RIGHT TO LIFE

of NORTHEAST OHIO

LeBron James and the Palace Guards

Dear Friend:

If you’ve ever watched LeBron James play basketball, you will see that he is “smartly” aggressive. He doesn’t taunt opposing players, nor does he make the game all about him.   He is a team player, aware of his surroundings and constantly adjusting his moves for the sake of winning the game, all with the guidance of a coach. Yes, he is capable of making big moves, but he does so only when the risk is worth the reward.

The sentries guarding the royal palaces in England (the Queen’s Guard) are capable of big things, too. Many people don’t realize that these sentries are fully operational soldiers. Their duty is to eliminate nuisance or any suggestions of threat from the public or their surrounding, yet what most people focus on is their ability to seemingly stand for hours seemingly unaffected by their environment, like a statue, with little to no movement or facial expression despite the circumstances.

Both LeBron James and the Queen’s Guard are highly trained, and are witnesses to myriads of events and activities which to most of us would cause us to react to threatening situations in an unfavorable manner. While they perform as witnesses to the jobs to which they are dedicated, they commandeer our respect and challenge us to emulate their behavior as we witness their commitment and purpose.

It can be like this for us as we witness the life threatening atrocities of abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide and more.    It is especially hard for those who witness outside of abortion facilities and Planned Parenthood. These locations are the LAST place at which we should have to take a stand to fight abortion.  We should be doing such a good job at educating our youth and the public about life that there would be no need for anyone to even consider having an abortion.  In all honesty, we rarely affect the lives of those entering the facilities on the days we are there. We never know, though, just how many people that drive by and see prayer and peaceful protest are positively affected by our dedication to saving lives.

Like LeBron and the Queen’s Guard, we should remain stolid in our faith and convictions, unaffected by any “roadblocks” thrown our way by facility guards or escorts. No matter what anyone says, it is not an easy thing for a woman to go into an abortion facility. They’ve rationalized a wall of defense to protect what they are doing.   If we react with self righteousness and bring ourselves down to the level of the taunting and unruly behavior we see in a lot in clinic escorts, then we are no better than they are and we risk not showing the love of God to an abortion minded client.

An abortion facility security guard once taunted me and told me to trespass by putting just one foot on their property so that he could call and get me arrested. He said I wasn’t dedicated unless I was arrested at least once for my cause. Had I done so, I wouldn’t be arrested for protecting life….I would be arrested because I was stupid!

As long as abortion remains legal, we will encourage witnesses to stand vigil at abortion facilities and Planned Parenthood so that we can work to change the hearts and minds of the clients, the employees, the occupants of the cars driving buy, our communities and our world because it is the right thing to do. We encourage you to do so in a spirit of love and compassion, rather than self-righteousness and anger. Abortion is legal, but that doesn’t make it right.  Neither is un-Christianlike behavior.  Don’t let the behavior of abortion advocates pull you into their vortex.

“God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16) You can read our vigil guidelines on our website by clicking here. In the meantime, our work goes on….

For Life,

Martin Haskell Writes Editorial, ORTL Responds

       The Cincinnati Inquirer printed an editorial opinion from abortionist Martin Haskell last week after Judge Metz upheld the decision to close the facility because of multiple violation issued by the Ohio Department of Health.  Haskell will not appeal the decision, and has stopped performing surgical abortions.  His editorial opinion paints the governor and Ohio law for his predicament, and that he is a provider of vital services to women who is being unfairly targeted.

You can read his article by clicking here.

       Graciously, the Enquirer gave Ohio Right to Life 600 words to respond to Mr. Haskell’s editorial. The editorial was published online last Friday, and it ran in Saturday’s print edition.  ORTL Public Relations Manager Katie McCann wrote an excellent rebuttal to Haskell’s diatribe in which she states that Haskell is part if a fringe minority, and that  he believes abortion providers do not have to be held to the same high standards as actual health care providers.   You can read Katie McCann’s article by clicking here.   Good job, Katie!

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