This Is Justice?

If you attended TeenSpeak 2009, you heard Dr. Alveda King talk about Rev. Walter Hoye, who was facing charges of “unlawfully approaching patients” at an abortion clinic in Oakland, CA. His “crime”? Holding a sign saying “Jesus loves you and your baby. Let us help you!“, and asking women, “May I talk to you about alternatives to the clinic?” You see, Oakland had recently enacted an ordinance — which is probably unconstitutional — preventing protesters from coming within 8 feet of anyone entering an abortion clinic. And so yesterday, at trial, even though there were no patients who said they felt he had threatened them, Rev. Hoye was sentenced to three years probation, ordered to pay a $1,130 fine, and told to stay away from the clinic—an order Rev. Hoye is refusing to agree to, God bless him. If you’re on Facebook, you can send Rev. Hoye a message of support here. (And, while you’re at it, you can join the GFL Facebook group here.) “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.” —Matthew 5:12