The "pro-choice" censors are at it again

In response to a petition by abortion advocates led by Change.org, Apple has removed an app by the Manhattan Declaration from its store. The Manhattan Declaration is a conservative Christian coalition document. It expresses support for the right to life, but is not a single-issue declaration: it also touches on same-sex marriage (which they oppose), the history of Christianity, and religious freedom jurisprudence. In other words, it's not the sort of document that SecularProLife.org would produce.

It's their pro-life stance, though, that got them in trouble:

Change.org sponsored the petition, which, in part, had abortion activists telling Apple that “supporting efforts to restrict choice [abortion] is bad business.”

. . .

The app consists of a four part survey users can take that rates them on how closely their believes are aligned with the values expressed in the Manhattan Declaration. One question asks “Do you believe in protecting life from the moment of conception?” while another asks “Do you support the right of choice regarding abortion?”

Choice to kill your unborn child: Check.
Choice to purchase and download an iPhone app asking questions about abortion: No check.
I wish I could say that the hypocrisy was surprising, but we've highlighted pro-abortion censorship countless times.

Three additional comments:
1) The petition claims that the Manhattan Declaration app uses "hateful and divisive language." There is absolutely no basis for that claim, unless they take "hateful" to mean "statements we don't agree with."
2) The argument that supporting pro-life efforts is bad for business is a lie based on wishful thinking. In fact, more Americans consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice. Even among self-identified pro-choicers, only a fraction are far gone enough to support censorship.
3) This makes me very glad that I don't have an iPhone. Apple can count on me never buying one if it continues to capitulate to the demands of an extreme element of the pro-abortion movement.

Abortions during the holidays

I love this time of year! The Holidays are a time of looking back and being thankful for what we have and for the one dear to our hearts. This is also the time of year that can be hard for people who have lost someone close to them or are away from family. It's very difficult for women who have had abortions during this time to as well.

As I see women go into the clinics near the holidays especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, my heart goes out to them. How sad it must be to end a pregnancy during the time of year we celebrate life with those we love. I think of how these girls will feel many Christmases from now when the joyous times brings back the memories of their abortions. How they will feel when they see their children opening up gifts under the tree. Will they think about the one that didn't get a chance to have Christmas? I really feel sorry for these women who go through this every year and am thankful I get the chance to see many wonderful Christmases with my little one. Hopefully, there will be some women who's minds will change and there will be more babies in this world who will have a chance to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year!

Things we missed over Thanksgiving break

LifeNews.com highlights a 2008 Guttmacher Institute report, stating that 300 American abortionists are willing to kill babies older than 20 weeks LMP (18 weeks after fertilization). Though the Guttmacher Institute has a pro-abortion agenda and mixes a strong dose of propaganda into its reports, the raw data is often beneficial to the pro-life cause.
The baby in the above video is at least two weeks under the age limit for the abortionists in the report.

In Alaska, Planned Parenthood is suing to prevent a recently passed parental notification law from going into effect. Parental notification laws have already been found constitutional many times, but for abortion businesses, delay is victory. Just look at what's happening in Illinois!

We gave a lecture where?!

SecularProLife.org took a trip to Lynchburg, Virginia to share our message with the pro-life students of Liberty University! They were excellent hosts, and the audience appreciated hearing a perspective from outside the conservative Christian bubble.

Founder Kelsey Hazzard began the event with a discussion of changing demographics, pro-life strategy, youth activism, "religious extremists," and reaching out:

Heather, who guest blogs every other Monday, shared her personal testimony of facing an unplanned pregnancy, becoming pro-life, and getting involved in pro-life advocacy as an atheist:

Thanksgiving hiatus

Due to travel, final papers, and other responsibilities, I need to take a break from the blog. Regular posts will resume on Saturday, November 27.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Good news from Maryland

Operation Rescue reports that notorious abortionist Romeo Ferrer, who killed a mother during her abortion in 2006, has finally given up his medical license. He has also promised not to seek a license in any other state, which I suppose is nice, although I don't trust him.

On February 3, 2006, Denise Crowe walked into Ferrer’s Gynecare Center abortion clinic in Severna Park, Maryland, for a second trimester dilation and evacuation abortion in her 16th week of pregnancy under the mistaken impression that an abortion would solve her problems. Ferrer was accused of failing to properly administer anesthesia or monitor her during and after the abortion. Once Crowe suffered complications, Ferrer did not adequately properly administer resuscitation. Less than two hours after her abortion began, Crowe was pronounced dead.

