The head of the Catholic League has sent a letter to city officials in Rockford, Illinois concerning signs and pictures that hang (or have hung) in the windows of the Northern Illinois Women’s Center, a physician-owned freestanding outpatient family planning clinic that provides a multitude of services including abortion. (It is also worth noting here that the Center is the only provider of abortions in northwestern Illinois.)
If you have seen the photos I took of the demonstrations outside of Dr. Carhart’s clinic in Nebraska, or probably any other photos of anti-abortion demonstrators, then you no doubt already have a hint of the hypocrisy at work.
The letter sent by Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, takes specific issue with a graphic of a long-haired man extending his middle finger. Under the drawing the caption reads: “Even Jesus Hates You.” In the letter Donohue complains that “this graphic is currently being displayed in the window of the Center, in full view of adults and children; it has also been displayed, at various times, in the past.”
Earlier this month, in Rockford, anti-abortion activists were interviewed by the local paper and defended their right to use and display graphic images — even ones that others found offensive. (The local paper also reports that area Catholics were given pre-printed postcards to send to federal lawmakers to urge them to vote against the Freedom of Choice Act, but that’s probably best left to another post.) In 2008, anti-abortion activists in Rockford enlisted the help of the Thomas More Society to file a lawsuit against the city and clinic officials to call attention to alleged violations of the right of free speech.
Obviously, anti-abortion activists believe that the right to free speech — or even to place potentially offensive graphics in front of children — is only appropriate when they exercise it.
Anti-abortion activists are encouraging the like-minded to attend the Rockford City Council Meeting on Monday, Sept. 28, when one of their own will discuss the signs in the windows of The Center. (The notice to attend includes information that those coming to the meeting should bring no signs larger than a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper!)
