Thoughts From the Rally

Last night a local pro-life group posted on social media that they were going to have a rally on Monument Circle. Really, a counter-protest to the pro-abortion crowd. I decided to go. Now, I’m not much for joining in protests of any form. And so, my intent was not to participate but rather to observe. 

Having no direct connection with the aforementioned group, I had no knowledge of the plan. I just showed up and roamed around…figuring I’d know who was who. But, when I arrived there were no pro-life folks to be found. Since I was just some dude in a hoodie, I was able to walk around at will. 

I spoke to a few journalists as I watched the crowd and some random homeless guy. And I watched the, we’ll call them their preferred term, pro-choice group. I listened to their speakers and the chants from the crowd. It was actually quite fascinating. 

Here’s a few of my observations on that part of the evening. 

The speakers all worked almost exclusively off of emotion. I get the group psychology thing. But this was different. This was whipping the crowd up into a frenzy. So there was no facts, no science and much of what was said about laws as they relate to abortion were outright lies. In fact, much of the rhetoric in general overflowed with outright lies. 

Then there were the signs…the verbiage of many I won’t quote here. 

But some were “Defend Roe by ANY MEANS NECESSARY”, “Abortion on Demand. No Exceptions”, “Abortion is Essential Healthcare” and my personal favorite “He who hath not a uterus, shut the f____ up.” I like that one because of the sheer lack of logic behind it. 

If that last one is true then folks that don’t own guns shouldn’t have an opinion about guns. Women shouldn’t have an opinion about men. Blacks cannot comment on whites. Whites cannot comment on blacks. Never played professional basketball? Then you can’t actually have an opinion on the game. I could go on but you get the point. 

So, after hanging for a while I heard the faint sound of chanting and drums (turns out they were buckets) coming from Market Street. It was the pro-life crowd. There were 20-30 of them. They marched and chanted their way to the steps of the monument and started to walk up in the direction of the pro-choice crowd with had to be 10 to 20 times larger. 

That’s when the pro-choice folks crossed a line. They got handsy. They pushed and grabbed at the pro-life group. One dude was around six feet tall and rather large. His face betrayed his actions as he looked terrified but, standing with his angry, shouting cohorts, was having his moment to shine. He was trying to intimidate small, college women. 

Now, before I go further, let me state that I completely committed to any groups constitutionally protected right to “…peaceably assemble.” I support this right without exception. I don’t care what your group stands for, the First Amendment protects this right. But it must be a peaceful assembly. 

I am not for looting, burning, vandalism, destruction or violence. Last night, there was at least violence…though a small amount. But last least it was just one side. Predictably one side. See, when you come with raw emotion and a leader whips you and the rest of the crowd up, violence is never far behind.

I left shortly after. I had seen enough. 

And why are all these protests and counter-protests happening around the country now? Because a draft opinion was leaked from the SCOTUS. It was leaked, I believe, for two main reasons. The first is what I witnessed last night. No better way to rile up the base. The second is to keep emotions high going into the midterm elections. Now, a new, sitting president is likely to lose one or both houses of Congress in the midterms. This president and this congress could lose big…and they know it. 

Oh, I guess there’s another thing too. Distraction. But, that’s a topic for another time. 

So now the nation and, for an evening, Monument Circle are all frantic. People are at eachothers throats and verbal and physical violence is on the rise yet again. But what’s really at stake here is our very humanity. 

I will never be pro-choice (pro-abortion if you prefer). There’s too much evidence that proves it is killing a baby and, to me, that is a bad thing. And there’s also a growing  body of evidence that shows the psychological and emotional damage experienced by men and women alike after an abortion. 

So I saw the protests. I see the quippy, often false posts on social media. I didn’t engage in the events last night and I try to stay out of the fruckus online. I truly try to stay in my lane. And that is of helping those that are hurting find hope, healing and restored relationship with God. 

I wonder what would happen if we all did that.