Spring 2013 - Pro-Life Action League

NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 5928
Chicago, IL
Spring 2013
Pro-Life Action League 6160 N. Cicero Ave. Ste. 600 Chicago, IL 60646
Vol. 32, No. 1
League Protests New Kansas
Abortionist at Office in Illinois
Action in Oak Park could lead to closure of Wichita Abortuary
by Eric Scheidler
On April 1, I received a top secret email from
Troy Newman, the head of Operation Rescue,
based in Wichita, Kansas. Troy had just discovered
the identity of an abortionist recruited to open up
the abortion center formerly run by the notorious
George Tiller.
Tiller’s late-term abortion clinic in Wichita closed
down after he was shot and killed in 2009, and
since then abortion advocates have been desperate
to reopen it—which meant finding a doctor to sign
on as “registered agent,” a sort of official owner required under Kansas law. Unable to convince any
doctor in Kansas to do this, they began searching
outside of the state.
They finally recruited an out-of-state doctor willing to sign on with the new abortion clinic, which
would be called South Wind Women’s Center. But
when South Wind filed their official papers, Operation Rescue was able to acquire them through the
Freedom of Information Act and discover this doctor’s identity. And that’s when Troy emailed me.
The doctor’s name was Cheryl Chastine, and it
turned out she practices family medicine in Oak
Park, a Chicago suburb not far from Pro-Life Action League’s headquarters. Not only would she
be serving as registered agent for South Wind, but
she would be flying in from Chicago regularly to
In
This
Issue:
Enormous Crowd for March for Life . . . . . . . .
League Fights Planned Parenthood
in All Weathers and on Every Front . . . . . . . . .
New Techniques for Saving Lives Revealed
at Chicago Sidewalk Counseling Seminar . . . .
A Picture Is Worth 10,000 Words . . . . . . . . . .
2
3
4
4
Generations for Life News
TeenSpeak 2013 Draws
Largest Crowd Ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
GFL’s 2013 Talks Blessed
by Repeat Invitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Joe & Ann Scheidler Spend a Weekend
of Pro-life Activities in Naples, Florida . . . . . . 6
Powerful Speakers Deliver
at SpeakOut Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
May They Rest in Peace: Mike Schwartz,
Eric Bower & Tom Bresler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
League Warmly Welcomes New
Pro-Life Pope Francis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
“Blessed Are They Who Mourn” . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Pro-Life Battle in Aurora
Heats Up on Good Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
League’s Good Friday Way
of the Cross Goes National . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Photo by Matt Yonke
James Voissem alerts passersby in Oak Park, IL that an abortionist is now
working at a family practice office in their community, April 17
perform abortions there. And significantly, Troy
had learned that Chastine didn’t want anyone back
home in Oak Park to know about her Wichita
abortion work—not even her co-workers.
League Jumps into Action
Reading Troy’s email, I recognized a unique opportunity for the Pro-Life Action League to strike a
blow at the abortion industry. If we could put pressure on Chastine to drop out of the South Wind
abortion center, they’d have no choice but to close
their doors, because you can’t operate a medical office in Kansas without a doctor on the papers.
Not only would this mean saving the lives of
countless unborn babies in Kansas, but it would
be deeply demoralizing for the entire pro-abortion
movement. The site of George Tiller’s old abortion
center has become a kind of symbol for them—
that’s why they were so desperate to reopen it.
My staff and I leapt into action and organized a
protest outside the Oak Park family medical practice at which Chastine had recently begun working, a place called Total Wellness. We also designed
large yellow signs in the shape of an arrow that
read ABORTIONIST, and had them printed. We
knew the impact these signs, along with graphic
abortion signs, would have on the staff and clients
at Total Wellness.
I scheduled the protest for April 17, because it
was essential to act quickly. Our information was
that Chastine had only been doing abortions for a
few short weeks. We know from undercover operations within the abortion industry that it takes
doing at least 1,000 abortions for the practice to
become routine. So we had to reach Chastine while
her conscience was still raw.
First Chastine Protest Hits Home
The April 17 protest was a great success. Despite
the short notice and the forecasted rain, dozens of
pro-life activists came out, including famed pro-life
Continued on page 2
League Helps Scuttle New Fairfax Abortion Mega-Center
by Matt Yonke
numbered under the terms of
the lawsuit.
In March, I received a call
Further investigation by lofrom John Murray, the coordical pro-lifers confirmed that
nator of the 40 Days for Life
not only was NOVA moving,
campaign in Fairfax, Virginia.
it was moving to a monstrous
John had heard rumors that
20,000 square foot space being
the abortion clinic where his
renovated for their use in the
group had been holding their
heart of the city’s downtown
40 Days vigils, NOVA Womarea. The Fairfax pro-life activen’s Health, was closing, but
ists believe NOVA intends to
that it might be re-opening in
capitalize on the likely closing
another location. When John
of many Virginia abortion faciltold the 40 Days for Life naities in the wake of tough new
Photo by Ruby Nicdao
tional leadership about what he
Pro-life activists in Fairfax, Virginia, warn their commu- safety regulations in the state,
knew, they advised him to con- nity about the massive new abortuary that may be coming scooping up their business with
tact the Pro-Life Action League
a new abortion center that confor help.
forms to the new rules.
John learned that NOVA had lost their original
Independent “Mega-Mill” Comes to Fairfax
location after the owner of the building successfulI was shocked by this news. Never before had I
ly sued to have the abortionist evicted for being a
heard
an independent abortionist essentially taknuisance—such as women bleeding and vomiting
ing on Planned Parenthood’s “Mega-Mill” strategy,
in the hallways. When John called the League,
NOVA had not moved out yet, but their days were
Continued on page 3
2
Pro-Life Action News
Spring 2013
League Protests New Kansas Abortionist at Office in Illinois
Continued from page 1
blogger Jill Stanek and Archdiocese of Chicago Respect Life Director Margie Breen, as well as an unusually high number of people attending their first
pro-life protest ever. The Chicago pro-life community was really fired up by this exciting opportunity
to show that Chicago is truly “Ground Zero” for
pro-life activism!
League volunteers passed out hundreds of flyers
which exposed Chastine’s secret abortion work and
urged her patients to find a doctor who doesn’t
kill babies. Every person entering or leaving the
doctor’s office got one. The staff at Total Wellness
were visibly shaken by our presence. We spelled out
clearly how high the costs would be for Chastine to
stay in the abortion industry.
Outside of the impact right there on the street
outside Total Wellness, this protest yielded two immediate results. The first was a tip from an anonymous caller that very day that Dr. Chastine would
be moving soon to an office right in fashionable
downtown Oak Park—a tip that my staff was soon
able to verify and take advantage of.
Abortion Advocates Distraught
The second result came in the form of an email
intercepted from Eleanor Smeal, head of the Feminist Majority Foundation who has been at war the
Pro-Life Action League for years. Smeal was head of
the National Organization for Women when they
first filed suit against my father in the epic NOW
v. Scheidler lawsuit. Later, she founded the Feminist
Majority Foundation.