Her death was kept secret for four years until the Maryland State Board of Physicians filed to initiate disciplinary action against him on April 7, 2010. That is when the pro-life community activated to insure that Ferrer was brought to justice. Operation Rescue worked with Maryland pro-life groups to draw attention to the dangers Ferrer’s abortion business posed the public and call for speedy discipline and criminal charges.

“We have every reason to believe that criminal charges could soon be filed against Ferrer for his part in Crowe’s death. We will keep working until that becomes a reality and Ferrer is behind bars where he belongs,” said Newman.

I do hope that Crowe's family gets justice, but after all these years, I'm not holding my breath. We may have to be content with him ceasing to be an immediate danger to women and unborn children.

On a completely unrelated note, there are two really interesting conversations going on about William Saletan's recent recommendations for pro-lifers and pro-choicers.

Abortion hoax; NY PP offers illegal abortion

Since the blog posts have been rather irregular this week (my apologies), you get two stories today!

1) The "vote on whether I have a 20-week abortion or give birth" website, which was all over the place yesterday, has now been declared a hoax. (We called it.) Naturally, abortion advocates are reacting rationa-- wait, just kidding, they think the perpetrators of the hoax should be shot.

2) At a recent hearing on the proposed New York City ordinance that would unnecessarily require pro-life pregnancy centers and clinics to post signs about what they do and don't do, policymakers heard a horrifying testimony about a mother's experience at Planned Parenthood:

The address 44 Court Street in Brooklyn is home to EMC, Planned Parenthood, and Dr. Emily’s Abortion Clinic. Twenty-eight weeks pregnant and happily so, but a little “financially strapped,” the young lady went to 44 Court Street looking for an organization that had assisted a friend of hers a few years earlier. She couldn’t remember the name of the organization, just the address. What she wanted was a car seat, since you’re not allowed to leave the hospital without one. Looking at the directory in the lobby, she saw Planned Parenthood and assumed that it must be the organization she was looking for. But when she went inside and explained her situation, she was told that they could not help her get a car seat, but that since she was financially strapped, she could sign documents indicating that she was under psychological stress and get a medical waiver for a late-term abortion. (Abortion is legal only up to the 24th week of pregnancy, even in New York, except to preserve the life or health of the mother).

This young lady was shocked and distressed by Planned Parenthood’s outside-the-box solution to her need for a car seat. She did not want an abortion; she wanted her baby — and a hospital-required car seat. She eventually found her way to EMC and received the help she actually needed and wanted.

Somebody needs to go undercover at this Planned Parenthood facility and see what other scenarios supposedly warrant a late-term abortion for "health."

Quick News Roundup: 11/18/10

Domestic News: In Louisiana, five abortion clinics have filed a joint lawsuit against the state based on recent changes in abortion law. Effective November 10th, abortion clinics will be required to perform ultrasounds on patients and provide copies of the image to their patients prior to performing an abortion. Following in the footsteps of major cities like Baltimore, the City Council of New York City is debating legislation which would require crisis pregnancies to post that they do not perform abortions. Both City Council Speaker Quinn and Mayor Bloomberg support the legislation. In North Dakota, the abortion doctor who has been performing abortions without a license appears to be going off scott free. Unlicensed doctor Lori Thorndike won't be prosecuted for her actions; it's a Class B felony in North Dakota to perform an abortion without a valid medical license.

International News: In Bangkok, Thailand, the bodies of 350 aborted babies were found in a temple. The bodies came from illegal abortions performed in Thailand. Lanjakorn Jantamanas was paid to collect the bodies from abortion clinics to bring them to the temple. Local authorities are investigating the matter further. Since the enactment of looser restrictions on abortions in Spain, pro-life groups have fought back in the public sector. This article from Daily News and Economic Report has more on the topic. In Melbourne, Australia, an abortion clinic was raided under suspicion that the anaesthetist may have infected numerous patients with Hepatitis C.

Discussion Topic: Now that the elections are over, what are your hopes for our newly elected officials regarding pro-life values? Are there any specific politicians you are particularly interested in or specific proposals they have mentioned regarding abortion / pro-life values?

