The latest salvo in the battle over the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the Supreme Court was a television ad produced by NARAL Pro-Choice America. The ad implies that Robert’s had previously taken a legal position defending terrorism against abortion mills. Of course, the ad is completely false and NARAL Pro-Choice America pulled the ad in the wake of pressure from those defending Judge Roberts.
Much of the pro-life movement has responded to NARAL by coming to Judge Robert’s defense. Some have pointed to memos from Judge Roberts condemning violence against abortionists and rightly calling those who commit violent acts “criminals.” Others have pointed out that the ad features victims of violent acts that occurred seven years after Judge Roberts issued his legal opinion defending pro-life activists.
But this response misses both the point of NARAL’s ad and its most salacious content. The implication of NARAL’s ad is clear: pro-lifers are assumed to be violent and anyone who would defend pro-lifers is by extension also violent. This ad was not meant to damage Judge Roberts’ credibility; it was clearly meant to malign peaceful pro-lifers. A few facts about NARAL’s ad and the case they are referencing make their intent clear
The case that NARAL mentions was a case involving peaceful pro-life demonstrators. In Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic. Abortion supporters made the argument that peaceful pro-life demonstrations constituted a “conspiracy” to deny women their so-called “reproductive rights.” What was in question were peaceful pro-life sit-ins organized by Operation Rescue. To call these types of rescues “violent” is not only an insult to pro-lifers, but to advocates of non-violent civil disobedience throughout the ages. According to NARAL’s definition Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and anyone else who practices non-confrontational civil disobedience is a “violent extremist.”
According to Troy Newman, Director of Operation Rescue, “Operation Rescue has an impeccable record of peaceful pro-life activism. Since the mid-1980's there have been well over 70,000 arrests for peaceful civil disobedience in the fine tradition of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. There has never been a conviction of a violent act by a pro-life supporter at any Operation Rescue event in the history of the organization.”
NARAL: Pro-Choice America’s ad is obviously an attempt to portray any type of peaceful opposition to abortion as violent, sinister and illegal. The only way to combat such deceit is to tell the facts. When peaceful pro-lifers are portrayed as violent, whether in the press or in paid advertisements, it is of the utmost importance that Pro-Lifer’s respond.
TAKE ACTION NOW: Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Explain that “rescue” sidewalk counseling, and prayer are all PEACEFUL activities. Attempts like NARAL’s only stifle peaceful protest and do nothing to deter the real violence that occurs daily inside our country’s abortion clinics. Remember: Keep your letters short! Editors generally only publish letters between 50 and 150 words long.
Source: Pro-Life Wisconsin Newsletter
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