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**Written by Doug Powers

Today is the 2013 March for Life in Washington, DC, and early word is that they may have had a record-setting turnout in spite of the 23 degree temperatures.

From CNS News:

The annual March for Life, to protest the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, occurs on Friday in the nation’s capital, and in preparing for the event numerous pro-life activists have commented on the legacy of Roe and the need to keep fighting for life and against abortion in America.

Since the Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion nationwide, there have been “nearly 50 million legal abortions,” according to the Guttmacher Institute, whose data cover 1973 through 2008. Using Guttmacher and numbers from the Centers for Disease Control, and estimating for 2009 and 2011, the National Right to Life Committee reports that there have been 54,559,615 abortions since Roe v. Wade.

Commenting on the 40-year legacy of Roe v. Wade, the Americans United for Life (AUL) group in a statement said, “As a result of Roe, the United States is one of the four nations with the most radical abortion policies in the world. The U.S. stands with North Korea, China and Canada in allowing abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy, for any reason (such as sex selection) and sometimes with government subsidies.”

There are related events that run through Saturday (schedule here). Twitchy has plenty of photos, coverage and links.

LifeNews.com has more about the massive turnout:

More than 500,000 people are attending today’s March for Life in a massive attendance that could be well higher than that estimate and set records for the annual pro-life event challenging the mantra of unlimited abortion.

Typically held on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions at any point in pregnancy for any reason, the march for Life typically sees anywhere from 250,000 to 500,000 people lining the streets towards the Supreme Court building.

The huge crowd is expected to exceed last year’s 400,000 participants as they mark the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that, along with an accompanying ruling in Doe v. Bolton, allowed abortion on demand in all 50 states.

The official theme of this year’s march is “40 = 55M,” an equation meant to remember the enormous toll on human life that has resulted in nearly 56 million people losing their lives.

Read the rest here.

Perspective: Picture a crowd of 500,000. That is only nine-tenths of one percent of the number of human beings that have been aborted since Roe v. Wade.

Whether the precise attendance is 300,000 or 600,000, brace for the mainstream press to estimate this crowd size to be around 125 people.

A sampling of support on Twitter:

I join all those marching for life from afar, and pray that political leaders will protect the unborn and promote a culture of life.

— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) January 25, 2013

More important than ever for us to encourage young people to join the #prolife cause. Message to @march_for_life: 1.usa.gov/14dGsue

— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) January 25, 2013

Just spoke moments ago at the March for Life Rally on the National Mall. I’ll continue to fight to defend those who can’t defend themselves.

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) January 25, 2013

I’m honored to speak at 12:30 today at the #MarchforLife in DC. Live stream via @cspan:ptrtvoic.es/WzERcK

— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) January 25, 2013

My thoughts today are with #MarchForLife. Stay strong, stay warm, and never give up the fight for the sanctity of every single life.

— Michele Bachmann (@MicheleBachmann) January 25, 2013

‘Pro life and pro gay’: Gay March for Life participants threaten liberal media narrative twitchy.com/2013/01/25/pro…

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) January 25, 2013

Hope to see many of u at the March for Life, Fri, noon in WashDC! I will be there! Go to marchforlife.org for details. @march_for_life

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) January 22, 2013

40th anniversary of Roe vs Wade to be marked Friday in Washington DC. More to attend than inauguration. marchforlife.org @march_for_life

— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) January 22, 2013

There are two pro-life protests today in Washington D.C. followed by a Candlelight Vigil at the SCOTUS bit.ly/UFeXma

— Steven Ertelt (@StevenErtelt) January 21, 2013

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe