This week, Notre Dame Right to Life will lead 710 Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students and faculty to the March for Life in our nation’s capital, joining more than 700,000 others in an act of solidarity for the defenseless unborn. We know our trip is controversial, and we also know that it is surrounded by a great deal of misunderstanding. Obviously, the event itself functions to protest the result of Roe v. Wade and the industry that profits from it; what we want to share with you now is an explanation of why we march.
We march because we believe that women deserve better than abortion, that women deserve health care and resources and support when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.
We march because we believe that abortion is the deliberate and systematic dehumanization of an entire class of people based on their age, wantedness and state of dependency.
We march because we stand against the elimination of human life based on sex, race or disability.
We march because the world that we want for those who are refugees, immigrants, poor, elderly, homeless, disabled, sick or lonely is impossible if we allow the dehumanization of any group of persons, especially vulnerable or defenseless persons.
We march against any human person being considered disposable for the “greater good,” against any deliberate death being justified as a “necessary evil,” against any human life being classified as “negligible.”
We march because we believe what we’ve said before: Dependency is not a measure of worth. No poverty, no vulnerability, no age, no disability, no sickness and no condition has the capability of demeaning the worth of any human person.
We march for a world in which all life is defended and valued, in which all life is considered with the dignity it deserves.
Aly Cox senior president
