For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 22, 2002
President's Phone Call to March for Life Participants
12:08 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Nellie, thank you very much. I
want to thank you very much, and I want to wish everybody a good
afternoon. I'm calling from the state of West
Virginia. (Applause.)
I want to begin, Nellie, by praising you and your dedication to the
cause of human life. For almost 30 years, Americans from
every state in the Union have gathered in the Washington Mall in order
to march for life. This march is an example of an inspiring commitment
and of deep human compassion.
Everyone there believes, as I do, that every life is valuable; that
our society has a responsibility to defend the vulnerable and weak, the
imperfect and even the unwanted; and that our nation should set a great
goal that unborn children should be welcomed in life and protected in
law. (Applause.)
Abortion is an issue that deeply divides our
country. And we need to treat those with whom we disagree
with respect and civility. We must overcome bitterness and
rancor where we find it and seek common ground where we
can. But we will continue to speak out on behalf of the most
vulnerable members of our society.
We do so because we believe the promises of the Declaration of
Independence are the common code of American life. They
should apply to everyone, not just the healthy or the strong or the
powerful. A generous society values all human
life. A merciful society seeks to expand legal protection to
every life, including early life. And a compassionate
society will defend a simple, moral proposition, life should never be
used as a tool, or a means to an end.
These are bedrock principles. and that is why my
administration opposes partial-birth abortion and public funding for
abortion; -- (applause) -- why we support teen abstinence and crisis
pregnancy programs; adoption and parental notification laws; and why we
are against all forms of human cloning. (Applause.)
And that is why I urge the United States Senate to support a
comprehensive and effective ban on human cloning, a ban that was passed
by an overwhelming and bipartisan vote of the House of Representatives
last July. (Applause.)
We are a society with enough compassion and wealth and love to care
for both mothers and their children, and to seek the promise and
potential of every single life. You're working and marching
on behalf of a noble cause, and affirming a culture of
life. Thank you for your persistence, for defending human
dignity, and for caring for every member of the human family.
May God continue to bless America. Thank you very
much. (Applause.)
END
12:11 P.M. EST
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