Twice by 14

So, we didn’t save any lives last Saturday, but I hope we still did some good. We had one man come talk to us. He, his five year old daughter, and his mother had just brought his 14 year old niece to get an abortion. He had to take his little girl out of there pretty quickly; they really hate having kids inside. He told everyone else his niece’s (let’s call her T) story while I distracted the girl.

Apparently, this is T’s second abortion. The father of the first one was 43 years old, so she was raped. That one was done in Atlanta when she was 13, so she must have been more than 22 weeks along. The father of this one is either 16 or 17, and she’s only 9 weeks along. We don’t think she was raped this time. Her mother refused to come with her either time, and not because of any moral objection. Her father is not in her life at all.

Her uncle was obviously not going to go back in and talk to her, I think he was just trying to justify why he was there. We suggested that she get counseling or involved in some kind of mentoring program so that she could have some good role models. She obviously needs more support in her life and is probably still recovering from the trauma of the rape. He completely agreed with us about that and was going to find her some help.

I wish he would have let us do more. We gave him our phone numbers, but he’s not going to call. And I feel bad for his little daughter, who was completely bewildered (thank goodness) by everything that was going on.

Life Prizes Award Winners Announced

Six pro-life advocates have been honored with $100,000 prizes this year. They are:
Jeanne Head, who left her career as an obstetrics nurse to become an advocate for life at the United Nations
Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network, which fights euthanasia and works with the families of the severely disabled
Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee
Reverend Alveda King
Marie Smith of the Parliamentary Network for Critical Issues
And, last but certainly not least: Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life of America!

Although SecularProLife.org is not a student organization in the traditional sense-- we welcome members of all ages and are not connected to a particular campus-- most of us are on the younger side. Students for Life of America has always been incredibly supportive of us. I know that they will put the prize money to excellent use.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Divorcing Abortion from its Domestic Partner

Editor's Note: Today's post is written by SecularProLife.org member Nick Neal. Thanks, Nick! If you are interested in being a guest blogger, email info@secularprolife.org.

On November 2, 2010 pro-lifers (including me) were partying like it was 1994. After two years of an administration that overturned the Mexico City policy, passed a healthcare bill that will allow for abortion funding, and flirted with F.O.C.A., a pro-life majority in the House was a breath of fresh air. However, there was one election defeat for pro-lifers which wasn’t the fault of NOW, NARAL, Planned Parenthood or any other pro-abortion-choice group. It was the fault of none other than the Family Research Council.

In 2008, Rep. Joseph Cao was an anomaly in that he was one of the few pro-life Republicans to beat a Democrat in a traditionally Democratic district. On January 2011, he’ll be one of the few pro-life Republicans to lose his house seat. Why? The National Right to Life committee had endorsed him as a pro-life candidate, but the Family Research Council had railed against him because of his support for including sexual orientation in hate crimes legislation as well as overturning Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. This caused a pro-life seat in the house to once again be under the control of a pro-choice Democrat.

Because abortion is often lumped together with gay marriage as "moral issues," we tend to put the two on the same level of morality when really they are not. Gay marriage, no matter what you think about it, does not kill anyone. Abortion does. When the Family Research Council and other religious conservative groups constantly link the act of dismembering an innocent human being with two dudes getting married, that hurts the cause for unborn rights. It puts abortion in the category of sexual morality rather than as a violation of the natural right to live. I am not saying whether pro-lifers should or should not support same sex marriage. What I am saying is that we should no longer link the two issues if we want to do service to the unborn-- and we certainly should not consider gay marriage a more important issue than abortion, as the Family Research Council did.

SecularProLife.org does not take a position on LGBT issues, largely for the reasons Nick states above.

Pro-life unity

My apologies for not posting yesterday. SecularProLife.org has been very busy! On Thursday night, I joined Heather (our every-other-Monday secular sidewalk blogger) for a presentation at Liberty University. It was a resounding success! The pro-life students of Liberty were open to our ideas about reaching outside the conservative Christian bubble, and we had a respectful, engaging conversation. The presentation was recorded, and we will do our best to have the video ready for you soon.

On the topic of pro-life unity, I want to share a wonderful editorial from Students for Life of America president Kristan Hawkins. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I'm a bit biased, as I am myself a Wilberforce Fellow.)

Each summer, Students for Life of America opens its Missionary for Life and William Wilberforce Leadership Fellowship trainings with the same lecture: pro-life history. During the lecture, I speak about the successes and failures our movement has had since 1973. And I speak about the various disagreements that pro-life organizations have had about varying strategies and tactics. The lecture is not sugar coated.