Shortly after the April 17 protest, Smeal sent out
an email to all her supporters decrying the “harassment” of Dr. Chastine at her Illinois practice
and the “threat” it posed to her “courageous” abortion work in Kansas. Smeal’s frantic email made
my day. Not only did it confirm that the League
protest had really hit home with Chastine, but it
revealed that the entire pro-abortion lobby is horrified to see these protests continue.
They know it isn’t just about one abortion doctor. The abortion industry is already finding it extremely difficult to recruit new abortionists. They
know that their entire future is at stake if young
doctors recognize the high price they’ll have to pay
for getting involved in abortion.
The enthusiasm of our pro-life volunteers coupled with the horror being expressed by the likes of
Eleanor Smeal made clear that another protest at
Total Wellness was in order.
League Campaign Expands
Meanwhile, my staff began to research the new
location for Chastine’s office that we’d gotten from
that anonymous tipster. After verifying that Chastine was indeed moving there, I wrote a letter to the
owner of the building, alerting her to Chastine’s
abortion work and the protests it would bring, and
urging her to back out of renting space to Chastine.
Photo by Matt Yonke
League’s second protest at abortionist Chastine’s Oak Park office, May 22
I sent this letter via certified mail to two mailing addresses I found for the building owner. One
letter was returned marked “refused.” Presumably
she read the other one, but I did not hear from her.
So my staff began identifying all the other businesses in the building and the surrounding block.
I wrote to each of them, calling on them to try to
stop Chastine from moving in there—if not because
they care about unborn babies, then because they
don’t want their business disrupted by the protests
coming if Chastine moves in.
Another avenue of protest opened up when I
learned that Troy Newman had identified a second
doctor linked to the South Wind abortion clinic:
Arizona abortionist Valencia Stephens. Like Chastine, Stephens would be flying in from her home
state to do abortions in Wichita. I’m now working
with my Arizona pro-life contacts to arrange similar protests there.
Second Protest Earns Media Coverage
The League’s second protest at Chastine’s family practice office took place on May 22, and turnout was even better than for the first protest, with
even more pro-lifers coming out for their very first
public protest. Once again, steady rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of the pro-lifers lining
the sidewalks in front of Chastine’s Total Wellness
office with their signs. One Dominican University
student brought a sign of her own with the clever
slogan, “Total Wellness for the Unborn.”
The protest went very smoothly, with Oak Park
police officers being generally cooperative, as they
had been the month before. However, one officer’s
behavior was perplexing: he walked up and down
the block, taking pictures of each protestor with his
cell phone. When questioned, he brusquely replied
that he had orders to take everyone’s picture.
The May 22 protest was covered by the Chicago
Tribune, and significantly, Chastine refused to be
interviewed for the article—another sign that her
commitment to being an abortionist is flagging.
Dynamic League Action to Continue
With Cheryl Chastine still showing signs that
she’s a reluctant abortionist, the League’s campaign
to get her to drop her affiliation with South Wind
Women’s Center in Wichita will continue. Another
protest at her Oak Park office is planned for June
26, and future protests may be held at the starter
home she just purchased with her new husband,
once we can verify the address.
Maybe Dr. Chastine—who has only been licensed
to practice medicine for two short years—got involved with South Wind abortion clinic with starry-eyed idealism about “helping women.” But now
she’s learning what the real costs are of working in
the abortion industry, and we have a real shot at
getting her to quit.
Moreover, this dynamic campaign—including
office protests, media exposure, written appeals to
nearby business owners and possible “copycat” protests of Chastine’s South Wind colleague in Arizona—is sending a clear message to other would-be
abortionists to stay out of the business.
Not only might this action force the closure of one
of America’s most notorious abortion mills, it is already significantly frustrating the abortion industry,
which is finding it harder every year to find doctors
willing to use their medical training to kill babies.
Enormous Crowd for 40th Annual March for Life
by John Jansen
Among those who attended the 40th March for
Life in Washington, DC on January 25, one of the
most commonly heard reactions was that it felt like
the biggest one yet—and it probably was. Crowd
estimates of the March for Life have numbered
between 300,000 and 400,000 over the past few
years, but this year estimates topped 500,000!
Among them were a dozen Pro-Life Action
League staff and volunteers, marching under the
massive Stand Up for Religious Freedom banner
that was displayed during the League’s June and
October religious freedom rallies in Chicago, held
in opposition to the Obama Administration’s HHS
Mandate. Several of the “Rally Captains” from the
other rallies the League organized across the country joined the League group. Also marching with
the League was executive director Eric Scheidler’s
son Nate, who had designed the PVC frame used
to carry the big banner, along with fellow pro-life
students from the University of Illinois.
Despite some snow and colder weather than
usual, the enthusiasm of the pro-life crowd at the
March was higher than ever.
Photo by Eric Scheidler
The League’s religious freedom banner at the March for Life, Jan. 25
League Represented at March Events
In addition to the March itself, the Pro-Life Action League was well represented at numerous other
March-related events. On the day before the March,
Eric Scheidler served as the emcee for the standing-room only March for Life Youth Rally at the Hyatt Hotel, featuring such speakers as Lila Rose, Abby
Johnson, Bryan Kemper, and Fr. Frank Pavone.
In his own remarks, Eric encouraged the teens
and young adults to do two things when they re-
turn home from the March: (1) find the abortion
clinic closest to where they live; and (2) find local pro-lifers who are already active in prayer and
sidewalk counseling outside this abortion clinic,
and work with them. Each of the 800 attendees
were also given a copy of the League’s Sharing the
Pro-Life Message handbook, which Eric encouraged
them to keep on hand at all times.
While Eric was emceeing the Youth Rally, League
co-founders Joe and Ann Scheidler were attending a
Mass celebrated by Boston’s Sean Cardinal O’Malley at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land.
On the morning of the March, Joe spoke to a
packed youth rally at the Grand Hyatt Hotel,
which was followed by a Mass offered by Chicago’s
Francis Cardinal George. At the same time, I represented the League at a Tridentine Mass offered at
St. Mary Mother of God Church in honor of March
for Life foundress Nellie Gray, who died last year.
After marching, praying, and sharing fellowship
together with other pro-lifers, we returned home
energized and eager to redouble our efforts in the
fight against abortion.
Spring 2013
Pro-Life Action News
League Fights Planned Parenthood
in All Weathers and on Every Front
by John Jansen
As the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned
Parenthood has always been high atop the list of
Pro-Life Action League opponents. Over the past
several months, this multi-pronged fight has been
waged on the ground, online, and in the halls of
government.
tion signs. As he walked by, Eric called out, “David
Axelrod—I thought Democrats were for the little guy. What about the little guy in the womb?”
Axelrod just rolled his eyes and walked in.
