Chicago Pro-Life Movement and Civil Disobedience
Should we engage in Civil Disobedience to stop abortion?
This is the hot topic of debate with in the Pro-Life movement in Chicago.
Some Pro-Lifers believe only a mass non-violent civil disobedience movement can dislodge the profitable abortion industry from Chicago, The City by the Lake.
Others believe that we should not break the law under any circumstances, because the Federal government has passed a law (Face Act) that turns simple acts of disobedience (eg. stepping into the parking lot of an abortion clinic) into a federal crime, with heavy fines and long prison sentences. This could also put some Pro-Lifers, that have nothing to do with any civil disobedience, at risk, because the Federal government believes, or promotes, that the Pro-Life movement and Pro-Lifers are equivalent to organized crime and crime bosses like John ("The Teflon Don" as he is known in New York) Gotti. The Federal government has actually prosecuted some Pro-Lifers under the Rico Act which was passed to stop organized crime!
The Chicago based Infants Rights Campaign (IRC), an organization working to help women with unplanned pregnancies and lower the number of abortions in Chicago, believes that peaceful non-violent protest coupled with non-violent civil disobedience, is the best way to dramatically lower the number of abortions in Chicago and help as many women as possible to choose life.
Every day in the United States, 100,000 women make the decision to kill their own baby, many against their will, because they get no support from husbands, boyfriends, family and friends. Each one of these unfortunate women are wounded by this crime in one way or the other. Most regret their actions, suffer from depression, drug and alcohol abuse, have a greater risk of breast cancer, can become sterile as a result of having an abortion, and have many other disastrous side effects.
Planned Parenthood, whose main business is killing the unborn and are the largest abortion outfit in the U.S., claim they are in the "healthcare business", but don't care at all about women's health, because they won't admit to the established fact that there is an abortion/breast cancer link. They are in the business of killing "by products of conception" as they call them, commonly known to most of us as babies. They are not healthcare providers.
Poor-choice politicians are too dependent on the lucrative abortion lobby (Planned Parenthood included) financially, to speak up for the rights of women and their unborn children, even though 55% of women who have abortions have them against their will.
Most Americans are against abortion, but many say they don't want to take away a women's right to "choose". Through mis-placed compassion that has no moral basis, they excuse this crime because they say " many children are abused and neglected so it's better for them if they are aborted, and then there is rape and incest". There are over 1,500,000 abortions every year in the U.S., and over 2,000,000 Americans waiting to adopt, right now, in the U.S.
Rape and incest account for less than 1% of abortions. The truth is that abortion kills healthy children of healthy mothers, and many Americans just do not want to admit that to themselves.
So how can we best lower the number of abortions in Chicago in the face of all this resistance based on not knowing the truth or on a denial of reality?
IRC believes when we create a crisis of morality and put a financial burden on city government by having multitudes of Pro-Life Americans in jail, only then can we wake up the moral conscience of, and educate Americans to, the reality of our American Infanticidal Genocide.
We encourage you to post this article on your own website, blog, or e-mail news service.
Thanks,
IRC News Desk
posted by Infants Rights Campaign (IRC) | 3:37 PM
18 Comments:
Congradulations to IRC and the IRC News Desk!!!
You now are official members of the "Mass Media"!
Couple of questions:
1. Exactly why is civil disobedience is the only way to stop abortion in Chicago?
2. Precisely what specific acts of civil disobedience do you intend to commit?
3. And who is actually going to commit these acts in such numbers that your goals can be accomplished?
1. It's not the only way. Sidewalk counsoling and prayer saves babies and stops some abortions, but it is not enough.
4000 children are killed every day in the US by abortion (over 45 Million since 1973) and many people make a lot of money off this Infanticidal Genocide. Many politicians get money from poor-choice organizations.
So prayer is not enough, we must put our faith into action.
The action of holding signs of aborted babies and other protest signs, educates people and can get some to reconsider abortion, but will not wake up the masses of people needed to stop abortion on demand like people getting arrested will.
We are fighting a great evil, and to win will demand great sacrifice's from us.
2. Stepping into an abortion clinics parking lot.
3. Pro-Lifers who understand that we must suffer to save babies and who are commited to stopping abortion. IRC has started building an Army of such Pro-lifers.
Let's go to Jail for LIFE!!!
IRC wrote: "We are fighting a great evil, and to win will demand great sacrifices from us."
