by Gov. Mike Huckabee

I’m not going to recount everything that happened Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, because the details are being updated constantly. We do know that the Unite The Right protest and the Antifa counter-protest turned into brawls and riots, which might have been planned (there was a report that some counter-protesters brought weapons, although fortunately not guns – one blogger compared it to a “rumble.”) The ACLU confirmed that as the violence escalated, the police were ordered to stand down for some reason that begs investigation. And worst of all, one woman is dead and at least a dozen more people injured after a 20-year-old Ohio man believed to be a white supremacist sympathizer drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters. He’s been charged with murder, malicious wounding and hit-and-run. He should also be charged with an act of domestic terrorism and prosecuted to the full extent of the law .

But before we discuss the aftermath, let’s talk about something that seems irrelevant, but is not at all. Back in the 1940s, a new technology swept America’s kitchens: the pressure cooker. In those pre-microwave days, pressure cookers were a miracle. They cooked food faster and with less energy because the heat couldn’t escape. Instead, a lid was clamped down tight. All the steam that might have been blown off if the system was open was instead held in. As the heat rose, with no way to vent it, so did the pressure. Under pressure, things get hotter and hotter. It was a great way to cook food, but there was one drawback: at the first crack or weak spot, there was a very real danger that the whole thing could explode like a bomb. Today’s pressure cookers have safety features to prevent that, but if ignored, the results can still be deadly. Recall that the Boston Marathon bombings were carried out with pressure cookers.

“Jesse Watters on Fox News illustrated the double standard with a montage of clips.”

Over the past few years, several small but loud factions of society have been trying to turn America from an open system into a pressure cooker, and the explosions of rage and violence in Berkeley, Dallas, Charlottesville and other places are the result. The Founders knew that there would always be clashing ideas, and the best way to deal with them was a free marketplace where everyone could express and defend his views, and the best would be adopted while inferior ideas were exposed and rejected. America hasn’t always gotten things right, but thanks to free and open debate, we have consistently gotten things better.

Unfortunately, in recent years, we’ve seen a dangerous trend toward clamping down the lid on the free marketplace of ideas. Places that were once bastions of unfettered debate, such as college campuses and the Internet, are now rigidly policed to silence any ideas not approved by self-appointed authorities. Americans who don’t toe a particular line have not only been driven from the public square, even their private conversations make them targets for the thought police, if they’re caught in surveillance by a leaky intelligence agency or overheard by an overzealous busybody. It’s not enough that any opinions that vary from the “approved” line be silenced, but those who dare express them, even thoughtfully and anonymously, must be ferreted out, exposed, threatened, publicly shamed, bankrupted and fired.

I don’t say all this to try to shift blame for what happened in Charlottesville. The people who started this are vile, hateful racists and should be condemned in the strongest terms . But it’s not a coincidence that violent extremist groups are suddenly popping up all around us. They’re a symptom of a larger problem. They are the weak spots that turn dangerous when the pressure gets too high and too hot. Violent extremist movements have always drawn their numbers from those who think they have no voice. When you take away the free marketplace of ideas, it creates a breeding ground for their recruitment.

But why should people be allowed to express bad ideas? Because when they express them in the open, they have to defend them. Maybe they can be reasoned into seeing the error of their ways. In fact, that’s a large part of the history of America: bad ideas that used to be taken for granted are now seen as abhorrent, because good ideas won out. We used to be a nation where people who disagreed could sit down over a beer, have a spirited discussion, and maybe end up by seeing things from the other person’s perspective. Ban the open discussion, tell some people their perspective is invalid and they have no right to express it, and you’ll end up with a barroom brawl instead.

In light of the tragedy in Charlottesvlle, President Trump issued this initial statement: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides. On many sides.” He was immediately blasted by politicians, the media and celebrities for not singling out just the white nationalists for condemnation. But at that point, it wasn’t entirely clear what had happened. What was he supposed to do, leap to a conclusion that might fire up the conflict even more, only to have it turn out to be incorrect, the way President Obama did with Ferguson, Missouri?

Trump later issued a stronger statement specifically condemning white separatist and neo-Nazi groups and calling on Americans to end the violence, stop exploiting divisions and come together to concentrate on the positive things we have in common. This statement, very similar to a statement once made by Barack Obama under similar circumstances, was greeted by more attacks from left-wing politicians, media figures and celebrities, some of whom blamed Trump directly for violent racists in Charlottesville and claimed that they represent the entire Republican Party. Jesse Watters on Fox News illustrated the double standard with a montage of clips, showing many of these same people insisting that the angry Bernie Sanders supporter who shot Rep. Steve Scalise and tried to slaughter Republicans at a charity baseball practice in no way represented the Democratic Party.

And they were right. I absolutely believe that the deranged shooter and the black-masked rioters who shut down free speech at UC-Berkeley are not representative of the approximately 96 million registered voters who identify as Democrats, any more than I believe that the racist idiot who ran down people with a car or a small group of white supremacists represent the views of 88 million registered voters who identify as Republican. They are two opposite extremes that exploded when the political pressure cooker got turned up too high.

We should all be doing everything we can to reduce the heat, release the pressure, let the steam out and open up the system to more dialogue and discussion between people of different backgrounds and viewpoints. But when people in positions of public trust respond to violence, division and hatred with even more heated, divisive rhetoric, seeking not to put out the fires of rage but to pour gasoline on them, they should be well and truly ashamed of themselves.

This is the fourth of a 4-part series.  Download the entire series in PDF format here:  Hard Questions About Disturbing Abortion Photos.

Deeper Still’s Karen Ellison and Kay Smith at Market Square GAP.

Why is Deeper Still, a leading post-abortion healing  ministry, associated with the display of abortion photos?

Many post-abortive mothers have said that God used abortion photos to bring them to repentance, peace with God, and eventual healing.  This is what happened with Irene van der Wende, the founder of CBR-Netherlands.

Deeper Still has also counseled women who sought help because they saw CBR’s abortion photos in the public square.

People in denial can’t find healing.  Also, post abortive mothers are at risk to abort again, compounding the trauma.

Further, if we don’t force Americans to see abortion, then the killing will never end.  When CBR shows abortion photos, we know babies and moms are saved.  We also know hearts and minds are changed.

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.  (Proverbs 28:13)

This is the third of a 4-part series.  Download the entire series in PDF format here:  Hard Questions About Disturbing Abortion Photos.

Young children learning the truth of abortion.

What about small children who might see the photos?

CBR does not target children with our abortion photos, but they cannot always anticipate when a child may inadvertently see the photos.

The parents set the tone for what happens next.  Parents who understand God’s heart regarding abortion can use it as a teaching moment and calmly explain this is an evil that breaks God’s heart and we must compassionately and sacrificially help save babies from abortion.

A parent who is not prepared to give an answer can advise the child to look away.

In CBR’s experience, if a parent explodes in anger, the child will be distressed more by the parent’s behavior than the images.  The parent may be projecting his/her own history with abortion onto his/her child.

Children as young as middle school are getting pregnant and having abortions, yet seeing abortion photos can  protect them from aborting their babies.  It is far worse to allow the wholesale slaughter of a million children each year than to risk the possible discomfort of some children.

Children saw Jesus’ battered and bloody body as he carried His cross through the streets of Jerusalem on the way to Calvary.  He died on the cross publicly to show the price He had to pay for our sins.  Should we keep our children from knowing the truth that could spare many lives from abortion?

Assemble the people — men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns — so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.  (Deuteronomy 31:12)

This is the second of a 4-part series.  Download the entire series in PDF format here:  Hard Questions About Disturbing Abortion Photos.

Post-abortive women can say, “I regret my abortion; please ask me about it.”

What about compassion for the post-abortive women who might see the photos?

It is never compassionate to hide the truth when babies’ lives and women’s souls are at stake.  Dr. Alveda King has had two abortions, and she wants women to see the pictures so they can avoid the pain that she has felt.

We know that abortion photos save babies from abortion and spare mothers from unbearable pain.  Further, many post-abortive women have reported that seeing abortion photos was their first step to repentance and healing.

So we must ask which is more compassionate, (a) exposing the truth so that post-abortive women can be healed,  pre-abortive women can be spared, and babies can be saved, or (b) hiding the truth so the killing never ends?

Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it.  Though I did regret it — I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while — yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance.  For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  (II Corinthians 7:8-10)

This is the first of a 4-part series.  Download the entire series in PDF format here:  Hard Questions About Disturbing Abortion Photos.

Images like this educated the public on the evils of slavery. Additionally, they created the kind of tension/conflict that (a) forced the public to think about slavery and (b) created a public forum that forced slave traders to defend the indefensible.

Why does CBR display disturbing abortion photos?

No injustice has ever been eradicated by covering it up.  William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson used images to end the slave trade, because words alone did not work.  Alice Seeley Harris used pictures to end atrocities in the Congo.  Lewis Hine used pictures to end abusive child labor.

