Contrary to Mainstream Media, Hundreds of Thousands at Giant

Nellie Gray says larger number this year a reaction to Obama election
by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman and Steve Jalsevac

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) -

Hundreds of thousands of pro-life
demonstrators marched through the U.S. capital Thursday, protesting the deaths of almost 50 million unborn children by surgical abortion since the practice was legalized nationwide in 1973.

The March for Life, held on the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision that struck down state laws nationwide, attracted large groups from around the nation, including Catholic dioceses and parishes, organizations of priests and laity, and various pro-family and pro-life organizations. Well over half of the participants were under thirty years old, including a very high percentage of adolescents.

March for Life chief organizer Nellie Gray told LifeSiteNews the crowd definitely appeared larger than normal this year. She said there were "definitely over 200,000" participants and noted that one television station reported that there were 300,000 participants in the march. Gray also said the march normally takes about one and a half hours to pass one point, but this year it took over two and a half hours, indicating a large increase in numbers.

Asked what she attributed the massive attendance Gray responded, "I don't think there is any doubt that it was in reaction to the election and as they started to see the issues in the news they felt compelled to come out."

Senators, congressmen, pro-life leaders and members of various religious traditions addressed the crowd before the march began. The religious leaders included Rabbi Yehuda Levin, Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church of America, Cardinals Justin Rigali and Sean O'Malley and numerous Catholic bishops.

Luke Robinson, an African-American pastor from Maryland, stirred the crowd with a passionate speech calling on Obama to end the "slaughter of the innocent
preborn," especially blacks, who suffer 34% of abortions in comparison to their 12% representation in the population (see LifeSiteNews coverage at http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jan/09012311.html).

Although the March's speakers made respectful comments about President Barack Obama, whose administration began two days earlier, they called upon him to abandon his extreme pro-abortion beliefs and policies, and to embrace the right to life for all. Read the rest HERE