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Days 2-3: Anti-abortion Wingnuts in Jackson Mississippi Irrelevant
Day 1: Anti-Abortion Attempt to Close Down Jackson Mississippi Abortion Clinic
"Hateful", why "hateful"? Because the alledged anti-abortion protests in Jackson MS planned for this week have turned into hateful diatribes against churches (Unitarian & Episcopal), the police, and it seems anything that's not white Evangelical Christian.
Flip (the "Flipper" Benham and Operation Save America have been wandering around Jackson with an unfocused hate for everyone. Not only have they picketed the clinic, but they have also terrorized a pro-choice rally, the State Capitol, businesses along State Street, 2 churches, and anyone who doesn't look like them. Their hate is spread far and wide.
They are trying to close
Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi, and have vowed to stay until it closes its doors.
They also hate the police according to the Clarion Ledger:
Tanya Britton, president of Pro-Life Mississippi, said the arrests were not unexpected.
"We have been through this time and time again," she said. Britton is one of four individuals who filed a complaint against three Jackson police officers, including Chief Shirlene Anderson, last Tuesday, involving previous protests and arrests.
"If I have to go to jail, I guess I'll go to jail. I'm not in violation when I'm on a public sidewalk," she said.
Stephen Crampton, with the American Family Association Center for Law and Policy in Tupelo, said he filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against the department on Monday. Crampton is the lawyer representing the anti-abortion protesters.
Wow...the AFA is getting in on the action.
This morning, about 70 protesters turned out in front of the empty clinic at 8:00 am. Cleverly, the clinic brought their patients in early and were gone by 7:30 am. So, Flipper and his band of wingnuts yelled at an empty building for a while, then they left.
Closed Doors Greet Abortion Protesters from the Clarion Ledger.
They announced that they were going to burn the Koran on the steps of the State Capitol today. They ended up just ripping it up, and say they're going to burn it at a church this evening. They're so desperate for attention that they're even injecting themselves into the Middle East conflict.
This Press Release from NOW sums up the events so far:
National Organization For Women
Michelle Colon, President Jackson Area NOW 601-454-0984
Jenni Smith, Founding Board Member, Unity Mississippi 601-566-3722
Nancy Kohsin-Kintigh, Feminist Majority Foundation 786-251-8550
Mississippi Women's Rights Community Outraged About Bomb Threat
JACKSON, Mississippi - July 18 - Hundreds of reproductive rights supporters gathered at Smith Street Park in Jackson, Mississippi, on Saturday, July 15 for "Reproductive Freedom Summer: Providing a Peaceful Presence." The rally is one of many events planned to counter the actions of Operation Save America, formerly Operation Rescue, and their push to close the lone remaining clinic that provides abortions for Mississippi women. "Women in Jackson are encouraged by the demonstration of support," said Jenni Smith, of Unity Mississippi. "There is a real progressive presence in Jackson and across Mississippi fighting for women."
A handful of anti-abortion extremists disrupted the event but were unable to stop the speakers from delivering the rallying message to women's rights supporters. After the keynote speech from Kim Gandy, President of the National Organization for Women, police were notified about a suspicious package and began to move people to the edge of the park. For nearly two hours, activists waited for further direction from the police.
The bomb squad finally arrived and detonated the small suitcase, but did not take the suitcase and left most of the contents behind, including empty prescription bottles.
Despite such threats, NOW and other women's rights activists will continue our scheduled events to deliver the message of reproductive justice for women in Mississippi. NOW understands and is encouraged by law enforcement reports of an ongoing investigation to determine who is responsible for placing the suitcase in the park's trash container.
"What happened at the rally speaks to the violence centered around abortion clinics in this country. It's not unusual for a clinic to be shut down during the day because of suspicious packages, bomb threats and trespassing," according to Nancy Kohsin-Kintigh, Field Organizer for the National Clinic Access Project of the Feminist Majority Foundation.
"We are calling on law enforcement to keep the women of Jackson safe. It is outrageous that anti-abortion activists endanger the lives of Jacksonians in order to further their cause. The individuals responsible for this act of domestic terrorism in this post 9/11 era must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Michelle Colon, President of the Jackson Area chapter of the National Organization for Women.
"That any organization would come into Jackson, Mississippi and create fear and terror surrounding reproductive rights is of concern to the community activists," says Shannon Reaze, a reproductive rights activist from Jackson.
Another Clarion Ledger article is Here: