Anti-Abortion Demonstrators Greet Frost Students

Gina Hagler August 30, 2011 at 09:22 pm

I spoke with the Maryland Catholic Conference and Maryland Right to Life, Inc. This afternoon. Neither of their spokespeople were familiar with the demonstration at Robert Frost Middle School yesterday. Here's what they had to say about the selection of sites for demonstrations by their groups:
"We don't demonstrate. We are an advocacy arm for the Maryland Catholic Bishops. Most of our work is here in Annapolis, meeting with lobbyists and legislators. We do help the three dioceses that are in Maryland and we don assist them in their educational outreach effort but it's to parishioners in the pew." Kathy Dempsey, Spokesperson, Maryland Catholic Conference. "Our mission has more of a legislative focus. We are not involved in demonstrations." Jeffrey Meister, Director of Administration and Legislation, Maryland Right to Life, Inc.

Sean R. Sedam (Editor) August 30, 2011 at 09:56 pm

This comment has been removed for violating Patch's Terms of Use: http://rockville.patch.com/terms

biglady August 30, 2011 at 10:04 pm

Think for one minute of the trauma, both physical and emotional that the kids in protective care have gone through and will continue to endure their whole life even with "therapy". These kids are some of the lucky ones. How you might ask? They are still ALIVE. These kids were lucky enough to be removed from a "barbaric" situation. I can think of one little girl who was not so lucky. CAYLEE ANTHONY. Which barbaric act do you think Caylee would have chosen given the fact that she is dead?
As for MCPS, when my first grader came home with Daddy has a room mate and Heather has two mommies, I HAD TO SIGN A PERMISSION FORM, agreeing to have this material presented to my child. That's the big difference. Those protesters took away MY CHOICE. We live in America, land of the free. Free to choose, choose how and when or IF I want such delicate issues presented to MY child. There is a time and place for all this debate, but the first day of school. Really? You've just proven that "Nothing Is Sacred".

Citus August 30, 2011 at 10:31 pm

I think you guys are on to something, murder is certainly wrong and whilst it it is debatable whether or not the fetus has rights, killing it seems a waste. And since most of these mothers can't support the children, it seems the current system is dreadfully inefficient. I say that those who would have been aborted ought to be raised by the state, where they can grow up to be civil service workers and politicians. By having them serve the state, it mitigates the cost of raising them that is put on the tax payer, after all, if they were with their 'mother' they would most likely be on welfare. And while it is tempting to raise them as atheists to enhance their hold on logic and science, and to preserve church and state separation as based in the constitution, I think it is probably people's moral duty to raise them Christian. That way they can serve as the moral guardians of the state, Christian Soldiers, if you will. Thus, not only are lives saved, they actually enrich their society. Since abortion is a waste of human life and we can hardly eat the children of the poor, we might as well make use of them by turning them into ideal citizens.

Rachel Hyman Rego August 30, 2011 at 11:12 pm

LOL. Please tell me you are just being facetious.

Jeff Hawkins August 31, 2011 at 11:58 am

So to relieve a child of possible future problems in their "life", you are saying it's better to kill them in the first place in order for them to possibly not endure life's problems. You "really" want to stand by that? WOW!!!
Your last comment is spot on "Nothing is Sacred"..............yes not even life!!!

Jeff Hawkins August 31, 2011 at 02:50 pm

That's nice Gina, but did you ever speak with or attempt to speak with the "actual" protesters?

Peter August 31, 2011 at 04:10 pm

So-called "safe sex" absolutely results in abortion. 70% of women who have abortions are confronted with unwanted pregnancies. Many of those unwanted pregancies come from failed birth control. Planned Parenthood even admits that on average, 10% of condoms fail, resulting in a pregnancy. Birth control fails on average at a rate of 3%.
I say to you, birth control is 100% effective in causing pregnancy. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of who and when.

Theresa Defino August 31, 2011 at 05:03 pm

Gina Hagler
5:13pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 The terms I use are anti-abortion and pro-abortion, since the issue that's up for discussion is abortion. Sorry, Gina. You're wrong and that isn't the style for journalism. There is no such thing as "pro-abortion." Please use pro-choice and even pro-life if you choose. But "pro-abortion" is ridiculous and inaccurate.

Rachel August 31, 2011 at 06:43 pm

Sure, he's got some input if in the a stable relationship, but what about in the case of rape? At the end of the day, over the course of the next ~ 9 months, it's a woman's body, hers alone, that goes through all the changes, sometimes at the risk of her own life, to form this potential new child, while the man merely holds your hand while you painfully push it out.

