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News and commentary from the Pro-Life Action League
Malachi sign along Rand Road in Arlington Heights, IL
Picture-perfect weather provided ideal conditions for the 40 pro-life activists who took part in the Pro-Life Action League’s Face the Truth Day on May 19 in Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs.
The first stop of the day was at Arlington Heights Road and Rand Road in Arlington Heights, which had been one of the busiest sites on the July 2009 Tour. Arlington Heights has also been a hot spot for pro-life activism recently after local activists learned that abortionist Vinod Goyal has sought permission to move one of his abortion facilities into a medical office building in the community.
Thanks to the great turnout in Arlington Heights, all of the large graphic signs were deployed, as well as numerous hand-held “Stop Abortion Now” signs.
Many drivers offered thumbs-up and words of encouragement, although not everyone was happy with our presence, including one passerby who, curiously, called us “hillbillies” and told us to “go back to the South”.
Shell gas station that apparently doesn't want business from pro-lifers
Even stranger, upon entering the Shell gas station adjacent to a display of Truth Tour signs, the League’s Eric Scheidler and Matt Yonke were immediately told to leave. One can’t help but question the fiduciary acumen of a business that kicks out would-be paying customers.
The second of the two Tour stops was in Des Plaines at Mannheim Road and Oakton Street, which had last been a Truth Tour site in 2004.
Mary Ann Krupa distributes Face the Truth brochures in Des Plaines
The League’s office received a number of phone calls during the demonstration from passersby irate for having to see pictures showing the reality of what abortion does to unborn children—evidencing once again the ability of Face the Truth to successfully “afflict the comfortable”.
However, one other notable feature of the Des Plaines stop was the number of drivers who were so moved by the display that they generously gave donations ranging from a handful of change to a check for $100.
Without a doubt, the day was a great way to continue our 2010 Face the Truth season. Keep your eye here on the Pro-Life Hotline Blog as well as the Tours page, where we post the itineraries for upcoming Truth Days so you can know when you’ll have the next opportunity to join us.
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Dear Eric, I am so happy for your success and will keep you in my prayers for all your hard work. It does not go un-noticed. God Bless you and keep up the good work. I am handicapped and have no money. I wish I could help, but I surely do not know what I could do, so I will keep you in my prayers. Cathy
Posted May 21, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Eric, I didn’t get a chance to mention to you that a least one woman slowed down to put the help-line number into her cell phone. At first I didn’t notice what was happening, but it was quite clear she was driving much slower than other drivers and was putting a number into her cell phone. We can only pray that a life may be saved. Please plan to be in Arlington Heights for a summer stop. I should be able to recruit more people than for the spring tour.
Posted May 21, 2010 at 10:32 pm
I applaud your efforts and am encouraged by the positive steps acheived this week. Although I am a staunch pro-life supporter I feel strongly conflicted about the methods used by many of those who I consider to be on my team. While I realize the shock value of the graphic sign strategy is exactly what we are trying to achieve, have any of you stopped to ponder what kind of harm that can be inflicting? These signs have ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS being displayed in a public manner in which they could potentially be viewed by young children. I have to tell you a story, we happened by a protest last summer and sadly my 4 year old daughter had the unfortunate experience of having to see one of these signs. You can only imagine the questions that were sparked by this, not to mention the night terrors that began and continued for approx. 6 months following. As egregious as the act of abortion is, the portrayal of these signs for young children to see is equally egregious. I strongly urge you to reconsider your use of such deplorable tactics.
Posted May 22, 2010 at 7:30 am
“You can only imagine the questions that were sparked by this, not to mention the night terrors that began and continued for approx. 6 months following.”
At the end of the 6 month ordeal, is the child better or worse because of the experience?
Posted May 22, 2010 at 1:29 pm
“These signs have ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS being displayed in a public manner in which they could potentially be viewed by young children.”
Abortion takes place “publicly”, “privately”, and all inbetween!