Sometimes the greatest sacrifice is exercising patience and fortitude when things don't move as quickly as we'd like. In some ways it's a lot easier to go out, get arrested, glory in one's imagined martyrdom and feel the superiority of a "true believer" than to keep going out to pray and counsel at the abortion mills day after day, week after week, year after year.
But I still don't understand how a whole lot of people getting arrested, imprisoned and fined -- and kept away from the mills for months or even years -- will save any babies. If you get any press at all, which is unlikely in Chicago, it will be all negative, and turn the public against the pro-life cause, not "wake up the masses."
The result will be more draconian laws imposed against pro-lifers (the pro-aborts in Springfield write such bills every year), more pro-lifers scared to get involved in activism, and more babies allowed to die because no-one was there to intervene outside the abortion mill.
Sacrifice is always an act of humility. That is the lesson of Christ. I exhort the IRC to have the humility to step back from this misguided strategy.
Dear anonymous;
IRC appreciates your comments.
You seem to accept the fact that 4000 women are wounded and 4000 babies are murdered every day in the US and you don't want to change that.
If prayer and sidewalk counsoling were all we had to do, abortion would be illegal by now.
Abortion is a greater evil than slavery, did prayer and consoling stop slavery in the US? No, it took a war with hundreds of thousands dead and wounded.
So it will take another war to stop abortion, but IRC believes this war MUST be non-violent.
We are glad you have such patience with the genocide going on around you, you seem to have become comfortable with it. Are you really interested in stopping abortion, or have you accepted it as a way of life in America?
Americans don't care about all the aborted babies, if they care at all it's only for the mother. So how can we get them to care?
You offer no solution,except the same old tired strategy that hasn't work to stop the vast majority of abortions in the US.
If you want change, you must change your strategy.
You say people getting arrested will take them away from abortion clinics so how can they save babies. This is false, they are not at the clinics to begin with, they are at home watching TV!!! Wake up from your dream, Sir!!
You mention the press.
Who Cares!
We all know they support killing babies, no one, who has a fully functioning 3 pound brain, pays them any mind. They (Those with a 3 pound brain) get their information from Blogs like this one! Do you think the Chicago Tribune would ever publish your opinion, previously stated, as IRC has done for you?
The result won't be more Draconian Laws, have you no knowledge of History? The laws can not get any more Draconian. Legalized murder! Is that not Draconian enough? Women being forced by husbands and boyfriends to kill their own child, and it's legal! Is that not Draconian enough!!! Our children and grandchildren being exterminated at the rate of 4000 per day, IS THAT NOT DRACONIAN ENOUGH!??? Good God man, what planet do you live on? Men, women and children are dying in Iraq so we can fuel our SUV's cheaply and so Vice-President Cheany and his Cronies can get rich off of arms sales! And you seem to be afraid to go to Jail?
You talk of pro-lifers being scared to get involved. They are already scared, where are they now!
They are gutless wonders at home, sitting on the couch, watching the electric fireplace(TV)!!! They are not outside the "Mills" stopping abortions! Maybe if they see some fellow Chicagolander's making greater sacrifices's than spending an hour once a week praying outside an Abortion mill, and then rushing home to watch the Cubies (God Bless their last place souls!), they will come out of their culture of death daydream!
You talk of humility, IRC is as 'umble as 'umble can be Sir! We are just stupid sinners who fear our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and want to do something, however so 'umble (sorry for all the 'umbles, we are studying Charles Dickens). Being arrested is nothing compared to the Passion of our LORD!!!
So,... when you meet your Maker, what will you say?
We tried!
IRC feels that won't be good enough for the Big Guy, our Father who art in heaven!!!!!
Ric, I agree. Why can't we (also) get the Pro-Aborts in jail? Please consider a strategy for this, and I might consider joining you in a cell.
Christian Civil Disobedience?
by Bob Sperlazzo
Informed Christian Digest
There are times when the laws of the land will conflict with the laws of God, according to His Word. What should be a Christian's position regarding so-called "Christian civil disobedience"? There are several Scriptural examples that come to mind where the same question arose.
OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
Daniel 6 - King Darius signs an irrevocable document into law, stating that, among other things, anyone who makes a petition to God will be put to death (in the lions' den, in this case). But, verse 10 says, "When Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house...and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying...as he had been doing previously." And God miraculously delivered him!
Daniel 3 - King Nebuchadnezzar forbids worship of anyone but himself at the sound of his trumpets. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, unwilling to compromise, said "Our God...will deliver us out of your hand.... But even if He does not...we are not going to serve your gods... (v. 17-18)." Then the king had them thrown into the intensely hot furnace as a judgement. But Jesus Himself appeared, standing with them in the fire. And they were miraculously delivered from certain death!
