Delegations from all over the world took part in the March for Life in Washington. Here, we present an interview with Virginia Coda Nunziante, spokeswoman for the Italian March for Life, who participated in the U.S. event.
What motivated you to go to Washington for the March for Life?
I try, as far as possible, to participate in the U.S. March for Life every year, because it is an injection of confidence and hope for the future. Seeing hundreds of thousands of committed young people, braving the cold and fatigue in order to demonstrate in favor of life and against abortion, is a very positive sign. Some of them even made a 48-hour bus trip just to get there, and others spend the whole night in prayer; many young families commit themselves financially so that all may be present, and the majority of the participants take one or more days off in order not to miss it. This is the culture of life that deeply penetrates the fabric of society, a culture that challenges what is politically correct and with which even U.S. Presidents have to deal. When 500,000 people, with a majority of youth, are brought together in the streets not episodically but constantly, that can change a country’s policies, even though these people are not politicians.
However, many politicians and also representatives of different religions were present.
Yes, indeed; and that is a great strength of the American March, which unites representatives of both political parties around the fundamental, non-negotiable value of life. If these politicians participate publicly that is because they truly intend to carry on an uncompromising battle in defense of life: American society does not forgive those who then, in Parliament, act differently from what they have stated.
Moreover, it is also true that there were official representatives of different religious denominations, Evangelicals, Orthodox, Jews and Mormons. The Catholic Church was present with a good number of cardinals and bishops, and even more dioceses marched officially with their banners and their flags. The Holy Father sent a message with a blessing via twitter, just as Benedict XVI did last year. The bishops received the message from the faithful, who on an issue like this have never wanted lower their guard and have finally succeeded in bring it into the streets.
What attracts the many young people who demonstrate?
I think the radical nature of the message is very clear: “no exception, no compromise.” In a “liquid” society like the one in which we live, where there are no longer any points of reference, young people need loud and clear messages. When seeing the pictures that show what abortion is, the young person is shocked, because he or she suddenly understands that this is being done to a human being. They are not available to accept the hypocrisy of those who want to consider him a cluster of cells that can be easily eliminated. The message that comes from this crowd and it has also been written on T-shirts is that this generation will abolish the law on abortion. This is seemingly impossible, given the worldwide spread of this practice, but we know that, in reality, few people are needed to change the course of history. Now, these young people know that, they are convinced and draw from prayer and the example of others the strength of their determination.
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