Jeanne Mancini

 

Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank each and every one of you who marched for life on Friday in our nation’s capital, as well as those of you who were watching and supporting us from afar.

Year after year, every January – we travel across this great nation to give a voice to those who don’t have one – the unborn. We’re here in blizzards, subzero temperatures, sleet, snow and rain – and we are here because we know that abortion is the greatest human rights abuse of our time.

The 2017 March for Life was truly historic including an in-person speaking appearance by Vice President Mike Pence, and Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway.

The joyful, loving, peaceful witness of tens of thousands of America’s pro-life youth from across the country spoke to the hearts and minds of those in attendance and watching on screen.

Enjoy and share these incredible pictures from the 2017 March for Life. (Click the images below to see more!)

New technology allowed the March for Life rally to be streamed on Facebook, resulting in our message of life and love going “viral” with nearly 2 million views and over 33,000 shares.

You can watch and share the full rally footage from Friday, filled with a powerful lineup of inspiring speakers, below.

Now we begin the hard work of turning our passion and inspiration at the March for Life into year-round, every-day advocacy work to change our culture and our laws for the cause of life.

Will you join us?

We are honored and humbled by your witness for life at the 44th Annual March for Life. Throughout this week, we’ll update you with media coverage, and social media coverage – our voices were heard loud and clear this year!

Thank you!

 

On behalf of the March for Life Board of Directors and staff, I’d like to wish you and your family a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!

We are grateful for the work that each of you does for the pro-life cause. Together, we will one day soon see a culture of life flourish in our country so that every child is welcomed and loved.

From all of us at the March for Life, thank you for working with us and Happy Thanksgiving! 

 

Yesterday as I was leaving work, a young, African-American man stopped me and asked if I was “for” women’s rights. I can assume that if I said yes he would have asked me to sign a petition he was advocating.  Because I was in a hurry, I typically would have continued on my way without engaging him. However, because I have heard the term “women’s rights” at least five times in the course of the past week, and frankly, my patience is waning in the face of the onslaught of false rhetoric surrounding this election cycle, I couldn’t help but stop and chat.

I asked him, “What exactly are you referring to when you say “women’s rights”; what “rights” are we talking about?” He answered, ironically, given that I am a woman and he is not, “reproductive rights.” Saddened and burdened by this response, I asked him “what about equal rights for unborn women?” He obviously had not given that any thought because he didn’t know how to respond. After about twenty seconds he asked me, “is this a trick question?” I told him no and that I hoped he would really think about the point I had made.

If I had the chance to speak with this gentleman again I would have gently added that pushing reproductive rights is on the wrong side of history.  Humans should not be discriminated against because of their size, sex, color, race, disability, etc.

I love everything related to the inherent dignity and vocation of women. I’m grateful for my educational opportunities, the right to vote, my career opportunities the fact that I am able to lead a non-profit organization, a stark contrast from what the vast majority of women throughout history, and even living today have enjoyed. Furthermore, I’m grateful that I am 100% equal in dignity to my husband.

But I am tired of the damaging and erroneous idea that abortion is a positive thing for women. I have met so many women that profoundly grieve having been involved in an abortion. I’ve talked to a dad who lost his daughter to legal abortion. There is study after study showing the negative consequences of abortion – be it emotionally or physically.

Because of the cause of “reproductive rights,” approximately 30 million females are missing in the United States today – future Olympic athletes, scientists, doctors, artists, teachers, sisters, mothers, daughters, lawmakers, and maybe even a President. Women deserve the truth about this issue. Abortion is profoundly anti-woman. Choosing life is empowering, not taking the life of your precious little one.

 

I have some really big news to share with you.

I am excited to announce the official launch of March for Life Action!

March for Life Action is a certified 501(c)4 entity, which will operate as a sister organization to our 501(c)3, March for Life Education and Defense Fund. The difference between the two organizations is that March for Life Action will allow YOUR VOICE — in combination with the collective voices of the millions of pro-life Americans — to advocate for specific pro-life policies at the federal and state level.