By the end of the lecture, student leaders are shocked and upset by the disunity that has plagued our movement. I ask all of the students to raise their right hand and pledge to work together with other pro-life organizations as student leaders and, hopefully, national leaders one day.

. . .

[Our unity is] visible on college campuses where students from different backgrounds and religions work together to educate peers about abortion and help women facing unplanned pregnancies. They use materials from different organizations with varying messages to form a cohesive approach to reach as many students as they can.

. . .

We believe it is crucial that pro-life organizations not view one another as competition, but work together and not “re-invent the wheel.” For we are not in the business of vying for customers or national fame, but we are in the business of saving lives. It is critical that we keep our eye on our goal and work to end abortion.

We want to be the drama-free generation. We want to roll up our sleeves and get the job done. We want to end abortion in our lifetimes as a unified national pro-life movement.

We hope you will join us. Now, let’s get to work.

Quick News Roundup: 11/11/10

Domestic News: Planned Parenthood released some statistics recently in a fact sheet format. The facts? In 2008, Planned Parenthood performed 324,008 abortions and received $349.6 million in our tax dollars. The President of Planned Parenthood also received a salary of over $300k in that same time period. In 2009, Congressman Mike Pence tried to defund Planned Parenhood, but the bill has sat in committee since it was proposed. In Michigan, many Planned Parenthood locations were denied renewals on their leases. In Fargo, North Dakota, authorities are investigating whether or not unlicensed doctors were performing abortions at the state's sole abortion clinic. The doctor's license expired in June 2010 in North Dakota and the police are investigating whether or not this doctor performed abortions without a medical license.

International News: A 22 year old British woman was recently interviewed because she had 4 abortions in the past 3 years. One of these four abortions was a late-term abortion performed during the 22nd week of pregnancy. In Ireland and Italy, abortions are on the decline. From 2002 to 2009, the Irish abortion rate dropped by 29%. In 1982 at its peak, over 230,000 abortions were performed annually. In 2009, that number was halved. The Chinese island province of Hainan is trying to ban abortions after 14 weeks; after which point state permission will be required to obtain an abortion if the law passes.

Discussion Topic: I know it's not pro-life news related - but today is Veteran's Day. Please remember our nation's veterans and the service they have provided for our country. They are the reason we have the right to protest and speak our mind.

Graphic images save lives... from lung cancer

People happily acknowledge that graphic images can bring home the truth and save lives, as long as the context isn't abortion! The federal government has proposed requiring cigarette manufacturers to include graphic photographs of cancer-striken people and organs on their packaging. From the Washington Post:

The proposed warnings include one containing an image of man smoking with a hole in his throat from a tracheotomy; another depicts a body with a large scar running down the chest, and another shows a man who appears to be suffering a heart attack. Others have images of diseased lungs and stained teeth and mothers blowing smoke into a baby's face.

The parallels to pro-life images are hard to miss. Many children's lives have been saved by images of the results of abortion. Smoking, like abortion, is a legal choice that the government seeks to dissuade in order to save lives. And, just as abortion businesses fight informed consent laws, cigarette manufacturer R.J. Reynolds is planning a lawsuit to protect its bottom line:

Meanwhile, Reynolds American Inc., parent company of the nation's second-largest cigarette maker, R.J. Reynolds, is reviewing the labeling plan. But spokesman David Howard said the legality of the new labels is part of the lawsuit filed by the company, Lorillard Inc. and others pending in federal appeals court.

The tobacco makers in the suit had argued the warnings would relegate the companies' brands to the bottom half of the cigarette packaging, making it "difficult, if not impossible, to see."

Ironically, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who is extremely pro-abortion, supports the new cigarette labeling plan. Let's hope that this initiative not only prevents smoking-related deaths, but also sets a favorable pro-life precedent.

News from Kansas and North Dakota

The Planned Parenthood in Lawrence, Kansas, which mainly targeted the unborn children of University of Kansas students, has closed. Only three abortion businesses remain in the state. One of these is the Overland Park center, which is charged with 107 criminal violations and has dragged out the case for years.

In North Dakota, state officials are investigating allegations that abortionist Tammi Kromenaker did abortions without a medical license. She is not based in North Dakota, but makes regular trips to the state for the purpose of commiting abortions. Although it's undisputed that her license did expire, it's not yet clear whether or not she made any abortion trips to North Dakota after her license expired.