Despite the extreme cold, activists’ spirits were
high, and the protest ran longer than originally
planned as guests continued to arrive late. Nobody
wanted to end the protest until every guest had
seen the reality of abortion.
League Confronts New PP Propaganda
On January 9, Planned Parenthood held an adLeague Exposes “Abortion Incorporated”
vance press briefing with a handful of carefully seFast forward to May 2 and another swanky
lected pro-abortion journalists and bloggers about
Planned Parenthood fundraiser, this one at Navy
a novel strategy for talking about abortion. It was
Pier in downtown Chicago. Once again we found
left to the League’s Matt Yonke—who monitors
ourselves facing less than ideal weather conditions:
pro-abortion websites—to break the story in the
driving wind gusts of up to 35 m.p.h. But the
pro-life community the next day.
League’s volunteers came through, with over 30
After polling Americans about how they feel
turning out to protest Planned Parenthood’s “Genabout abortion and the terms “pro-life” and “prochoice,” Planned Parenthood realized they had a erations Gala.”
Among them was a group from Springfield Right
problem. Contrary to Planned Parenthood’s ideto Life that made the threeology of abortion without limhour drive to Chicago from
its, most Americans believe
Illinois’ capital city. Two other
abortion should be restricted
pro-lifers—one from Michigan,
at least to some extent—but
one from Connecticut—hap“choice” has come to be seen as
pened to be visiting Chicago
an absolutist position.
and decided to join our protest.
So Planned Parenthood is reAlong with graphic abortion
treating from the decades-old
signs,
we also displayed handlanguage of “choice” in favor
held signs reading “Planned
of language that emphasizes
Parenthood lies to you” and
the “difficulty” of the abortion
“Ahead: President of Abortion
decision and fosters the kind of
Inc,” the latter a reference to
moral ambiguity that Planned
Planned Parenthood CEO CeParenthood can hide behind.
cile Richards, who was attendAs Matt reported, Planned
ing the event. Other guests
Parenthood CEO Cecile Richincluded Sandra Fluke, the
ards was on hand for the JanuGeorgetown Law School stuary 9 briefing, as was executive
Photo by Matt Yonke dent famous for demanding
vice president Dawn Laguens, League protests Planned Parenthood January 23 gala with
who went so far as to say that Obama advisor David Axelrod at Carnivale restautrant that her contraceptives be paid
for by that Catholic institution,
the word “choice” is no longer
longtime League legal adversary Fay Clayton, and
relevant to the abortion debate! The word spoke to
Illinois’ stridently pro-abortion Attorney General,
women who in earlier times had fewer choices, she
Lisa Madigan.
said, but fails to inspire today’s young women, who
feel they have all the choices in the world.
League Files Complaint Over Abortion Death
This shift in strategy confirms what we’ve always
In addition to fighting Planned Parenthood on
known: that the word “choice” was never more
the ground and online, the League is also battling
than pro-abortion propaganda—a rhetorical trick
Planned Parenthood through the law. On Februfor keeping the moral question about abortion
ary 8, the Thomas More Society filed a formal adfrom being raised. But, as Matt declared in his stoministrative complaint on the League’s behalf with
ry on the League’s website, our response remains
the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation
the same: to keep the focus unambiguously on the
(IDPR), urging an investigation into the death of
evil of abortion. In the end, that’s what cut through
24-year old Tonya Reaves after she had an aborthe “choice” propaganda, and that’s what will contion at Planned Parenthood’s Loop Health Center
tinue to cut through to the truth.
in Chicago on July 20, 2012.
League Crashes Roe Anniversary Gala
Reaves underwent a dilation and evacuation abortion at 11:00 a.m. that day. Following the abortion,
True to form, two weeks later the League proshe experienced complications, but it wasn’t until
tested Planned Parenthood’s gala fundraiser held
the day after the 40th anniversary of the Supreme 4:30 p.m.—five and a half hours later—that she
was brought to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Despite temperatures
During this time, Planned Parenthood never called
in the teens, three dozen stalwart activists took
911 to get help for her. Moreover, no city ambuto the streets outside Chicago’s swanky Carnivale
lance was summoned, and it remains unclear how
restaurant to remind Planned Parenthood’s wellshe was transported to the hospital.
heeled donors that abortion is nothing to celebrate.
Seven hours later, Reaves was dead. The League’s
Chicago Police initially tried to restrict our protest
complaint makes clear that Planned Parenthood’s
to the opposite side of the street from the restaunegligence amounts to a flagrant case of utterly unrant, but League Executive Director Eric Scheidler
professional “patient abandonment.” However, the
asserted our First Amendment rights by positionIDPR has yet to respond to this formal complaint.
ing signholders directly in front of the restaurant,
The challenges of confronting a foe like Planned
where we had a legitimate right to be. After that,
Parenthood are considerable, from their allies in
the demonstration went uninterrupted.
government and the media, to their massive war
Although VIPs usually enter this type of event
through a back door, guest of honor and former chest. But through diligence and faithfulness, the
Obama advisor David Axelrod had to make his
Pro-Life Action League continues to fight “Aborway inside through our gauntlet of graphic abortion, Incorporated” with everything we’ve got.
3
League Helps Scuttle New
Fairfax Abortion Mega-Center
Continued from page 1
opening a huge, centrally located abortion facility
large enough to handle the business of a multi-city
area. Fortunately, we at the Pro-Life Action League
have a great deal of experience dealing with such
a regional abortion facility, thanks to our ongoing
battle with the first Planned Parenthood mega-center that opened in Aurora, Illinois in 2007.
I told John about what happened in Aurora and
the tools we used to fight Planned Parenthood—
like a yard sign campaign, alerting the local media
and community, rallying local clergy to speak out
against the proposed abortuary and involvement
in local government. Then I arranged a conference
call with League Executive Director Eric Scheidler
so the three of us could devise a strategy to uncover
exactly what NOVA Women’s Health was up to
and how to fight it.
Abortuary Construction Halted!
Central to the plan was opposing the facility at
the Fairfax City Council. On May 14, that portion
of the strategy was unfurled as over one hundred
pro-lifers packed the city council meeting. The
crowd was standing-room-only with many pro-life
people signed up to address the council about NOVA’s planned move to the downtown area.
As the public comment section of the meeting
was about to begin, the portion of the meeting
where the pro-lifers were scheduled to speak, there
was a shocking announcement. The council chairman said that the construction of the new space for
NOVA had been halted. Apparently NOVA had
withdrawn their building permit applications. A
cheer went up through the council chambers!
Nevertheless, many of those who had signed up
to speak went ahead with their remarks, informing the council of the harms coming to Fairfax if
NOVA is allowed to build in their downtown area,
and giving them a clear taste of the outrage of the
community at this prospect. It was good that they
did so, because it was soon discovered that NOVA
holds a ten year lease on the space and would be
applying to resume construction at a later date.
