Pro-life chalk art caused Billie to start questioning her pro-choice views

[SPL recently received this note of encouragement from one of our supporters, and she gave us permission to publish it as a blog post.]

Photo credit: Evie Schwartzbauer

My name is Billie. I am a gay woman and my husband, Alan, is a transgender men, so we both grew up immersed in adamantly pro-choice social circles (as is common in the secular LGBT community). We held radically pro-choice views ourselves until early adulthood, and argued for abortion rights online, etc. I was whole life pro-life in most other areas (anti-death penalty, pro-social supports for struggling parents, even vegan), but not so with abortion.

In my first year of university, I saw some pro-life chalking on the wall outside the campus cafeteria. Specifically it was a statistic about the proportion of children with Down syndrome aborted. At first I dismissed it as a lie or at least exaggeration; I’d been taught to expect that most claims pro-lifers make are lies. I don’t remember what made me pause and do some research, but I was horrified to learn the statistic was true. I had worked with special needs kids my entire life (as had my mother), and I felt they already had enough working against them.

[Related post - When she got a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, her doctor wouldn't stop suggesting abortion.]

It was a few months before I could bring myself to look up any more information. When I did, I learned more I had been misled about or had been wrong about. I was going through a paradigm shift.

This new knowledge made me really open to different perspectives. I started following both pro-choice and pro-life blogs. I saw more and more claims that both shocked me and were verifiably true. Previously I hadn’t seen ultrasound images or pictures of aborted fetuses. I didn’t know many of the statistics surrounding abortion. It was an eye-opening experience. Additionally, as I watched others debate online, I noticed pro-life advocates interacted with people with much more love and grace than the pro-choice people they were debating. (I know that's not necessarily true everywhere, but it was my experience.)

I had a traumatic childhood and grew up very cynical; I didn’t see much worth living for. But as I found my faith, developed secure relationships, went to therapy, etc, that pessimism started to change, and I came to view life as very precious and fragile. As I learned more about abortion, I would share with Alan, and it didn't take long for him to have a change of heart too.

Since then we've been advocates. We were involved in the pro-life club during and after university. We went to the annual March for Life with a "We're Here, We're Queer, We're Pro-Life" sign (the time we had tomatoes thrown at us!) 

We have several SPL bumper stickers on our car today. We genuinely think SPL has the most effective messages. You focus on science, common sense, and inclusivity. We feel welcome and accepted in your group, and we are so grateful. Secular Pro-Life is absolutely essential to the conversation, so thank you!

[Help spread pro-life messages by creating some chalk art yourself. Read more here, from HowToBeProLife.com.]

January Itinerary

January is always a busy time for Secular Pro-Life, and the pro-life movement as a whole, as we mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and develop strategies to save lives in the new year. Here's where you'll find us.

Saturday, January 11: Chicago, IL

Our friends at Rehumanize International have organized a meetup group for the Chicago March for Life at Daley Plaza. Both before and after the march, stop by the Secular Pro-Life exhibit booth at the Chicago March for Life convention. (We could use one or two more volunteers; please email us at info@secularprolife.org if you're interested.)

Thursday, January 23: Washington, D.C.

From 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Secular Pro-Life is proud to support the Geaux Forth pro-life youth rally at the Warner Theater, organized by Louisiana Right to Life. 

Friday, January 24: Washington, D.C.

Join us for the March for Life! Look for our 14-foot-tall bright blue banner at the Rehumanize International pre-march meetup, starting at 10:30 a.m. Our very own Terrisa Bukovinac will speak at the meetup, along with several other awesome activists:

On Friday evening from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, we will again join Rehumanize International for our third annual joint karaoke fundraiser! SPL president Kelsey Hazzard will be your K.J. Get ready to belt out some tunes for two great causes. 

Saturday, January 25: Washington, D.C.

Secular Pro-Life will have an exhibit booth at the National Pro-Life Summit; get your tickets here. Kelsey will duck out briefly to address an Ivy League student gathering, and we will also have a booth at the Cardinal O'Connor conference. 

