By Tate M. Slaven
Contributing Writer
“All you could see for miles were people — approximately 500,000 people.”
Amanda Koneski, president of SBU for Life, reflected on her recent trip to Washington, D.C. for the 40th Annual March for Life. On Jan. 25, pro-life supporters rallied together to spread the message of anti-abortion in the United States. Twelve of those 500,000 people were members of the SBU for Life Committee, letting their voices be heard.
Koneski left St. Bonaventure on Jan. 24. She went with nine other SBU students and Father Peter Schneible, O.F.M., to make it to the event.
“It was my third year going,” said Koneski, a senior journalism and mass communication major. “Attending the March for Life will never get old; it is such an eye-opening experience. Last year there were 400,000 people, and this year 100,000 more joined us as we rallied and walked for the 55 million human beings aborted since the 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade.”
The March for Life took place at the National Mall, where pro-life supporters walked up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court Building on Capitol Hill. The attendees rallied on the notion that Roe v. Wade needs to be revisited, and how this is more than just a religious concern. They then marched in honor of all the abortions performed since 1973.
“The march, by no means, was an event solely based off of preaching the word of God,” Koneski said. “Pro-life is a religious-based belief, but the people that attend the march are there for more than that. They want governmental intervention, and to see that many people supporting something they believe in was truly awe-inspiring.”
Father Peter also journeyed to D.C. with SBU for Life to support the pro-life movement. He, along with the students, believes this event was worth experiencing because it allowed members to see beyond the confines of the Bonaventure campus. They were also able to see how their beliefs are similar to many other people across the nation.
“This event taught us, as pro-life supporters, how to present our cases,” Father Peter explained. “When dealing with such a contentious and emotionally charged issue, it is important to present your case effectively. It doesn’t always have to be negatively either; positivity is more effective in some cases.”
By wearing stickers that said “I’m Worth Waiting For” and making a symbolic walk to the Supreme Court Building, the group of Bonaventure students knew they were contributing to something larger than themselves.
“This event strengthened our beliefs, but also was a way that we could stand up and say we are the people and we want a change and do it in a way that won the hearts of people who wouldn’t otherwise see our side,” Father Peter said.