Martin Luther King said that America would not reject racism until America saw racism, and his niece Dr. Alveda King now says that America will never reject abortion until America sees abortion.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  (Ephesians 5:11)

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.  (Proverbs 24:11)

Based on facts and not false assumptions, ODU students can have a rational debate about abortion.  Without the facts, as horrific as they are, rational debate is impossible.

We judged Old Dominion University (ODU) to be “moderate” on the moonbat scale, earning 6 moonbats on a scale of 1 to 10.  There were a lot of great conversations, but without the same kind of acrimony that we saw at Virginia Commonwealth University that same week.  However, things did get a bit heated by the end of the second day.

She knows all too well.  A pregnant woman and her husband are seeking asylum in America.  She was so glad to see GAP.  A strong woman who knows a thing or two about life, she will fight against injustice for anyone, regardless of race or religion.  She soberly confirmed our rape sign.  She lamented fact that fathers kill their daughters and their grandchildren, but they ignore the rapists.  She told us that although abortion is not allowed in the Muslim religion, it is allowed in the Muslim culture.

Rampant bloodshed.  A Saudi Arabian man found it very hard to believe our lax abortion laws.  Abortion happens in his homeland, but (he believes) not as frequently as it happens in America.  He is against abortion regardless of the country.

Never again.  A young woman angrily marched up to Maggie Egger.  “These pictures are very upsetting to the students!” she shouted.

Maggie responded, “How can a picture of abortion be upsetting, if the act of abortion is not?”

The young woman calmed a bit and told Maggie that she was post-abortive.  “I would never do that again,” she declared resolutely.

God speaks.  Ivy, a Christian young woman, thought that if she became pregnant as a teenager, she would have an abortion.  She theorized that God would approve.

While her words were still in her mouth, a young man swooped in and exclaimed, “Thank you!  My mom had me at 16, and if she had had an abortion, I would not be here.”  It was obvious that God had given His Word on the matter.

Mission Accomplished!  A member of the wrestling team exclaimed, “You changed my mind!  Mission accomplished!”  He thought he had gotten a girl pregnant years ago and had considered abortion.  Now after seeing the pictures, he was open to speaking to teammates who are sexually active or have paid for abortions.  He would help his teammates stand up and do the right thing, even if it was difficult.

Vote pro-life!  Roy was about 50 years old.  He was ex-military, a railroad worker, and a corrections officer.  A tough guy.  “Thank you!  This needs to be seen and we can only hope it affects voting.”  Amen!

Jane Bullington speaks with a young woman about the culture of sin and self-destruction.

by Jacqueline Hawkins

A PETA woman (or wannabe) screeched at us, “You don’t care about the millions of chickens raised in horrible conditions, just to be slaughtered, but you care about this!!!”

Before you could say “Chick-fil-A, but hold the pickle, please,” another young woman walked over.  She didn’t much care for the PETA woman.  “I just want to hit her in the face!!” she exclaimed.  CBR does not advocate violence, but we understand the young woman’s frustration.

A mother of two, she was 100% against abortion, and then some.  She lost her virginity at 15 because, although her parents were good Catholics, the message of sexual purity just didn’t come through.  Or at least it didn’t come through strongly enough to overcome the culture of death.

She was angry that schools indoctrinate students with sin and self-destruction.  The worst example is telling young children, “Let me show you how to put a condom on a banana so you can have safe sex.”  The seeds of destruction find fertile ground among naïve children with adult bodies and wild hormones.

Jackie Hawkins is a CBR Project Director and a regular FAB contributor.

He definitely looks like someone who is ready to give an account at the Pearly Gates. …  Just sayin’.

College students say the nuttiest things.

Christian for Choice.  A young “Christian” man held a clever sign that said: “Christian for Choice.”  Have fun explaining that at the pearly gates…

Changing the subject.  A woman shrieked about our omission of the Native American genocide. “Why don’t you have pictures of that genocide!?!?”  Jane calmly directed her to our photo Wounded Knee photo.

Upon receiving exactly what she asked for, she changed the subject, but not her tone.  She came closer and closer to Jane, until they almost touched noses.  Jane, not deterred by a petulant child, did not flinch or step back.

The student continued to shriek about the 100 million Native Americans who should be acknowledged.  “Abortion is NOT genocide like THAT is genocide!”

She got louder and louder until she finally stopped and left.  She never acknowledged that we actually do recognize Native American genocide. Perhaps it never really matter to her in the first place.

Passionately apathetic.  “F*** you people” a young man hissed at GAP staffers.  “And f*** you people too!” he growled at the protesters.  Like Billy Martin in those Miller Lite commercials in the 1970s and 80s, he feels strongly both ways.

