thousands who stand with us in marches like this all across the nation, life is winning again in America,” Pence told the crowd to loud applause. This was the first time a sitting vice-president had attended the March for Life, in its 44-year existence.
Pence touted Trump’s victory and the Republican control of Congress as proof that the anti-abortion movement would finally have its chance to limit – and potentially outlaw – abortion.Pence touted Trump’s victory and the Republican control of Congress as proof that the anti-abortion movement would finally have its chance to limit – and potentially outlaw – abortion.
But the president is the unlikely messenger for the movement. He has wavered in his support for abortion – calling himself “very pro-choice” on one occasion, and later reversing and declaring himself “pro-life”. On the campaign trail, Trump even suggested that women who have abortions should be punished. He quickly corrected the remark amid an onslaught of criticism to say that doctors, not women, who perform the procedure should be held responsible.But the president is the unlikely messenger for the movement. He has wavered in his support for abortion – calling himself “very pro-choice” on one occasion, and later reversing and declaring himself “pro-life”. On the campaign trail, Trump even suggested that women who have abortions should be punished. He quickly corrected the remark amid an onslaught of criticism to say that doctors, not women, who perform the procedure should be held responsible.
Despite early speculation that the twice-divorced businessman – who once cited the verse “two Corinthians” rather than the correct “second Corinthians” during his campaign and said he’s never sought forgiveness for his sins – could capture the vote of the pious.Despite early speculation that the twice-divorced businessman – who once cited the verse “two Corinthians” rather than the correct “second Corinthians” during his campaign and said he’s never sought forgiveness for his sins – could capture the vote of the pious.
But in the end, Trump won with substantial backing from the Christian right, one of the Republican party’s largest and most reliable voting blocs.But in the end, Trump won with substantial backing from the Christian right, one of the Republican party’s largest and most reliable voting blocs.
Eight in ten people who identified as white born-again or evangelical Christians, voted for Trump, while just 16% voted for Clinton – a 65 percentage point margin, according to an analysis by the PEW research center. Trump’s margin of victory among this group was matched or exceeded the victory margins for George W Bush in 2004, John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012, the analysis found.Eight in ten people who identified as white born-again or evangelical Christians, voted for Trump, while just 16% voted for Clinton – a 65 percentage point margin, according to an analysis by the PEW research center. Trump’s margin of victory among this group was matched or exceeded the victory margins for George W Bush in 2004, John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012, the analysis found.
“Trump obviously said things that he shouldn’t have said, but I voted for him because he was pro-life,” said Elizabeth Wehren, 20, a student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.“Trump obviously said things that he shouldn’t have said, but I voted for him because he was pro-life,” said Elizabeth Wehren, 20, a student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
“He made promises to us that he would appoint pro-life justices and pass the Hyde amendment as permanent law, and the pain-capable bill that would prevent abortions after 20-weeks. That was the most important factor for me.”“He made promises to us that he would appoint pro-life justices and pass the Hyde amendment as permanent law, and the pain-capable bill that would prevent abortions after 20-weeks. That was the most important factor for me.”
And so far, Wehren believes Trump is already keeping those promises.And so far, Wehren believes Trump is already keeping those promises.
In one of the first acts of his presidency, Trump reinstated a Reagan-era policy that bans international organizations from providing abortion services or offering information about abortions if they receive funding from the US government. Trump has promised to sign into law a bill Republicans are pushing through Congress that would codify the Hyde amendment, a ban prohibiting US insurance carriers from offering policies that contain abortion coverage.In one of the first acts of his presidency, Trump reinstated a Reagan-era policy that bans international organizations from providing abortion services or offering information about abortions if they receive funding from the US government. Trump has promised to sign into law a bill Republicans are pushing through Congress that would codify the Hyde amendment, a ban prohibiting US insurance carriers from offering policies that contain abortion coverage.
Trump has also said that he will nominate a “pro-life” judge to the supreme court, a promise that helped him secure the support of Christian conservatives and anti-abortion advocates during the campaign. An announcement on the nominee is expected as early as next week.Trump has also said that he will nominate a “pro-life” judge to the supreme court, a promise that helped him secure the support of Christian conservatives and anti-abortion advocates during the campaign. An announcement on the nominee is expected as early as next week.
Though social conservatives ultimately supported Trump for president, many ultimately view Pence as their champion in the White House.Though social conservatives ultimately supported Trump for president, many ultimately view Pence as their champion in the White House.
“I’m thrilled that we have a Christian in the White House who supports our beliefs and has the ear of the President,” Beth Johnson, 70, who traveled from Show Low, Arizona, to Washington to march for the first time, said of Pence. “With him by the president’s side, I’m very excited about what this administration will do.”“I’m thrilled that we have a Christian in the White House who supports our beliefs and has the ear of the President,” Beth Johnson, 70, who traveled from Show Low, Arizona, to Washington to march for the first time, said of Pence. “With him by the president’s side, I’m very excited about what this administration will do.”