Jeff Hawkins August 31, 2011 at 07:12 pm

Rachel
2:43pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Your comment: "Sure, he's got some input if in the a stable relationship, but what about in the case of rape? At the end of the day, over the course of the next ~ 9 months, it's a woman's body, hers alone, that goes through all the changes, sometimes at the risk of her own life, to form this potential new child, while the man merely holds your hand while you painfully push " "potential" stable relationship? I don't think anyone here is arguing that in the case of rape or if the health of the "potential Mother" is in question then an abortion might be prudent. I've seen the number thrown around of 115K babies killed everyday. If true, that's an awful lot of "potential" children killed.....stable relationship or not! Kind of "barbaric" don't you think?

Theresa Defino August 31, 2011 at 07:46 pm

I said input in the "debate." Like much else I said, that was taken out of context. If the man wants to be part of the woman's personal decision-making, that's her choice--and his. But I don't give any credence to men who protest and picket against choice. That's what I said.

Mark Parker August 31, 2011 at 08:05 pm

<<Please go golfing, sir, and let the kids have a nice day at school.>>
Was this taken out of context, too? You are simply an angry, vicious woman.

Rachel August 31, 2011 at 08:32 pm

Barbaric is forcing all women and girls to carry pregnancies to term. Are you aware of the reasons why women would go to Dr. Tiller? It's not because they simply changed their minds at the last minute. Barbaric is sticking YOUR nose into the reproductive business of women you don't know. Barbaric is hanging out outside middle schools harassing children with disgusting, misleading propaganda. I don't care if one of them has a father who performs abortions, you are a vile piece of work if you think this does anything to help your cause. Your disrespect for other people's children only proves that it's not actual life that you care about.

Theresa Defino August 31, 2011 at 08:48 pm

Rachel said: "I don't care if one of them has a father who performs abortions, you are a vile piece of work if you think this does anything to help your cause."
I agree with you. However, that earlier assertion--which even gave a name--has been removed from this site. It was false. But it does show the mindset of this group and they didn't even have the right target. Even worse.

Rachel August 31, 2011 at 11:20 pm

Oh good, glad to hear that. Don't need more lunatics harassing anybody.

Jake September 1, 2011 at 01:02 am

Peter and all the other protesters, as I drove in to school to walk down to Wootton, I was astonished at what I saw. I saw protesters holding a poster of a fetus (not a dead child, as it was never born) that if it had a movie rating, would be rated R. It was disgusting, I have nothing against your freedom of speech, but I do have something against violating these students and parents rights. That material is disturbing, and to have an 11 year old see it on their first day of school is just traumatizing. So fine go protest, prostest to adults, lawmakers, the president, college students, but do not go and violate innocent 6th graders on their first day of school. You showed them something that they learn in health class with their parents permission, you forced them to see something without their parents permission. And I am sure your speech could be unprotected by the first amendment because of the emotional and mental harm that you are causing.

Jeff Hawkins September 1, 2011 at 12:14 pm

"But I don't give any credence to men who protest and picket against choice."
Nice retraction...........I suppose it's not correct for white people to protest against racism against blacks?

Jeff Hawkins September 1, 2011 at 12:29 pm

Rachel
4:32pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 "YOUR COMMENT" Barbaric is forcing all women and girls to carry pregnancies to term. Are you aware of the reasons why women would go to Dr. Tiller? It's not because they simply changed their minds at the last minute. Barbaric is sticking YOUR nose into the reproductive business of women you don't know. Barbaric is hanging out outside middle schools harassing children with disgusting, misleading propaganda. I don't care if one of them has a father who performs abortions, you are a vile piece of work if you think this does anything to help your cause. Your disrespect for other people's children only proves that it's not actual life that you care about. Thanks for the name calling and personal attacks, another trait used by the abortion supporters. So it appears you are trying to "compare" which cause is more barbaric than the other. I will agree with you on this point though, I would NOT have held a protest at the school or any school for that matter. That was a mistake, but on the bright side........no children were killed. As for barbaric behavior, I stand by my earlier statement. Check the definition of barbarism.........abortion fits the mold.

