Jill Stanek - Pro-choice scare tactics

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April 20, 2007
Pro-choice scare tactics

By Mary Kay Hastings

Gene Forros has been an active pro-life supporter in Flint, Michigan, for 20 years. Recently, without his knowledge, the director of an abortion clinic obtained a personal protection order against him, which prevented him from conducting his peaceful protests and counseling outside the facility. The Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor intervened on his behalf, and the illegal order has been lifted -- which means the activist can resume his pro-life ministry.

Attorney Edward White says this is just one of the scare tactics that pro-abortion forces often use....

"What we've found is that one of the tactics that people in the abortion industry use is constantly calling the police to show up at the clinic and claiming that pro-lifers are doing things that are wrong," White explains. "Most of the time it's not true."

The complaints, he says, might include such things as blocking the driveway into the clinic or trying to prevent people from walking into the clinic. But the end result, says White, is that the summoning of police to the protest sites discourages some pro-lifers from returning again for fear of being arrested.

Threats or freedom of speech?

911 tapes, testimony detail events outside clinic

By Ames Boykin
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Saturday, April 14, 2007

A woman protesting outside a health clinic in Des Plaines calls 911, saying she is “in fear for my health and life” because of an off-duty police officer wearing a black T-shirt, blue sweatpants and gym shoes.
Dispatcher Cate Loughrige questions her: "You're in fear of your life?"
The protester says: "Ma'am, if you do not do this, I will sue Des Plaines. Please send someone out here. He is hollering at us.”
The 911 calls from protesters were played Friday during the opening of the city’s case in its attempt to fire police officer Dick V. Lalowski because he is accused of verbally and physically abusing women on May 20, 2006, outside a clinic in Des Plaines.
Lalowski, 43, who has been suspended without pay since the city lodged the charges last fall, denies he did anything wrong.
Richard J. Reimer, Lalowski's attorney, said the officer was in plain clothes exercising his First Amendment free speech rights.
Lalowski is accused of spending more than an hour threatening to arrest the female protesters, calling them "fat (expletive) cows," poking his index finger into the torso of one of them and hugging another.
At one point, city officials contend, Lalowski compared the women's tactics outside the clinic at 110 S. River Road to the Taliban. He also is accused of threatening to arrest the women if they blocked the clinic's entrance or gave people going inside baskets with teddy bears with the message, "I love you, mommy," the city says.
Lalowski should lose his job for disorderly conduct both while in uniform, when he stopped at the protest, and later when he returned in plain clothes after his shift ended, said Patrick Lucansky, an attorney for the city.
Lalowski testified Friday that he never used profanity but that he did call a protester a "fat cow" and showed her low-impact exercises she could do.
"I believe I acted courteous and professional the whole time." Lalowski said.

I was unaware that calling a woman a fat cow was courteous and professional...I'll have to remember that...

He admitted to being upset by a 6-foot-tall photo of an aborted fetus the protesters held that Lalowski said looked like "Jell-O".
Lalowski also admitted to accusing a protester of gluttony because she was overweight. He said he did so to show her that the "truth sometimes hurts" just as the aborted fetus photo could hurt a woman who had just had a miscarriage.
Lalowski said he did tell the women they would be arrested if they stopped people from entering the clinic.
A second police officer, Matthew Jones, also was at the demonstration last May 20 to keep the peace during the time Lalowski is accused of abusing the women.
During the 911 calls, Jones is heard downplaying the charges the women made. The protesters in their emergency calls accuse Jones of working for the clinic, rather than working to protect them.
"They're down here peacefully demonstrating and yes, a gentleman (Lalowski) came up and was talking to them. He was expressing his views and they were expressing theirs. Nobody got in anybody's face. Nobody was threatened, nobody was assaulted," Jones tells the dispatcher.

Jones also told the dispatcher that the women were "not used to getting somebody else talking back to them."

Oh yeah, cuz that NEVER happens to protesters...everyone just comes up to us and says "great job, guys. keep up the good work" I know I've NEVER had any negative feedback for the pro-choice side...not!

Testimony will continue Monday, when the anti-abortion protesters are expected to testify before the city's board of fire and police commissioners. The hearings involving Lalowski are expected to continue into May.

posted on April 20, 2007 11:33 AM

Comments:

I wonder if that officer had been watching "A superhero for choice" before going to the clinic that day?

Posted by: Bethany

at April 20, 2007 1:26 PM

The gaurd at the Clinic I've SW counsled, just sits there. He used to be nice and help us if we were in need. (Flat tires,ect.) Now he's not allowed to talk to us. Honestly, the only time I've ever seen him do anything is when he tells women to leave our information in their cars. This only happens when we've talked to the women for an extened period of time.

THe thing that pro-choice groups do NOT want pro-life groups to know is that sidewalk counseling works! Last year our dallas count was over 500 children saved from abortion!

Sidewalke counseling doesn't end on the sidewalk. We give women the resources they need to overcome whatever situation has led them to the clinic in the first place. It's so upsetting that we have been so mischaracterized by the media.

Posted by: Lauren

at April 20, 2007 1:34 PM

WOW, that is AWESOME, Lauren! 500 lives saved!!

Posted by: Bethany

at April 20, 2007 1:37 PM

oops i had that number wrong. It was 338 forsure saves and 500 possible I believe.

You can read a lot about sidewalk counselors here:

http://sidewalkcounselorsunited.blogspot.com

Posted by: Lauren

at April 20, 2007 1:42 PM

That is still wonderful!

Posted by: Bethany

at April 20, 2007 1:45 PM

I know! I can't wait to see our numbers this year :)

Posted by: Lauren

at April 20, 2007 1:56 PM

MK:

It is not us they hate, but Him.

Posted by: His Man

at April 20, 2007 2:22 PM

+1 on that, His Man

Posted by: ryanj at April 20, 2007 4:32 PM

How can you hate something you don't believe exists?

Posted by: Kate at April 20, 2007 6:23 PM

I think the correct phraseology would be:

"How can you hate something that you don't believe exists?"

And the answer would be that it (He) and those that believe in it (Him) threaten you and your way of existence. After all, if you didn't feel threatened, you wouldn't feel compelled to comment.

I certainly don't hang around sites that discuss the abominable snowman, because I really don't believe that he exists. And yet, here you are.

On a site run by people who believe in something that you don't, supporting something you think should not be supported.

"If God didn't exist, there would be no atheists"
G K CHESTERTON

Posted by: MK at April 20, 2007 6:47 PM

"And if there were no atheists and only believers, God would not be a God of love but a God of hate, for none would exist that did not believe in Him."

HisMan, 2007

Posted by: His Man

at April 20, 2007 8:09 PM

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