Exodus 1 - "The king of Egypt commanded the Hebrew midwives..., 'When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live'.... The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live." And because the midwives feared God, He rewarded them accordingly (v. 15-21).
NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
Acts 4 - Peter and John are arrested for publicly teaching the people about Jesus and for healing the sick. Then the council of rulers and elders ordered them not to speak or teach anyone in the Name of Jesus. But the disciples confidently told them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge: for we cannot stop speaking what we have see and heard (v. 19-20)." And they continued to teach publicly.
Acts 5 - After the disciples were arrested again and thrown into jail for preaching publicly and healing in the Name of Jesus, an angel appeared to them and opened the jail during the night, encouraging them to continue to speak to the people about Jesus. But when the rulers found them back in the temple, publicly teaching the people, they had them arrested a third time, and demanded an answer why they were disobeying their strict orders. The answer that Peter and the other disciples gave them is significant -- they said, "We must obey God rather than men" (v. 29). And every day in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ (v. 42).
I Peter 2 - "It is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.... If you suffer (punishment) for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (v. 19-21). When we are confronted by governmental authorities regarding our disobedience to their conflicting laws with God's commands, we can often expect to be punished. However God honors us and will honor and reward us for our obedience to Him.
RULERS: MINISTERS OF GOD
Romans 13:4 teaches us that God gave us the governing authorities as "a minister of God to you for good" and "a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil." We don't often think of those in secular government as "ministers of God," but they are. And just as those in the Church who are ministers of God must live according to godly principle, so must the secular authorities live by His laws which He has written upon the hearts of men. (Remember that the root of "authority" is "author" -- referring to Christ Himself, the Author of our faith and of all rule.)
Yet, when the governing authorities no longer subject themselves to God's authority, stepping outside of His own commands and precepts according to His Word, we who are believers have a dilemma. We must now choose between obeying unrighteous rulers or obeying God -- the same choices that the early disciples and other godly men and women had.
I Peter 2 also teaches us that kings and governors are sent by God "for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men." (Note that the root of the word "ignorance" is "ignore" -- implying that their foolishness is willful defiance against God.) But, when the kings and governors begin to punish the righteous in defiance against God, a choice of obedience must then be made by all.
"WE MUST OBEY GOD"
The proper focus of the believer under such ungodly rule is never on disobedience, but rather on OBEDIENCE -- "WE MUST OBEY GOD, rather than men." This is the act of a godly people obeying the Author of all rule and authority, God Himself, rather then the twisted laws and commands of ungodly men. Our accountability is always to our God, often by way of those leaders who function under His authority, but never contrary to it. In so doing, we may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
In this way, we are able to keep our perspective of what is right and what is wrong, especially when men contradict God's laws and wrongly legislate against them. And this remains true regardless of where we live or who rules over us, because God's laws are always higher than man's laws. We must always obey God rather than men!
When good men rule, they extend His commandments to us, and we must obey God. When evil men rule, they contradict His commandments, and we must obey God. In every case, the outcome of our allegience is always the same: obedience to God and His commands. And God will deliver us out of the hands of the wicked. And even if he doesn't, as the three patriarchs in Daniel said, we must still obey God.
At the same time, we are called to pray for those who rule over us (I Timothy 2:2) "in order that we may lead a tranquile and quite life in all godliness and dignity." And if we as believers continue to do so, our leaders will more often rule in righteousness, and not make laws and judgements that run counter to the Word and will of God. If we live ungodly lives, how can we expect our leaders to be any different?
Let's raise the standard of righteous living, and pray for our rulers that they will not give us cause to disregard ungodly edicts that run contrary to that which is good and acceptible in the sight of God.
Bob Sperlazzo
Informed Christian Digest
http://www.topica.com/lists/ICD/
Subscribe: ICD-subscribe@topica.com
Copyright 2002 Bob Sperlazzo
Dear Anonymous;
I never really thought about getting pro-aborts in Jail except for Aborotionists who kill a patient, are caught sexually abusing patients, or other such offense.
You propose a great idea!
What we are working on now is closing down the Albany Surgical Medical Center on Elston/at Cicero.
We are working on following up on 2 "possible deaths" that occured in the last year, in the hopes that we could file a wrongfull death suit against the Abortionists responsible, and hopefully send them to jail.