NOVA had apparently withdrawn their applications because they were one parking space short—a
providential error by the architect. However, the
Planned Parenthood mega-center in Aurora had
been short not one but several dozen parking spaces—a violation ignored by city planners in the
months before the public knew the true identity of
the builder.
So it seems likely that the growing pro-life opposition to the NOVA expansion was already leading
to greater scrutiny of their plans, causing a substantial delay that pro-life activists will be able to
use to their advantage, increasing opposition to
the center. Moreover, thanks to that packed city
council meeting, the mayor of Fairfax has promised
to inform the pro-life community of any developments in the case.
At the time of this writing, NOVA has not resubmitted their building permits, but John Murray and
the other local activists remain vigilant and ready
to oppose them. For our part, we at the Pro-Life
Action League are eager to help every way we can.
Let the League Help YOUR Communituy
Fairfax, Virginia, is just one of the many communities all over the country that have turned to the ProLife Action League for help when the abortion industry comes to town. If you hear of an abortion clinic
coming to your town, or an existing clinic that might
be moving or expanding, please call us at 773-7772900 or email [email protected] and we’ll
work together to scuttle the abortionists’ plans.
4
Pro-Life Action News
Spring 2013
New Techniques for Saving Lives Revealed
at Chicago Sidewalk Counseling Seminar
by Ann Scheidler
On Saturday, May 20, the Pro-Life Action League
held a sidewalk counseling seminar at St. Mary of
the Angels Parish in Chicago for over 50 counselors
and new recruits.
“Bubble Zone” Troubles
On account of the ongoing challenges over the
enforcement of Chicago’s “bubble zone” ordinance, attorneys Tom Brejcha and Tom Olp of the
Thomas More Society Pro-Life Law Center began
the seminar by addressing the group about their
First Amendment rights and what to be concerned
about in the face of accusations and complaints
from abortion clinic personnel and clinic escorts.
Three Chicago abortion facilities (American
Women’s Medical Center and two others operated
by Family Planning Associates) use escorts provided
by the Illinois Choice Action Team, while Planned
Parenthood’s facility in the Gold Coast neighborhood uses its own escorts. In all of these cases, prolife counselors have encountered gross misinterpretations of the city’s bubble zone ordinance by both
the Chicago police and abortion clinic personnel.
The long-term solution is to file a lawsuit against
the City of Chicago since we believe the ordinance
violates the rights of pro-lifers to free speech and
assembly. The attorneys are presently working on
the complaint for such a suit.
A picture is worth 10,000 words.
Saving Babies by Text
Kathy Bozyk, director of the South Side Pregnancy Center in south suburban Oak Lawn, explained
a new technique her center has incorporated into
their overall counseling program—namely, text
counseling. Aware that many young people communicate via text far more than by phone, South
Side has launched a text counseling program that
provides a designated number that a young woman
can text for information and help.
In the context of sidewalk counseling, a special
cell phone number for a specific counseling center
can be given to the abortion-bound woman. Since
texting is more private than a phone conversation,
once she has that text number, she can contact the
12-22
pro-life center from anywhere—even the waiting
room of the abortion clinic. The number puts her in
immediate contact with a pro-life counselor whose
primary focus is to make an appointment for her to
speak directly with a counselor in the center. South
Side has had considerable success with their text
counseling program.
“The sidewalk counselor is a
witness to the dignity of the
unborn baby and a beacon
of hope to those women and
men who are desperate for a
solution to what seems to be an
insurmountable problem.”
Kathy had so impressed me with her center’s text
program earlier this year, that I put her in touch
with Mary Strom, director of the Woman’s Centers of Greater Chicagoland, a network of pregnancy care centers. Kathy and Mary organized a
text counseling program for the Women’s Center,
which has since been launched. Sidewalk counselors can hand a business card to the abortion clinic
clients with the text number. They can also publish the number on signs outside the abortion clinic
so that women who are undecided or confused can
take advantage of the opportunity to explore other
options. This is an exciting new tool in our outreach
to women who arrive at the abortion clinic doors.
Women’s Center Gets Mobile Ultrasound
Another exciting development is the mobile ultrasound unit that will be unveiled by the Women’s Center in just a few months. A Sprinter van—
roughly the size of a regular UPS delivery truck,
will be outfitted with a reception area, ultrasound
room and bathroom. The smaller mobile unit is
easier to park in the city than the large recreational
vehicles often used for this purpose. Not only can it
be parked near abortion clinics without a pregnan-
Tenth annual “Empty Manger”
Christmas Caroling Day
02-09
Photo by Matt Yonke
03-21
Chilly “Face the Truth” Day
in northweswt Indiana
Photo by Matt Yonke
Baby saved during 40 Days
for Life kickoff in Aurora, IL
cy center nearby, but it can also be used for education at schools, county fairs and other venues.
Following the presentations on legal issues, text
counseling and the mobile ultrasound, I presented a training session on sidewalk counseling—a
refresher for the seasoned counselors and training
for new recruits. This segment of the program also
offered an opportunity for questions and for sharing concepts and ideas. Since we know statistically
that at least half of the women coming to an abortion clinic have had a previous abortion and that
many of their companions also have an abortion in
their past, I stressed the importance of distributing
post-abortion healing literature.
Dealing with “Deathscorts”
One of our challenges in the presence of the
pro-abortion escorts (or “deathscorts”) is simply
getting information into the hands of the pregnant
women. I advised counselors to remind abortion
clients that they have a right to the information we
give them, and that the escorts and clinic personnel
have no right to take it from them.
I had recently acquired confidential materials provided to the clinic escorts, which I provided to our
pro-life counselors to help them learn how to deal
with them. I also recommended that our counselors
wear orange vests similar to those worn by the clinic escorts. They believe the orange vests give them
the look of authority, and we suspect that they tell
their clients to follow the directions of the people in
the vests. If pro-lifers also wear vests, we may stand
a better chance of getting literature into the hands
of the clinic clients and talking with those clients in
an effort to turn them away from abortion.
I reminded the counselors that their mission is
specialized, and that they should keep their focus
on saving babies and their mothers from abortion,
and not to get caught up in arguments with clinic
staff or escorts. In addition to giving women information on their options, the sidewalk counselor is
a witness to the dignity of the unborn baby and a
beacon of hope to those women and men who are
desperate for a solution to what seems to be an insurmountable problem.
02-22
Screen capture of video by Chris Iverson
04-23
Eric speaks at the IFRL youth
legislative day in Springfield, IL
Photo by Steve Brody
Triune Health Group donates
furniture for League Aurora office
Photo by Steve Klaske
05-11
Joe joins celebration of the closing
of an abortuary in Livonia, MI
Photo by Lynn Mills
Spring 2013
Pro-Life Action News
5
GFL’s 2013 Talks
Blessed by Repeat
Invitations
by John Jansen
TeenSpeak 2013 Draws
Largest Crowd Ever
formation very helpful.” Cristina McCormack, a freshman
“Amazing!” “Really inspirat Naperville Central High
ing!” “I loved it!”