Graphic display of it should be restricted to “other than public”?
Posted May 22, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Come on, Jerry. You really think at 4 years of age a child could possibly be better off after being forced to look at these pictures? Get a clue.
As for your point of abortion taking place “publicly”, when’s the last time you had to watch or even worse a 4 year old child had to watch an abortion take place? Didn’t think so. No need to try and draw a correlation between the two.
Fact is the people that display these pictures and thrust them at cars while stopped at a stoplight (which is what happened in our instance) are acting heinously themselves. There is no doubt about it.
Posted May 22, 2010 at 6:41 pm
The purpose of the signs is to stop abortion.
What is the purpose of being opposed to above? To maintain the status quo?
Which means abortions continue!
Posted May 22, 2010 at 8:36 pm
“As egregious as the act of abortion is, the portrayal of these signs for young children to see is equally egregious. I strongly urge you to reconsider your use of such deplorable tactics.”
Abortion itself is much more evil than its egregiousness!
(Assuming being egregious is even an evil!)
Posted May 22, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Dear Eric,
thank you for sharing your encouraging news with us. Sorry, I could not make it this year since I work on Wednesday mornings, otherwise I would have been there.
Abortion simply has to stop. I am very involved with Respect Life and try to help wherever I can.
My prayers are with you and for the many unborn victims of “convenience”.
Kathy
Posted May 23, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Jerry,
I have had the privilege of holding up signs w/the Schiedlers-God love ‘em. Prayers accompany this act of mercy-before and after. And with many of us-during. I have been verbally and physically threatened, called every name in the book….does it bother me? No. As Fr. Pavone has said for years now, America will
not stop abortion, until America sees abortion”.I have been in pro-life for 26 yrs, now,while raising 2 sons. They grew up seeing the literature, knowing what it was all about. Were they”hurt” by seeing this graphic info? Absolutely not! Both are pro-life, but my 27 yr.old son is “pushing me” as to who may be the stronger pro-lifer! Just a real life example in a world full of excuses…..
Posted May 25, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Sorry-back,again. The last “Tour” I was on with Eric ,family and friends was in Indy, either 2 or 3 yr’s ago. I have used my bad health as a way not to participate in the Tours. Bad back, bad knees-can make it hard to hold up 6 ft. signs. But I have always felt like God had my back. After re-reading these posts,it is time for me to get off of my duff and get back out there! See you on a Tour this year,John ! One last comment- I have heard young children say”Mommy-look, a dead baby”. Sad, yes. But, they already know what it is. What is sadder,” a child loking at a dead baby, or knowing that mommies can kill their children at the drop of a hat?” That seems like it would bring on more night terrors, Jerry. Kids wonder. They wonder if Mommy gets pregnant again, is she going to keep or kill it? Is that not a terrifying thought?
Posted May 25, 2010 at 3:57 pm
[...] in point: last Wednesday, at the League’s Truth Day in Arlington Heights — As we stood along Rand Road at Arlington Heights Road an irate woman [...]
Posted May 26, 2010 at 10:01 am
Many years ago I was at a rescue in new york city. We had the graphic signs with us and were on Madison Ave, the Ad Capital of the world. A man asked the pro-abortion women what they had to counter the sign I was holding. There was silence on their part. I commented to the ad man that they had nothing to counter the signs. The man said to the pro-abortion women that they would lose the abortion fight in the streets if they couldn’t counter the graphic signs.
There were students from a local college with their professors there and of course they were demanding choice. The pro-abortion students and their professors were behind police barricade. I stood in front of them with the baby’s head and freedom of choice???? on the sign. I chanted choice choice and they joined me in a frienzied chant until one by one their voices trailed off and I was the only one calling choice. The professors were furious and went behind me to take action. I had someone watching my back. The pictures are gross and I do not like them but they have saved a few babies lives outside the clinics. ONe comment was I am not going to do that to my child. Please hang in there.
Posted May 27, 2010 at 5:13 pm