Head of abortion group, others charged during Charlotte protests

Posted on Fri, Jul. 18, 2003

Head of abortion group, others charged during Charlotte protests
Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The head of Operation Save America was charged with carelessness with fire as police arrested four people Friday during a series of anti-abortion protests around town.

A 19-year-old woman accused of carrying a knife was among those arrested.

The Rev. Philip "Flip" Benham was accused of burning paper during a protest at the federal courthouse, police spokesman Keith Bridges said. Another man, Michael Stanley Warren, was arrested at the courthouse protest on the same misdemeanor charge.

Pat McEwen, a media liaison for the event, said the group was burning papers relating to court decisions on abortion. Children at the event tore the papers up and put them in a metal bucket, and adults set fire to them, she said. (snip)

(snip) McEwen said Brooks was "inappropriately dressed. She was wearing bullets as a decoration, a necklace," but added, "I'm absolutely sure the girl is totally harmless." (snip)

(snip) The organization espouses an activist, evangelical Christianity that opposes abortion, homosexuality and non-Christian faiths. (snip/)

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/6335556.htm

the same charges could be used to target someone who burns a flag.
By all accounts in the thread in GD, the protest was a peaceful protest. I don't deny them the right to a peaceful protest any more than I would deny myself.

First, I notice that there are no pictures. Second, there is no report or estimate of how big the protest was. Third, the "I'm sure the girl is totally harmless" quote is from the protest group's media liaison (to be fair, the liaison also said that the girl's bullet attire was inappropriate). And fourth, there are no quotes whatsoever from the authorities. That's right: Not one.

Boy, wouldn't you just love to see this kind of coverage of the anti-war protests? The only people who would have a voice in reporting on it would be the organizers and the participants. Any arrests or citations would be commented on only by the media liaison for the sponsoring group.

Yup, that's just about as fair and balanced a report as anyone could hope to get about this event!

disgusting

Abortion is the taking of a human life. That is my opinion.

Abortion is getting rid of an unwanted parasite or a bunch of cells - like cutting your fingernails regularly.

No-one can control another's body. Period.

That is a fact.

There are two souls concerned.

Herschel,
I wasn't aware anyone had invented a way of counting souls. If what you meant was "I BELIEVE there are two souls", then you would be a murderer if you became responsible for an abortion, but are we talking about YOU, or about people who have as much right to believe there are NOT two souls as you have to believe there are.

Hindus believe it is immoral to kill ANY sentient being, even for food. Does that mean that YOU are bound by THEIR beliefs?

Is your opinion that hosexuality and non-Christian faiths should be opposed too?

This is a dangerous group of people if they have organized hate sessions. I would not support them even if I opposed abortion.

I agree with opposition to abortion. I did not mean to endorse all their positions. My error.

I am guessing from your avator that you are jewish. These people in this article are "christians" who believed the jews killed christ. In fact it wasn't the jews it was the romans but, These people have been brainwashed all thier lives that the jews are the ones who did it. I'd be very careful about hanging out with those crazy asses if I were you. Just a thought!

Thank you.

How dare you to meddle in my business.

It should be "head of ANTI-abortion group"

:grr: How do these people get away with this?