Can’t handle the truth.  An ODU events manager sat nearby and fielded complaints from angry students.  Jane suggested that ODU teach a Constitutional law class to freshmen.  The lady replied wearily, “I am seeing that the students don’t know how to deal with opposing opinions in the culture of this campus.”  Ya think?!

Belligerent “White Trash” humanized by a story of heartbreak.

by John Stair

On the first day, we had a man dressed in a Halloween costume stalking around the pictures, yelling at us, with intense profanities and vulgarities in a fake New York accent.  The accent conveniently changed when he was stopped by the police for getting physical with a pro-life student.  His costume was a white garbage can, his hat was the lid.  We think the costume was intended to mock us as “white trash.”

On our second day at VCU, the suit was gone but he was even more belligerent.  He stalked a couple of our group who had tried to talk with him, but he only wanted to berate us for being there.  We told him they would not respond to yelling, but he only got louder.  He accusing us of not wanting to talk.

The protester yelled at me from a distance and asked me if I would speak with him.  I told him I would not, until we was willing to listen to what I had to say.  He said he would, so I walked over and told him I could have a better conversation if we stood closer together.  We were now about 4 feet apart, and I asked if I could tell him why we were there.

I shared the horrible experience of a miscarriage of my 3rd child, in our bedroom and into the toilet.  I told him about taking the tiny body to the hospital and giving the body over to the hospital personnel.  Years later, I realized they had just thrown that baby into the trash and I regretted not giving my child a proper burial.  I told him that CBR photos of a 10-week fetus in the womb are what I held in my hands after the miscarriage.

I told him about CBR staff—people of integrity, people with college educations, people who would never display photos that could not withstand intense scrutiny.  I encouraged him to investigate on his own as well.  He had some comments, but his response was much more muted and diminished, thanks to the Holy Spirit.  He hung around the display for a while longer, but he never yelled at or berated one of us again.

John Stair is a CBR Southeast Project Director.

Men in pink shirts and strange socks thought they would frighten us, but we are not that easy to scare.

More from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

Stooping low out of respect?  A student complained, “I just wish you could present this so as not to disrespect liberal students and maybe they would listen.  And maybe find common ground.”

Hmmmm.  Looking at the crowed of half-naked, cursing, sex-crazed snowflakes, we wonder what they would consider “respectful.”

Kill ’em, cause I don’t want ’em.  A middle-age maintenance man took issue with the genocide comparison.  Not because he had an argument, but because he didn’t want to take care of his own children.  “Are you going to take in all those kids that live?  I’m not.”

A young man admitted that abortion is murdering a child, but he would still do it.

Demonic.  A young man came up to the poll table and voted that abortion should remain legal.  He wrote, “I worship Satan and I think abortion is great.”

Whom do you fear?  “I thought we scared them off, to be honest,” a male Planned Parenthood operative said when we showed up for Day 2 (3 days after Day 1).  Yeah, right.  Men in pink shirts holding “I stand with Planned Parenthood signs” are much less scary than God’s judgment on a nation that sacrifices its children to Molech.

Regrets.  We ran into a handful of people who were vocal about their regrets.  A woman had an abortion via plan B regretted it deeply. She started crying.  CBR staffer Jane Bullington tried to comfort her and told her that there was forgiveness in Jesus.

Standing up to bullies.  When he was 22, his girlfriend aborted his child against his wishes.  After that, he studied the facts and changed from pro-choice to pro-life.  He stood in front of the GAP display and engaged students for an entire day.  He was spit upon and harassed by “pro-choice” students, but he held his ground.

Jane speaks with a young man who became pro-life the hard way — his girlfriend aborted their baby.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.  (John 1:5)

Joyful.  An Asian freshman female said in a soft whisper, “I wanted to tell you that I am pro-life and that I am very joyful that you have come to our campus.  I pray for you and wanted you to know that not all the students here are like these protesters.”

Grateful but curious.  A Muslim woman was thankful about our sign comparing abortion to honor killings, but she was very curious about  how we even knew about this ugly part of the Muslim culture.  Honor killings are largely ignored here because the leftist media see Muslims as a force against Christianity, and they hate Christianity more than they love women.

An open mind.  Referring to the ill-mannered protesters, one student commented, “I consider myself pro-choice, but calling people names and demeaning others is not respectful. It’s not the way to get your point across.  When we leave this campus, we will meet people with different opinions.  This is not the way to discuss differences.”  Yeah, he’s pro-choice now, but he’d better watch out, because God can work with an open mind.

