Fr. Frank Pavone and Tom Monaghan

I’m in Ave Maria, Florida today representing CBR at the 2nd annual pro-life leader’s summit, spearheaded by Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life.

Jill Stanek is also blogging from the table.  Her blog has been ranked among the top 100 conservative websites in the nation.  That’s impressive, but FletcherArmstrongBlog is the #1 pro-life blog in all of Karns.

From here, it’s on to Richmond, Kentucky, for our Pro Life Training Academy tomorrow morning.

Photos reveals what each cross really means.

Check out the Crosses for the Unborn display at Eastern Kentucky University.  Photos on each cross represent what each abortion really is … an act of violence that destroys a  human being.

Without the photo, many passersby will reflexively conclude that each cross means that another woman has made a reproductive choice … no big deal.  By challenging that conclusion, the photo gives the crosses real meaning.

Elijah House of the EKU Students for Life wrote to FAB about the impact of the crosses:

There was a young woman who came up to us while we were setting up yesterday and she stopped and thanked us for what we were doing.  She proceeded to tell us that she had lost two nieces and nephew to abortion. 

There was also a young man who stopped and he wasn’t aware that there was a pro life group on campus.  He had gone to a Right to Life conference recently and was excited to get involved with pro life work on campus.

Unfortunately, last night someone pulled up all the crosses, broke several, and tore off most of the cards.  One of my roommates put the crosses back up.  It’s unfortunate to see how others vandalize First Amendment rights.

Unfortunate, perhaps, but it shows that people are conflicted about abortion.  People still have a functioning conscience.

We’re scheduled to be at Eastern Kentucky with GAP next week!  Please pray for our time on campus, as well as this time of preparation.

Crosses at Eastern Kentucky University feature an abortion photo on each cross.

Pro Life on Campus at University of West Florida

On February 14-15, CBR took the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) to the University of West Florida.  The video below features students talking about the project.

Media coverage was extensive:

• Genocide on Display
• Abortion will always exit
• Free speech zones brought into question
• CBR responds

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IscsEjw11E

When CBR goes to school, we not only bring the truth of abortion, we also give a lesson on the First Amendment.  Here is an article that appeared in the aftermath of our visit to the University of West Florida.

The “free-speech” zones, as applied at many universities, is without question unConstitutional, because it restricts speech on 99% of the campus, without any compelling state interest in doing so.  “We like our speech bottled up where we can keep an eye on it” is not a compelling state interest.  Neither is, “We’ve always restricted speech to this location.”  What they are saying, in essence, is this: “We deny everybody’s First Amendment rights equally, so it’s OK.”  Needless to say, that would get the university laughed out of court if they were foolish enough to make that argument.

After we explain the First Amendment to the most university attorneys, they generally accept our legal reasoning.  Of course, the fact that we are ready and willing to take our case to court, if necessary, also helps them see the light.

Here’s what we say in our standard notification letter to each university to which we take our GAP project:

… pursuant to well-settled law, CBR enjoys an undisputed First Amendment right to conduct educational presentations in any public forum.  “[A] principal purpose of traditional public fora is the free exchange of ideas,” Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense & Ed. Fund, 473 U.S. 788, 800 (1985), and other purposes include “assembly, communicating thoughts between citizens, and discussing public questions,” Hague v. Committee for Ind. Organization, 307 U.S. 496, 515 (1939).   A college or university is “peculiarly the ‘marketplace of ideas.’”  Healy v. James, 408 U.S. 169, 180 (1972).   While we do not accept the proposition that free speech can be limited to designated areas, there is no serious doubt that “free speech” areas on your campus are public fora in which CBR’s rights cannot be limited unless certain standards are met.

The standard for content-based restrictions on speech is that any such regulation must be necessary to serve a compelling state interest and be narrowly drawn to achieve that end.  Boos v. Barry, 485 U.S. 312, 321 (1988).  Furthermore, such regulations “must be subjected to the most exacting scrutiny.”  Id.  Only speech such as obscenity, defamation, and fighting words has been found to meet that standard.  See, e.g., R.A.V. v. St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377, 383 (1992).  Your client will have no such “compelling” interests as to CBR’s speech.

The standard for content-neutral restrictions on speech is that any such regulations must be “narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest, and leave open ample alternative channels of communication.”  Perry Ed. Ass’n v. Perry Local Educator’s Ass’n, 460 U.S. 37, 45 (1983) (emphasis added).  The University undoubtedly has “significant interests” in speech on public property.  Those interests are safety and traffic flow on streets and sidewalks and the opportunity for students to access educational services without substantial interference.  Cf. Widmar v. Vincent, 454 U.S. 263, 277 (1981).

It is axiomatic, however, that the First Amendment is especially protective of speech which is offensive.  In fact, offensive speech is the only speech which requires protection.  See, e.g., Forsyth County v. Nationalist Movement, 505 U.S. 123, 134-35 (1992) (speech cannot be “punished or banned, simply because it might offend a hostile mob”); Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15, 21 (1971) (viewers who dislike a message have a responsibility to “avoid further bombardment of their sensibilities simply by averting their eyes”); Terminiello v. City of Chicago, 337 U.S. 1, 4 (1949) (free speech “may indeed best serve its high purpose when it induces a condition of unrest, creates dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, or even stirs people to anger”).  Therefore, the possibility that CBR’s photos or literature or remarks might offend passersby has no legal significance and cannot properly be used as a basis for restricting that speech.

