By Dave Andrusko
Pro-Life President George W. Bush
We’ve posted elsewhere today the stirring remarks pro-life President George W. Bush made to the March for Life in 2005. We can and do hope that in 2017 a similarly committed pro-lifer will replace the pro-forma pro-abortion remarks of President Obama with praise for the grassroots pro-life movement.
There have been many pro-life remarks made to the March over the years. I like this one for several reasons which I would like to highlight here.
#1. “You know, we come from many backgrounds—different backgrounds, but what unites us is our understanding that the essence of civilization is this: The strong have a duty to protect the weak.
In many ways we could stop there. Our Movement always was diverse but grows more so the longer the killing goes on. You don’t have to a person of faith, an American, a parent, a member of the Pro-Life Movement to grasp the common denominator that underlies us all: the understanding the that strong have a duty–d-u-t-y–to protect the weak.
#2.” We know that in a culture that does not protect the most dependent, the handicapped, the elderly, the unloved, or simply inconvenient become increasingly vulnerable.” We and our benighted opposition part ways at many points. At some junctures you can hope to convince. But how do you persuade people who worship at the throne of choice/personal autonomy that there is a price we collectively pay when we take the lives of those least able to protect themselves? You can just see their eyes roll. How quaint those pro-lifers to think that there are invisible threads that connect us all.
#3. “What I’m saying now is we’re making progress, and this progress is a tribute to your perseverance and to the prayers of the people. How do you teach perseverance? In a sense it can be an inheritance, passed down when we model for the ones who matter most to us an unyielding determination never to give up. You can also help others who are unconvinced to see that the book is worth the candle. What can be more important than saving over a million unborn babies each and every year? And when times are really bad–think back to when pro-abortion Democratic presidents were supported by pro-abortion-led Democratic Congresses–you refuse to give in to despair or discouragement. Those are some of the Movement’s finest hours. And
#4. “And on its coldest days and one of our coldest days, I encourage you to take warmth and comfort from our history, which tells us that a movement that appeals to the noblest and most generous instincts of our fellow Americans and that is based on a sacred promise enshrined in our founding document, that this movement will not fail.” Notice the sentiment which is immensely encouraging: we appeal “to the noblest and most generous instincts of our fellow Americans” that is “based on a sacred promise enshrined in our founding document.”
We really do believe that all of us–born and unborn–are created equal. We don’t believe that we grade lives on a curve–that the powerful and the perfect can expect to be protected, the weak and imperfect condigned to abandonment and death.
That is why we march not only tomorrow but every day for the littlest Americans.
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