School, commented, “I realThese comments sum up the
ly liked listening to the teens
reaction of the more than 150
from Christian Liberty Acadeteens and adults who attended
my because they made me feel
TeenSpeak 2013 on February 2
like [sidewalk counseling] was
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in
something I could do to be inRosemont, Illinois—the largest
volved.” Other students likecrowd we’ve ever had at a Teenwise expressed a desire to try
Speak conference!
Photo by Matt Yonke sidewalk counseling.
The day began with an enStudents work on their TeenSpeak graphic contest entry
Following the session on
gaging and enthusiastic presidewalk
counseling, Pro-Life
sentation titled “Designed to Create,” by Ryan
Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler
Bomberger of The Radiance Foundation. Drawing
from his experience as an Emmy-Award winning spoke about one of the key elements to dialoguing
with people who call themselves “pro-choice”—
creative professional, Ryan explained that in communicating the pro-life message through visual namely, listening. Eric pointed out that we can’t
hope to change someone’s mind about abortion if
media, certain principles of design must be folthey can see we’re not really listening to them. Eric
lowed, or the message will not reach its intended
audience. By way of example, Ryan showed sever- noted that this and several other pointers are explained in more detail in the League’s Sharing the
al of his most impactful videos, including “We’ve
Pro-Life Message handbook—which all attendees reBeen Guttmachered,” “Hell Breaks Loose,” “Meet
Jonny Moses,” and, last but not least, “Unwanted,” ceived—and he encouraged everyone to keep their
copy with them at all times.
which highlights Ryan’s personal story of having
been conceived in rape and placed for adoption in a
Design Contest a Big Hit—As Usual
large, multi-racial family.
Following lunch, the League’s Matt Yonke revisThe audience thoroughly enjoyed Ryan’s presenited the design theme Ryan had discussed earlier in
tation. High school student Therese Starasinich
the day with a short PowerPoint tutorial on “How
commented, “His talk got me more excited to take
to design web graphics that persuade and delight.”
on action spreading the truth,” and Patrick Lechner
Matt’s talk served as a great jumping-off point for
noted that Ryan’s talk “makes me want to use my
TeenSpeak’s Pro-Life Graphic Design Workshop.
job in the future for the pro-life movement.”
We’ve conducted similar workshops at the last four
Sidewalk Counseling and Teens
TeenSpeak conferences, and they’ve received great
Up next was Pro-Life Action League associate J.T. feedback over the years—just as this one did.
Attendees were divided into 20 groups, and each
Eschbach, who presented a talk entitled, “You Can
group was given two design templates, a pencil, a
Save Lives: Getting Started with Sidewalk Counseling,” an abbreviated version of the training seminar set of markers, and 40 minutes to create their own
graphic. To ramp up the competition factor, the
he frequently gives to adult groups.
After J.T. shared his expertise as a veteran side- teams were told that the winning design would be
walk counselor, three students from Christian Lib- made into an actual web graphic and shared to poerty Academy in Arlington Heights, Illinois—Julia tentially tens of thousands of Facebook users. Ryan
himself graciously agreed to judge the entries, and
Kott, Hannah Miller, and Megan Sullivan—spoke
about some of their own experiences sidewalk two groups that came up with strikingly similar
counseling regularly over the past year at the Fami- designs shared First Place honors.
High school student Angela DeJesus summed
ly Planning Associates abortion clinic in downtown
up
the reaction of many others when she said that
Chicago and at Planned Parenthood’s flagship
TeenSpeak “made me think about choosing to be
“mega-center” in Aurora.
pro-life and that you have to do something, not
High school student Sara Groppe said that this
just talk and listen about it.” We were thrilled that
session “gave a lot of useful pointers and helped
so many teens have given us thoroughly positive
me realize that sidewalk counseling isn’t so scary.”
Monica Tragasz added, “As someone who has been feedback and have said they’re really looking forshadowing a sidewalk counselor, I found this in- ward to next year’s conference—as we are, too!
by John Jansen
The early months of 2013 have brought with
them many opportunities to share the pro-life
and chastity message with teens and to broaden
the scope of Generations for Life’s youth outreach
efforts—including many invitations to speak to
groups I’ve addressed before.
On January 9, I was happy to receive a copy in
the mail of Affirming Life, the newest resource for
youth ministers published by the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry. GFL is a collaborating member of the Federation, and following
last year’s annual meeting, I was asked to write
the catechetical session on the topic of abortion
that would be included in the book. This was my
first opportunity to see the finished product, and
I am honored to have contributed to it.
Later that week, I gave my “Making the Case
for Life” talk to a group of eighth graders preparing for Confirmation at St. Joseph Church
in Lockport, Illinois. I had spoken to the eighth
graders at the parish the previous year, and was
happy to be invited back. On January 27, I gave
the same talk to a group of high school sophomores preparing for Confirmation at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Naperville, Illinois, at the
invitation of parish director of religious education Sheila Stevenson. Both talks were very well
received by students and parents alike.
Photo by Cathy Swanson
John speaks at St Michael Church in Wheaton, IL, February 6
Pro-Life at Proviso, 9 Straight Years
On February 6, I spoke on chastity to a very receptive group of seventh grade CCD students at
St. Michael Parish in Wheaton, Illinois. Following my presentation I had a delightful conversation with some of the volunteer catechists. Later
that month, on February 25, I gave my “Pro-Life
101” talk to the Human Development classes at
Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois for
the ninth year in a row. Many students offered
positive comments on the evaluation forms I distributed afterwards.
On April 14, I was invited for the fourth consecutive year to give a chastity presentation to
the sophomores preparing for Confirmation at
St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lake Zurich, Illinois.
On May 10 I gave a chastity talk to the teens
from the St. Scholastica homeschooling group,
filling in for another speaker on short notice.
The talk, held at a park in Johnsburg, Illinois,
marked the first time I had ever given a talk
outdoors—and in front of a roaring fire, no less,
which was particularly nice on a chilly evening.
My talk was very well received, and the Q & A
session afterward lasted nearly as long as my formal presentation.
Please keep the work of Generations for Life in
your prayers as we continue to receive such great
opportunities to share the pro-life message and
raise up a new generation of pro-life leaders.
6
Pro-Life Action News
Joe & Ann Scheidler
spend a weekend of
Pro-life activities
in Naples, Florida
Spring 2013
Powerful Speakers Deliver at
SpeakOut Illinois Conference
by Joe Scheidler
On April 4th, Ann and I arrived in Naples,
Florida for a weekend of pro-life activities. First,
we attended a reception hosted by the Naples
Pro-Life Council featuring Monica Miller speaking on her new book, Abandoned. Monica gave a
great talk, emphasizing the helplessness of the
unborn baby slated for abortion and the importance of making every effort to rescue those children.
Sidewalk Counseling Seminar
The day after the Naples Pro-Life reception,
Ann gave a sidewalk counseling seminar organized by Ed Melone. Following the seminar we
visited The Rose Garden, a resale shop whose
proceeds support a local crisis pregnancy center.
