I was on the Hill today, the 41st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, and yet another frigid day for the annual March for Life. There are few events that illuminate media bias quite as clearly as how a gathering of right-of-center activists is covered vs. a liberal protest. The March for Life is routinely huge, despite routinely punishing weather conditions. It is routinely populated by fresh-scrubbed teens, families, clergy. And, it is routinely nearly entirely ignored.
Case in point, this tweet today from Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post.
No signs of a pro-life rally on the National Mall today, except for this sign honoring life — in the garbage. pic.twitter.com/wTmP5Ko5Ba
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) January 22, 2014
Dana Milbank takes a similar tack. I did not attend today’s march, ironically (or fittingly?) because I was home with my own very young baby. But I was in the vicinity during the day and there is absolutely no way you could miss the legions of pro-life protesters on every single corner. Giant church groups wore matching knit caps in various colors. Large groups of teenagers trekked over to Union Station to meet their buses carrying flags and signs. Bundled and booted families filled restaurants usually populated by staffers and lobbyists. You really have to be willfully blind to miss it and blatantly dishonest to report this event as if no one were there. I’d almost respect the approach the media takes to Tea Party protests more, which lean more on ridicule than ignoring. That approach disrespects but doesn’t entirely disappear thousands of Americans.
The intention is clear. It’s inconvenient to admit that thousands of young people— whose generation is more pro-life than its predecessors—took over Washington in single-digit weather to stand up for life. That might suggest that more Americans are pro-life than pro-choice and a majority of women are pro-life, as polling shows. And, we sure wouldn’t want anyone thinking about this:
https://twitter.com/bdomenech/status/426031195575435264
Luckily, social media offers coverage of an event people like Bendery and Milbank wish to write into nonexistence. Mollie Hemingway has beautiful photos from the event, at The Federalist. Click over and check them out.
. @KristanHawkins view from #March4Life stage! #whywemarch #prolifegen #sfla2014 pic.twitter.com/aYACudc78m
— Students For Life of America (@StudentsforLife) January 22, 2014
#FacesoftheCultureofLife #MarchforLife pic.twitter.com/Tt5JV0Nt9O
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) January 23, 2014
This experience has been amazing #marchforlife pic.twitter.com/rlVx3NGRFV
— captain 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑔𝒶𝓃 (@morganleighlucy) January 22, 2014
It was great to see so many Missourians at this morning’s #MarchforLife in Washington. #whywemarch pic.twitter.com/e1iVVrzU6P
— Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) January 22, 2014
https://twitter.com/SBAList/status/426095986684198912
https://twitter.com/aliciaSFLA/status/426022990472830976
Here is my areal view. #marchforlife pic.twitter.com/k4aK1l5nfy
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2014
The Pro-Life drum line. #marchforlife pic.twitter.com/PGXNTWlZoM
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2014
Going outside and having your bike surrounded by monks. #marchforlifeproblems pic.twitter.com/7kdqPyfxDO
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2014
"Pro-Life and Pro-Gay" #marchforlife pic.twitter.com/zw5U5qs9sM
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2014
So encouraged by the turnout of #TN06 students at @March_for_Life! Here’s a group from @JPII_KNIGHTS in H'ville: pic.twitter.com/RSF0RTc36L
— Diane Black (@RepDianeBlack) January 22, 2014
Thank you @Reince & @GOP committeemen & women for standing for the unborn today #Marchforlife @marjoriesba pic.twitter.com/zrEtLWz6pc
— Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) January 22, 2014
https://twitter.com/aliciaSFLA/status/426009632541519872
Wow. Thanks to all the #sfla2014 students!!! You guys are awesome! Thanks for having us! #prolifegen pic.twitter.com/Eq3pJwu2uV
— The Duggar Family (@duggarfam) January 22, 2014
I’ll leave you with Brit Hume on tonight’s “Special Report,” on the moral case for the pro-life position. It’s not “outside the mainstream.” It’s not a loopy position for only the most religious among us. It’s not a position for elderly nuns. The idea of protecting what is clearly life in the womb— particularly in the second and third trimesters— is popular, and held by broad swaths of Americans of all ages, races, and kinds. That’s why many in the media consider it
safer to look the other way.
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