40 Days for Life sidewalk counselor arrested on orders from Chicago’s Planned Parenthood

As a group of us were assembled to pray during the 40 Days for Life vigil taking place outside the Albany Medical Surgical Center abortion facility in Chicago, we were taken by surprise when Albany manager Diana Maracick angrily walked right through the middle of our prayer group on her way into the clinic.

Shortly afterward, four police cars arrived. Apparently, Diana had called the police because one of our sidewalk counselors, 64-year old Anna Marie Mesia, had been standing in the public alley adjacent to the Albany facility, talking to a client in the parking lot.

By this time the police arrived, Anna Marie had left the alley, walked past the prayer group, and was standing near the other entrance to Albany’s parking lot along Elston Avenue.

The police approached her, told her she was under arrest, ordered her to place her hands behind her back, and handcuffed her. In obvious discomfort, she was then placed in a squad car.

Her crime? Supposedly, Anna Marie had violated Chicago’s “bubble zone” ordinance.

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Editor’s note: Such is life in Chicago … also known as “The People’s Republic of Emanuel” where deadly abortion mills are protected  and human rights trampled, according to the whims of those in power.

Court: Abortion “Bubble Laws” must apply equally to both sides

Walter Hoye, a minister and self-described “sidewalk counselor,” opposes abortion and seeks to convince women to eschew the procedure. After being convicted of two separate violations of the ordinance, he filed a federal complaint alleging violations of his free-speech and due-process rights.

While courts subsequently reversed Hoye’s two convictions on procedural grounds, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer dismissed the minister’s civil rights complaint, finding that the Oakland’s ordinance is content-neutral and therefore constitutional.

A three-judge appellate panel sitting in San Francisco agreed, but only partly.

While the ordinance, modeled after a Colorado law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court more than a decade ago in Hill v. Colorado, is constitutional, Oakland failed to enforce it properly, the 9th Circuit found.

The appellate judges cited the testimony of an Oakland police officer who said that the ordinance is generally applied “only to efforts to persuade women approaching reproductive health clinics not to receive abortions or other reproductive health services, and not to communications seeking to encourage entry into the clinic for the purpose of undergoing treatment.”

Hoye also alleged that the “escorts” often tell women not to listen to him or take his literature, and they attempt to block his message by putting up barriers and making noise, the ruling states.

“The city’s policy of distinguishing between speech that facilitates access to clinics and speech that discourages access is not content-neutral,” Judge Marsha Berzon wrote for the unanimous panel. “It is the epitome of a content-based speech restriction.”

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Anti-abortion activists get look at Chicago’s new protest law

By Dan Simmons Tribune reporter

November 15, 2009

Corrina Gura walked a 50-foot-long orange rope down the center aisle of a room crowded with anti-abortion activists Saturday afternoon to show them their new reality.

She kept walking in the basement of St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church in Logan Square, finally stopping when the rope came taut and she was out of the room.Then Gura and Ann Scheidler stood at opposite ends of another orange rope, this one 8 feet.

“This is not a normal conversation distance, is it?” Scheidler asked the crowd, which laughed.

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Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal George AWOL in Maine same sex marriage battle. Why?

Catholic dioceses from around the country got together and contributed to the successful fight against same sex marriage in Maine, yet the Archdiocese of Chicago appears to have contributed absolutely nothing!

This is the same outfit that has so far remained totally silent about Mayor Daley’s plan to permit the new “Bubble Law” to quietly take effect on November 18th, which would severely restrict the activities of pro-life sidewalk counselors, threatening them with fines and even jail time.

Some things never seem to change … especially in the heart of Obama country!

Among the largest donations were from other Catholic dioceses. Phoenix (Bishop Olmstead) and Philadelphia (Archbishop Rigali) gave $50,000 each. Next were Kansas City, Kansas (Archbishop Finn); St. Louis, Missouri (Archbishop Carlson); Providence, Rhode Island (Bishop Tobin), Youngstown, Ohio (Bishop Murry); and Newark, New Jersey (Archbishop Myers) – all at $10,000 each. (Source: California Catholic Daily)

View the list of contributors here

Peaceful Pro-Lifer Unjustly Sentenced To 30 Days

February 20th, 2009

Oakland, CA – Rev. Walter Hoye was sentenced Thursday to 30 days in jail and fined $1,130 for unlawfully approaching women outside an Oakland abortion clinic even though evidence showed that he was innocent of the charges. He was ordered to stay away from the abortion clinic. Judge Hing told Rev. Hoye that he is allowed to serve the 30 days in alternative program, such as community service. The Life Legal Defense Foundation, which is representing Rev. Hoye, promises to appeal.

“This is an unjust sentence for an unjust conviction that cannot be allowed to stand,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “We stand behind Rev. Hoye one hundred per cent and pray for his speedy exoneration on appeal.”

In May of last year, Rev. Hoye challenged the constitutionality of a city “bubble zone” ordinance by filing a civil suit in Federal Court alleging it violated free speech rights and illegally discriminated against speech based on content. The ordinance bans people from coming within 8 feet of women entering abortion clinics.

Twelve days later, Rev. Hoye was arrested for violating that law. During the trial, secret video produced by clinic workers, known as “escorts,” not only showed that Rev. Hoye was innocent of the charges, but showed evidence that clinic escorts harassed him.

Rev. Hoye is an African-American who feels called to offer help to women outside abortion clinics and draw attention to the devastating impact abortion has had on the African-American community, which is disproportionately targeted by the abortion industry. He simply carries a sign that reads, “Jesus loves you and your baby. Let us help you.”

“Every American should be alarmed by Rev. Hoye’s conviction on this unconstitutional ordinance,” said Newman. “When one man’s rights are abused, it undermines everyone’s liberty.

“We thank God for Rev. Hoye’s courage and faith in the face of persecution, and pray that this case will call attention to the extent to which the abortion lobby will go to silence opposition to abortion, and prevent women from receiving the love and help that might lead them to keep their babies.”

More,  from the California Catholic Daily News