Naples is home to many Chicago area
pro-lifers who have either relocated to Florida or
who spend some of the winter in Naples’ hospitable climate. Among the winter residents in the
beautiful gulf coast town is my longtime friend
Jim Finnegan, who thought our visit would be a
great occasion to organize a picket of two local
abortionists’ homes. Being a supporter and innovator of hard-hitting approaches to activism, I
jumped at the chance.
Photo courtesy of Naples Pro-Life Council
Joe Scheidler (left) with longtime friend and stalwart activist Jim
Finnegan protesting abortionist Philip Waterman in Naples, FL, April 7
Picketing Abortionists at Home
Though it’s a controversial tactic, picketing
abortionists’ homes has frequently driven abortion workers out of the industry for good. It’s
even a chapter in my activism manual, CLOSED:
99 Ways to Stop Abortion. In fact, after a group of
Naples pro-life activists carried out a picket outside abortionist Wallace McClaine’s home some
years ago, he decided to pull up stakes and quit
the business!
So with prayers for conversion in our hearts,
on April 7—Divine Mercy Sunday—I joined a
group of stalwart activists, including some students from nearby Ave Maria University, to picket the homes of abortionists Philip Waterman
from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. and Fernando Betancourt
from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Carrying signs calling for
the doctors’ repentance as well as pictures of the
victims of abortion, we confronted the doctors
with the results of their work and alerted the
neighborhoods to the kind of men who are living
in their midst.
All in all, the trip was a success. Thanks to the
Naples Pro-Life Council and all who attended for
making this weekend of dynamic pro-life activism a reality!
SpeakOut Illinois 2013 speakers (from left) Eric Scheidler, Ryan Bomberger and Star Parker
by Paige Scarlett
A crowd of over 400 pro-lifers converged on the
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont on February 2
for the 22nd annual SpeakOut Illinois Conference.
The Pro-Life Action League’s own Ann Scheidler
and former League staffer Tommie Romano served
as the co-chairmen of the conference planning committee, which comprises volunteers from over 30
pro-life organizations around the state. Peter Breen
of the Thomas More Society served as master of
ceremonies for the day.
Eric Scheidler: Pro-Life Top Ten
Following the showing of a trailer for the upcoming pro-life film 40, Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler gave the conference’s
opening presentation. “Did you wake up a little
depressed and let down on November 7 last year?”
he asked the SpeakOut crowd, acknowledging the
sense of defeat felt by pro-lifers after last year’s
re-election of President Barack Obama. Eric noted
that right now, many people feel as if all the work
the pro-life movement has been doing for 40 years
has been in vain.
However, Eric urged his audience to take heart
by highlighting the “Top Ten Accomplishments of
the Pro-Life Movement” since Roe v. Wade. These
include keeping abortion a hot topic in the news,
shutting down hundreds of dangerous abortion
clinics, enacting hundreds of life-saving pro-life
laws at every level of government, establishing
pregnancy centers to give abortion-vulnerable
women the help they need to choose life, and—
above all—saving the lives of countless unborn babies through street-level activism.
Eric also reminded the crowd that our pro-life
work has profound spiritual value, beyond the formidable results we can see, and that now is no time
for despair. On the contrary, this is the time to confidently redouble our pro-life work on every front.
Ryan Bomberger: Black Genocide
Eric was followed by Ryan Bomberger of The
Radiance Foundation, who gave a presentation
entitled “Fatherhood in the Culture of Abortion.”
Conceived in rape and adopted into a multi-racial
Christian family with twelve other children, Ryan
now devotes his considerable talents in graphic design to fighting abortion, and has become a rising
star in the pro-life movement.
Ryan’s multi-media presentation, which included
many reflections on his own experience as a bi-racial
man, was tremendously well received. He shared
the story of launching a major billboard campaign
in Georgia featuring a picture of an African-American baby with the caption “Endangered Species,”
causing outrage among some black leaders.
Ryan’s provocative videos and ads highlighting
the disproportionate abortion rate among black
Americans have even drawn the ire of the NAACP,
Photos by Matt Yonke (left and center) and Eric Scheidler (right)
which he calls the “National Association for the
Abortion of Colored People” over the group’s outspoken support of legal abortion. The NAACP is
now trying to silence Ryan with a lawsuit alleging
defamation and copyright violation, but Ryan is
not about to stop telling the truth about how abortion is destroying the black community.
Star Parker: Gutsy Pro-Life Leader
On behalf of the SpeakOut Illinois Committee,
Drs. Hiram and Joronda Crawford of the Pro-Life/
Pro-Family Coalition presented the 2013 Henry
Hyde Life Leadership Award to Star Parker for her
dedication to defending life, preserving the family
and renewing our inner cities. Star was humbled
to receive this award and offered a passionate and
at times humorous glimpse into some of the more
dramatic events in her own life.
Star shared her experience of seven years of welfare dependency, including a series of failed relationships and the desolation of undergoing four
abortions. She discussed how the welfare system
drives women to abortion and tears families apart,
but how through faith in Jesus Christ she finally
rose out of her condition of dependency on government into a newfound dependency on God alone.
Star went on to become a successful businesswoman, a radio personality, and eventually the founder
of CURE—the Center for Urban Renewal and Education.
The conference closed with a moving candlelight
memorial led by Fr. Francis “Rocky” Hoffman,
executive director of Relevant Radio, for the 55
million unborn babies killed by abortion since the
Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions in 1973.
Publisher:
Editor:
Assistant Editor:
Contributors:
Joseph M. Scheidler
Eric J. Scheidler
John Jansen
John Jansen
Paige Scarlett
Ann Scheidler
Eric J. Scheidler
Joseph M. Scheidler
Matt Yonke
We welcome Letters to the Editor and submissions from contributing writers. For comments,
submissions or subscription information:
Pro-Life Action League
6160 N. Cicero Ave. Ste. 600
Chicago, IL 60646
Tel: 773-777-2900
Fax: 773-777-3061
Newsline: 772-777-2900
Email: [email protected]
Website: ProLifeAction.org
Facebook: Facebook.com/ProLifeAction
Twitter: Twitter.com/ProLifeAction
Spring 2013
Pro-Life Action News
7
May They Rest in Peace: Mike Schwartz, Eric Bower & Tom Bresler
by Joe Scheidler
Three pro-life greats who were all good friends
of the Pro-Life Action League have died in recent
months.
Mike Schwartz: An Activist’s Activist
Pro-life pioneer and political strategist Mike
Schwartz succumbed to Lou Gehrig’s disease on
February 3. I knew Mike in the 1970s when he was
working in Milwaukee with the Catholic League
for Religious and Civil Rights. His boss at the time
was Father Virgil Blum, who was also a close friend
of mine. Mike and I spent time together working
for the pro-life cause during his stay there, and I
learned first-hand that he was a dedicated, loyal,
and faithful Catholic as well as a fierce but gentle
pro-life activist. I liked to call Mike “an activist’s
activist.”
