JD Vance Draws Attention at March for Life After Referencing Ancient Civilizations in Abortion Debate

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance’s speech at the annual March for Life demonstration in Washington was notable for its strong pro-life stance and strange historical references. Vance surprised attendees by talking about ancient history instead of abortion policy and legal advancements.

The vice president praised the Supreme Court’s 2022 Roe v. Wade reversal and the Trump administration’s abortion record for most of his remarks. He said that society have always had to decide how they value human life, making the abortion debate a moral issue. Vance believes this issue goes beyond laws and elections to the moral foundation of civilization.

Vance revealed a long-held archaeology article. He recounted how old pagan brothels were linked to enormous quantities of newborn remains nearby. He said many of the remains were boys, suggesting that communities rejected them. These comments switched from policy to history, making them one of the rally’s most talked-about moments.

Vance added that ancient pagan societies abandoned children. He cited skeleton remains near brothels and Mayan child sacrifice practices. He saw these activities as the “barbarism” of communities that saw children as burdens rather than blessings.

The vice president linked these historical statements to existing issues by saying that culture risks returning to ideals that supported such atrocities. He said people now find these stories disturbing because they were nurtured in a Christian society that changed how societies value children and human life.

Vance had made similar claims before. He also claimed at a Turning Point USA event in October that early North American societies practiced child sacrifice and that Christian civilization ended it. Archaeology reveals a more nuanced picture. Child sacrifice was known in pre-Hispanic Mexico and other South American societies, but scientists have discovered scant evidence that Indigenous tribes in North America practiced it.

Vance’s statements regarding ancient brothels may refer to a 1912 British archeological discovery. How and why the infants died has long been questioned by scholars who have examined the 1,800-year-old remains. The vice president supported his moral argument with the example notwithstanding this uncertainty.

In his conclusion, Vance stressed that the abortion argument is political and civilizational. He presented the alternative as staying “a civilization under God” or reverting to pagan ideals. Supporters were impressed by his comments, but they also raised questions about the authenticity and appropriateness of referencing ancient history in policy talks.

Sources

• Office of the Vice President of the United States
• Supreme Court of the United States
• March for Life (official event statements and public remarks)