Keep it up!

With the colder weather here, getting out to the abortion clinics can be challenging. I know when I have to get up at 6 am, get my son and I ready to go and sit bundled up in the cold for 3 1/2 hours, it's so much easier to roll over in bed and keep dreaming. But- babies are still being killed and maybe my presence there could save at least one child! I also think of those mothers having to get up early to go to their appointments, face the frigid wind and then face the heartache of having an abortion. So knowing that they will always show up every Saturday and Wednesday, pushes me to go even when I am tired.

Now are there days when I can't go-yes- doctors appointments, not feeling well, work and other things in life that come up. So I want to say to all those who are sidewalk counselors, keep up the good work because most people don't have the heart to do what you do at the abortion clinics. I know when I started going, I thought it was hard to go every week and I had to stop my self from feeling guilty if I had to do something else instead of going to the clinic that day. So if you have a busy life and try to squeeze your pro-life work in with your schedule, I feel you.

I just want to encourage all the great people who wake up early and go the clinics to keep it up and Thank You for doing so. It's not easy but the reward of saving a life makes it all worth it!

Scatterbrained Sunday: Your Picks for the Life Prizes

The Life Prizes are $100,000 awards given to six pro-life individuals or organizations. First awarded in 2008, they skipped a year for some reason, but will be awarded again in 2010. The 2008 winners were announced on November 18, 2008, so I expect that the names of the 2010 winners will be released shortly. Who do you think will receive this year's Life Prizes? Share your predictions in the comments section to secure bragging rights if you guess correctly. I'm also interested in hearing who you think should win, even if you don't think they'll get the prize this year.

The 2008 winners were the American Association of Pro-Life Ob/Gyns, Richard Doerflinger, Peggy Hartshorn, Jill Stanek, Lila Rose, and Kay Coles James.

Bridging Cultural and Religious Divides

I always love the chance to share uplifting stories! Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, one of the most successful state-level pro-life groups in the country, is sending representatives to meet with pro-life leaders in Africa. Even cooler? Some of said leaders are Muslim.

Executive Director Scott Fischbach will speak at meetings in four East African nations, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zanzibar, beginning Sunday.

“This is a dream come true to actually meet, speak to and share directly with the pro-life contacts that MCCL GO has been working with via the Internet, phone and fax over the last 18 months,” Fischbach told LifeNews.com. “To finally be able to work hand-in-hand with those who fight to defend the unborn and their moms in Africa is a true honor.”

The initial schedule includes pro-life addresses at an East African regional conference held at the Mbagala Spiritual Center in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Meetings in Stone Town, Zanzibar, will be held with various Islamic leaders not only from Zanzibar, but also from Pemba. Several high-level meetings will take place in Kampala, Uganda; this is also where MCCL GO has been asked to speak with students at two major Ugandan universities.

American-Muslim relations currently leave a lot to be desired. According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, more than a quarter of Americans (see page 4) report "at least some prejudice" against Muslims. And that's just those who will admit it.

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life is in a good position to have productive conversations with Muslims, because as far as I can tell they are religiously neutral and single-issue. While I am not Muslim and do not agree with all that Islam stands for, I welcome Muslim participation in the pro-life movement and hope that this conference will empower Africans of all faiths to stand up for their pro-life values.

Paging Dr. Sex Offender

Although abortion advocates desperately want abortion to be considered a legitimate medical practice, they have also led the fight to deregulate abortion businesses in the name of access. That's led to situations which make a mockery of the claim that abortion is health care. For instance, I would never in a million years expect that a sex offender would be allowed to be my gynecologist. But when an abortionist is a sex offender? Honestly, I'm not all that surprised.

A recent investigation focused on employees of Stephen Brigham. Since his own medical license has been revoked in several states, he now hires others to do abortions for him at the innocently named "American Women's Services" abortion centers. Those others include sex offender Vikram Kaji:

Abortion practitioner Vikram Hiralal Kaji continues to work for Brigham at his Voorhees and Woodbridge, New Jersey, abortion centers and he has no hospital privileges.

Kaji was convicted by the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners in 1993 for having improper sexual contact with three patients.