When he moved to Washington I saw him occasionally at meetings and rallies. But despite the fact
that he went into politics, he never left his pro-life
work. Mike had the distinction of having held a sitin at a hospital in Washington, DC in 1970—three
years before the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade and
Doe v. Bolton rulings. I believe he saw them coming.
Mike had carefully thought-out plans for winning the war for the rights of the unborn, as well as
the war for religious freedom. He was a truly good
and holy man, and I feel that a great, warm light
has been turned off. We will miss that light, and
that gentle way he had of telling you he had a plan.
Eric Bower: Always a Fighter
A few days later, on February 6, my old friend
Eric Bower died following a long battle with leukemia. He fought the culture of death the same way
he fought his illness—without complaint but with
all his strength of will.
Eric and I had been working together in the prolife movement since the late 1970s. He would come
to nearly every pro-life picket, and he had a special
League Warmly Welcomes
New Pro-Life Pope Francis
When Buenos Aires archbishop Cardinal Jorge
Mario Bergoglio was elected by the College of
Cardinals, the Pro-Life Action League was delighted to learn that the new Pope Francis is an
outspoken advocate for unborn children and a
strong supporter of pro-life activism. We were
particularly impressed by what then-Cardinal
Bergoglio had said in a 2005 speech:
“Defend the unborn
against
abortion
even if they persecute you, calumniate you, set traps
for you, take you to
court or kill you. No
child should be deprived of the right
to be born, the right
to be fed, the right
to go to school.”
Not only does this statement betray a tender
sympathy for the lives of children both born and
unborn, but it shows a keen awareness of the
great challenges faced by pro-life activists. The
Pro-Life Action League warmly welcomes such
an advocate to the Throne of Peter. May God
grant him many years!
affinity for protesting pro-abortion politicians. He
seemed shy and soft-spoken when you first met
him, but on the front lines, he was outspoken.
Eric knew suffering early in his married life when
he and his wife Diane lost a baby girl to SIDS. After
her death, Eric and Diane became devoted leaders
in the effort to save babies from this malady.
Eric Bower at a pro-life protest in 1990
Photo from League Archives
Last fall, when Eric was in the hospital preparing for a round of chemo, he invited eight fellow
Knights of Columbus to his hospital room. We
talked and laughed a lot, then prayed over Eric
for a quick recovery. Then he sent us to an elegant
club for dinner and entertainment, just out of the
kindness of his heart. That’s the kind of man Eric
was: he wanted others to be happy, safe, and well.
He wanted everyone to share the peace and joy he
always seemed to have himself.
I always think of Eric with a big pro-life sign and
an enormous smile. He was the best.
Tom Bresler: From Coffee
Salesman to CPC Founder
A few months later, my longtime friend Tom
Bresler, founder of Chicago’s Aid for Women crisis
pregnancy center, died on April 27. My introduc-
tion to Tom came when I worked for Illinois Right
to Life in the late 1970s, and he paid a visit to our
office in the course of his work as a coffee salesman.
One day while I was on a long phone conversation,
Tom sat in the reception area and heard my assistant Laura Canning talk a pregnant woman out of
abortion over the phone. Tom was dumbfounded.
When he came into my office, he forgot all about
his coffee sales pitch and instead exclaimed, “I just
witnessed a life being saved.” I told him that’s what
we do—and he and I became immediate friends.
Thus began the pro-life mission of Tom Bresler.
He sold the coffee business and opened the first Aid
for Women pregnancy center in Deerfield, Illinois,
followed by a center on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.
Michigan Avenue Women’s Center—an abortion
clinic—was located just down the street from Aid
for Women. One day in the spring of 1987, Tom
got a call from the clinic’s marketing director. He
told Tom that the staff disposed of aborted babies
by packing the remains in boxes that were then discarded into the trash containers in the alley behind
the clinic.
This knowledge led to several weeks of retrieving
aborted babies’ remains from the alley behind the
abortion clinic by a crack team of pro-life activists
working with the League. We then had these babies buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Evergreen
Park, Illinois.
The fact that Tom Bresler was there, just a few
doors from the abortion clinic when someone finally got uncomfortable with what was going on
there, was crucial to the discovery and memorializing of these precious unborn children.
Tom’s wife of more than 70 years, Heather, died
on May 2, as his wake was underway. So he and
Heather continue to be together, even after death
did them part.
“Blessed Are They Who Mourn”: League Marks
40th Roe Anniversary with Graveside Memorials
by Eric Scheidler
To mark the 40th anniversary of the infamous
1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court
rulings that stripped unborn children throughout
the United States of their legal right to life, the
Pro-Life Action League launched a nationwide
prayer vigil under the theme “Blessed are they
who mourn.” Activists across the country were invited to visit memorials dedicated to the unborn
victims of abortion—especially gravesites where
these victims are actually buried—on January 22
and offer prayers of mourning for the over 55 million children legally killed since that date in 1973.
My mother Ann composed a special prayer for the
event, which was made available on a page dedicated to the project on the League website.
The project began in December with a call to
pro-lifers all over the country to let me know about
memorials dedicated to the aborted unborn. Response was overwhelming, and I soon had hundreds of sites listed online, including dozens of actual burial places.
The event was inspired in part by the reflections
on the beatitudes in Pope Benedict XVI’s book Jesus of Nazareth, which presents mourning as a powerful way to confront the evil of death and deny its
ultimate power. When we mourn for the victims
of abortion—when we open our hearts to deeply
feeling the pain of their loss—we acknowledge that
their lives really mattered. We strike a blow at the
Photo by Eric Scheidler
League memorial at the grave of abortion victims in Hillside, IL, Jan. 22
Enemy, who wants our entire society to forget all
about these silent, hidden victims, boldly declaring
that we will never forget them.
National Day of Remembrance 9/14
Response to this project was so overwhelming
that I was inspired to collaborate with two of my
closest pro-life allies—Monica Miller of Citizens for
a Pro-Life Society and Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests
for Life—to hold an even bigger event. The National Day of Remembrance for Abortion Victims
will take place on September 14—the anniversary of an historic burial of fetal remains in Milwaukee—with simultaneous memorial services at every
known gravesite of the aborted unborn. You can
learn more at AbortionMemorials.com.
8
Pro-Life Action News
Spring 2013
Aurora Pro-Life Battle Heats Up on Good Friday
Police Threaten Sidewalk Counselors
by Matt Yonke
In the summer of 2007, Aurora, Illinois, became
“Ground Zero” in the abortion battle as Pro-Life
Action League rallied the local pro-life community to stop Planned Parenthood from opening what
was at the time the nation’s largest abortion facility.
The facility was constructed under the auspices of
a front company and Planned Parenthood created
a cloud of deception to keep the city government
and the community in the dark about their plans.