Defining “choice.”  Another student commented, “I understand they want choice, but if they watched a child being ripped apart and screaming in the womb, they couldn’t want this.”  Wisdom.

Rebellion against God.  Another student commented, “Abortion is just rebellion against God, and the government assists.”  More wisdom.

So right.  Student 1 complained, “Don’t you think this is too extreme?  Couldn’t you guys just set up a tent and invite people in or set up a table and not be in people’s faces so much?”  But Student 2 had greater insight, “No, man. If they did that, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”

CBR Southeast Director Fletcher Armstrong speaks with students at Tennessee Tech.

The new Centennial Plaza is a beautiful new venue at Tennessee Tech.  While there, we dug up a few gems to share.  (Don’t worry; no bricks were harmed in the mining of these gems!)

Appropriate response.  A female history major commented, “I have seen GAP a couple of times.”  When asked how she responded the first time she saw the pictures, she replied, “I went to the bathroom and threw up.”

Ready for battle.  An engineering student remarked, “We may have different views on the subject, but I appreciate that we can sit here and have a civil conversation about this. You are clearly passionate and well informed.”  Indeed.

Happy.  A male student welcomed us.  “I’m glad you are here. People say it is too graphic, but it is what it is.  People need to see it.”

Please help us do more.  Click here.

Angry.  Three female students, at different times during the day, said essentially the same thing.  “This breaks my heart and I get so mad when my friends don’t get it.  How can they not see it?”

Sad, but bold.  A female student in a medical major spoke of her brother’s child, who was aborted by his girlfriend aborted without his knowledge.  She said, “I could have been an aunt. And that relationship between them is also over.”  She took a photo of GAP and said, “I’ll post this on Facebook and see how many friends I lose!”

Selfish couple.  She tried to argue against the humanity of the unborn human child.  When that failed, she said, “Why should I have to carry a baby I don’t want, just so I can give it away by adoption?”

He didn’t say much.  As long as he can get sex without responsibility, why should he care?

Civil.  Student Carl said, “I really appreciate that I can sit here and have a civil discussion with you even if I’m pro-choice and you are pro-life.”

Barely alive.  A male engineering student said, “My mom was raised Muslim and became pregnant with me right before she and my father divorced.  Her family wanted her to abort me, but she chose to give me life.  It is so eye opening to see these images and think of how easily that could have been me.  My life was decided by a yes or no question.”

Another close call.  A female history student remarked, “I have a niece who is almost a year old, and she is my whole world.  I look at these images and think about how that was her just a little while ago.  How could someone destroy something so precious?”

Kelly Hicks speaking with young women about the painful truth of abortion.

Kelly Hicks was discussing the question of rape with two female students at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), when another young woman overheard and interrupted.  She wanted to talk.  Normally, Kelly would ask her to wait her turn, but something moved Kelly to give the young woman the floor.

She cried as she told everyone that she was raped in 8th grade.  It was very traumatic.  Then she described going through with the pregnancy and choosing adoption for her child.  Already bold, GAP strengthened and inspired her to do a school project on abortion.  She wanted to reach out to victims like herself.

As you might imagine, everyone within earshot was speechless.

It only takes 2 sentences to define Western Civilization:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

This is the focal point of everything Western Civilization stands for:

• We are created beings.
• Because we are created, we are equal.  You can’t get to equality by way of Darwinian evolution.
• Our rights are granted to us by our Creator, not by government nor by popular will.
• Government is instituted not to grant rights, but to secure rights already granted by our Creator.

It’s that simple.  Thank God we finally have a President who is willing to defend our values and challenge all of us to do the same.

“Stop the genocide of Harambe.”

A few of our more disturbing encounters at Middle Tennessee State.

A slave to sodomy.  A very polite young man made a shocking admission.  Because of his sexual encounters with multiple men, he said, “I go to Planned Parenthood 2 or 3 times per month for STD testing.”  To speak with us, he skipped class and endured not a small amount of hazing from, we assume, some of his sexual enslavers.  Rejecting their manipulation, he stayed with us for an hour.  Please pray for this young man.  Very sad.

Science jumps the shark.  He said the preborn is not human because it doesn’t have a soul.  “I have researched this extensively and written papers on it; I know for a fact when the fetus gets a soul.”  Jane told him, very nicely, as only Jane can do, that he was full of baloney.

Better off in the human chop shop.  A young woman became more and more belligerent as she talked.   She was sure that

• late term abortions are done because the mother is going to die,
• women are making thoughtful, deliberate decisions when they abort,
• the 8-week skeleton does not show differentiated cells, and
• no one wants to adopt, and if these babies are not aborted, millions will be in the broken system.