After a lengthy relationship that involved improper sexual conduct, Kaji reportedly had sex without a condom with one young girl in the birthing center of his office during business hours, [Operation Rescue] said. He knew his victim was vulnerable to his advances because she had been a depressed victim of child sex abuse with a history of psychiatric hospitalization. He later misprescribed drugs for her including Seconal and steroids. Kaji at first fought the charges, saying the sex was consensual, but later admitted that he had made an error in moral judgment.

Other abortionists in Brigham's mills have a history of drug violations, billing fraud, income tax fraud, and other problems. While I agree that these are all serious, Kaji is the most disturbing by far. By fighting regulation of abortionists, so-called "feminists" are responsible for putting abortion clients at risk of rape and sexual assault. As usual, it falls on pro-life groups to protect women; we are calling on state authorities to shut down American Women's Services for good. These "clinics" are located in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Quick News Roundup: 11/04/10

It's my first news roundup after this past election day. It led to a fairly big sweep by Republicans in the House of Representatives and many individual State Houses. That said - let's move on to the news

Domestic News: Pro-Life local candidates won pretty big on Tuesday according to LifeNews. 20 State Legislatures are now controlled by a pro-life / Republican majority including in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Alabama, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In Colorado, the Personhood Amendment to their state constitution, which would have Constitutionally defined when life began, lost at the polls 70% against to 30% for. An editorial over at Politics Daily discusses the impact of the fact that half of the pro-life Democrats in Congress lost reelection to Republicans and the impact this may have on the Democratic caucus. Very interesting read.

International News: On Monday in Canada, Parliament began debate on legislation that would prohibit coerced abortions. "Roxanne’s Law," as it's called, would make it a criminal offense to coerce a woman to get an abortion. Speaking of Canada, in New Brunswick there have been calls to probe / investigate their laws on abortion. The provincial Department of Health's policies require a referral from a family doctor and for the procedure to be performed at a hospital for them to pay for the abortion. This is what led to the complaint from abortion doctors who feel that too many people are rejected the payment for abortions. The Daily Mail has an editorial discussing abortion in the United Kingdom, how often its abused, and how a stronger pro-life movement akin to the one in the US could theoretically develop.

Discussion Topic: Now that the election is over, how do you feel about the prospects of pro-life legislation / the pro-life movement as a whole?

Now what?

Everyone else has covered the election results more than adequately. I really don't want to blog about it, but there are no other stories in the pro-life press. So instead, allow me to share this cute-yet-depressing cartoon by Clay Bennett of the Chatanooga Times Free Press.

What else would I be writing about on November 2nd?

There's really only one story today: the election! If you're eligible to vote and haven't voted yet, today is your last chance. The National Right to Life Committee will provide updates throughout the evening as results come in.

FiveThirtyEight predicts that Republicans will make considerable gains in state offices and both houses of Congress, but that they will fail to win a Senate majority. (LifeNews predicts a 50-50 tie in the Senate.) Although pro-lifers hope that GOP gains will translate into solid pro-life legislation, we must bear in mind that there are some pro-abortion Republicans in the mix, like California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. There are also some pro-life Democrats to watch-- and while their numbers are likely to decline in this round, I'm not prepared to join those who are proclaiming that the Democratic pro-life movement is dead.

Grandfathers

So, two weeks ago I posted about a young mother who was being coerced into an abortion by a friend of her mother. I have good news. About 15 minutes after the police left, so did the girl, her mother, and the mother’s friend! They didn’t come talk to us, but there’s always a chance that we managed to save a life.

This weekend, a grandfather came to talk to us. His 17 year old granddaughter was at least 12 weeks pregnant. When her parents found out she was pregnant, they kicked her out of the house. Her boyfriend’s parents kicked him out of the house, too. The kicker being that her mother had her “out of wedlock.” The girl’s grandfather took her in. He was more than willing to support both her and the baby. But she went to court and got a waiver to have the abortion without her parent’s consent. I felt awful for him. You could see how much being there was tearing at him. He had driven her up from Mobile because she was too far along for them to take. He brought her up because he was afraid of further alienating her. He only talked to us briefly and he never did bring her out to speak to us.

Sidewalk counseling is fairly tedious. It’s a lot of standing around interrupted by brief periods of activity. Something that can almost be fun is to stand by the street with a “Honk if You’re Pro-Life” sign. If you tally up the positive and negative responses, you can get a weekly gauge of your community support. Plus, we’ve had people stop by with donations, which is always exciting.