Bush Support Is Lively At a March

Ever since President Bush announced his immigration reform initiative, there has been grumbling among conservative pundits that support from his core base may be slipping. But on the 31st anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, that disenchantment is nowhere to be seen. I've been coming to these right-to-life marches for over 10 years and the number of marchers has not dwindled. While the number of posters of mutilated fetuses has dropped, ones that read "Thank you, President Bush" have replaced them. I spoke to about 70 marchers to learn if their feelings toward Mr. Bush had changed, and not one indicated that their support had wavered. Of course, not all had the same level of enthusiasm for him, but each expressed an intention to vote for Mr. Bush in November. As a woman from Virginia, who gave her name as Mary, put it, "What choice is there? All the Democrats are pro-abortion. President Bush is the only one who is pro-life. How can we vote for a president who believes it is all right to kill babies in the womb?" As we watched the crowd march down Constitution Avenue, Mary pointed to them and said, "Look at all the young people. Many people think that all pro-lifers are all old fogies, but look! It is the young people who are marching here every year." Three of these young people were marching along, laughing and carrying their "Stop Abortion" signs that also had a "Thank you, President Bush" on the back. I asked them if they were old enough to vote and they said, "Not yet." These teens from the Chicago suburbs, Marie Sarna and Julia Spiotta, may not be ready for prime time, but their friend, Joe Hnilo, will turn 18 next month and said, "Of course, I'm voting for Bush. Dennis Day came all the way from Sand Point, Idaho, and when I asked him his choice he looked as if the question was a no-brainer: "George Bush is the pro-life president." Although I had expected this unanimous response, I still hoped for a little diversity in the responses, but it was not to be. I noticed in the far-off distance a placard that read, "Democrats for Life." Unfortunately, my ancient legs were no match for whoever was holding that sign. Phil Liquori of Connecticut was another gentleman who expressed his intention to vote for Mr. Bush and confirmed that everyone at the march felt that strongly. His friend, Rich Rinaldi of Connecticut, put it all into perspective: "You see all these people? They come here from all over and it costs them at least an average of $100 each, probably more, in transportation, food, and lost wages. I took off from work to come here. To us, it's more than just an opinion. People here are motivated by compassion. People ask, 'What does being pro-life have to do with religion?' But moral issues trigger that religious component. It reminds us of the Bible, which tells us to love thy neighbor." I spotted a woman heading toward one of the government buildings. She had a dour expression on her face and as I approached her, she spotted my press tag and angrily indicated that she didn't want to share any of her thoughts. Alas, I could not learn if she was anti-abortion or simply an office worker inconvenienced by the huge crowd and traffic gridlock caused by the march. If she was a pro-choice advocate, I can understand her frustration. Last year was a year of setbacks for her. Mr. Bush signed the "partial birth" abortion ban. More and more celebrities are coming forward and risking their careers by getting more involved with the pro-life movement. Patricia Heaton, of the popular TV sitcom "Everyone loves Raymond," is an honorary chairwoman of Feminists for Life. She has appeared on numerous talk shows to talk about her commitment. But most alarming to those advocating choice is the new campaign that kicked off yesterday on the steps of the Supreme Court. "Silent No More" is a national awareness campaign to make the public more aware of the devastation that abortion brings to women, men, and their families. Actress Jennifer O'Neil is the national spokeswoman for the campaign and singer Melba Moore will be urging women to come forth and speak out against the negative results of abortion. But perhaps the most intriguing ally for the anti-abortion movement is Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who writes eloquently in an essay titled "How Can the Dream Survive If We Murder Our Children?" "I too, like Martin Luther King, Jr., have a dream," she writes. "I have a dream that the men and women, the boys and girls of America will come to our senses, and humble ourselves before God Almighty and pray for mercy, and receive His healing grace. I pray that this is the day, the hour of our deliverance. May God have mercy on us all. "