Peter September 2, 2011 at 01:22 am

Jake, first you say 'I have nothing against your freedom of speech' and then you say 'I am sure your speech could be unprotected by the first amendment because of the emotional and mental harm that you are causing.'. So which is it? Do you believe in freedom of speech or not? Because freedom of speech doesn't mean it's free as long as it's not offensive to you.
You are 100% wrong to believe that our students 'learn' about abortion. I guarantee you they are not shown photos of abortion. I guarantee you they aren't told how abortion leads to mental illness, psychosis, depression and suicide. I guarantee you they aren't teaching that to have an abortion is to kill their very own children who are created out of their DNA. As far as the 'emotional and mental harm' issue goes, the United States Holocaust museum website encourages teaching the Holocaust to children as early as 4th grade. http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/guideline/

Gerardus Ryker September 2, 2011 at 03:21 pm

This group is a tiny minority of religious zealots. Thier own powerlessness is why they chose to accost middle school students on the first day of school. This is what bullies do. They seek easier and easier targets because they are afraid that in a fair and reasoned debate they invariably lose. Our society may take some comfort in the fact that groups such as this and the Fred Phelps cult have so little sway in our modern world.

Jeff Hawkins September 2, 2011 at 03:49 pm

WOW! Do you have any proof at all pertaining to the multiple accusations you have made?

Rachel September 2, 2011 at 04:13 pm

Responding to Peter's response: "how abortion leads to mental illness, psychosis, depression and suicide. " Peter, you do realize that 1/3 of women in the U.S. will have an abortion sometime in their lifetime. With that being the case, if abortion was so traumatic, you'd expect there to be millions more suicides and cases of psychosis than there currently is, wouldn't you? I know plenty of women - and I bet you do too - who have had abortions and we're all just fine. And we're not so stupid that we don't know what abortion is - and it DOES NOT look like the photos above. Finally, as a Jewish American with family that came from Poland, I am deeply offended by your comparison of abortion to the Holocaust. Not only does it disrespect that actual millions of people that were killed (please read: http://rac.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=3490&pge_prg_id=14608&pge_id=2419) - people that could feel pain and emotion, by doing so you are also comparing millions of women to Nazis simply because we want to control our own fertility.

Jeff Hawkins September 2, 2011 at 06:05 pm

Theresa,
I'm curious also. Did "Patch" ask them who they were?

Theresa Defino September 3, 2011 at 12:47 pm

I am curious about the folks who participated in this protest, esp. since Patch could not find out who they were.
Peter--are you Jack Ames, or are you affiliated with Jack Ames, of defendlife.org? If not, please tell us who you are. Is it a coincidence that your page "Face the Truth Tour" uses the exact same poster images that appear in the Patch story here? Do your tactics now include targeting middle schools and under the circumstances you chose (first day of school, for maximum attention and disruption to students, parents and staff? What exactly do you consider it your right to do, in terms your protests? What is your opinion on violence, such as the murder of Dr. Tiller? Do you or Jack have children in school yourself? I'd really like some information so I can try to better understand. Here's the website: http://www.defendlife.org Defend Life, btw, says it does not target children. ..."But children shouldn't see these images..." "Please note that our target audience is not children, but adults who do not realize how horrifying abortion is. Yet it is not possible to completely avoid having children see the images." Going directly to a school would seem to violate this principle as it is surely more than an inadvertent exposure tactic, as well as a practice that folks on both sides of the issue find deplorable.

Theresa Defino September 3, 2011 at 08:05 pm

Peter Shinn, president of Prolife Unity, interviews Jack Aimes in the video below.
Perhaps this is the same Peter posting here. In another talk Peter says it's time to "lift the veil." I request that he do the same and address my questions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQGBpdp-wIo Why won't you say who you are?

BB September 3, 2011 at 09:36 pm

These men who you seem to have a problem with are demonstrating for the sanctity of LIFE and the rights of unborn children, not "protesting and picketing against choice". Your characterization is completely incorrect. They are not your enemy but they do have a different point of view on who really needs protection in this debate. So please don't imply that we have no right to voice our opinions any less that you. It appears that you only believe in "choice" if it agrees with your point of view!

BB September 3, 2011 at 09:43 pm

Theresa why are you so obsessed with Peter's identity? He has no reason to "lift the veil" as you demand. Who do you think you are?
Personally I would not have chosen to demonstrate at any school (outside of a college) but the group that did show up at Frost broke no laws and were well within their rights. I have daughters and one has been through Frost. She has been educated on this topic and wouldn't have been "traumatized".

Theresa Defino September 4, 2011 at 01:58 am

Why do pro-lifers hide who they are? That's the question.
Two posts asking who the group was behind this is not an obsession. They must be ashamed of what they did or else they'd take credit for it.

anna September 8, 2011 at 07:55 pm

Peter, you were one of the protestors there, right? I just wanted to know why you guys were protesting at a school, and not an abortion clinic. The teachers were saying that you did obey the laws and stay on public property and all, but it was our first day back at school ... and made a "great" impression on our new 6th graders. Frost isn't one of those schools where kids get pregnant.