It has been 49 years since the Supreme Court of the United States voted to make abortion legal and available on demand throughout the United States. 62 million lives have been taken since that decision in 1973. Once again, we unite to communicate to the nation: It is our moral conviction to do what we can to defend life.
The March For Life: Protecting the Unborn through Student Activism
The first March for Life took place exactly one year after the United States Supreme Court made their landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade to legalize abortion across the U.S. Pro-life supporters gathered together in Washington, D.C. in January of 1974, waving pro-life signs and making known their mission to protect the unborn. The March has garnered more participants every year since, and Patrick Henry College students have joined their vision to promote the sanctity of the lives of the unborn.
The March for Life has become an annual tradition throughout campus. Isaac Bock, a junior at PHC and the head of events for the American Politics and Policy (APP) program, has made it his mission to involve as many students as possible in the March for Life this month to show support for the event, such as helping to organize transportation to and from the rally and a boxed lunch for students who attend.
Engaging with Empathy and Understanding
Bock has been invested in politics since high school, and organizing political and educational events gives him a sense of fulfillment as other students jump on these opportunities to learn more about public policy. A seasoned NCFCA debater and public speaker, Bock has always seen both sides of an argument clearly. For him, the March for Life doesn’t only serve as a chance to demonstrate pro-life activism but also as a place where moral convictions can actively surface. “I think you can know the truth on issues like abortion, but if you don’t say it in the right way, if you’re being aggressive or using harsh language, then we’re not being good ambassadors for truth, which is important,” Bock said. “A lot of that comes from understanding not just our own perspective but the perspective of pro-choice people . . . you have to engage with a lot of empathy and understanding.”
The Importance of Being Active
The goal of the APP board is to give students an opportunity to be politically engaged through organizing political events on campus. “That’s the reason that the APP program is intent on being a part of [the March],” Bock said, “because we want to give students an opportunity to be active politically in the things they hear about.” Bock has organized several events this fall, such as inviting politicians to speak to students about their own areas of expertise and answering students’ questions. One such speaker, Andrew Wheeler, is the foremost expert in the nation on environmental policy. Formerly in the cabinet of President Trump, he spoke on campus this fall to begin a dialogue with students about his field.
“It was just incredible,” Bock said. “A lot of students came to the event to get extra credit, but afterwards they walked up to me and they were like, ‘Wow this is one of the most interesting things I’ve heard.’”
While the 2021 March for Life was virtual due to COVID-19 concerns, this year will be in-person. So far, Bock’s goal is to have faculty cancel classes for the day, obtain donations from College donors, organize buses, and offer a free meal so students will attend. While some of these goals have not yet come to fruition, Bock is hopeful that he can accomplish them before January 21.
-----
Want to know what it would be like to join PHC at the March for Life?
Watch the 2020 video and see!
-----
Learn how PHC stands apart from other Christian liberal arts programs.
Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.
