The majority of students traveling to Washington, D.C. to participate in the March for Life left last night, to see the sights and attend events in the capitol. tomorrow and march in the Right to Life March on Thursday.
The trip is sponsored by the Right to Life Club.
"Tons of people go. It's literally a river of people just walking past the Capitol. It's exciting. There are motivational speakers talking, famous people," said freshman Gabrielle Stroik, who attended the march last year and is going again this year.
Stroik said that some of those marching hold signs, some of which have statistics, or promote adoption and saving lives.
The March begins at 4th Street and ends at the Supreme Court building, said Stroik. The March will pass the Capitol building on the way, she said.
"When you go to something like this, you know that you are promoting a good cause and spreading awareness of something that should be understood by people, especially with the Freedom of Choice Act coming up. This is the perfect time to go show our support for life," said Stroik.
The Freedom of Choice Act will "protect, consistent with Roe v. Wade, a woman's freedom to choose to bear a child or terminate a pregnancy," according to the National Right to Life Web site.
According to the Web site, President Barack Obama said to a Planned Parenthood Action Fund in July of 2007, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."
Conscious of President Obama's intentions, freshman Patrick Hess is going on march in order to show the nation that he disagrees with abortion.
"Our country needs to be aware that there are different opinions," said Hess, who wants to go to D.C. to see the sights, to have a good time, and to "stand up and let [my] voice be heard to our nation's capitol."
Hess understands that as a male, he personally will never make the decision whether or not to get an abortion, but "it's just kind of one of those things that the more voices the louder the cry," he said, and travels to D.C. with the intent of showing his support for the right to life.
"I can have my voice be heard and show the nation that there are people that support life and want to end abortion," he said.
Stroik finds her pro-life stance primarily based in her Catholic faith.
"I've grown up in a Catholic family. I have five siblings and I've just grown to really appreciate life," said Stroik. "Children are great ... and even the tiniest child will grow up to a famous engineer or scientist. Life really begins at conception. It's a core part of the Catholic faith to respect life."
Hess's views also come his faith.
"From what I've been taught through my faith and my own reasoning, the miracle that is life is from conception through death. That is what I feel is life, said Hess.
Students attending the March that did not leave last night will go on a shorter trip to D.C. and leave tonight, Stroik said. They will be in D.C. in time to march on Thursday, she said.