March for Life announces 2020 theme

Yesterday, the March for Life announced that the theme for January's gathering will be "Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman." The theme was selected to coincide with the centennial celebration of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which recognized women's right to vote. Accompanying the announcement, the March for Life released this spoken word video honoring our pro-life feminist foremothers, including those in the suffragist movement:



The March for Life will take place in Washington, D.C. on Friday, January 24, 2020. As always, we will be there with our giant blue banner. Stay tuned for details of our meet-up. The following day, we will exhibit at the National Pro-Life Summit (formerly the Students for Life of America conference).

Also, local and regional marches for life will take place across the country throughout the month of January. Secular Pro-Life will have a presence at the Chicago march on January 11. Want more meet-ups? We're open to your suggestions!

Saving Lives in Memory of Baby Emily

When I was a child, my baby sister died just two days before her delivery date when my mom’s uterus ruptured unexpectedly—the result of my Caesarean birth just four years earlier. It was the first real tragedy my parents faced in their marriage, and she just happened to die on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

Every subsequent year on January 22nd, my parents remembered my sister Emily by participating in pro-life events, including our state’s annual March for Life. We sent up balloons. We ate birthday cake. We celebrated her life.

Even though my baby sister Emily was not an abortion victim, her death taught my family the value of human life and in a very real way started me on my journey as a pro-life activist.

I was only four years old when she died. Now I am 26 and have more than ten years of pro-life experience as an activist. I have volunteered at crisis pregnancy centers, counseled women outside of several Planned Parenthood clinics, referred several women for help, and witnessed more than one life saved.

I will always be grateful to my parents for their example of valuing human life. When facing the greatest tragedy of their marriage, they saw an opportunity for action in their community. They recognized that they were not the only ones to lose a child. In perhaps the most admirable way possible, they taught me to celebrate life and stand up for life at the same time, even in the face of death. This is what the pro-life movement is all about.

You don’t need to be religious to care about ending abortion. You just need to know the value of a human life.

[Today's guest post by Mary Flanagan is part of our paid blogging program.]

A Perpetual March for Life?

The March for Life recently announced that the 2019 event will be held on Friday, January 18. At the end of the announcement email, March for Life president Jeanne Mancini wrote: "And please save the date to join us in 2019, so that one day soon, we no longer have to march."

It's a common sentiment. Every January, I hear people say that they hope to never march again. The implied hope is that this will be the year Roe v. Wade will be overturned.

I too fervently hope that Roe v. Wade will soon be overturned... and I also very much hope to participate in the March for Life every January between now and my death. 

I mean no disrespect to Jeanne, of course, and I admire her commitment to putting herself out of a job. Perhaps I'm just being my unnecessarily contrarian self, but hear me out. The reversal of Roe v. Wade should not cause the March for Life to end. There are at least three excellent reasons to keep the March going in perpetuity:

1. To restore the right to life everywhere. The reversal of Roe v. Wade could result in immediate restoration of the right to life, if the Court holds that unborn children are Constitutional persons entitled to equal protection of the law. But the more likely path for reversal is that the Court will simply allow each state to enact its own laws on abortion. This would be a huge victory and save many lives in pro-life states—but woe to the child with the bad luck to be conceived in New York or California. Nationwide, you can be sure that the abortion industry will push to remake the Court and reverse the reversal. The pro-life movement's work must continue. The March for Life is, and will remain, a critical networking tool for a nationwide cause. 

Moreover, why should we limit our concern to the United States? Sure, it makes strategic sense to start close to home, but our success here should not be the end of the story. It should be a springboard to protect preborn children throughout the world. The March for Life could refocus in that direction.

2. To support mothers in need. After Roe v. Wade is reversed, women will need the pro-life network of pregnancy support more than ever before. Continued pro-life enthusiasm after Roe's reversal will be necessary to bolster that network. Pregnancy resource centers, adoption programs, and the like all benefit from an annual gathering. And I haven't even mentioned the March for Life's role in post-abortion healing.

3. To memorialize the victims. Suppose abortion ended tonight, completely, totally, everywhere in the world. The death toll is already in the hundreds of millions—over 60 million in the United States alone. We must never forget those children. The political environment may one day allow for a permanent physical memorial in Washington, D.C., but I think a living memorial of pro-life marchers is more fitting.

I'll see you on January 18.

March for Life recap

It's been a hectic few days as we joined hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates from all over the country. Secular Pro-Life was ably represented by three atheist women: yours truly (Kelsey Hazzard), co-admin Terrisa Bukovinac, and Sarah Terzo of ClinicQuotes.

