Praying and Pickting Near the Mississippi Abortion Mill - Day 2
A few weeks ago, I went to Jackson, Mississippi to pray near the last abortion mill in that state. Below is a description of my second and final day there, December 13, 2005...
God provided another beautiful day for our peaceful prayers and picketing in Jackson, MS. The temperature was in the mid sixties.
I was only on the sidewalk for a short time (about two hours). The situation began to deteriorate rapidly during those two hours.
Prolifers were on the corner near the restaurant handing out literature. Employees from the restaurant asked them to leave the public street corner. The restaurant staff did not think their customers would appreciate the literature. The prolifers were primarily providing literature to cars going by. As to the passersby, I'm not precisely sure how they were expected to distinguish restaurant customers from everyone else. The restaurant staff acted like it would be a "compromise" if the prolifers just gave in to their whims. (All of this is based on what I was told by the prolifers. I was across the street and could not hear the dialogue.)
A local prolifer was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. Sometimes he held a flag, sometimes he held a baby doll, and other times he held a graphic abortion sign. He frequently called out "Santa loves children," or "Jackson loves children," or "Don't kill the children, Jackson." The media sent a cameraman to interview him. He pointed out that the media refuses to show the graphic truth of abortion. A few of us stood near the camera with graphic signs. I doubt they made it to the news report (if they did, they were likely blurred).
I held a graphic sign on the sidewalk facing State Street along with two prolifers from the local area. I had at least one of the "comforts" of home. In my local area, the "escorts" and abortion mill employees frequently take pictures of peaceful witnesses for life. Despite claiming to be "pro-choice" they take our pictures without giving us a CHOICE. In Jackson, the restaurant staff took our pictures. They did this from both the ground and the roof. As pictures were taken, I tried to make sure my sign was clearly visible.
Along with the graphic sign, I held a second sign which had the words "Wake up people of God." My graphic sign said "Choice" and then displayed the graphic picture. A member of the Rosary Crusade told me to cover God's Name. Ordinarily, I would not do something like this. However, it produced a nice effect: "Wake up people of Choice" followed by a graphic picture.
A man walked by and told us he supports what we are doing.
The restaurant staff were not happy that we were holding graphic signs because their customers could see the signs through the windows. This was taking place at lunch time. We need to expose the truth of abortion to those driving by. One of the local prolifers pointed out that the abortion mill was here long before the restaurant. If the restaurant owners do not want graphic photos being displayed, they should petition the city to close the abortuary.
The restaurant staff yelled sarcastic remarks across the road to us such as "Yay, you've saved exactly zero babies!" I pointed out that the day is far from over.
Apparently, we were accused of holding "pornography" because we had graphic abortion pictures. The true explanation of pornography was given to those making accusations. In my opinion, if hard and soft core pornography ceased to exist, the number of abortions would greatly decrease.
Had the restaurant owners simply ignored all of us, they might have gotten a lot of business. They were in a convenient location and all of us needed to eat. We went to other restaurants instead. We could have gone to this one....if the staff had not acted in this manner.
The police were called by the restaurant staff. An employee of the abortuary also spoke to the police about our presence. According to what other prolifers told me (I could not hear it for myself so I cannot vouch for any of this), the police stood around trying to figure out ways to get rid of the people from out of town. This is second hand, but apparently they were mumbling about possibly saying our activity was "disturbing the peace." Interesting. There were no bullhorns or people shouting. Just people praying and quietly holding signs exposing the truth of abortion. The police allegedly wanted the literature distribution to stop and one allegedly suggested a garbage can would be a good place for the remaining literature.
One police officer allegedly told a prolifer that we were trying to start a ruckus so the media would come. The prolifer said he had no interest in the media coming because they only distort the truth.
A prolifer tried to tell a police officer about what happens at Tiller's child sacrifice mill in Wichita, KS (such as the baptism of dead babies, pictures taken of dead babies, etc.). The police officer allegedly laughed and refused to believe it. The prolifer suggested he look it up on the web.
Prolifers who were on the public street corner on the restaurant side were allegedly being asked by police to follow the permit. The permit evidently did not include the ability to distribute literature on that side, despite being a public street corner.
