Jeanne Mancini is president of the March for Life Foundation, which organizes the annual protest of the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision in every January in Washington, D.C.
KATHRYN JEAN LOPEZ: Many pro-life statements today referred to the Texas law as “common sense.” What do we do in a country where we might not have a common sense of “common sense”? Is there better language to be using?
Jeanne MaNCINI: Jeanne Mancini: In our country increasingly reason and logic is sacrificed on the altar of politics and that definitely happened today. HB 2 was not only common sense, it was undoubtedly in the best interest of women’s health. Putting aside rhetoric or messaging, it is a fact that women are the losers of today’s decision.
However, helping the public to understand that abortion is not good for women (and clearly not for their babies) is critical. We at the March for Life work for a culture where abortion is unthinkable; we seek to change hearts and minds. Personal stories are powerful and a good way of communicating. I’m sorry to say that today reminds me of another day when I spoke to the dad of an 18-year-old beautiful woman, a recent high-school graduate, who died as a result of legal abortion in a local Planned Parenthood. It is possible that if standards were higher – for chemical abortion or the clinic – she would be here with us today.
LOPEZ: The rhetoric in the media and the winning side today would portray you as against women’s health and freedom. Is there ever getting beyond that?
Mancini: Being pro-life is pro-woman! Life is empowering, not abortion. For years, abortion advocates have equated greater access to abortion with improving women’s health. But in doing so they have accepted and even advocated for substandard health regulations for abortion clinics. Let’s be honest – hat’s not pro-woman. We are talking basic standards here — cleanliness, size of hallways, hospital admitting privileges etc. Our theme this year at the March for Life was pro-life and pro-woman go hand in hand. We care about mom and baby; we care about safety, and we care about standards.
LOPEZ: What does this mean for the presidential election?
Mancini: We are all gravely concerned about the makeup of the Supreme Court. Today’s decision of judicial activism, defying reason and safety, shows all the more why we need to be very concerned about a politicized Supreme Court.
LOPEZ: What does the March for Life look like if we have our first woman president, who has been celebrated by planned parenthood? Do you look increasingly like an outlier if you are opposed to abortion?
Mancini: The real outlier is Mrs. Clinton and her extreme stance on abortion, which is out of touch with the American people. She takes the radical position of supporting legalized abortion until birth. 81 percent of Americans want abortion limited to the first three months, at most, and this is true for 66 percent of people who self-identify as being pro-choice. Yet the March for Life isn’t inherently political, we are a cultural movement working to end the human-rights abuse of today. While the election certainly is critical, the collective millions of marchers over the years will persevere because they can’t not. If we have another pro-abortion administration, we will continue to work for what we know to be real, true, and good and trust that one day soon we will reach our goal of a culture where abortion is unthinkable.