I arrived in D.C. on Thursday and stopped by the March for Life Expo; Secular Pro-Life did not get a booth this year, but many of our friends did. I also encountered some organizations I wasn't previously familiar with, that are doing awesome work. I may profile some of them on the blog in the coming weeks. 

That evening, Terrisa (still on west coast time) convinced me to hang out at the pro-life movement's signature Irish establishment until about 2:00 a.m. I'm so glad she did, because I wound up having some conversations that I believe will be very beneficial to an upcoming SPL project. I'm not at liberty to go into any more detail than that for now. Suffice to say that there is a huge value in seeing people face-to-face, rather than just online. 

There's been some debate within pro-life circles about the March for Life atmosphere. Critics say it's taken on too celebratory a tone; this is a memorial for 60 million lives lost, not a party. I certainly agree that we must keep the victims of abortion at the forefront. On the other hand, the March for Life is the only opportunity many of us have to re-energize and be inspired by what our fellow activists are doing. A sense of camaraderie, and with it joy, is only natural. And sometimes, potentially life-saving conversations can happen at a bar in the wee hours of the morning. 

Friday morning, I said a brief hello to the Created Equal crew, who were setting up a Jumbotron display showing victims of abortion. I'm not interested in a graphic images debate, but I do think there is a time and a place for them, and I found Created Equal's approach to be very moving. (Unfortunately, I found some others' use of abortion imagery to be less so, even bordering on cartoonish. It's a delicate balance.) 

Then I made my way to Constitution Ave, where Rehumanize International hosted a pre-March meetup. I was the first speaker, and you can watch the video here. People can't seem to agree whether it was a poem or a rap; what do you think? Terrisa and Sarah also addressed the gathering, as did Krista Corbello, John Whitehead, Ifeoma Anunkor, and Aimee Murphy. 

Sadly, I didn't get many March for Life photos this year, due to the fact that I had limited cell phone battery and I had stupidly left my nice camera in a taxi. But Rehumanize has some good ones, and you absolutely must see Students for Life of America's time lapse video.

The biggest difference between this year's March and past Marches? I only counted three counter-protesters at the Supreme Court. Usually there are at least a couple dozen. Your guess as to the reasons for the drop is as good as mine.

That evening, Rehumanize International and Secular Pro-Life jointly hosted a karaoke fundraiser. It was a great success and we hope to do it again next year!

On Saturday, we went to Georgetown University for the Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life; the theme was "(Ir)religiously Pro-Life: The Future of the Movement in a Secular World." I spent most of the day tabling, but I did get to hear keynote speaker Lila Rose, and I had the great honor of participating in the event's closing panel. You can watch part of it on facebook, up until Terrisa's phone died; official university footage should become available in a few weeks.

If you missed us in D.C., don't fret; you can catch us in San Francisco this weekend!

The March for Life is this Friday!

Join us for a pre-March meetup (details here), then march with us to the Supreme Court to protest the 45 years of destruction wrought by Roe v. Wade. That night we will have a karaoke fundraiser. On Saturday, you can find us at the Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life at Georgetown University; this year's theme is "(Ir)religiously Pro-Life: The Future of the Movement in a Secular World," and SPL president Kelsey Hazzard will be on the closing panel.

It's a busy few days and we probably won't have time to blog, but we will try to update our facebook, twitter, and Instagram.

We hope to see you soon!

Support your local march for life

I know we're all excited about the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., which is only a week away! But today, I want to shine a spotlight on the many local and regional marches that will mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Some are happening as early as this weekend. Not everyone has the ability to travel, and besides, going to your local march fosters local connections that can help end abortion community by community.

Above: a regional pro-life march in St. Paul, MN

One such march will take place in Mobile, AL on January 19. The organizers reached out to Secular Pro-Life and we gave them an audio recording to play at the march. The transcript follows.

* * *

Hello everyone, and welcome to the Mobile March for Life. My name is Kelsey Hazzard, and I’m sorry that I cannot be there with you in person today. As you listen to this recording, I will be in Washington, D.C. for the national March for Life. It’s a shame I can’t be in two places at once – but as we all know, human cloning is highly unethical!

