Regardless of an individuals position on abortion, no one can argue that the issue has severely impacted and divided the nation since the 1973 Roe v Wade decision legalizing abortion.
The National Right to Life Committee estimates that 54,559,615 abortions have been performed in the United States since the Roe v Wade decision.
Since 1974, millions of pro-life supporters have peacefully prayed and demonstrated to call for the decision to be overturned. Millions of Americans feel abortion is murder.
This years march saw an interdenominational crowd of thousands, braving winds and bone chilling temperatures to march from the National Mall, to Capitol Hill and the Supreme Court.
As in every year past, religious leaders and lawmakers from Congress have addressed the event, expressing their concern about how abortion has severely hurt the nation.
No one could possibly ignore the huge event, with groups of many high school and college young people, marching bands, complete with bag-pipes, flags and cheering crowds. The March for Life is now being led by young-adults.
Unless… You are the Washington media.
A survey of websites during the event, showed top stories such as “Bruno Mars, ready for Grammys, and Super Bowl. Another station detailed how it was building an “ice-desk” a desk made of ice from the recent winter-storm so anchors and reporters could cover the winter weather in style. Another television station carried videos and pictures of animals in the snow. One station did a feature of “the wackiest hats” caught on video by photojournalists. At the top of one stations website was a photo of twin-toilets in Sochi Russia, the site of the upcoming Winter Olympics.
So what was actually covered of the March for Life 2014?
www.nbcwashington.com; the website of NBC news WRC-TV did not mention the event. The Facebook page of the station made no mention of the event, not even to make people aware of the large crowds and closed streets in the District of Columbia.
Other television stations ran the Associated Press story giving factual details and logistical information on the event. One station did give an general overview of the event in the evening newcast, yet carried no interviews of local pro-life supporters.
WTOP.com, the website of the areas major all-news radio station carried the Associated Press Story of the event, and a list of streets closed or impacted by the March, but did no interviews with those participating in the event.
The online edition of the Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com, carried the Associated Press Article, but did no local coverage of the event.
The Washington Post did carry an opinion-piece by staffer Dana Millbank, in which he attributed the “low-crowd numbers” to the weather, and wrote of the “elusive” efforts of the pro-life movement due to recent Gallup Poll numbers that indicate a majority of Americans support abortion.
Hundreds of the pro-life marchers in the event came from Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Jewish congregations in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Given the fact that all of these media outlets constantly promote themselves as being in touch with the local community and being the first to report the news of concern to everyone, why then did none of them focus on the local residents participating in this pro-life event?
The Washington Times, broke from the crowd to state that the annual march featured lawyer Susan Wills, assistant director for education and outreach for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, discussing the Affordable Care Act’s mandate requiring large employers to insure birth control as part of their health care plans, including “morning after” pills that some religious organizations consider the same as abortion.
The Washington Times also mentioned President Obama’s remarks in connection with the Roe V. Wade anniversary, quoting the President as “defending the right of women to reproductive freedom.
But the President also said in his statement that he wants to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and to “build safe and healthy communities for all our children.”
One can only wonder… if the President of the United States deemed it important enough to comment about the matter.. Why was the event and the issues associated with this event systematically ignored by the Washington Media?
Comment by Marco Bell on January 24, 2014 at 9:58 am
“Why was this event ignored by the Media..?”
Because it’s a personal freedom that Americans don’t want denied them!
Those attending the March may represent a fair number of people that oppose abortion, but the fact that Roe v Wade is law, is enough to defend as a Woman’s Right.
Shouldn’t it be a consideration to those opponents of abortion, to realize that 54-million MORE “living” individuals would have had a devastating effect on our society and planet!
Many of these same demonstrators (parade attendees) feel that Big Government should stay out of their lives when it comes to health care, taxes and Big Gulp soda drinks… well, I think it’s equally important to keep the Religious zealots out of the lives, of the rest of us that don’t share the same perspective.
We experienced the same dismissal from the Media when we marched in protest of the illegal Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Where were the Media then?!
Do soldiers who die for a lie, seem less important than a termination of an unwanted pregnancy?!
Go figure?!
Comment by Phil on January 24, 2014 at 3:34 pm
Marco-you make a huge assumption that 54 million would be devastating effect on society and planet. Maybe one of them would have invented something of great benefit to society! We’ll never know. Overpopulation is not a problem–even without abortions. Fertility rates in developed countries are below replacement. The projections are startling. Your comment about big government overlooks the fact that a legitimate government role is to protect innocent life. I can’t fault those who have a deep commitment to protecting unborn babies. It’s the moral thing to do.
Comment by Marco Bell on January 24, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Phil,
Unborn babies have their mothers to defend (or destroy) them.
As distasteful as that may sound, it is solely the role and responsibility of each mother to decide what to do with her baby.
I don’t think it is the role of any Government to insist that every conception come to fruition, whether that Government be ours, or any other.
None of this would be necessary if each and every person, male and female would practice sex responsibly… or even refrain completely. But sadly, we know that isn’t going to happen.
The possibility of any one of those aborted fetuses being a possible genius, whom may have developed something quite remarkable for mankind is also possible.
But because the mothers who’ve aborted their babies, have to live with such decisions, this demands our compassion, not our shame.