There was one definite save today and one that was classified as a "maybe." We must pray that the "maybe" became a definite save.
The Rosary Crusade processed along the sidewalk and prayed. The police suddenly wanted people off the sidewalk on State St. Then they said something about being twenty feet from the curb. The sidewalk on the side street is short. (Since the sidestreet is mostly residential, the exposure for signs is reduced when people cannot face State Street.) There is grass along the side street before State St. The police said that the Rosary Crusade could only pray on the limited sidewalk on the side street. Richard (leader of the Rosary Crusade) asked the police to talk to them and explain what they were allegedly doing wrong.
At this point, the group of people I was with left. I don't know if the police ever got around to explaining exactly what the Rosary Crusade was allegedly doing wrong by praying or why it was okay on Monday (12/12) but not Tuesday, etc.
As an addendum, Operation Rescue West filed a report at http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=311 which gives a first-hand account of the police's attempt at intimidating them. Thankfully, ORW staff knew the police were bluffing. ORW also came across a street preacher who was being denied his right to freedom of speech and the free practice of religion (both provided in the First Amendment). The city of Jackson allegedly refused to grant the street preacher a permit to preach the Word of God because it might be "noisy" and may "bother" people. Keith Mason of ORW referred the preacher to legal counsel and a lawsuit against Jackson is being considered.
Pro-aborts often claim that there is a "Constitutional right to abortion." There is NOTHING in the Constitution providing a right to sacrifice innocent children. The First Amendment, on the other hand, actually exists. Shame on the city of Jackson for allowing innocent children to be slaughtered while persecuting those exercising their Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and free practice of religion.
Of course, it should be noted that I am not a lawyer. One must make themselves aware of the law at all the many levels of government bureaucracy (federal, state, local, etc.) for prolife activities (as well as anything else) and one must follow these laws. Remember that secular laws often change and ignorance is not an excuse for disobeying the law. It may even be advisable to consult an attorney able to practice in the specific geographic area and who is knowledgable about prolife issues. Above all, prolife activities must always, ALWAYS be peaceful and must follow the Ten Commandments provided by God.
God provided another beautiful day for our peaceful prayers and picketing in Jackson, MS. The temperature was in the mid sixties.
I was only on the sidewalk for a short time (about two hours). The situation began to deteriorate rapidly during those two hours.
Prolifers were on the corner near the restaurant handing out literature. Employees from the restaurant asked them to leave the public street corner. The restaurant staff did not think their customers would appreciate the literature. The prolifers were primarily providing literature to cars going by. As to the passersby, I'm not precisely sure how they were expected to distinguish restaurant customers from everyone else. The restaurant staff acted like it would be a "compromise" if the prolifers just gave in to their whims. (All of this is based on what I was told by the prolifers. I was across the street and could not hear the dialogue.)
A local prolifer was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. Sometimes he held a flag, sometimes he held a baby doll, and other times he held a graphic abortion sign. He frequently called out "Santa loves children," or "Jackson loves children," or "Don't kill the children, Jackson." The media sent a cameraman to interview him. He pointed out that the media refuses to show the graphic truth of abortion. A few of us stood near the camera with graphic signs. I doubt they made it to the news report (if they did, they were likely blurred).
I held a graphic sign on the sidewalk facing State Street along with two prolifers from the local area. I had at least one of the "comforts" of home. In my local area, the "escorts" and abortion mill employees frequently take pictures of peaceful witnesses for life. Despite claiming to be "pro-choice" they take our pictures without giving us a CHOICE. In Jackson, the restaurant staff took our pictures. They did this from both the ground and the roof. As pictures were taken, I tried to make sure my sign was clearly visible.
Along with the graphic sign, I held a second sign which had the words "Wake up people of God." My graphic sign said "Choice" and then displayed the graphic picture. A member of the Rosary Crusade told me to cover God's Name. Ordinarily, I would not do something like this. However, it produced a nice effect: "Wake up people of Choice" followed by a graphic picture.
A man walked by and told us he supports what we are doing.