From Alabama, to our nation’s capital, and all across the country, people of good will are marching today in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to the violence of abortion. Many of you are people of faith, and your participation is greatly appreciated.

I bring a different perspective. I am an atheist, and I am proudly pro-life.

I have been pro-life since I was old enough to understand what abortion is: it is the destruction of a helpless human being. Though I was raised in the Methodist Church—which is officially a “pro-choice” denomination—the truth still found me.

Our basic rights do not depend on being useful enough, or convenient enough, or independent enough, or educated enough, or able enough. The child in the womb is a human being, and THAT. IS. ENOUGH.

It’s one thing to understand; it’s quite another to act. I did not get involved in the pro-life movement until I was in college. So for all the younger people marching today: bravo to you. You have a head start on me! And I know you’re going to do great things.

In 2009, I started an organization called Secular Pro-Life. Our mission is to unite people of every faith and none in defense of unborn children.

Through Secular Pro-Life, I’ve been privileged to meet countless people who have strengthened my pro-life convictions. I’ve met women who tragically trusted their doctors when they said it was only a “clump of cells”—and after all, people ought to be able to trust their doctors—only to realize the deception after it was too late. I’ve met former abortion workers, who work tirelessly to repair the damage they once caused. I’ve met abortion survivors. I’ve met mothers who have held strong and chosen life in the most challenging circumstances imaginable. I’ve met young adults who are alive today because of pro-life victories like the Hyde Amendment. I’ve met sidewalk counselors and pregnancy resource center volunteers, who provide mothers in need with peaceful solutions to their problems.

And the people I have met—the people who every day inspire me to keep fighting— come from every walk of life. They are liberals, moderates, and conservatives. They are Democrats and Republicans. They are Catholics and Protestants. They are Jews and Muslims and Mormons. They are pagans and Buddhists. And they are fellow atheists.

Abortion supporters dismiss the right to life as “just a religious issue.” I can tell you definitively that that’s nonsense. Abortion is about so much more than theological disagreements. Abortion cuts to the heart of our society. Will this be a country that strives to protect all of its inhabitants from violence, or only some? Will this be a country that sells women on abortion as the price to succeed in a “man’s world,” or will we re-embrace an authentic feminism that doesn’t require mothers to sacrifice their children?

The answers to those questions depend on one each of you. Marching today is just the beginning. Say hello to the stranger walking next to you. Start a conversation about how you will save lives in 2018. Connect with one another, find strength in numbers, and make a plan.

The abortion industry is running scared. The abortion rate is at its lowest since Roe v. Wade. Abortion facilities are closing left and right. More and more states are enacting pro-life legislation. Students are leading the pro-life movement in their schools. We have a great many reasons for hope—and now is not the time to slow down. Now is the time to keep marching.

Official March for Life/Walk for Life Itinerary

This is our final schedule for January. Mark your calendars now!

Friday, January 19 in Washington, D.C.
11:00 a.m-11:45 a.m.: As usual, we will participate in a pre-March for Life meetup with various allied organizations, coordinated by Rehumanize International. There will be speakers (including from Secular Pro-Life!) and socializing. You can get all the details at the facebook event.

Noon-3:30 p.m.: Follow our bright blue banner down the National Mall to the Supreme Court in the 45th annual March for Life.

3:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.: Free time and dinner. Historically, Pro-Life Future and Consistent Life have hosted gatherings during this time. We'll share information about those if/when they become available.

8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.: For the first time ever, Secular Pro-Life and Rehumanize International are co-hosting a karaoke night fundraiser! We are super excited about this. Space is limited, so please RSVP on facebook.

Saturday, January 20 in Washington, D.C.
9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.: Secular Pro-Life will participate in the Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life at Georgetown University. This is a Catholic conference, and we've never been before. The 2018 theme is "(Ir)religiously Pro-Life: The Future of the Movement in a Secular World," and the conference organizers personally reached out to us to ensure that our voice is heard. Secular Pro-Life president Kelsey Hazzard will be a panelist at the 2:45 p.m. session. We're excited to share our perspective with Catholic allies.

Saturday, January 27 in San Francisco, CA
11:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m: We will again meet up with Rehumanize International and other allied organizations in the Civic Center Plaza, immediately prior to the Walk for Life. Get details at the facebook event.

