Pro-life activists will converge this week on two major cities with significant histories of pro-life prayer/protests – Birmingham and Wichita. It appears pro-aborts will try to defend their bloody turf, at least in Birmingham.
Go, lifers! 1960s black civil rights protests were unpopular but those participating proved to be on the right side of history. Pro-life civil rights protesters share that confidence.
First Wichita, from Operation Rescue:

The Wichita Awakening – July 14-16, 2007
A Prophetic Call to End Abortion and Seek Revival
Schedule of Events
Saturday: July 14
8:30 P.M. Candlelight Vigil, featuring Rob Schenck, President of Faith and Action, Washington, DC at George Tiller’s abortion clinic located at 5701 E. Kellogg, Wichita.
Sunday: July 15
2-4 P.M. Prayer vigil, featuring Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women for America, Washington, DC at Tiller’s clinic, 5107 E. Kellogg, Wichita.
7 P.M.-Midnight Prophetic praise and Worship. Location: Mid-American All-Indian Center, 650 N. Seneca, Wichita.
Monday: July 16
8:30-4 P.M. Prayer throughout the day at Tiller’s clinic.
7 P.M.-Midnight Prophetic praise and Worship. Mid-American All-Indian Center

[Photo above was taken at Tiller’s clinic in 1991 during the famous 6-week Summer of Mercy. This was prior to FACE, so a battle ensued between federal judge Patrick Kelly, who tried to crush the protest using an 1871 anti-KKK law (which the US Supreme Court later overruled), and Bush I, who said this was a local/state matter and ordered federal agents to ignore Kelly. Still, there were 2700 arrests during the six weeks.]…

Then, Birmingham…. the pro-abort prospective from Workers World:

Alabama Reproductive Freedom Summer is underway. National women’s organizations have issued a “call to action” for women’s rights activists and supporters to go to Birmingham, AL., from July 14-22. Their clarion cry is: Defend the clinics from a right-wing siege! There are two vital women’s health clinics in that city – the New Woman All Women Health Center and Planned Parenthood.
The so-called Operation Save America, a virulent anti-abortion group… has mobilized its followers to come to Birmingham for that week to shut down the clinics, threatening to push them “into a deep grave.”…
But a strong response is being organized. Local activists plan clinic defense, with security and escorts so staff members and patients will be safeguarded from harassment and abuse. Activists from around the country will join their sisters and others from throughout Alabama and the South to march and rally in Birmingham….

[Photo above, courtesy of OSA, was taken in front of a Birmingham mill in 1994, right after the federal FACE law was enacted. Police arrested 184 pro-lifers that day. Since 1994, 3 of 5 Birmingham mills have closed down. This week, OSA will pray/protest at the remaining 2.]
FACE had a tempering effect on pro-life protests until both police and pro-lifers came to understand its parameters. These days pro-life protests are less dramatic – no more storming of mills or chaining selves to gates. But they still have significant impact, perhaps more of an impact from a PR perspective and because the first order of business is to pray.