The beating of the drums, chilling winds and slick sidewalks, crowds of people as far as the eye can see. For anyone who grew up in the Chicagoland area and regularly attended the March for Life Chicago as a child, this sensational event that occurs once a year is sure to bring with it memories and nostalgia.
Along with the memories and nostalgia, however, comes a new sense of purpose each year.
The March for Life Chicago is a rallying cry to people throughout the Midwest. It’s a proclamation of what we believe, why we believe it, and how we will work together in the coming year to end abortion.
This year, three members of Illinois Right to Life’s staff spoke for the breakout sessions before the March for Life. Our executive director Amy Gehrke spoke on the repeal of Parental Notice and why this was such a devastating loss to our state. Her speech was one of hope and encouragement. Amy believes that, because this was such a great rejection of parental rights, we can gain support from people on all spectrums of politics in Illinois. Parental Notice of abortion is a common-sense law: Parents have a fundamental right to be involved in the health care of their minor daughters.
Our program director Dr. Steve Jacobs spoke on Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health case which the U.S. Supreme Court could use to overturn Roe v. Wade later this year. ruling that will come down this year. Dr. Jacobs has always been optimistic about the outcome of this case, but his legal background adds credibility to his optimism, and his knowledge was a gift to everyone to attended his breakout session.
Lastly, I encouraged everyone- YOU all- to participate in any way you can. In order to turn Illinois pro-life, we need everyone’s help. How can you help? The points I outlined in my speech are below:
- Provide your email address!
- There will be several opportunities for you to assist IRL in the coming months. This is the best way you can remain up-to-date on what’s happening. Go to illinoisrighttolife.org and sign up for our email list.
- Educate your communities about the dangers the abortion industry in Illinois poses to women throughout the Midwest. We have drafted a sample letter for you to share with parents in your community. We encourage you to distribute this as far and as wide as possible. Discuss this at school board meetings, church council meetings, and wherever concerned parents can learn about the danger their children now face and the manner in which Illinois politicians have usurped their rights as parents. Just sign up for our email list to receive this information!
- Pledge to participate in an IRL Day of Action. We will have at least two days, one in late spring and one in the fall, where we will bring pro-life activists together to educate targeted communities about the extremity of Illinois abortion law and how it is impacting our state, the Midwest, and the nation. WE NEED YOUR HELP! There will be opportunities for literature drops, direct outreach from your homes, and much more. Stay tuned to learn how you can help!
- Donate to IRL. Everything we do at Illinois Right to Life is through your generosity. Consider a financial donation to help our efforts. IllinoisRighToLife.org/Donate-IRL/
- Questions? Contact Us! Feel free to reach out via email: [email protected] or via phone: 312-422-9300
This year we have an opportunity to play a part in overturning Roe v. Wade– a chance that will most likely never again occur in our lifetime. Let’s work together to not only do the least we can do, but to do all that we do to fight for the right to life for all.