12:30 p.m.: The Walk for Life begins at Civic Center Plaza and ends approximately two miles away at the Justin Herman Plaza. More information about the route can be found here.

4:00 p.m.: Vigil at the site of a proposed "flagship" Planned Parenthood abortion center; details here.

Sunday, January 28 in San Francisco, CA
8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: Secular Pro-Life will have an exhibit booth at the Students for Life of America West Coast Conference. Registration is required; visit SFLAlive.org for details and to sign up.

March for Life recap

Kelsey here. I'm finally home and have a moment to digest everything that has happened. This week was truly a whirlwind. That's a good thing!

Some time ago, I wrote: "The anniversary of Roe v. Wade is a time to remember the lives lost, celebrate the lives saved, and renew our commitment to restoring the right to life. It is also a time to network and strategize to save lives and help moms in the coming year." I'm proud to say we did every one of those things—and in addition, we equipped thousands of student activists (and adults) to reach secular audiences with the pro-life message, received excellent news coverage, raised money for Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, got over 1,000 new likes on our facebook page, saw our #HelloHyde campaign make a positive impact on the House debate on the No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act... in short, we had our best January ever!

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I encourage you to check out our photo albums from the March for Life and the Students for Life of America east coast conference.

How many words is a video worth? I'm not sure, but check out this one of me speaking outside the Supreme Court of the United States!

Our task now is to keep the momentum going. Secular Pro-Life is a volunteer-run organization with no paid staff or physical office, and we rely on donations from regular people. If you like what we're doing, please give as you're able. We greatly appreciate your generosity.

Start making your March for Life plans

The anniversary of Roe v. Wade—January 22—is four short months away, and we're already making plans. Note that the 2017 March for Life in Washington, D.C., will be delayed due to the presidential inauguration, but the Walk for Life West Coast will take place on the usual date. That means that the observance will take place over two weekends, not just one.

Here's where you can find Secular Pro-Life:

Friday, January 20, 2017
San Francisco, CA
Evening: We will join forces with the San Francisco chapter of Pro-Life Future for a night of fundraising, socializing, and... drum roll please... karaoke! Details TBD.

Saturday, January 21, 2017
San Francisco, CA
Morning/Afternoon: Walk for Life West Coast. Meetup details will be posted on facebook.
Afternoon/Evening: Volunteers needed to help set up for the Students for Life conference.

Sunday, January 22, 2017
1111 Gough St., San Francisco, CA
All Day: Students for Life of America National Conference - West Coast. Secular Pro-Life president Kelsey Hazzard and the National Black Pro-Life Coalition's Christina Bennett will finally give the presentation we were supposed to give last year before the snowstorm ruined everything, not that we're bitter. Come learn how to make your pro-life group racially and religiously inclusive! Featuring funny/offensive "what not to do" skits. Also, Secular Pro-Life will have an exhibit booth, so say hello and get free stuff. Registration required.

Monday, January 23 through Thursday, January 26, 2017: TBD, possible strategy meetings, sidewalk counseling, volunteering, etc. in San Francisco and/or Washington, D.C. We welcome your suggestions in the comments section!

Friday, January 27, 2017
Washington, D.C.
Morning/Afternoon: March for Life. Meetup details will be posted on facebook.
Afternoon/Evening: Volunteers needed to help set up for the Students for Life conference.

Saturday, January 28, 2017
600 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD
All Day: Students for Life of America National Conference - East Coast. Same as above, but the east coast conference is traditionally the larger of the two. Registration required.

The Canadian March for Life, Tomatoes, and Progress

[Today's guest post is by Alan Trahan.]

For the second year in a row, I took my home-made “We're Here, We're Queer, We're Pro-Life” sign out with me and my wife to March for Life on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Just like last year, it was an incredible experience. I can't count the number of people who came up to take our picture, or just to quietly thank us for being there—even (or perhaps especially!) among the many, many conservative Catholics in attendance. Only one person we talked to told us that gay marriage was destroying families, and even he made sure to thank us for participating first. It was an amazing crowd, with an opening address by an Algonquin elder and attendees including both robed brothers of the Missionaires del'Evangile and the president of the Pro-Life Humanists.

