We had just concluded the opening Prayer Breakfast, where Catherine Davis had delivered a compelling address, and were in the midst of pro-life bioethicist Wesley J. Smith’s thought-provoking discourse on the implications of technocracy for the sanctity of life, when a resounding voice from the rear of the room suddenly proclaimed, “Roe is overturned.”
The audience was momentarily rendered silent, though only for a brief interval. The audience was aware that the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the babies in Dobbs v. Women’s Health Organization.
Some individuals exhibited emotional distress, while others directed their gaze towards the heavens and applauded. My wife, Lisa, and I observed each other and smiled.
Less than an hour later, I was engaged in the process of taking notes on the topic of “Preparing for the 2022 elections.” Karen Cross, the NRL’s Political Director, discussed the predictions of numerous political analysts who anticipate a “red wave”—a favorable outcome for pro-life Republicans—but emphasized the necessity of ensuring that this occurs.
Biden described today’s 5-1-3 decision as a “sad day for the court and for our country.” However, for those attending the National Right to Life convention in Atlanta, it was a “glorious day,” as NRL’s General Counsel James Bopp, Jr. put it. Nearly 50 years of patient, deliberate, and persistent effort had paid off for our Movement. As I heard repeated from the crowd, “Oh Happy Day.”