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My experience with the annual Washington, DC
Pro-life Mass and March has been life-changing. I am a Junior at St. Augustine
High School in New Orleans and I have been attending the Pro-Life Mass and Rally
since I was a Freshman. I have learned many things about being pro-life, and how
to have a better appreciation for life. I have learned that we may not have the
perfect life, but we must always be grateful for the opportunity we have been
given to live. I think that it's only fair and just that everyone else had that
same chance.
 Once I arrived in Washington D.C. for this year's
march, I was filled with passion because I knew that I was making a change. I
traveled with thirty other Purple Knights. We came to Washington D.C. with our
minds prepared for the challenge that we had ahead of us. While in Washington
D.C. we had a chance to attend several events which were designed to end
legalized abortion. We attended Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of
the Immaculate Conception, the Mass and Rally for Life at the Verizon Center,
and the great pro-life march just to name a few.
These three events were very spirit-filled, and
powerful. Many youth were in attendance, and learned a great deal from this. As
a Purple Knight of St. Augustine High School, our pro-life group is getting the
word out that we must stop abortion because it is wrong. Abortion is not only
morally wrong it is spiritually wrong and unjust. Abortion should not be taken
lightly because it is a serious matter that has been affecting our nation for
many years. For example, over 440,000 African American babies are aborted every
year!
At a conference held at our school, I had the
privilege of speaking to several women about past abortions. This had a great
affect on me. At first I couldn't really understand the picture, but now I
learned to better understand abortion and how it harms us. Being a male, it is
hard to put myself in a woman's place; but if we as human beings value our own
life, then we should value an unborn life that is still developing in his or her
mother's womb. I always say, "You may never know what that child may grow up to
be unless you give her a chance at life."
This pro-life pilgrimage has taught me a lot in the
last three years. To be able to march from the Verizon Center to the Supreme
Court has made a big difference in my life. When marching, I felt like I was
making change, and opening the doors for others to follow in my footsteps, just
as Civil Rights marchers in the past ultimately made changes for my generation.
The hundreds of thousands of people who were in attendance made a decision to
defend life and I was in that crowd making my voice heard.
The pro-life movement stands for hope, and change.
To be a part of this movement brings me a great deal of joy. This pilgrimage has
also taught me the lesson to be a guide for other youth my age who are
interested in learning more about protecting and defending life. It is my
responsibility to step up to the plate to educate more people about the pro-life
movement. At the age of sixteen years it is an honor to say that I can be the
voice to spread the word about the pro-life movement and how it affected my
life.
Since my freshman year, I have chosen to be a part
of this movement and have chosen to defend life. When people look at me and talk
about the pro-life movement it is good to know that I can share the lessons I
have learned with others. I have learned a tremendous amount about the horrors
of legalized abortion and I look forward to participating in the march for life
in 2010. I hope that I will be joined by many who have never attended before so
that more voices can be raised to protect and defend life.
Adam Badger is a Junior at St. Augustine High School
(Josephite) in New Orleans.
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