After the march, when Billie and I decided to strike out early for our car, we were accosted by a group of counter-protesters just past the police escort's line of sight. They pelted us with tomatoes while running past us, screaming, “We're here, we're queer, we riot!”, flipped us off, and called us fascists. We were not the only protesters targeted; at least one other group, the aforementioned Pro-Life Humanists, had their banner vandalized by the fruit-wielding activists. And the previous night a number of people interrupted a candlelight vigil, causing a ruckus in which two people were arrested.

This feels significant not because we were violently persecuted—I mean, really, it was tomatoes, my first reaction was to laugh!—but because these incidents are demonstrative of the way some of the more radical segments of the left have been shifting. While the pro-life movement has been expanding, developing, and reforming itself, explicitly prioritizing love and care over blame and harassment and even helping abortion workers to leave the profession, it seems like the most hardcore pro-choicers have been adopting the same tactics they used to love accusing our side of. Recent incidents include bricks thrown through windows and aggressive disruption of pro-life events, and anyone on a university campus can tell you how difficult it can be to keep any kind of pro-life messaging intact and in place for long.

But the most important part of this, I suspect, is the fact that it was my transgender self and the humanist group that were specifically targeted. (Stopped by a crossing light a safe distance away from us, our new friends re-emphasized their chant with an outraged, “We're queer too!”, as if this somehow had bearing on the comparative validity of their mainly vegetable-based argument.) To the marchers, it seems, even if we're heathens, queers and humanists are allies in a struggle that transcends any lesser differences. But to the counter-protesters, we're a clear and present danger. We're evidence that this isn't just the campaign of religious patriarchy they want to dismiss it as, but a movement that can and will involve all kinds of people, and is doing so more and more every year. I think that worries them, and I think that's a really, really good sign.

March for Life recap

Your president Kelsey Hazzard speaking. This has been, without a doubt, the strangest and most stressful March for Life I've ever attended. The anticipated blizzard cast a shadow over everything.

The East Coast Students for Life of America conference, which I was supposed to speak at, got cancelled. My flight to San Francisco—to speak at the West Coast conference on Sunday—also got cancelled. So the plan was to speak at two conferences, and now I'll be speaking at zero (unless they Skype me into West Coast, but let's be real: it's not the same).

"Disappointed" doesn't begin to describe it. "Crushed" comes closer. It all felt to me like the scene in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer where Santa announces that Christmas has been cancelled. Some small remnant of my childhood mind still hopes for Rudolph's glowing red nose to save the day. Of course, that didn't happen. My travel itinerary is so thoroughly FUBAR, I wound up marching with my suitcase! (Thank you, everyone who helped with that.)

And yet... the March for Life came. It came without as many people. It came without sunshine. It came without the SFLA conference. What if the March for Life, perhaps, means a little bit more? (I know, I'm mixing my animated Christmas classics metaphor. Deal with it.)

Here are a few of my favorite pictures. You can view them all here.

In conclusion, I have an unusual request. I'd like for you to make a donation—but not to Secular Pro-Life. The East Coast conference is Students for Life of America's biggest event of the year, and the fact that they had to cancel it means that they are getting hammered financially. Please help them out with whatever gift you can afford.

March for Life updates

Secular Pro-Life is once again a co-sponsor of the #LifeMatters meetup, gathering members of various allied organizations to march together at the March for Life. In keeping with this year's March for Life theme, "pro-life and pro-woman go hand in hand," the meetup will feature seven speakers on feminism. All seven are friends of Secular Pro-Life.

The #LifeMatters meetup will take place at 11:00 a.m. on the Ellipse. GPS coordinates and other information can be found at the facebook event. If you are able to come early and help Secular Pro-Life with our photography project, we encourage you to do so.

Post-March, you can find Secular Pro-Life at Barrel Bourbon Bar, 613 Pennsylvania Ave SE, for a happy hour hosted by Pro-Life Future (Students for Life of America's post-grad outreach). Planned Parenthood manager turned pro-life advocate Abby Johnson will be the featured speaker.

Irony at the March for Life counter-protest

In 1979, at a sold-out concert of The Who with approximately 18,000 fans in attendance, the force of the crowd at the entrance caused 11 people to be crushed to death.

In 2008, a crowd of around 2,000 Black Friday shoppers flooded into a Long Island Wal-Mart, fatally trampling 34-year-old employee Jdimytai Damour.

