Op-Ed: We should all be able to agree on equality

By Brooke L. Rollins and Pastor Paula White-Cain in Washington Times

Today, tens of thousands of people from across our Nation will come together and march to the steps of the Supreme Court to celebrate the gift of human life. They share a vision that one day, all of humanity will rejoice in the beauty of life beginning in the womb. They believe that all are equal under the law—both those marching and the ones for whom they are marching. 

As we focus on the dignity of life, we are heartened that today’s celebration comes during one of the most important legal challenges before the Court in centuries: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Renewing nationwide discussions regarding the sanctity of life and the constitutionality of abortion, this case strikes at our national conscience, begging us to ask what we mean by “equality” and who exactly is endowed with the God-given rights to “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness?”

The theme of this year’s March for Life is “equality begins in the womb.” What can be more true and good than the belief that equality applies to both the born and the unborn? Should those who are most vulnerable be denied the protection, freedom, and liberty to thrive? What could be more unifying than for all Americans to stand together in support of equality for every life?  

As the largest national human rights demonstration, the annual March for Life reaffirms the truth that our great Nation was founded on the principle that the right to life is inalienable. This conviction allows America to continue to offer the highest standards of human freedom ever known to mankind. 

As Americans, we fight for the underdog, those in need, those who have no voice. We must stand up for the lives of the unborn, not just today but every day. If we choose not to champion the unborn, all our other efforts to uphold and promote human rights at home and abroad are in vain. 

Marching today are countless courageous champions of life, warriors standing vigilant guard in the face of injustice perpetrated by those who diminish the sanctity of life. It is a travesty that what should be a celebration of human life for all has become a target by pro-abortion partisans, the corporate media, and nearly every apparatus of government.

In 1977, Democratic Vice President Hubert Humphrey said, “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” What changed? Since the fateful 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, 62 million lives have been taken by abortion in the United States. In reflection, through that decision, we lost the greater perspective on what life means for America’s treasured values, for America’s continued prosperity, for America’s tomorrow. 

In 2020, as the first president to ever attend the March for Life, President Donald J. Trump affirmed that “every child is a precious and sacred gift from God.”  

However, in less than 1 year in office, President Joe Biden has reversed many successful Trump-era pro-life precedents. For example, he revoked policies that banned foreign aid for abortion, called for the codification of Roe as a foundational premise for all judicial nominees, and unleashed his Department of Justice to file suit against the Texas Heartbeat Act. 

Considering this assault on life, there has never been a greater urgency to stand up for life and fight for true equality. We desperately need more leaders and policymakers who humble themselves before God, are courageous in defense of life, and believe that every boy, girl, man, and woman, are created in His image.  

As we await the justices’ decision, we stand committed to the belief that all are equal, regardless of age. We pray that all hearts will warm, all eyes will see, and all arms will open to welcome each precious new life. So, until that day when “equality” truly means “equality for all,” including the unborn, we will continue to proudly “March for Life” alongside our many sisters and brothers and urge you to join us.  

Brooke L. Rollins serves as President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and Pastor Paula White-Cain serves as Chair, Center for American Values for AFPI.