Vigilante Justice Makes Sense to Forced Birth Zealots
When I was a mayor, our clinic that performed abortions in Fargo, ND, was the center of protests by national groups. They glued themselves to doors of the clinic, laid on the sidewalks, screamed at women entering and other tactics. At least twice attempts were made to burn down the clinic. Arrests were made and orders to stop this were issued by judges. Even these were ignored by some and at least a couple of protestors did hard time in the North Dakota Penitentiary.
Eventually, a federal law was passed prohibiting protestors from blocking entrance to a hospital or clinic. Harassment of women entering a clinic has continued but physical blocking entrances has ended. That is until now. Several crazies blocked a clinic entrance recently and were arrested by Federal law enforcement. I would guess they were motivated by the laws in Texas and Mississippi that put citizens in charge of arresting anyone assisting a woman who is obtaining services at a clinic which performs abortions. Protestors reasoning would be, "If anyone can arrest another person for driving a woman to a clinic, it just makes sense we have the authority to close the clinic."
This was the same reasoning that lead hundreds to storm the Capitol. If the ex President wants us to take military action against the government, who can prosecute us? I have not heard of even one who thought he/she would be breaking the law and go to jail.
Back in the days when black people were regularly lynched, similar reasoning must have been there. If a white man thought a black teenager looked at a white girl or woman with the wrong intentions, that black child was hung until dead. The lynching was done by citizen volunteers who thought they were doing what was right and did not think they were breaking an enforceable law.
When civil rights activists sat at a segregated lunch counter they were not taking rights away from white people, they were expanding the rights of all people. Blocking an abortion clinic entrance is taking rights away from law-abiding women. It is not an expansion, but a contraction of rights.
Vigilante justice will inevitably be meant with either law enforcement opposition or other vigilante justice from those who are protecting themselves. Either way, it is an alarming trend.
First, your stock photo is of no one from Fargo. For all I know, it is an actor. If you know otherwise, please ID the gent.
ReplyDeleteSecond, the only national group that made its way to Fargo was the Lambs of Christ led by Rev. Norman Weslin. Father Weslin died in 2012 at the age of 81. He was a retired Lt. Colonel in the Army, married, his wife passed and he became a priest. You embellished by claiming it was more than one group.
Third, I don't recall that they glued themselves to the door of anything except the junk car they parked in the single-lane driveway. They brought their own junk car. They did chain themselves to the bottom of the vehicle so as to make their removal nearly impossible by law enforcement. At non time, did they put any law enforcement at risk. They just made the arrest and removal process a lengthy affair; keeping the killing center closed during the entire ordeal.
Fourth, there was no screaming at anyone.
Fifth, there was no reason to lay on the sidewalk but they did lay underneath the car in the driveway.
Sixth, there was never an attempt to burn down anything. Check the fire station records and the police records.
Yes, arrests were made. Yes, judgers issued orders which were mostly ignored. About 30 of the 33, approximately, were jailed in Cass County where they refused to walk anywhere. They had to be carried anywhere the jailers wanted them moved. They never struck out at anyone. They were non-compliant and peaceful. Yes, some served lengthy sentences. Martin Wishnatsky served the longest. He was a graduate of Harvard with a Ph.D. in Political Science.
He entered law school at age 65, graduated and practiced law until he died at the age of 76.
The BIG LIE Jon likes to tell is that women are harassed going in to abortion centers. The truth is that sidewalk counselors try to gain the pregnant woman's attention and then try to engage them in conversation, hopefully leading to their decision to discontinue the seeking of an abortion.
Jon's weak attempt at linking January 6, 2021 to sidewalk counseling is humorous. Each re-telling of January 6 opens up new avenues of lies. Every bonkers liberal has to tie Trump to pretty much anything that goes bad in weather, the stock market and forest fires. Then Jon branches off in to racism, lynching, the KKK and Mrs. Butterworth.
Some day, law enforcement will probably point to this blog and people will shake their head, thinking, 'why didn't someone see this coming? The mental illness was there for everyone to see.
Matt-- You must have a degree in Rewriting History. Your vast research yielded one on many efforts to block the clinic entry, one of which was trying to glue themselves to the doors. The shouting was documented on Geraldo Riveria's national coverage. There were different "leaders." Randal Terry, quoted in the link, came to Fargo once or twice. It wasn't just in jail the protestors refused to walk, it was at the clinic location. One Fargo PD officer injured his back carrying one of the dufus protestors. Yes, Martin, did some hard time. Another guy, can't remember his name, was in the Cass County jail for a while before sentenced to the Bismarck pen. One of the people who worked at the jail told me his relatives came to visit and were disgusted with him. He had obligations at home they had to take care of and thought he was bonkers about abortion. There were two documented attempts to burn the clinic. As I recall someone was convicted. I don't recall if there was any connection to the protestors. The protestors started a lie that my wife owned the clinic and that was why I had ordered the police to clear the sidewalk and street. It was repeated in a national newsletter and I got calls at home from all over the country calling me murderous crook because I was "using the police department in my city to make money." Please help readers by making a full disclosure: Where were you living during those protests?
DeleteThere was only 1 national group that visited Fargo, which I named. If you know of any others, speak up. You said there were more than one, i.e. "national groups". I know of no one who glued themselves to a door. Do you have any names, a link to the article which proves your statement? I didn't think so.
DeleteAny video on Geraldo's report on Fargo? Did Geraldo ever show up in Fargo? Do you have any links?
I never heard of Randall Terry coming to Fargo. Again, do you have any proof?
You got one thing correct. The rescuers refused to walk at the killing centers? They simply went limp. They did not resist arrest, they just didn't cooperate by walking. I was there. I led one of the rescues and had my trial in Fargo. The police officer perjured himself with regard to my arrest. Judge Davies threw my case out based on the perjury.
Police officers injure themselves and risk their lives every time they put on the uniform. No rescuer resisted arrest. If a police officer injured himself while carrying someone, that's unfortunate. He could have asked for help, worn a brace, etc. Do you have the name of the officer or any link to a story? You are not a reliable or truthful source of information so I always challenge you to provide verifiable back-up. I suppose the civil rights protesters were dufuses as well or do you only reserve that word for people you don't agree with?
There was one woman who was arrested. She had a young daughter. The daughter was well-cared for by different members of the Noah family while her mom was in jail. Her mother, Sandra Cordts died many years ago at a young age. Mary Cordts, the daughter, probably lives in Colorado.
You bring up someone who was jailed who you claim had obligations at home. During any of our country's wars there are Americans who had to leave their families to fight with the military. Some never came home. What's your point?
Show me the documented attempts to burn the killing center? Since you say they are documented, show us the documents. "As I [Jon] recall, someone was convicted."
Who started the lie about your wife? If you don't have a name, then you really shouldn't blame anyone or any group. Think of hoaxters like Jussie Smollett. He makes up fictional racists but hires actors to rough him up. In other words, he faked a hate crime against himself in order to gain sympathy. Perhaps you faked the lie about your wife in order to gain sympathy.
I don't need to disclose where I was living when the Lambs of Christ was in Fargo. Perhaps I was on a secret CIA mission trying to find Hitler's bunker. After that, the CIA assigned me to find out why your wife sold her interest in the killing center in Fargo.
Matt--So you don't want to admit you did not live in Fargo during those protests. That's why you know so little about what went on. I have a tape of the Geraldo Rivera report on 20/20 with the screaming protestors. You are welcome to have a look. As to the myth my wife owned the clinic, I heard that lie from many different people. One I recall clearly was a telephone call at my home from a lady in California. She said she learned of that from a news letter which included my family home telephone number. I told her it was not true and she was stunned. She said "Let me check on that. It's terrible if that was published and it's not true. I'll call you back." The day or two later she left a telephone message, "I checked and learned a local source says your wife owns the clinic. That means it's true." There were dufuses in Fargo picketing and there were dufuses in California believing lies.
DeleteThe head of the FBI did not live in Fargo during the time that the Lambs of Christ were there to rescue. There were no protests. Do you think the head of the FBI knew little about the situation in Fargo because he didn't live there?
DeleteI was intimately aware of what was happening. I have no intention to tell you how I knew what I knew.
The leader, Fr. Weslin, was firmly committed to peaceful, prayerful behavior. Prayer, singing, spiritual disposition were all integrated into the planning. Peace officers, judges, staff and fellow rescuers were all treated like sons and daughters of Jesus. No one was yelled at, assaulted, insulted or treated in a negative way. I had inside information. You did not.
Matt--You've gone completely over the cliff. Rivera was at a City Commission meeting--few hundred saw him. There was a story on 20/20. I have a picture of him with me and my family. The police chief came to see me several times trying to figure out what to do about the screaming nut jobs. I had coffee with Martin a few years later and we reviewed who all was involved. The whats his name you mentioned he never mentioned. Sorry your memory has gone bad.
Deletecan't take sides on this one. wasn't anywhere near Fargo when the "nut jobs" glued themselves to doors. (in fact have been to Fargo only once in my life: no desire to go back, ever). in context tho' am wondering what Jon has to say about the screaming, vulgar, hateful Pro-abort nut jobs that I have seen so often on the TV. or what he has to say about the folks who vandalise churches and pro-life centers. knowing Jon, I supect that he's OK with that kind of behavior when it's acted out by his pro- abort friends. double standard?
ReplyDeleteBeen gone for a bit--no wifi. I'm not in favor of vandalism. Have you heard of abortion rights operatives screaming at Catholics or anti abortion Protestants as they entered their churches? I have not.
DeleteScreaming at people entering their churches?
Deletehttps://www.wkbw.com/news/protesters-disturb-mass-at-catholic-churches-across-valley
How about "Ruth Sent Us" disrupting Masses?
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251176/costumed-protesters-disrupt-los-angeles-mass
How about desecrating the body and blood or Christ during Mass?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Host_desecration
I don't have time to reference every example of what you think never happens.
Matt--Yes I found after I wrote that there are disruptions. I stand corrected.
DeleteSo Matt, I wondering. After decades of Catholic protesters at clinics trying to take rights away from women, do you see Catholic churches as "victims" because women are retaliating? I would guess priests are telling people this.
Deleteso vandalism, disruptive and hateful demonstrations at Catholic sites are OK because Catholics somehow wronged women? guess that figures in Jon's world.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous "....at Catholic sites are OK...figures in Jon's world." I never said they were OK. I asked if Catholics think they are victims because they advocated taking rights away from women and retaliation is now taking place? Matt doesn't seem to reply. So, how about you? Are Catholics victims because groups are doing to them what they did to abortion clinics? Maybe you can stand with Putin who now claims he and Russia are now "victims" because they invaded Ukraine and Ukraine is fighting back. Tell us about Catholic victimhood, the unfairness of women who do not want their rights taken from them.
DeleteYour lie that pro-life people were violent as women entered abortion centers is easily provable. All the videos - BBC, Geraldo, etc. - show some reporter standing on the sidewalk next to some 80-year-olds praying the rosary, while the reporter speaks about all the harassment and violence the women face. The facts refute the poor reporter even as he speaks.
DeleteOperation Rescue and similar groups decided to sacrifice THEMSELVES and made THEMSELVES available for the charge of trespassing by occupying space in front of the abortion centers such that the children about to be aborted could not be admitted to the abortion center. They offered no resistance to arrest. They made it difficult and time-consuming to be arrested using a variety of peaceful tactics.
One tactic was to have vast numbers of rescuers present.
A second tactic was to rescue at multiple abortion centers in the region, thus thinning out the police presence at one particular location.
A third tactic was to have sidewalk counselors present to offer counseling to women (no women showed up while the rescues took place, too much publicity).
Statistics showed that if a woman missed her appointment for abortion, she was less likely to book a second appointment. That's a big win for the child and the mother!!!
With all the video cameras, police and others at the abortion center, most clients would drive by and never return.
If you are looking for an analogy, think of Gandhi and his peaceful, non-violent acts of civil disobedience.
But you would like everyone to think the analogy is more akin what BLM and Antifa do - domestic terrorism rife with violence and hatred.
I get it. You have an awful product you are trying to sell.
Thanks for the comment, Matt. First we must note you denied previously Geraldo was in Fargo--he was there twice. Another amusing comment, "That's a big win for the child and the mother." It might be better if you asked the mother herself. You can't ask "the child" anything because it is still part of the mother.
DeleteThere were two anti-abortion crazed law enforcement officers from other areas during one of the periods of protests. One was from Redwood Falls. All the organizers were quite cocky and sure the Fargo PD would handle the protests "according to the book," i.e. the way seminars and advisories issued recommended. But, the Fargo PD knew the strategy before protesters arrived and handled things efficiently so as not to be overwhelmed. I suggested a city bus instead of patrol cars and that worked well. The protesters expected to be released immediately but they were held longer than they wanted. A couple of very old priests lay on the ground and complained to officers about being cold--asked if the arrests could be done quickly. The police were already pissed off at having to deal with this so, one told me later, they led the old men shiver a little longer than they needed to.
That "most clients would drive by and never return." Talk about lying and hyperbole--the number of patients was unaffected in Fargo. There are state records you might inspect instead of saying things that are not true.
Anyway, I'm glad you looked into the protests a little more instead of making everything up.
I never denied Geraldo was in Fargo.
DeleteDeal with your other lies.
The time is drawing near for repentance and judgment for all of us.
Lying is a sin.