I am deeply convinced that March for Life Action is needed for such a time as this. Our country is truly facing a divisive crossroad on issues related to life and the inherent dignity of the unborn.

While a culture of life has advanced legislatively in many states over the past few years, the June Supreme Court decision striking down Texas’ common-sense safety regulations for abortion centers endangers not only women’s health but also pro-life advances and laws across the country.

Then in late July, the Democrat National Committee introduced the most radical pro-abortion platform ever, advocating for abortion, on demand, at any time during pregnancy, paid for by your tax dollars.

The Democratic Presidential Candidate and other pro-abortion advocates have even called for a repeal of the long-standing bipartisan Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer dollars from paying for abortion through Medicaid.

While March for Life Action is non-partisan like its sister organization, the sad reality is that the Democratic Presidential Candidate and Democratic Platform are extreme and out of touch with mainstream America.

>>>> ICYMI, check out my op-ed in the Daily Caller on the Democrat Party’s Radical New Abortion Stance.

Here’s where March for Life Action comes in.

We have a very exciting project to share with you very soon, but we are asking that you would help us first by following March for Life Action on social media and asking your friends to do so also.

We are grateful for this new opportunity to expand our cultural influence more directly into the policy arena. And we are excited to amplify YOUR voice on the most pressing issue of our time, the inherent dignity and goodness of life, not only as we march up Constitution Avenue every January, but moreover, every day of the year.

 

As we prepare for Independence Day weekend, I want to share with you some of my thoughts on the events that have transpired this past week.

Not all of it has grabbed headlines, but several significant legal and legislative actions took place this week, which will impact the causes of life and freedom of conscience for years to come.

Here’s what happened:

• In a decision striking down parts of Texas’ abortion legislation, HB 2, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that clinics that perform abortions don’t have to follow standard health and safety codes that any other healthcare facility is required to follow.

>>> Read the March for Life’s full press release reacting to the Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt decision.

• By refusing to hear a case about a Washington state pharmacist who objected to prescribing abortion-inducing drugs, the Supreme Court opened the door to pharmacies across the country being forced to provide abortion-inducing drugs and devices regardless of personal or faith-based objections.

>>> Read the March for Life’s full press release reacting to Stormans v. Weisman.

• On Capitol Hill, the Senate Democrats defeated the House-passed Zika Prevention legislation that would have provided emergency funds to prevent the spread of this dangerous virus for women and babies. They objected because only hospitals and community health centers in Puerto Rico would receive funding, not Planned Parenthood.

>>> Read the March for Life’s statement regarding the bill’s defeat.

>>> Read an op-ed about the Zika Prevention bill by our Assistant Director, Bethany Goodman.

The Whole Women’s Health decision threatens other pro-life state legislative initiatives and indicates the hostile territory the Supreme Court has become to the rule of law when it comes to abortion-related decisions.

Furthermore in the Stormans decision, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists shared this dire reflection: “This Court has set the stage for unfettered state coercion; a coercion that extends even to forcing American citizens to have to participate in the killing of other human beings.” In his dissent, Justice Samuel Alito wrote, “If this is a sign of how religious liberty claims will be treated in the years ahead, those who value religious freedom have cause for great concern.”

This is especially troubling as we prepare to celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s birth. Freedom of conscience, and the protection of life and liberty were paramount to the founding of the United States of America.

While this turn of events is disheartening, we know that there are millions of pro-life Americans who still hold those values dear. Here at the March for Life we are unequivocally committed to protecting life. Furthermore, we must remember that the fight for life is not just a political/legal/legislative battle, but it is more deeply a cultural and spiritual battle. We must remain relentless in praying for a culture of life and working to build a culture where abortion is unthinkable.

We have the truth on our side and we will not back down. We will not stop fighting for what is right for women, babies, and our country.