Wrangell man partakes in March for Life

A Wrangellite took part in the 44th annual March for Life, which last month made its way through the streets of Washington, D.C.

Since 1974, the annual nondenominational march is held each year on or around the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, which held that abortion was protected under the right to privacy in the Constitution. Opponents to the court decision have since met at the National Mall on about every January 22 since, marching from there to the steps of the Supreme Court Building on First Street.

This year's march was the third for Ottie Florschutz, who pointed out the event was moved to January 27 due to the inaugural proceedings of President Donald Trump held the previous weekend. Tens of thousands of marchers came from around the country for the march, meeting just before noon near the Washington Monument.

"I feel strongly about it, so have done it as I've been able," the Wrangell resident explained.

Originally hailing from North Carolina, Florschutz met up with his sister, Angela Thompkins, who lives in nearby Fredricksburg, Virginia. After meeting up, the two made their way into the capital, whose streets were crowded with visitors making their way to the event.

"Getting into D.C. any time can be problematic," he noted. His was an easy enough trip, having made his connections by air. Florschutz met with a number of people who drove in by car or bus, sometimes up to a day and a half away.

This year security was tightened, due to the presence of Vice President Mike Pence as an opening speaker. Over the decades the event has drawn a number of representatives, senators, and state-level politicians – Pence himself had spoken in 2010 while representing Indiana – but it was the first time a member of the White House had appeared in person.

It was Florschutz's first time having to go through screening to attend the opening speeches, though he pointed out information put out online beforehand had cued him in on what to leave behind, including backpacks, thermal containers, even sticks used to prop up protest signs. An orange he had with him in his pocket was the only item to attract scrutiny – Florschutz said he was able to bring it inside once he'd peeled it first.

"At noon they have the speakers that start," he said. This year's theme was "The Power of One," on the topic of individuals making a difference in the lives of others. After about an hour and a half of speeches and comments, the crowd then began to funnel its way down Constitution Avenue toward the Supreme Court. Florschutz and his sister were toward the tail end of the procession, so had a pretty good view of the crowd as a whole. Taking several hours to navigate the two hours, some stayed on for remarks at the courthouse stairs, but the siblings made their way back from there.

"It was fun to do," Florschutz said afterward. "I'd certainly like to make it an annual event, if everything works out."

He said the atmosphere was pleasant, being around people from different parts of the country who hold similar views. The weather was pleasant as well, which for January isn't a guarantee. "Last year there was a blizzard."

Before heading home, Florschutz also makes a donation to a North Carolina pregnancy center in his parents' names, as they also feel strongly about the issue.

"The number's 58,000,000 now. That's the number of marchers that would've been there but didn't get to be," he commented, referring to estimates of the number of abortions in the United States since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Numbers are based on tallies put together by the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and policy organization.