Because of the COVID-related restrictions everyone in America is living with, the 48th Annual March for Life in Washington on Friday was much different than its predecessors.
Gone were the placard-waving tens of thousands who have gathered since 1973 and who marched to the Supreme Court to protest its "Roe v. Wade" ruling that year, which decriminalized abortion nationwide. This time, the leaders of numerous pro-life groups did the marching, along with clergy and some members of Congress.
Speeches were virtual and, as organizers emphasized, the number of non-Catholic leaders at the march was growing: Cissie Graham Lynch, granddaughter of Rev. Billy Graham, Jim Daly of Focus on the Family, and Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear.
One especially noticed non-Catholic speaker was Tim Tebow, onetime Denver Broncos quarterback whose kneeling in prayers before games became known as "Tebowing."
But the still-notably Catholic figures in the march made clear their discomfort with the second Catholic president in history.
"Joe Biden has left the teachings of his church and is now the abortion president," Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J, an 11-term House member, told Newsmax. "It's apparent in his executive orders setting aside the Mexico City Doctrine [Ronald Reagan's policy of denying U.S. dollars to international organizations that perform or promote abortions], his support of getting rid of the Hyde Amendment [which bars U.S. tax dollars for abortions], and everything else dealing with abortion."
Smith, who has faithfully attended Marches for Life since 1974, recalled how Biden was an early Marcher himself and a strong opponent of abortion.
The congressman's view of the president was echoed by March for Life head Jeanne Mancini, also Catholic.
"I don't know [Biden's] heart, but I know he's not following Catholic Church teachings on human life," she told us. "The Catholic Church said as much yesterday when he rescinded the Mexico City Doctrine. I pray for a conversion of heart on this because he's going to have to answer for a lot someday."
Noting "we wouldn't have the march today without a huge social media following," Mancini pointed to the fact the event seems to grow younger with each year.
"I think it's the younger people are the pro-life generation now," she said. "They are ambassadors for life. They don't have the cynicism that many of us a little bit older have."
Mancini, Smith, and other leaders of the march underscored the fact its chief organizers are women. Chief among them was the late Nellie Gray, lawyer and Women's Army Corps (WAC) veteran who began the annual tradition in 1973.
In Mancini's words, "Nellie passed away in 2012, and anything we do is by standing on Nellie's shoulders."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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