During the ensuing controversy, the local prolife movement exploded into an unprecedented
force opposing the new facility. Though it did finally open, opposing Planned Parenthood’s flagship Aurora center has remained a top priority
for the League. In conjunction with community
churches—including recruitment talks by League
Executive Director Eric Scheidler, most recently at
St. Mary Church in Plano and Ss. Peter and Paul
Church in Naperville—the League has kept consistent prayer, protest and counseling presence there.
This ongoing effort has generally been peaceful, with both the police and nearby community
respecting pro-lifers’ rights. However, two recent
incidents stand apart from that general trend.
Planned Parenthood Client
Swerves at Pro-Life Teen
On February 16, a group of students from Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights, Illinois, were praying and counseling along the roadway beside Planned Parenthood when a car that
had just exited the parking lot swerved at a student
named Hannah, coming within inches of striking
her. Hannah had been trying to offer the occupants
a piece of literature on post-abortion healing.
Aurora police were called and said the driver
would be charged with reckless driving, but then
the Illinois State’s Attorney’s office took the case
over, upping the charges to aggravated assault.
Weeks later, the Chicago Sun-Times suddenly took
an interest in this story, publishing articles claiming
that the Aurora police and Illinois States Attorney
are in conflict over whether any violation really
occurred, pointing to an inconclusive video from
Planned Parenthood’s surveillance camera. We suspect Planned Parenthood planted the story in an
attempt to short-circuit the bad press of having a
client found guilty of threatening a pro-life activist.
However, Hannah and six other eyewitnesses are
ready to testify that the swerve was an intentional
attempt to intimidate her and the other pro-lifers.
Hannah and her family have bravely stood up under the pressure of this difficult situation, and the
next hearing in the case is coming up in July.
Confusion on Good Friday
Our generally positive relationship with the Aurora police was sorely tested during Holy Week.
On Holy Tuesday, I was informed by one of our
sidewalk counselors that “No Trespassing” signs
had just been installed in the vacant lot across from
Planned Parenthood where pro-lifers have been
praying and counseling without incident for over
five years.
Trying to get to the bottom of this development,
I called the police commander with whom I meet
quarterly under the terms of a 2010 Settlement
Agreement the League had reached with the City
of Aurora under federal court supervision. He told
me that representatives from Safeway Corporation, which owns the vacant lot, had accompanied
Planned Parenthood to a recent meeting with the
police to see about enforcing their private property
rights over the vacant lot. He hadn’t known that
the “No Trespassing” signs had already been posted.
Photo by Matt Yonke
Record crowd for the Good Friday Way of the Cross in Aurora, IL, March 29
The timing couldn’t have been worse. One of our
largest annual events—the annual Good Friday
“Way of the Cross for Victims of Abortion”—was
set to take place in just a few days. For five years,
this walking prayer service had typically taken
place both in the public right-of-way and on the
vacant lot, without any complaint from Safeway.
This year, we had no idea what to expect.
We arrived for the Good Friday event to find no
fewer than six squad cars on site, as well as representatives of the various property owners of
the shopping mall, including both Safeway and
Planned Parenthood. Trouble seemed likely.
However, League Executive Director Eric
Scheidler and I had already reorganized this year’s
Way of the Cross to keep it entirely in the public
right-of-way, eager to avoid an open conflict that
might disrupt our daily sidewalk counseling effort.
We also asked Thomas More Society attorney Peter
Breen to be on hand. Peter talked with the police
and other officials, urging them to respect the status quo which for years had worked so well.
During the prayer service, the police made no effort to interrupt participants as they instinctively
walked across the vacant lot going to and from the
prayer service, and they ignored the sidewalk counselors on the roadway across from Planned Parenthood, which is technically Safeway’s property.
But then only minutes after Eric, Peter and I left,
police officers approached the sidewalk counselors
and threatened them with arrest if they did not
leave Safeway’s property immediately. Several similar threats were made in the subsequent weeks.
The following days were a difficult search for the
facts of the matter. Did Dominick’s have the right
to kick us off their property? Could the police arrest
pro-lifers for such an offense? What would we do if
we couldn’t pray and counsel across from Planned
Parenthood’s parking lot anymore?
It took six weeks of constant phone calls to police and city attorneys before they finally admitted
Safeway does not have the right to eject pro-lifers
from the roadway that runs between their vacant
lot and Planned Parenthood. To do so would require the agreement of all the other property owners in the complex that share the roadway, and no
such agreement currently exists. The police also
admitted that under the terms of the Settlement
Agreement, they should never have threatened
pro-lifers with arrest for trespassing.
After weeks of uncertainty—in which many good
people stayed home from the clinic for fear of arrest
or just confusion about the rules—the status quo
has been restored and the routine of prayer, counseling and protest has continued without incident.
League Remains Vigilant
Photo by Matt Yonke
Christian Liberty Academy students pray at Planned Parenthood in Aurora
There’s no doubt that Planned Parenthood is still
scheming to eliminate our pro-life presence outside
their building. Whatever pressure they brought to
bear on Safeway to put up those “No Trespassing”
signs they’re sure to keep exerting on Safeway and
the other property owners at the shopping mall.
Meanwhile, the League will continue to appeal
to these third parties to stay out of the conflict and
leave our pro-life mission alone. We’ll remain vigilant, confident that if Planned Parenthood will go
to such lengths to stop us, we must be doing something right.
League’s Good Friday Way of the Cross Goes National
by Eric Scheidler
al and media materials, an ecumenical prayer booklet and even
Even as the Pro-Life Action
instructions for creating a set of
League was getting under way
outdoor Stations of the Cross.
with this year’s Good Friday
Along with my assistant Matt,
“Way of the Cross for Victims
I
created
a one-minute “Way of
of Abortion” in Aurora, Illinois,
the Cross” promotional video to
under the watchful eyes of the
show exactly what such an event
police (see story on this page),
looks like and explain its ratioactivists in cities all over the
nale. In a voice-over on the vidcountry were joining this annual
eo, I linked the unjust execution
event for the first time.
of Jesus Christ at Golgotha with
In March, I invited all of the
the unjust homicide of unborn
“Rally Captains” recruited for
babies at each abortion clinlast year’s Stand Up for Religious
Photo by Lee Strong
Freedom rallies, held at hundreds Pro-lifers in Rochester, NY, were among those nationwide ic in the country, and called on
of sites across the country, to host holding Good Friday events at the League’s invitation pro-life Americans to go to the
“Golgotha” in their own neighGood Friday prayer services at
borhoods to pray on Good Friday.
their local abortion clinics. I knew this group of local
Response was outstanding. Photos and videos
leaders to be both deeply dedicated to the pro-life
poured into my inbox from groups all over the councause and eager for guidance from the League.
try that took part. I’m gratified that so many local
Building on the training program employed for
pro-life leaders are eager to follow the lead of the
the rallies last year, I provided a detailed guide on
Pro-Life Action League.
organizing a Good Friday event, sample promotion-