Washington, DC (USA)

When I was walking to lunch today (with Phil), noticed large groups of people with pro-life signs. I thought everything related to the Roe v. Wade anniversary had ended over the weekend but I was wrong. We walked to the Mall, following the crowds. It was a very cold day - wet with drizzle. If anyone has ever watched the nightly news when the annual March for Life happens, he/she might think no one ever comes to the event. They would be very wrong! There were thousands of people - covering the Mall all the way from in front of the Air and Space Museum to near the Washington Monument. They were trying to get close to a stage set up in front of the Smithsonian Castle. As we neared that area (walking through mud and puddles of water), the crowds got very thick. We could hear speakers on the stage but couldn't understand what they were saying. Looking at the types of people who attended the rally, I was amazed at the number of kids (most wearing matching hats/shirts with the other members of their group/school). We also saw Knights of Columbus, monastic and other energetic folks (including Ron Paul supporters) in the crowd. We witnessed one confrontation between DC Police and vendors who had set up nearby (apparently, you can give things away at one of these events but can't actually sell anything). We didn't end up staying very long - but in the time we were there, I gained a new understanding of the people who strongly believe in preventing abortion (and their dedication). Phil and I headed away from the Mall after that but we saw lots more people walking towards the event - all the way back to our office. [When I got home in the evening, the only note in the local news was that "some anti-abortion protestors met on the Mall today." I didn't see any items on the "big three" network broadcasts relating to the event.]