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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 22, 2008
President Bush Speaks to March for Life Rally Participants
East Room
9:01 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Nellie, good to be with you -- we're fellow West Texans who
care deeply about the value of human life. Other members of the board of
directors for the March for Life, leaders of the pro-life community, and
all those who are here with us for the march, it's good to have you here
and welcome to the White House. (Applause.)
As I look out at you, I'll see some folks who have been traveling all night
to get here -- (laughter) -- you're slightly bleary-eyed. (Laughter.)
I'll see others who are getting ready for a day out in the cold. But
mostly I see faces that shine with a love for life. (Applause.)
I see people with a deep conviction that even the most vulnerable member of
the human family is a child of God. You're here because you know that all
life deserves to be protected. And as you begin your march, I'm proud to
be standing with you. (Applause.)
Thirty-five years ago today the United States Supreme Court declared and
decided that under the law an unborn child is not considered a person. But
we know many things about the unborn. Biology confirms that from the start
each unborn child is a separate individual with his or her own genetic
code. Babies can now survive outside the mother's womb at younger and
younger ages. And the fingers and toes and beating hearts that we can see
on an unborn child's ultrasound come with something that we cannot see: a
soul. (Applause.)
Today we're heartened -- we're heartened by the news that the number of
abortions is declining. But the most recent data reports that more than
one in five pregnancies end in an abortion. America is better than this,
so we will continue to work for a culture of life where a woman with an
unplanned pregnancy knows there are caring people who will support her;
where a pregnant teen can carry her child and complete her education; where
the dignity of both the mother and child is honored and cherished.
We aspire to build a society where each one of us is welcomed in life and
protected in law. We haven't arrived, but we are making progress. Here in
Washington we passed good laws that promote adoption and extend legal
protection to children who are born despite abortion attempts. We came
together to ban the cruel practice of partial birth abortion. (Applause.)
And in the past year we have prevented that landmark law from being rolled
back.
We've seen the dramatic breakthroughs in stem cell research that it is
possible to advance medical science while respecting the sanctity of life.
(Applause.) Building a culture of life requires more than law; it requires
changing hearts. And as we reach out to others and find common ground, we
can see the glimmerings of a new America on a far shore. This America is
rooted in our belief that in a civilized society, the strong protect the
weak. This America is nurtured by people like you, who speak up for the
weak and the innocent. This America is the destiny of a people whose
founding document speaks of the right to life that is a gift of our
Creator, not a grant of the state. (Applause.)
My friends, the time is short and your march is soon. (Laughter.) As you
give voice to the voiceless I ask you to take comfort from this: The
hearts of the American people are good. (Applause.) Their minds are open
to persuasion. And our history shows that a cause rooted in human dignity
and appealing to the best instincts of the American people cannot fail. So
take heart. (Applause.)
Take heart, be strong, and go forth. May God bless you. (Applause.)
END 9:10 A.M. EST
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