Also, we know Planned Parenthood shelters child molesters that get thier victims pregnant and then go to Planned Parenthood to have the child's unborn baby killed. Other states are investigating this, but we do not have enough support in Illinois to pursue this coarse of action here.
Could you help us with one of these projects, or one you think of, to get some pro-aborts behind bars? I'm very excited about your idea and it makes a lot of sense, and also feels like the right thing to do. I understand that resistance to IRC's idea of Pro-Lifers getting arrested is there for a reason, and maybe it is not the proper coarse of action.
Thank you so much for your excellent idea!
Thank you Bob for your Biblical commentary and info!
Maybe we need to have a huge prayer vigil in Chicago at the Daly Center, for our leaders, that they will make abortion illegal.
When we figure out how to make links from this site to others we will make a link to the Informed Christian Digest.
Are you the same Ric Dugan, of the Infants Rights Campaign, who is being evicted from his apartment for non-payment of rent?
If yes, then how can anyone entrust their hard earned money to someone who has proven incompetent in their own personal finances?
You claim to be a charity and alledge you will use monies raised to help women gteat with child.
How can a potential donor be guaranteed that you will not use the money for personal expenses, such as paying your back rent?
Do you have a board of directors which oversees disbursements?
Do you have audited financial statements?
Do you have a CPA who can provide details of previous disbursements?
Until these questions are answered I urge all pro-lifers to be very skeptical about donating money to IRC.
You should have one of your minions postwhen you get arrested since it will never make the press...or are you all talk and no action?
Dugan:
Where were you when pro-lifers were getting arrested for civil disobedience in the 80's and 90's? You seem to have no knowledge of pro-life history, or you would know that your amazing new ideas were tried--and they failed. Where were you then?????
Also, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta said "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try".
As the Honorable Henry Hyde once said:
"When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgement, I’ve often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there alone standing before God – and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement will not be alone. I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world – and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. They will say to God, ‘Spare him because he loved us,’ – and God will look at you and say not, ‘Did you succeed?’ but ‘Did you try?’"
--Nicole
I just heard about this blog and am amused to see that irc has appointed himself (herself?) spokesman for God. "So,...when you meet you Maker, what will you say? We tried! IRC feels that won't be good enough for the Big Guy, our Father who art in heaven!!!!" What a pompus idiot, to dare to speak for our Creator...to dare to infer that he could begin to understand God's plan for His children. Me thinks his thought process is more influenced by the fallen Morningstar than by divine inspiration.
Jesus Christ died for our sins.
Jesus Christ paid the price of admission to heaven by dying on the cross for our sins.
Try reading your Bible...you will be amazed at the truths you will learn. No where in any translation of the Bible does it say that you must be perfect to earn salvation...to the contrary, we are all sinners...some much more than others.
John
i was curious and google searched ric dugan and found a piece by chicago tribune writer eric zorn titled uh oh which expresses concern over dugans call to action missive if this is the type of press coverage which dugan wants he is no friend to the prolife community but rather just someone who likes to see his name in the newspaper i could not find any articles etc which tell of dugans pro life acomplishments or ties to established prolife groups but did find a link to a prolife dating service and one which confirms dugan is being evicted for nonpayment of rent i agree with anonymous that anyone considering donating money had better ask a lotta questions before they trust dugan or anyone who seems to have popped up outta nowhere with dime one
a lifelong prolifer
Dear anonymous,
I also googled ric dugan and found a posting which seems to prove that Dugan is more interested in his agenda than the truth. It is my understanding this e-mail went out to hundreds of pro-lifers to correct an e-mail which Dugan had sent out (in which he appeared to claim credit for organizing the event then inaccurately described what took place. There was no civil unrest (as Dugan claimed) just 300 pro-life Catholics obeying God's and man's laws.
Here it is in its entirity:
I am writing to answer your questions prompted by an email sent by a Mr. Ric Dugan, who attended the Helper's Vigil for Life on April 30, as did approximately 300 other individuals.
From what Mr. Dugan wrote, he seems to be misguided in his understanding of the mission of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants and the Helper's Vigils for Life. His opinions and observations are solely his own and are not shared or endorsed by the Helpers of God's Precious Infants.
As you may know, the first chapter of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants was founded in 1989 by Monsignor Philip Reilly of Brooklyn, New York. To date, there are now hundreds of Helper's chapters thoughout the United States and in fifteen countries worldwide.
