Over 400,000 March For Life In Washington DC (Pics and Videos) UPDATE: Amended Total – Nearly 500,000

The Fox News headline: Anti-Abortion (as opposed to pro-life) Protesters March On Roe v Wade Anniversary, which means in the interest of being “fair and balanced”, they will call counter protesters, pro-abortion instead of  “pro-choice” protesters, right?

Neither cold temperatures nor pouring rain seemed to dampen the spirits of the tens of thousands who gathered for the annual March for Life in Washington on Monday. The march serves as an annual pro-life response to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court’s landmark decision legalizing abortion in the U.S.

A number of lawmakers spoke at the rally launching the march, which began on the National Mall and proceeded several blocks to the steps of the Supreme Court. House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, vowed to continue standing with pro-life advocates.

“We are heeding the voice of the people who overwhelmingly oppose taxpayer funding of abortion,” he said.

Though Boehner made clear he doesn’t believe being anti-abortion is a political position, many of the marchers said they view abortion as a key election year issue. The Rev. Frank Pavone, who heads Priests for Life, says 2012 is critical.

“You’re going to hear a lot of talk about getting ready for the elections and increasing the pro-life numbers that we have in the House and Senate and, of course, the White House,” he said.

House Speaker John A. Boehner addresses the crowd at the March for Life rally in Washington. (Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images / January 23, 2012)

Via Charlie Spiering of The Washington Examiner:

Boehner highlighted a bi-partisan House bill passed to codify the Hyde Amendment across the entire government, banning taxpayer funds from supporting abortion.

“I’ve never considered being pro-life a label or a political position, its just who I am.” said Boehner, “Its not just that I am pro-life its that we as a people are pro-life.” he said.

As always, he got just a little choked up talking about his eleven brothers and sisters, but he plowed on.

Yes, he can be maddeningly ineffective at times, but I love this man:

Here is Majority Leader, Eric Cantor’s speech:

The President made a statement commemorating Roe v Wade, today, too:

Sick… Obama Says Abortion “Enables Our Daughters” to “Fulfill Their Dreams”:

Barack Obama released a statemtent this past weekend on the 39th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision. Obama said abortion “enabled our daughters” to “fulfill their dreams.”
Sick.

Pro-Lifers’ Taunt Obama: “Hey Obama, Yo Mama was Pro-Life!”, via Accuracy in Media:

“[Abortion is] a fundamental constitutional right…and as we remember this historic anniversary, we must also continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.” the President said in a statement released on the 39th Anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. Pro-Life marchers today reacted to these statements with broad condemnation of the President and his policies. The March for Life is an Annual Gathering in Washington DC in support of Pro-Life issues.

Catholic News Service reported on the strong youth presence at this year’s march:

Organizers said they believe the event attracted more participants than last year’s estimated 400,000.

The march was held one day after the 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

The Daily Caller’s Michelle Fields tweeted: This is by far the biggest protest I’ve ever been to in my life #MarchForLife

***

Matt Menendez, age 20, is the president of Harvard right to life. He explained that although the United States is largely pro-life, there are only a small minority of students at Harvard “who are willing to speak up” in defense of life.

“We’re always fighting an uphill battle,” he said. While the work is “very difficult,” it is also “very, very rewarding.”

He said that the group regularly receives calls and emails “from people who say they’re afraid to be prolife.”

Menendez described the group’s work as “fighting an intellectual battle” in the hopes of “opening discourse” on a topic that is considered somewhat “taboo” and is “often ignored” at Harvard.

“It’s really energizing to be part of that movement,” he said.

Luciana Milano, another member of Harvard’s right to life group, attended the march for the first time this year.  She explained that attending Harvard strengthened her pro-life views because she was forced to defend her beliefs to those who disagreed with her.

She said that although the experience “has been difficult,” it has made her “a stronger believer” in the dignity of all human life.”

Describing the march as “awesome,” Milano said that she was impressed and overwhelmed by the large number of people attending the event.

“The second that I saw large amounts of people, I almost cried,” she said.

Video of  The Youth Rally and Mass for Life via The Washington Times:

Here’s pro life legend,  Father Frank Pavone, being interviewed at the March for Life:

Update:

Via Just a Conservative Girl, Congressman Allen West’s speech was short but sweet:

UPDATE II:

The Anchoress: Pro-Lifers and the Truth-Phobic Press:

Watching yesterday on EWTN, I heard estimates of nearly half-million people marching peacefully and cheerfully, in the freezing rain, in support of life, which is — at its core, as Tim Muldoon writes — a march in support of love:

***

Unfortunately, the “big picture” is hard to come by, particularly if you’re looking for “big pictures” of this well-attended march. We have reached a remarkable era of photojournalism, as demonstrated by the once-noble Washington Post — one where a half million people can march, the headlines can call it “thousands” and the pictures show you none of it.

Someone asked me on Twitter, “why don’t they just report the truth” and I thought, “because they have given themselves wholly over to a lie, and they fear the truth. Having built up the lie for so long that it’s become their foundation, they know they cannot withstand an assault by the truth.”

So they have become truth-phobics, our mainstream media. They can’t tell you the truth about anything, anymore — they can only do whatever it takes to sustain the narratives they’ve constructed.

That’s why you hear no reports about Fast and Furious, or a member of the DOJ pleading the Fifth about that. It’s why you don’t hear about Solyndra and the “green jobs” myth it’s why you hear no caterwauling from the press about the fact that we are 1000 days into this administration without a budget.

You want the truth? You think you deserve it? The press can’t handle the truth; they can’t bring it to you.

Keep reading….

For MORE pictures and reportage, see St. Blogustine:

Including “vulgar, obscene, loud-mouthed, pro-abortion occupiers”:

 

 

Linked by Adrienne, and Mommy Life, thanks!