I wrote this piece a couple of days ago and shelved it thinking that, really, a UK March for Life was not something that I should be banging on about. Then, a few minutes ago I read Fr Tim's blog on the same topic and this gave me the courage to post mine.
So here it is....
I did not go on last year's UK pro life march held, I believe, in November. So, it may be inappropriate for me to criticise; but I shall do so anyway.
In the run up to the 24th January screening, on EWTN, of the US March for Life on Washington, they featured the UK March of last year. Only 350 people turned out for it - and that looked bad seeing what America had to offer just a few minutes later.
Why only 350? Why were they all brandishing white crosses? Those are the symbols of the war dead, not aborted babies.
My cynical marketing eye detected a need for conventional posters 'Abortion kills' or similar. Maybe even, '30% of women undergoing abortion will have a mental problem in later life' - bit of a mouthful but it could be paraphrased.
I am not knocking the folk who turned out, full marks to them, they'll have another jewel in their crown as my mother used to say after a good deed done. But, they appeared to fall into the 60 plus age group and I really wanted to see lots of young mums and dads and babies in buggies; perhaps the camera was being selective but it made me contemplate the lack of punch in our anti abortion campaigning.
It also made me question just why we could not organise a larger more impressive march. I fully support John Smeaton and SPUC and all the other pro life groups and believe that the work they do is wonderful, many thanks to them all.
But...couldn't we just have one bloody great big march? This year....soon.
NB: Fr Tim reports that the Catholic Herald has put out a call for a British March for Life. Great!
As they say in the USA......."Let's do it!"
So here it is....
I did not go on last year's UK pro life march held, I believe, in November. So, it may be inappropriate for me to criticise; but I shall do so anyway.
In the run up to the 24th January screening, on EWTN, of the US March for Life on Washington, they featured the UK March of last year. Only 350 people turned out for it - and that looked bad seeing what America had to offer just a few minutes later.
Why only 350? Why were they all brandishing white crosses? Those are the symbols of the war dead, not aborted babies.
My cynical marketing eye detected a need for conventional posters 'Abortion kills' or similar. Maybe even, '30% of women undergoing abortion will have a mental problem in later life' - bit of a mouthful but it could be paraphrased.
I am not knocking the folk who turned out, full marks to them, they'll have another jewel in their crown as my mother used to say after a good deed done. But, they appeared to fall into the 60 plus age group and I really wanted to see lots of young mums and dads and babies in buggies; perhaps the camera was being selective but it made me contemplate the lack of punch in our anti abortion campaigning.
It also made me question just why we could not organise a larger more impressive march. I fully support John Smeaton and SPUC and all the other pro life groups and believe that the work they do is wonderful, many thanks to them all.
But...couldn't we just have one bloody great big march? This year....soon.
NB: Fr Tim reports that the Catholic Herald has put out a call for a British March for Life. Great!
As they say in the USA......."Let's do it!"
This is such an important topic! If I lived in the UK, I would be right there.
ReplyDeleteIn May I was home in Canada and my family and I were able to participate in Winnipeg's March for Life which had quite a good turn out although it can ALWAYS be better.:)
We carried signs that said things like "Women Do Regret Abortion" and "Fathers Regret lost fatherhood" but from what I have seen, the slogans often are different. My mom always had a bumper sticker on our van that said simply "Abortion stops a beating heart."
It was lovely to see a lot of young people, families, and the parade was led by the Knights of Colombus in their full regalia so it got some attention, good and bad.:)
Anyway all that to say, this is probably the most important cause we could ever walk for.
God bless.
Colleen - "the most important cause we could ever walk for"
ReplyDeleteAmen!