The Helpers are committed to a peaceful, prayerful and lawful pro-life presence outside of abortion clinics. The Helpers maintain no formal membership, all participants in Helper's events attend on an individual basis.
Naturally, the Helpers of God's Precious Infants Vigil for Life on Saturday, April 30, 2005 with Bishop Thomas Paprocki was peaceful, prayerful and lawful. We are grateful for Bishop Paprocki's strong, faith-filled leadership as we witnessed to the Gospel of Life and maintained our commitment to the peaceful principles of the Helper's Vigils for Life.
As with every Helper's prayer vigil, (the April 30 vigil was the Chicago Helper's thirteenth) a City of Chicago Parade Permit was obtained by the Helpers which outlined the procession route from St. John Berchmans to American Women's Medical Center abortion facility and back to St. John Berchmans.
Also, as with every Helper's vigil, a meeting with representatives of the Chicago Police Department was scheduled previous to the day of the vigil. At that time, the Chicago Police were supplied with a copy of the parade permit, the morning's vigil schedule was discussed and the Helper's intent to ensure a peaceful and law abiding event was explained.
In addition, as with every Helper's vigil, the Chicago Police Department graciously affirmed the Helper's request for an escort along the procession route and for assistance in providing parking and traffic control. The Chicago Police have been instrumental in ensuring the safety and well being of Helper's prayer vigil participants.
To that end, on Saturday, April 30 the police controlled the flow of traffic, stopping it at busy crossings until all the prayer vigil participants were safely on the sidewalk. They also closed off the parking lane in front of American Women's Medical Center abortion clinic in order to accomodate the overflow of those in the prayer procession. So, to be accurate, the Helpers of God's Precious Infants did not stop traffic, the Chicago Police controlled the traffic, in order to maintain an orderly flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and to ensure the safety of both.
I hope this has answered your questions. Please feel free to contact me at any time; I will be happy to reply.
Sincerely,
Julie McCreevy
Director
Chicago Helpers of God's Precious Infants
Tony
Ric,
I'm going to ignore all the personal snide comments about my commitment to fighting abortion. You don't know who I am or what I do, and I haven't told you because I don't trust you.
But I do wonder how you plan to get "gutless wonder" Chicagoans, who won't even go out and pray at an abortion mill one day a year, to (a) learn about IRC in the first place without any use of media whatsoever and (b) go and get arrested with you.
Thank you everyone for posting your comments.
I want to apoligize to anyone I may have offended, and I agree with John that my statement about God and us saying we tried was pompous, thank you for calling me on that. I am mostly unknown in the Pro-life movement and I'm not very smart, but I really do my best to stop abortion. I study the bible every day.
In regards to being evicted, this is true and the reason I had stopped paying rent was to protest unsafe conditions, other code violations, and corruption in Chicago that leads to these conditions, at my apartment, just as Rosie Downs, at 5509 S Bishop did and who is also facing eviction. This is the building where, tragically, 9 year old Tiara Woods died this weekend when the 3rd floor railing of her porch broke. The housing inspector was there 33 hours before and spent 13 minutes inspecting only the inside stairs, not the back porch and later paninicked and claimed to have done a full buiding inspection, according to the Sun Times. I was in fact, arrested Friday protesting my eviction, and corruption in general in Chicago, and spent over 4 days in Cook County Jail and lost all my belonings.
Nicole, in the 80's, I was a student activist at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, and have been an activist for over 33 years. I started when I was around 10 years old, helping my Mom on political campaigns. I know that 70,000 people got arrested protesting abortion, compared to 5,000- 7,000 in the Civil Rights Movement, so maybe it won't work. I am not tied to this strategy and I'm open to new ideas.
In regards to the Vigil, I wrote as I saw it. I wrote how I felt about it. I also wanted to write it in a way that would attract younger people to the movement.
IRC does have a Board of Directors that oversees disburments and we just got registered with the Secretary of State as a non profit, and our records are open to any member to look at. We may have lost our records during the eviction, since our offices were in my apartment. At years end we will have a CPA who will oversee our books and provide details of disburshment. One of our members performs this function at this time. If any of you can help us with this, you are welcome.
I personally live very humbly, as anyone who knows me will attest.
In conclusion, IRC, and myself, want to apoligize for some of our comments. They were rash and not worded very well and we thank you all for correcting us on them.
Hopefully we can work together and come up with a plan that will stop most abortions in Chicago. IRC is commited to this end, no matter how awkwardly we go about it.
Thank you for your kindness and patience.
Ric Dugan,
IRC News Desk
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