League protesters Ann Scheidler and Alan Nelles at Personal PAC luncheon [Photo by Sam Scheidler]
On October 18, a group of 20 pro-life stalwarts faced chilly autumn winds outside the Hilton and Towers on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue to protest an awards luncheon hosted by the radical proabortion lobbying group, Personal PAC. I arrived on the scene about a half hour before the protest’s scheduled start time of 10:30 a.m. to find another picket already in progress, which made for an interesting event.
Housekeepers at the hotel were on strike, demanding a contract, and dozens of them and their supporters picketed outside each of the hotel’s four entrances, banging pots and pans and chanting slogans through megaphones.
A Clash of Liberal Causes
The Personal PAC luncheon went ahead as scheduled, despite the labor picket going on outside, a cause for which the liberal supporters of Personal PAC might have been expected to have some sympathy.
In fact, labor organizers were aware of the luncheon and had a list of Democratic politicians expected to attend, including state legislators and Chicago aldermen. The strikers were prepared at all four entrances to take pictures of the politicians crossing the picket line for the luncheon. One of them gave a copy of the list to the League’s John Jansen and asked him to help identify the pols.
The labor picketers seemed to appreciate our mission. One of them crossed Michigan Avenue to find out what we were protesting for, and when I told her, she said, “We got your back.”
Abortion Boosters Face the Truth
Because of the dominating presence of the labor picketers, as well as some obstructing scaffolding next to main entrance, our pro-life group moved across the street to the east side of Michigan, where our signs would be much more visible.
On the sidewalk, I gave a brief talk—caught on video by my son Sam and posted on YouTube—about why we were picketing. As the most powerful pro-abortion political action committee (PAC) in Illinois, Personal PAC has helped scores of proabortion candidates gain office and consistently pushes pro-abortion legislation in Springfield, including the “Illinois FOCA” bill the League has helped defeat in each of the past three years.
After my talk, I sent a detachment of a half dozen pro-lifers over to the hotel’s north entrance, where cars drive into the parking lot. Many luncheon attendees both on foot and in cars saw the large graphic signs showing exactly what they’re supporting by donating to Personal PAC, as well as our signs reading PERSONAL PAC = ABORTION and STOP ABORTION NOW.
The League’s Ann Scheidler entered the Hilton twice to do reconnaissance on the Personal PAC luncheon, verifying that the labor picket did not seem to be dampening attendance. Actress Olympia Dukakis, cousin of failed 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, was the headline speaker at the event.
Through events like this luncheon, abortion supporters hope to legitimize the activities of extremist pro-abortion groups like Personal PAC. It’s a privilege to expose the abortion lobby’s true agenda through this kind of hard-hitting public protest.
