Group takes anti-abortion message to skies over city
Jill Nance/The News & Advance
An airplane towing a banner depicting the hand of a human fetus lying on top of a dime flew for three hours over Lynchburg on Monday and is expected to return Tuesday, said Mike Schrimsher, Florida area regional director for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform.
An airplane towing a banner depicting the hand of a human fetus lying on top of a dime flew for three hours over Lynchburg on Monday and is expected to return Tuesday.
The anti-abortion banner flew circles around Candlers Mountain and other places in the city. It will resume its flight Tuesday around noon, said Mike Schrimsher, Florida area regional director for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. The privately funded nonprofit works to “establish prenatal justice and the right to life for the unborn,” according to its Web site.
Shelli Montgomery, spokeswoman for Falwell Aviation, said the plane took off from their facility on U.S. 460 and will return for three more hours of flight over the city. She said the organization chose to fly a second day based on the feedback received on its toll-free number.
Schrimsher said the organization chose Lynchburg after the pro-life conference held at Liberty University last week. The university’s first ever pro-life conference on campus was a student-driven event meant to unify the student voice against abortion, said SGA president Matthew Mihelic.
The four-day event honored Norma McCorvey, “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade, and featured speakers including Clenard H. Childress Jr., founder of the nation’s largest African-American pro-life organization; Carol Everrett, a former owner of an abortion clinic that facilitated 35,000 abortions; and U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.).
“We were pleased and wanted to lend our support,” Schrimsher said.
Liberty University spokesman Johnnie Moore said that the school has no affiliation with the banner.
“It was a surprise to us like it was to everyone else,” he said. “It’s a pro-life organization, it’s a pro-life banner, but we did not invite them.”
The organization uses graphic images of aborted fetuses to protest the practice of abortions across the country.
“CBR operates on the principle that abortion represents an evil so inexpressible that words fail us when attempting to describe its horror,” the Web site said. “Until abortion is seen, it will never be understood.”
The organization’s toll-free number received more than 200 calls Monday, though not everyone left a message, Schrimsher said. The organization recently flew its banner over Knoxville, Tenn.
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Reader Reactions
Grandma,
While I disagree with much that you’ve said on this subject, I do have to say I am very glad you don’t just “talk the talk” like so many who take your stance. I really like that instead of just yelling at women that they should go the adoption route, you’ve actually helped women in the situation of an unwanted pregnancy and adopted children. I wish there were far more on your side of the debate like that.
Both my son and my daughter are adopted. Unwed mothers. I thank God all the time that abortions were not so easily available years ago. On each of their birthdays, I say a prayer for their biological mothers and think of their courage and the joy they have given us.
Grandma,
Have you adopted? There are many babies and young children waiting just for you.
It’s Sunday morning so I hope all of you will go to church and pray for the souls of those babies who never had the chance to.
Martha, if the women who killed their babies had the courage to give birth and adopt their babies out, we could have more adoptions. It doesn’t take courage to have an abortion.
I pray for all of those who did. They will strongly regret that act when they grow up.
maschrim, I’ve dealt with the truth more than you possibly ever could. I’m sure you believe you are the voice of reason, however I still disagree with you. I’m not ignoring anything, I’ve seen anything you could possibly show me. I just have the rational to decide for MYSELF (as in not all the other women) what is right.
havincutebabies, That’s right, keep your eyes shut tightly and your fingers in your ears while repeating “la, la, la, la, la” indefinitely to hide from seeing or hearing the truth. Your house of cards will collapse if you ever gain the courage to open your eyes and listen to reason. When you’re ready, visit abortionNO.org.
Martha, yes to all of them! While I an pro-choice and my family is in no position to adopt a child right now, nor would we even be approved for a number of years, our family plan is to adopt once we meet the time and financial requirements. Until we are capable of adopting, we’ll foster.
Questions:
1) Do we all agree that abortion is a horrible thing and we need to reduce them?
2) Can we also agree that education concerning anatomy, contraceptive use, healthy sexual choices, abstinence for teens( as the better choice) and family planning are important and are part of the key to reduce unwanted pregnancies?
3) Can we come to an understanding that it is better to plan ahead for families so that couples can begin having children when they are stable financially and emotionally?It doesn’t mean couples won’t have children EVER, it means couples will have children when they are in a great position to parent,nurture and raise them.
4) Does anyone really think that if abortion was made illegal all abortions would end?
5)Today is National Adoption Day. If every single person who is so vehemently opposed to choice would adopt a child things would improve for America and thos families and children.
I think everyone who has posted a comment about abortion can come to an agreement on these things. I hope so, anyway.
BTW Clare, I’m with you on your concerns over the wording of the current bill. They should clarify more about the procedure. My SIL had a D&C because of her endometreosis (sp?), which is in no way even related to pregnancy. It really would be a blow to women’s health if insurance companies completely stopped paying for the procedure.
*sigh* clare, imp doesn’t understand what you are saying. He think you are for abortion remaining legal because of the scenario you gave.
Imp, she isn’t talking about abortion being legal or illegal. She’s talking about her concerns over the wording of the current health care bill (which most certainly is an issue facing us all). I also do not think that gov’t funds should be used to pay for abortions. However, the surgery itself is a medical procedure that is used in standard women’s health, not just to end an unwanted pregnancy. With the way the bill is written it excludes payment of the surgery for any reason, not just in the case of abortion. You mentioned that you and your wife dealt with a miscarriage so I’m surprised you find Clare’s scenario ridiculous. The EXACT scenario she gave happened to me (well, minus me having to fork over $$ for it since it was still covered by insurance at the time). If its happened to me, I’m sure it has happened to millions of other women.
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