As noted above, CBR is prepared to accept reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on its expressive activity and will make reasonable efforts to ensure that their conduct does not negatively affect legitimate interests of the university.  But CBR will not accept unreasonable restrictions.  An example of an unreasonable restriction would be any attempt by the university to minimize controversy by relegating CBR’s display to some obscure campus location.

Peter Ascik hosted GAP at U of Georgia in Fall 2010.

One of the best parts of my job is to meet, encourage, and (we hope, at some level) influence young pro-life activists.  One such young pro-life champion is Peter Ascik.  We first met Peter in 2008, when we took our Pro Life on Campus project (GAP) to Appalachian State U, where Peter was an undergraduate.  Now he is in graduate school at the U of Georgia, where he serves as President of the Students for Life.

Peter and his group hosted GAP at the U of Georgia last Fall, and is currently preparing to bring the Justice for All (JFA) display this Spring.  The JFA display features CBR abortion photos.  In preparation for the display, he wrote this column in the U of Georgia student paper.  He wrote:

We understand the pictures of unborn human beings destroyed by abortion are disturbing. But a critical thinker may ask why it is so disturbing to see them.

***

We believe these images are so disturbing because it is inconsistent for us to speak about human rights — while we ignore the rights of the youngest and most vulnerable humans.

For the entire column, click here.

To help us raise up and train more pro-life champions like Peter, click here and make a generous donation.

GAP at Florida Atlantic University

CBR’s Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) tour of Florida concluded at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) on February 23-24.  Media coverage:

• On-line photo gallery
• Letter to the student paper

Free speech board at Florida International University

CBR’s Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) tour of Florida universities continued at Florida International University (FIU) on February 21-22.  Media coverage was sparse and slow in coming, but here it is:

• Student newspaper.

Here’s a surprising comment by Oren Reich, an FIU law student:

I’m pro-choice, but think the exhibit was honest, compelling and non-offensive. Comparisons to genocide are appropriate considering their beliefs, and gory imagery is appropriate as well, just as I would use it for an anti-war demonstration.

Earlier tonight, more than two dozen citizens, including many parents of children in Knox County Schools, spoke out against the presence of Planned Parenthood (PP) at the monthly School Board meeting.  Although PP has apparently been kicked out (for now), many parents are concerned that their corrupting influence will still endanger our children through teacher training programs and PP water-carriers in the Health Department.

As nearly as we could tell, few (three, according to a comment below) parents spoke on behalf of PP, other than their own staff members.  That ought to tell you something.  Of the next few days, FAB will publish the comments from many who spoke.

Here are my remarks:

My name is Fletcher Armstrong, a concerned citizen. Thank you for hearing my concerns.

Let me first acknowledge the decision to remove Planned Parenthood from our classrooms, effective at the end of the year. I urge you to make this removal effectively immediately. Planned Parenthood is the largest chain of abortion clinics in America and they make a lot of money at it. They should have no place in our schools to market their agenda and their “services” to our children.

Please don’t believe anything I’m about to say. Examine the evidence for yourself. Start with ChildPredators.com. You will hear conversations between Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation abortion clinic personnel and a caller who identified herself as a 13-yr-old child, pregnant by her 22-yr-old “boyfriend.” This is statutory rape in every state. You will hear clinic workers acknowledge their own legal responsibility to report the evidence of this abuse, but still coach the caller to help them cover it up.

You could also visit LiveAction.org and watch video of Planned Parenthood personnel offering to perform abortions on under-age girls, employing a “judicial bypass” as a way of getting around state laws that require parental consent or notification.

Put it all together, and you will see evidence that Planned Parenthood is willing and able to provide your children with abortions, behind your back. If your minor child is being abused, they are even willing to cover up the evidence and allow the abuse to continue.

Listen to the tapes. Watch the videos for yourself.

Beyond their deceptive business practices, Planned Parenthood promotes an unhealthy agenda for children. Their materials and philosophies are much worse than you think.

For example, consider the Planned Parenthood website TeenWire.com. On this website, teenagers are told that if you “trust each other,” “care about each other,” and “have fun together,” among other things, “you may be ready to have sex.” What sane parent would tell her 13-yr-old daughter that if she and any of her boyfriends “have fun together” and “care about each other,” they might be ready for sex? (Source: www.plannedparenthood.org/info-for-teens/sex-masturbation/am-ready-sex-33826.htm)

Consider the Planned Parenthood website, Take Care Down There (.org).  In one skit, I Didn’t Spew, one teenage boy is engaging in oral sex. The adult figure walks over and gives his implicit approval of the activity. He complains only at the boy’s failure to use a condom. In the middle of this conversation, another boy stands up and wipes his mouth. Would you teach your teenage boy that this is normal sexual behavior? Before he goes out with his friends, do you encourage him to be this guy (standing there with his pants down) or this one (down on his knees)?