The restaurant staff were not happy that we were holding graphic signs because their customers could see the signs through the windows. This was taking place at lunch time. We need to expose the truth of abortion to those driving by. One of the local prolifers pointed out that the abortion mill was here long before the restaurant. If the restaurant owners do not want graphic photos being displayed, they should petition the city to close the abortuary.
The restaurant staff yelled sarcastic remarks across the road to us such as "Yay, you've saved exactly zero babies!" I pointed out that the day is far from over.
Apparently, we were accused of holding "pornography" because we had graphic abortion pictures. The true explanation of pornography was given to those making accusations. In my opinion, if hard and soft core pornography ceased to exist, the number of abortions would greatly decrease.
Had the restaurant owners simply ignored all of us, they might have gotten a lot of business. They were in a convenient location and all of us needed to eat. We went to other restaurants instead. We could have gone to this one....if the staff had not acted in this manner.
The police were called by the restaurant staff. An employee of the abortuary also spoke to the police about our presence. According to what other prolifers told me (I could not hear it for myself so I cannot vouch for any of this), the police stood around trying to figure out ways to get rid of the people from out of town. This is second hand, but apparently they were mumbling about possibly saying our activity was "disturbing the peace." Interesting. There were no bullhorns or people shouting. Just people praying and quietly holding signs exposing the truth of abortion. The police allegedly wanted the literature distribution to stop and one allegedly suggested a garbage can would be a good place for the remaining literature.
One police officer allegedly told a prolifer that we were trying to start a ruckus so the media would come. The prolifer said he had no interest in the media coming because they only distort the truth.
A prolifer tried to tell a police officer about what happens at Tiller's child sacrifice mill in Wichita, KS (such as the baptism of dead babies, pictures taken of dead babies, etc.). The police officer allegedly laughed and refused to believe it. The prolifer suggested he look it up on the web.
Prolifers who were on the public street corner on the restaurant side were allegedly being asked by police to follow the permit. The permit evidently did not include the ability to distribute literature on that side, despite being a public street corner.
There was one definite save today and one that was classified as a "maybe." We must pray that the "maybe" became a definite save.
The Rosary Crusade processed along the sidewalk and prayed. The police suddenly wanted people off the sidewalk on State St. Then they said something about being twenty feet from the curb. The sidewalk on the side street is short. (Since the sidestreet is mostly residential, the exposure for signs is reduced when people cannot face State Street.) There is grass along the side street before State St. The police said that the Rosary Crusade could only pray on the limited sidewalk on the side street. Richard (leader of the Rosary Crusade) asked the police to talk to them and explain what they were allegedly doing wrong.
At this point, the group of people I was with left. I don't know if the police ever got around to explaining exactly what the Rosary Crusade was allegedly doing wrong by praying or why it was okay on Monday (12/12) but not Tuesday, etc.
As an addendum, Operation Rescue West filed a report at http://www.operationrescue.org/?p=311 which gives a first-hand account of the police's attempt at intimidating them. Thankfully, ORW staff knew the police were bluffing. ORW also came across a street preacher who was being denied his right to freedom of speech and the free practice of religion (both provided in the First Amendment). The city of Jackson allegedly refused to grant the street preacher a permit to preach the Word of God because it might be "noisy" and may "bother" people. Keith Mason of ORW referred the preacher to legal counsel and a lawsuit against Jackson is being considered.
Pro-aborts often claim that there is a "Constitutional right to abortion." There is NOTHING in the Constitution providing a right to sacrifice innocent children. The First Amendment, on the other hand, actually exists. Shame on the city of Jackson for allowing innocent children to be slaughtered while persecuting those exercising their Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and free practice of religion.
Of course, it should be noted that I am not a lawyer. One must make themselves aware of the law at all the many levels of government bureaucracy (federal, state, local, etc.) for prolife activities (as well as anything else) and one must follow these laws. Remember that secular laws often change and ignorance is not an excuse for disobeying the law. It may even be advisable to consult an attorney able to practice in the specific geographic area and who is knowledgable about prolife issues. Above all, prolife activities must always, ALWAYS be peaceful and must follow the Ten Commandments provided by God.
posted by cw @ 6:12 PM
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