January 22 marked 48 years since the legalization of abortion in the United States by the Supreme Court’s infamous decision Roe v. Wade. That 7-2 decision by the nation’s highest court has not only sanctioned the murder of the baby throughout all nine months, but is being used today by the radical pro-abortionists to push for, and, even in some states, to legalize infanticide.

Over the span of nearly half a century, the pro-life movement has grown into one of the most powerful and largest human rights movements in the world, as is witnessed by the streets of D.C. every year at the March for Life. This annual gathering brings together people of different ages, religions, and walks of life. They all proclaim the universal, eternal truth that not only does human life begin at conception, but for a civilization to survive, a nation’s laws must reflect that truth.

Exactly a year after Roe, the respect life movement mobilized and demonstrated in front of the Supreme Court building. The March was started by a handful of “grassroots pro-lifers [who] wanted to march…[and] resolved themselves into a committee and began making plans.” Founded by the late Nellie Gray, a lawyer and activist for the preborn, the March for Life began on January 22, 1974, with the attendance of “an estimated 20,000 committed pro-life Americans.” Gray was president of the March for Life up to her death in 2012.

Today, the March has become one of the largest demonstrations for humans rights around the world, and it is in support of the first and most fundamental of all rights, that is, the right to life.

For those who have never attended the march in D.C., here is some time-lapse video footage highlighting the “ocean wave” of pro-lifers.

For forty-seven straight years, the March for Life has taken place, in spite of snow, freezing conditions, or fear and panic over terrorist attacks after 9/11. This number is not one to be proud of, because it symbolizes the number of years that the murder of the child in the womb has been recognized, by the government, as a so-called ‘right.’ As many pro-lifers note, we await the day that we no longer have to march on D.C. to call for an end to the killing of the pre-born, and we will continue to march until that day is reached.

However, this year there will not be a March for Life, and not because Roe v. Wade has been overturned or because abortion has been outlawed once again. In my sole opinion, this marks a truly sad point for the pro-life movement.

Regardless of the different situations we find ourselves in this year, the abrupt cancellation of such a crucial event, which among other things shows the world the strength of the young, pro-life generation, goes contrary to the main purpose of our movement. As former IYc blogger Gregory Lobo told me, the unprecedented cancellation of the march “sets a terrible example for women in crisis pregnancies that we’re not going to stand with you when things get hard, and it’s okay to take the easy way out.”

Every year that I have attended the march, I saw in the face of every young or old demonstrator, the resilience, courage, and love to stand up and be a voice for the vulnerable pre-born, who has no voice to scream or legs to run away from the terror of death experienced during every abortion.

For this reason, why should we ever stop marching?