WASHINGTON – More than 70,000 cheering, chanting pro-life activists flooded Constitution Avenue January 23, 1984 as a dynamic witness to the commitment of the large and vocal right-to-life movement.

From Alaska to Florida, from California to Maine, busloads of partisans for the civil rights of unborn children brought their message of love and justice to Capitol Hill and, for the first time, to the stoop of the Supreme Court building itself.

Lead by Nellie Grey, founder and president of March for Life, the huge crowd renewed the call for a human life amendment to protect all members of the human family. A number of pro-life leaders in the U.S House and Senate spoke to the enthusiastic crowd, including Senator Jessie Helms, and Representatives Henry Hyde, Vin Weber, Chris Smith, Ron Mazzoli, James Sensenbrenner, Marilyn Lloyd, Ron Paul, Bill Emerson, and former representative Robert Dornan.

A key theme was the demand that the ERA be amended to become neutral on abortion. According to Sensenbrenner (R-Wis), “it looks clear that the ERA, as it was worded, will overturn the Hyde,” Sensenbrenner told the marchers to lobby elected officials “to separate the abortion issue from the ERA.”

Perhaps the most eloquent speech of a day filled with superb remarks came from Chris Smith (R-N.J). Smith explained that the annual March for Life is “not only a public demonstration of our collective concern for human rights, but also presents a very effective method of lobbying the Congress.”

Referring to saline (salt poisoning) abortions, Smith noted ” how ironic that when we have fully recognized what toxic chemicals are doing to our environment-our air, the water, the land – now we are placing these same toxic chemicals in the unborn’s environment.”

Abortion, Smith said, “undermines the very moral fabric… it pollutes because it cheapens respect for all human life.” The ultimate child abuse, abortion “batters, suffocates, chokes, dismembers, and poisons its victims, all under the guise and deception of being a constitutionally-protected right.”

Echoing a recurrent concern of right to lifers, Smith told the audience assembled at the Ellipse that there are two victims in every abortion, the unborn child and his or her mother.

“The people in our movement do not judge; that is not our mission,” Smith said. “But we do cry and we weep for them. We extend our hand hand in love and compassion to these women. We pray and fast for them and for those who do the killing.”

Armed with the newly-won right to assemble in front of the Supreme Court building, the marchers marched down Constitution Avenue, singing and chanting pro-life songs and slogans. After a spirited rally in front of the Court, the crowd dispersed to accomplish the most important task of the day: lobbying the Congress.