At the turn of 2013, a surge of people leaving a New Year's Eve fireworks display at an Ivory Coast arena trampled 61 people to death and injured over 200 others.

Bottom line: under normal circumstances, you wouldn't voluntarily place yourself in front of a large crowd of people moving in the same direction unless you had a death wish.

Why am I bringing this up?

Last week, an estimated 200,000 pro-lifers took part in the March for Life in Washington, D.C.* As they arrived at the Supreme Court building, counter-protesters from the radical pro-abortion group "Stop Patriarchy" were standing in the way. The March came to a halt for until police arrested the counter-protesters.**

Above: the March for Life pauses outside of the Supreme Court on Thursday. The woman in
the red coat is Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America, who led the crowd in a chant
of "We! Are! The pro-life generation!" while waiting peacefully for police to clear the path.

The members of Stop Patriarchy do not have a death wish. They want to live to see the Communist revolution. (Really.) But they didn't appear to be at all concerned for their safety when they stood in front of a moving crowd far, far larger than the ones that trampled people at a Who concert, a fireworks display, and a Wal-Mart.

Of course, their confidence was objectively well-founded. But I can't understand why they felt that way. After all, we hate women and stop caring about human lives after birth... right?


*Unfortunately, the National Park Service no longer provides official crowd size numbers. I was there and the 200,000 ballpark figure strikes me as reasonable, but I was toward the front and couldn't see everyone, so attendance may have been higher.

**They did an encore presentation of their stunt at the Walk for Life in San Francisco, which brings in a smaller crowd than the D.C. march.

East coast recap

Your president Kelsey Hazzard here. What a whirlwind week! I'm finally home and able to look back on SPL's incredible advocacy for life on the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

On Thursday at 11:00 a.m., I gathered with some of SPL's strongest supporters, both non-theist and theist, to announce Pro-Life Allies, a new coalition dedicated to ending infighting and focusing our energies on saving lives. A video of the press conference is below. (Many thanks to pro-life atheist Michael Crone for videotaping.)



We then marched together on the national mall with SPL's impossible-to-miss banner:

You can view our entire album of March for Life photographs here. For now, I leave you with a few of my favorites:

Pro-life lesbian atheist blogger and researcher extraordinaire
Sarah Terzo of ClinicQuotes.com

Our liberation CANNOT be bought with the
blood of our children!

"The world says I'm unwanted, but I am adopted and loved."
In the background: "When our liberation costs innocent lives,
it is merely oppression redistributed."

Next, I stopped by the A Matter of Life live-stream show. Considering that it was after 4 in the afternoon and my "lunch" had consisted of a few pretzel sticks, I think I did pretty well! I was running on adrenaline and the emotional high of being surrounded by fellow human rights activists. 

After a much-needed night's sleep, it was off to the Students for Life of America national conference in Upper Marlboro, MD. Photos here. Secular Pro-Life distributed outreach kits to 88 schools from across the country! And already, students who couldn't make the conference are asking if we have any left over that we can send to them. (Answer: yes, we still have a few left. Email info@secularprolife.org to claim one for your school. If you're not a student but appreciate what we're doing, we'd appreciate your donation to help cover shipping costs.)

A recap of SPL's activities in California for the West Coast Walk for Life will appear on the blog later this week. Thank you so much for all of your support!

March with us in January

'Tis the season for March for Life/Walk for Life planning! If you're going to be in D.C. or San Francisco next month, be sure to meet up with Secular Pro-Life in person.

Washington, D.C.

The March for Life takes place on Thursday, January 22, 2015. Meet us in front of the Smithsonian "Castle" on the National Mall between 11:00 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. The Castle is a landmark, but if you have trouble finding us, just look for the 14-foot-tall, bright blue, can't-miss teardrop banner! We'll be marching together with such awesome youth-led, forward-thinking groups as the Life Matters Journal, New Wave Feminists, Feminists for Nonviolent Choices, and more. All the details you need are in this facebook event. 

There are no concrete plans for after the March, but more than likely we will end up going to a restaurant. (You should definitely eat beforehand, though; there's nothing worse than being cold and hungry.)

The next day, Friday the 23rd, is the Students for Life of America East Coast National Conference. Secular Pro-Life will have an exhibition booth, where you can pick up a FREE secular outreach kit for your school! Registration is required, and the conference is known to sell out, so go to sflalive.org for all the details and to sign up.

