Last Thursday, January 22nd marked the 42nd annual Right to Life March, a peaceful demonstration done in protest of the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion. Amongst the nearly 600,000 people who participated in the March were nearly 700 Notre Dame students, students who view the March for Life as more than a stance against a controversial Supreme Court decision. For ND students, the March for Life symbolized the opportunity to not only stand in solidarity for the unborn, but to reaffirm their beliefs on the value of life and human dignity.
Rachel Drumm, an electrical engineering and theology major and president of the Right to Life March, said this year was one of the best marches for Notre Dame, due in part to the favorable weather and travel conditions, as well as the record breaking number of ND students at the March.
Drumm said the Right to Life March stood for much more than just an opposition to abortion.
“Technically the March is a political protest in a sense, but more than that it is a celebration of life and a statement we are making about the culture.”
Drumm said that contrary to popular belief, the pro-life movement contained a much greater diversity of people and opinions than those traditionally depicted in the media, and she believes that this diversity is important to the pro-life movement.
“As a young woman who identifies as a feminist, I think that people tend to underestimate just how many groups of people are involved in the pro-life movement and that there are people of all walks of life and all voices who really do identify with this cause,” Drumm said.
Drumm said the pro-life movement goes beyond standing in opposition to abortion, and felt that a common misconception about the pro-life movement lay in the way it is framed as being concerned primarily with the birth of a child, rather than support during and after pregnancy. She said the ND Right to Life club hosts over 170 activities a year, many of which are service activities aimed at providing support for women and children.
“Being pro-life is more than just being anti-abortion. It’s helping women through pregnancies and helping children through crisis pregnancy situations and giving them places to go and giving them resources and options,” Drumm said. If you want to be pro-life you can’t just stop at that opinion, you need to help them every step of the way.”
Grace Agolia, a sophomore theology major and vice president of events for the ND Right to Life club, said the March for Life is a deep experience, as it connects many, both old and young, to the pro-life cause.
“It’s really awe-inspiring that so many people share that fundamental belief in human dignity and the right to life […] For many people who come it is a profound pilgrimage to not only the center of our nation, but also the center of their humanity. That’s a deeply profound experience for many people,” Agolia said.
As one of the people who takes the shorter trip for the March for Life, Agolia said though while the trip at times is much longer than the actual time she gets to spend at the March, she feels the awe-inspiring experience is ultimately worth more than the hassle of travelling. In a reflection onboard one of the buses towards D.C, Agolia wrote the following:
“My friends, we must humble ourselves in order to recognize our common humanity and in order to preserve this shared personhood. We must give of ourselves, even to the point of hurt and rejection, so that others may live. To love like this, with great sacrifice and deep humility, is the mark of someone who is genuinely pro-life.”
Katie Haimes, a junior accounting and theology major and participant in the Right to Life march, said she believed the March for Life was an important demonstration on behalf of the younger generation, and said the presence of so many young people at the march demonstrated the strength and conviction of young people for the pro-life movement.
“It’s really beautiful that there are a lot of people coming together in a peaceful protest against the Roe v. Wade decision. I think its really important for our generation to show others that there really are a bunch of us who are really supportive of the pro-life movement,” Haimes said.
“I think it’s great when everyone with the same beliefs are getting together to share information and raise awareness so more people will become aware of this situation because I feel that a lot of people are under informed about abortion,” Haimes said.
For more information on the Notre Dame Right to Life club, events, and pregnancy and pro-life resources, visit their webpage here.
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