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Read previous Diary Anti-abortion wingnuts attempt to close down Jackson Missippi abortion clinic
Saturday was a complete disaster for cocky anti-abortionist Flip Benham and his Operation Save America foray into Jackson Mississippi.
After leaving barely an hour of picketing at the Jackson Women's Health Organization, he and a few ragtag followers sat pitifully outside a rally sponsored by Jackson NOW and tried to get attention.
Of course,
press reports called the event "contentious".
But, alas, the anti-abortionists were outnumbered by about 10 to 1 by the enthusiastic pro-choice community that hijacked Flipper's parade. The pro-choice contingent that gathered at a peaceful rally in downtown Jackson totally eclipsed the anti-abortion activities of Flipper and his band of terrorists.
A bomb threat caused the group to be moved across the street.
According to someone who was there:
I was at the rally today. The organizers did a great job - too bad someone called in a bomb threat about 1pm and so all pro-choice rallyers were told by police to move across the street. interestingly enough the anti-choice protesters were not asked to move until someone inquired why they were not being moved. Unfortunately the police moved the anti-choice protesters right into the pro-choice group which made for interesting conversations. I continue to wonder why the anti-choice group was allowed into the park since I thought the rally had a permit to use the entire area until 3pm. But I was just a participant and don't know all the specifics. On the other hand during the rally from 12-1pm the speakers, music makers and attendees made the whole thing a success. Great crowd, excellent messages - fantastic.
Another attendee had the following to say about the bomb threat:
Big news at the rally @ Smith Park, was the bomb scare, which ended the program. Roy McMillan and friends, Flip and friends (same friends) were there, there was shoving and pushing around a bit before the bomb scare caused the park to be cleared. All had the hint of bogus, but it will get sorted out. Suspicious package turned out to be an old suitcase loaded with empty pill bottles and med supplies. I have no details of how the "bomb" was brought to the attention of the cops.
Speaking at the rally were Kim Gandy, President of the National Organizataion of Women, Nancy Kosin-Kinte with the Feminist Majority Foundation, McCoy Faulkner, head of security for the National Women's Health Organization, Michele Colon of Jackson NOW, and others.
Here is the Clarion-Ledger article about the event.
Flip was beaten at his own game. He was out maneuvered and out organized by dedicated pro-choice activists tired of being controlled by right wing fanatics. Saturday proved how irrelevant and pathetic the anti-abortion movement has become in this country.
On Sunday morning, July 16th, they showed up at 2 churches. The stories are Here. 5 abortion opponents were arrested.
Bottom line is that they were a pitiful, ragtag group looking for some relevance. And everyone told them loud and clear that they were irrelevant. It appears their average age was 70.
So now it's Monday and Day 3 of the Big Bad storming of the gates of hell in Jackson. Flipper and about 50 supporters showed up at the clinic to yell and scream at an empty building. You see, the clinic is OFF on Mondays and doesn't see patients. Yo, Flipper...are you annoying the building, or just the neighbors?
Then, at noon, Flipper and company head to the steps of the State Capitol to rant and rave there. There were about 100 people there, then they had a picnic and disppeared. The article is here.
So far so good. But there are hard days ahead and Flipper has vowed to stay in Jackson until the clinic closes.
Other relevant articles are below:
The Fight for Mississippi's Last Clinic from Feministing
Protesters Battle Over Mississippi's Last Abortion Clinic from USAToday
Abortion Protesters Set Up Dueling Camps from the Los Angeles Times