Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

March for Life Goes Virtual

This year’s annual March for Life in D.C. will be more creative than usual. Those who do not have the opportunity or resources to make it to the march in person will be able to participate by creating an “avatar” to virtually march on the Mall in their place.

According to Matthew Faraci, spokesperson for Americans United for Life, this is the first major march that lets people participate virtually. Avatars – inspired by James Cameron’s “Avatar,” in which human beings are equipped with alien representations of themselves in order to travel into a moon in outer space – can be created on the Virtual March for Life Web site. Faraci said the virtual aspect will help provide members of Congress with the statistics on the number and geographic locations of participants.

“For every person that gets to come, there are 50 that want to come but can’t, and we wanted to give them an opportunity to be just as involved,” Faraci said. “Right now there are 40,000 virtual marchers signed up, and it’s more than our expected involvement.”

Ellie Hook (COL ’12), president of GU Right to Life, said that she thinks it is important that Americans United for Life decided to incorporate a virtual aspect to the march, but she is afraid the move could cheapen the experience of those who attend in person.

“I think that in many ways it detracts from people who do make the effort to travel to the March for Life that others can just `virtually’ be there,” she said. “It looks like it has some benefits, such as raising more awareness, making people who cannot physically be there feel empowered and involved, too, and most importantly, it can be used as a tool to show senators the pro-life citizens in their districts who are opposed to tax-funded abortions and abortion in general.”

GU Right to Life will attend the march, according to Hook.

“I cannot wait to join the tens of thousands of pro-life citizens who want to let the government know that we . want Roe v. Wade to be reversed,” Hook said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of such a pivotal life event in our own city.”

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