Walk for Life West Coast 2008

Marjorie Campbell, marjorie@marjoriecampbell.com

On Saturday, January 19, we joined the 4th Annual Walk for Life West Coast, winding by the downtown piers of San Francisco, parading through Fisherman's Wharf, finally cresting at Fort Mason for an easy drop onto Marina Green.  Fair estimates put the crowd this year at 25,000-30,000 - a number hilariously referred to in local media as "at least 10,000 abortion opponents . . .  bused into the city from all over California, and from outside the state."  The Walk's receiving great Internet coverage.  Try Blog-by-the-Sea and A Shepherd's Voice for photos and loads of links, and the entertaining photo essay at PipeLineNews.org. 

Numbers aside, another measure of success impressed my gaggle:  the sad state of the roughly 300 counter-protesters.  These edgy folks, typically anxious to engage the happy, pro-lifers in verbal and even physical confrontations, have lost a lot of ground since their initially organized, aggressions against the then-small crowd have been firmly rolled back by an effective police corps.  In 2006, for example, the aging ladies of Code Pink felt so perky they attempted to block a San Francisco police motorcycle brigade which was clearing the road for the Walk for Life.  This is the same Code Pink, btw, which holds anti-war  wine and cheese parties for peace outside my house, across the street from Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Apparently, the old gals cherish peace and life for all Iraqis - but become hanger toting, police defying advocates of slaughter in the womb when someone mentions abortion.   This, of course, is my generation of radical feminist - and demonstrates the sort of flawed thinking that drove so many of us to recoil and re-evaluate.  It's no wonder that their ranks, and enthusiasm continue to thin.  Here it is, only 2 years later, and the handful of fading pink ladies who showed up for the 2008 Walk for Life seem downright gloomy, comfortably caged behind the police barricade, without enough steam to rattle their bars.

Well, the dulled dames were not alone trying to combat the joy, enthusiasm and Truth so vivid in the crowd for life this year.  My marching group made great sport trying to decipher the meaning of some of the opposition.  One man shouted relentlessly "life enslaves women" and another sign read "I am alive thanks to Roe v. Wade".  Hmmmm.  Later down the road, we had a lively debate among ourselves over this fellow's sign:  "Ronald Reagan Died for Your Sins."  Consistent with this confused contrariness, we noted only a few condom-toting, drag-queen Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence showed up this year, seemingly signless and silent.  The cross-dressing, anti-Catholic dears seemed so lethargic I wondered if they were hung-over or simply overwhelmed by the sheer size and joy of the march. 

Here's what we learned from the Walk for Life West Coast 2008:  the youth of the life movement is suffocating the opposition.  Surrounded by lively, happy babies, religious, families, hordes of youth groups, the opposition literally witnesses their own darkness and death.  Margaret Cabaniss hits this point today at the InsideCatholic blog where she quotes a Washington Post article:  ". . . the antiabortion movement is becoming predominantly youthful while the abortion rights movement is aging."    The appeal of truth draws their energy and spirit to the light.  Life can be beautiful and we can save the baby humans.  Thanks be to God.

Comments

[HOMAIN RAVAZO]

RONALD REAGAN DIED FOR YOUR SINS!!!!!!!!!

[Christina]

Thanks for a very informative and entertaining post!

Alas, the poor Raging Grannies! I can just hear them, gazing on the youthful prolifers: "You kids nowadays!"