Some have tried to say that all of this is pretty tame compared to the other things that our children have seen. That’s beside the point. Yes, there are disgusting things on the Internet. The difference is that none of the porn merchants who put up those websites have been endorsed by the Knox County Schools as experts and role models. Until now, we haven’t promoted reckless sexual behavior as suitable for teenage “exploration.”

The effect of all of this, if not the purpose, is to break down all barriers and limitations on behavior. What has this gotten us? We used to worry about 2 STDs, now there are more than 25.

And rampant teen pregnancy. But not to worry. Planned Parenthood will perform your child’s abortion, and you don’t even need to know about it.

And why have they become so much more aggressive at marketing their “services” to your teens and ours? Follow the money. I’ve documented on my blog how Planned Parenthood could rake in billions of dollars by expanding their abortion business and getting taxpayers to foot the bill.  (Source: www.fletcherarmstrongblog.com/abortion-obamacare-and-planned-parenthood-follow-the-money/)

There’s a big profit to be made by marketing (first) sex and (then) abortion to our children, and Planned Parenthood is poised to get a huge share of it. It’s an outrageous conflict of interest.

Pam Strickland wrote a column in the News Sentinel entitled “Somebody needs to talk to kids about sex.” Maybe she’s right about that. Somebody should talk to them about smoking, too, but it shouldn’t be Philip Morris.

CBR airplane tow banner.

One more thing I have to tell you in all candor. I am the Southeast Director of the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. At CBR, we expose what Planned Parenthood does. Where they go, we will go. We do not trespass, we obey traffic laws, and we obey FAA regulations. But we will go.

CBR trucks and signs.

Winning hearts, changing minds, and saving lives at Florida State University

CBR’s Florida GAP tour continues.  Wednesday and Thursday, GAP made it’s 3rd appearance at Florida State University.

Media:  FSU Student Newspaper

Pro Life on Campus at University of West Florida

Monday and Tuesday of this week, we had our Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) at the University of West Florida.  This is part of a tour of 4 Florida universities being sponsored by CBR Southeast, CBR Midwest, and CBR Florida.

Media:

1. The Voyager (story)
2. The Voyager (editorial)

Gov. Mike Huckabee at Knoxville Convention Center

Great event Monday night at the Knoxville Convention Center with Gov. Mike Huckabee.  We had more than 700 in attendance, and we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about the event.  More about Gov. Huckabee’s remarks later.

Media coverage:

• WATE TV
• WBIR TV
• WVLT TV
• Knoxville News Sentinel
• Knoxville News Sentinel – Greg Johnson column
• UTK Daily Beacon
• Tennessee Journalist
• Politico
• WSMV TV
• Metro Pulse
• The Weekly Standard
• LifeNews.com
• CNN Political Ticker

A good crowd of 40 or so protested outside.  The importance of this should not be underestimated.  First, how fortunate we are to live in America, where the right of every person speak his or her mind is protected. The public debate and dialogue is a healthy process that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Second, the presence of protesters is another affirmation that our strategy is working. If the abortion photos had no effect, the pro-abortion folks would just ignore us as irrelevant. In fact, showing abortion pictures is the one thing that pro-aborts fear most, because the pictures make it impossible for people to ignore or trivialize abortion. The images raise awareness and force the other side to defend an obviously horrifying act of violence against a defenseless human being.

BTW, our new video was very well received:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Rk44gn824

CBR is following the model of social reform demonstrated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lewis Hine, the American abolitionists of the 1800s, and William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson, who helped end the slave trade in England.

Dr. King found ways to show people what racism really looked like. Pictures of racist attacks on TV and in magazines opened people’s eyes and helped end segregation in less than 10 years.

CBR uses this same model of social reform to open people’s eyes to the truth about abortion.

Here is the video we’ll be showing tonight at our Celebrating Life event.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Rk44gn824

Here, I'm explaining how an image of a slave on a medallion helped end the slave trade in England.

I’m in Pensacola today, along with Seth Drayer and Mark Harrington, training students how to defend the pro-life position on campus.  This training is part of a 2-week tour of Florida being conducted by CBR.  We’ll be visiting 4 major universities across the state with our Genocide Awareness Project (GAP).

We have a full house for this training.  Among those in attendance include members of the Pensacola Teens for Life, Spring Hill College (Mobile) Students for Life, and a team of Canadian students who are in Florida to learn how to conduct our world-famous GAP outreach.  (Either that or they’re trying to escape the snow.)

We are making tentative plans to conduct this training and take GAP to Kentucky early in April.

On my way to Pensacola.  Sunday, we are doing our Pro Life Training Academy in preparation for GAP at the University of West Florida Monday and Tuesday.  I’ll won’t be able to stay for the GAP, however, because of our big Celebrating Life event in Knoxville Monday night.

Speaking of Celebrating Life, we’re sold out!  How about that!  Hope to see you there!

Great column in the Knoxville News Sentinel this morning by columnist Greg Johnson.  Be sure to add your comments at the bottom of the column.

By the way, here’s your last chance to order tickets to Celebrate Life with Mike Huckabee on Monday night.