The 45th Annual March for Life

The 45th Annual March for Life

This week has been an interesting one. The workweek began with a day off to commemorate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal holiday. Severe winter weather moved into the area during the week as well. With temperatures near 70 degrees during the preceding weekend, a weather front moved in that had the temperatures drop down into single digits. The weather front also brought snow with it, which caused areas schools to close on more than one day. Now at the end of a week in which Federal workers like myself are waiting to see if the lack of a budget will result in the government shutting down at the end of the day today, the temperature has risen back up to almost 50 degrees just in time for my lunchtime bike ride to this year’s March for Life.

The March for Life is an annual event which began as a small demonstration on the first anniversary of two U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 1973 in cases known as Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton, which were landmark decisions on the issue of abortion. Over the years the March for Life has grown to include numerous other cities in the United States and throughout the world. The March in D.C., however, has become and remains the largest pro-life event in the world.

I have attended the March for Life each year for many years, as I did again today for the 45th annual march. This year’s events included a musical opening before the rally program began, which took place at noon on the National Mall at 12th Street, in between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive. During the program there were a number of featured speakers, including President Donald Trump (via video satellite), Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and Pam Tebow, the mother of former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. Directly after the program there was a march up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court Building and the Capitol Building took place. After finishing marching there was then a time for “Silent No More” testimonies outside U.S. Supreme Court, as well as chances for some to meet with their Representative or Senator to advocate for life.

According to the latest statistics available on abortions worldwide, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), every year there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions. This corresponds to approximately 125,000 abortions per day.  Approximately 926,200 of these abortions were performed in the United States, which equates to approximately nineteen percent of all pregnancies in this country (excluding miscarriages) ending in abortion. Other available information from the WHO on abortion in the United States shows that nearly half (45%) of all pregnancies among U.S. women were unintended, and about four in 10 of these were terminated by abortion. This made the abortion rate 14.6 abortions per 1,000 women aged (15–44).  Among these women, 1.5% have had an abortion, with just under half of these women (45%) reported having a previous abortion.  Those who have abortions come primarily from the poorest among us (75 percent), women of color (61 percent), women pursuing post-secondary degrees that would lift them out of poverty (66 percent), and mothers who already have dependents (59 percent).  Overall, based on all available statistics, one in 20 women (5%) will have an abortion by age 20, about one in five (19%) by age 30 and about one in four (24%) by age 45.

The March for Life may not put an end to the tragedy of abortion, but it’s a good step (or steps).

 

[Click on the photos to view the full-size versions]

More information about the annual March for Life can be found on one of my previous blog posts.

#WhyWeMarch  #MarchForLife  #MarchForLife2018

The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization Building

The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization Building

The national capitol city has a number of architectural styles that are exemplified by buildings and memorials that are universally recognizable and seem to define the cityscape.  From the iconic neoclassical style of the U.S. Capitol Building, to the neo-classical Federal style of The White House, to the Greek Revival architecture of the Lincoln Memorial, much of the architecture of D.C. is distinctive.

One building which stands out in stark contrast to the architectural styles most commonly associated with the city is the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization Building.  Located at the corner of 23rd Street and Virginia Avenue in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood (MAP), it is Corbusian modernism with the facade of brise soleil and pilotis.

Named after the Swiss-French architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, better known as Le Corbusier,  who is considered one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture, the style was incorporated into the design of the building by Uruguayan architect Roman Fresnedo Siri, who won an international competition.  It was built in 1965.

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established in 1948, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Pan American Health Organization is also an international public health agency.  It works with the peoples of the Americas to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas.  It was founded in December of 1902, and now serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.

Like its people, the buildings in D.C. are too diverse to be easily characterized by just a few architectural styles, but this is one building that stands out from the norm, and is certainly worth a visit.