San Francisco

It's deja vu all over again: a march and an SFLA conference, this time on the west coast!

The West Coast Walk for Life is on Saturday, January 24th, and the gathering of awesome groups (technically it's called the #LifeMatters Meetup) will begin at 11:30 a.m. in front of the Asian Art Museum. Here's the facebook event. Our West Coast coordinator, Monica, will be there carrying 1) her preborn daughter Clara, and 2) everybody's favorite banner message:

The next day, Sunday, January 25th, is the Students for Life of America West Coast National Conference. Again, use sflalive.org to register, and visit our table to get in-person tips from real live non-religious pro-lifers. (We exist!) 

Can't make it?

You can still help make this commemoration of Roe v. Wade count. This is the most expensive time of the year for SPL, as the costs of purchasing booth space and educational materials for thousands of pro-life campus advocates add up quickly. Please consider donating to Secular Pro-Life. We really appreciate it.

TODAY: March for Life!

The weather is going to be atrocious, but we're no fair-weather activists. You can still plan on us to be at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. this morning! The abortion industry doesn't take the day off when it's cold. Neither will we.

The original plan was to meet in front of the Museum of Natural History. However, we have heard (unconfirmed) rumors that the setup will be different this year and the stage will be right in front of the Museum of Natural History. If that is the case, obviously we'll have to move. Check the facebook event for updates, or just look for our giant blue banner.

If the snow has caused you to miss a flight or be unable to drive in: we'll miss you. But you can still be a part of the March for Life experience! If you've received a refund for travel expenses, donate some of it to Secular Pro-Life and/or another pro-life organization. SPL member Phil E. suggests that you "spend the day as an e-activist" by talking up the March for Life on social media. And as usual, there will be a live broadcast on EWTN (the Catholic channel).

39 Years of Roe v Wade

It's hard to believe that January 22nd marks the 39th anniversary of a supreme court decision that changed our country forever. This decision made it a private right to legally kill your unborn child in the womb through all nine months of a woman's pregnancy. Roe v Wade = 55,000,000 children dead today. 55,000,000 who never took their first breath and whose children we will never meet. That number does not even include chemical abortions which are extremely common; nor does it include the many abortions that aren't required to be reported in various states.

In nine days our country will mourn the loss of these children. We will walk in solidarity for the lives that are missing. Many will never know an aunt, uncle, brother, sister, cousin, or perhaps best friend. What are you going to do to mourn the loss and tell the world this is enough and you are pro-life?

Walk for Life -- San Francisco, CA

The 8th Walk for Life will be on January 21, 2012

*50,000 participated in 2011

March for Life -- Washington D.C.

The 39th March for Life will be on January 23, 2012
*200,000 participated in 2011

Who will stand up and say no if we don't?

Are you scared to say you're pro-life? They're not. Why not join them? Visit the links above for event details.

For the Dignity of the Born and Unborn,

Timmerie

www.Timmerie.com

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Plans for January

It's that time of year! No, not Hanukkah. Not Christmas, either. I'm talking about the time of year that pro-life organizations prepare for the flurry of activity that surrounds the anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22nd. Secular Pro-Life is no exception. Here's an outline of our schedule.

All day on Sunday, January 22, 2012, we will have a booth at the Students for Life of America conference in Bethesda, Maryland. We're sharing the booth with our friends at the Life Matters Journal. If you have registered for the conference, please come by and say hello-- we'll have Secular Pro-Life goodies for you! Registration is now full, but you can still access some of the conference via an online feed.

On Monday the 23rd, we will join hundreds of thousands of pro-life activists from across the country for the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Our meeting place and time are TBD. We welcome anyone to march behind our "For the embryology textbook tells me so" banner. Immediately after the march, all are invited to the second annual National Pro-Life Youth Rally.

Can't make it to D.C.? For the second consecutive year, Secular Pro-Life will also have a presence at the West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco, California! The 2012 Walk will take place on January 21st. We encourage participants to carry secular slogans; our favorites include "Pro-Science, Pro-Life" and "Call me an extremist, but I think dismemberment is wrong."

We hope to see you at one or more of these events. In the meantime, have a happy holiday!

To help us reach as many pro-life activists as possible during the Roe anniversary events, please consider making a donation.