March for Life: Why the pro-life movement matters
We’ve all heard of movements like Black Lives Matter, LGBT rights, and women’s rights. Everyone wants equal rights to live in peace and happiness, but could there be a group of people we are missing? How about the people who don’t have a voice in our society who expect safety, comfort, and protection but can legally be denied it?
These are the unborn, our most vulnerable population. Since the controversial 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, millions of abortions have taken place, resulting in a third of our generation being wiped out. Protests against Roe v. Wade in favor of protecting life in the womb have taken place annually for 44 years but have been largely ignored by the media. These protests do not incite violence, riots, anger, or hurt but rather are peaceful and prayerful.
On Sunday, Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, thousands of men, women, and children of all ages gathered around the capitol in St. Paul to march and rally for the right to life. 16 students from MNSU attended the march, including two international students. In addition to the rally that took place at the Minnesota state capitol, people from all 50 states rallied in their own capitol cities on that same day. The largest pro-life march is the March for Life in Washington, D.C., which takes place every year. This year, as a result of the Trump inauguration, it will be held on Friday, Jan. 27, rather than Jan. 22. This national march’s attendance has grown to hundreds of thousands of Americans from every state.
Alyssa Fogarty, an attendee at the March for Life in St. Paul, commented on why she believes the issue of abortion is important to society: “[The unborn] are our future, and each person has a destiny. There is a greater plan for everyone, but abortion is cutting off the opportunity for that person to grow and live out that plan. We could have the cure for cancer right now without abortion, because that person could have been aborted.”
The future is in the hands of those who are young, including the youngest and smallest of us all.
Not only are children’s lives harmed through abortion, the lives of women who abort are harmed as well. According to afterabortion.org, having an abortion increases the risk of cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer, and can result in future complications during labor. Afterabortion.org also states that the psychological effects of abortion are more common, including eating disorders, PTSD, chronic relationship problems, and leading to drug and alcohol abuse. Clearly, an abortion is not healthy for the woman or the child according to these facts.
Fogarty explains why the pro-life movement matters: “We want the unborn to be safe and to have the right to life. We want women to feel safe. Every time a woman wants to have an abortion, it’s out of insecurity. It could be financial insecurity, she’s not confident in her abilities to be a mother, or fear.”
Fortunately, there are resources right in Mankato to help pregnant women who need counseling or financial assistance. Options for Women is a facility located within walking distance from campus on 1331 Warren St. Their confidential number is 507-624-2229. Birthright is located on 330 Stadium Road, Suite 201B, and their helpline is 1-800-550-4900. Don’t be afraid to reach out for assistance.