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Sunday, May 03, 2009
Ind. Law - "No law against abortion protest photos: Some residents upset by graphic images on trucks, banners"
Sue Lowe and Margaret Fosmoe report in the South Bend Tribune in a lengthy story:
The images are part of protests over President Barack Obama's scheduled appearance May 17 at the University of Notre Dame commencement. The truck and airplane banner displays are staged by the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, a California-based organization.The graphic images on trucks and banners will continue until commencement, said Mark Harrington, director of the group's Midwest office. A pro-life radio host who lives in Columbus, Ohio, Harrington and 10 to 15 volunteers are living in South Bend until commencement in order to direct the group's publicity campaign.
The group doesn't intentionally display the graphic abortion photos for children to see, but sometimes that can't be avoided, Harrington said Saturday. The group tries to avoid driving the trucks by elementary schools and day care centers, he said.
"There is no way to completely eliminate children from seeing the banners. We decided long ago that is an unfortunate tradeoff," he said.
The group displays the photos because the mainstream news media are part of a cover-up by refusing to show the results of abortion, Harrington said.
"Social reformers have always used graphic images to dramatize injustice," he said. "We are trying to get people to hate abortion. If they hate us, too, that's a tradeoff we're willing to make." * * *
Troy Gebhardt, a South Bend resident, said he thinks the large pictures are "absolutely appalling." Gebhardt said he had contacted the American Civil Liberties Union because he feels the pictures are a violation of his civil rights, but he had not heard back from that organization.
Gebhardt said that if the pictures appeared on television, he could change the channel. If they were in a book or magazine, he could turn the page. Even if they were on display in one place in town, he could avoid that place. But, he said, because they are on the sides of trucks in traffic, he can't avoid them.
"What do I do — run a red light?" he asked.
"If somebody has something to say I try to listen," he said. "If you horrify me or anger me, I won't listen." He said his 13-year-old niece saw the pictures and "was very much upset." * * *
Abortion protesters led by activist Randall Terry also have been displaying large pictures of aborted babies during rallies near Notre Dame's main gate. Terry, who was arrested for trespassing Friday on campus, said his group, StopObamaNotreDame.com, will continue to protest and conduct additional actions that are "deliberately prophetic."
Terry said he and Harrington aren't jointly planning their protest efforts, but they know each other and are friends. "I led Mark Harrington into the pro-life movement 15 years ago," Terry said.
South Bend Police Capt. Phil Trent said the department has taken "dozens" of calls from people upset about the images. He said police are telling callers that no law prevents the displays, which are protected by freedom of speech.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 3, 2009 12:18 PM
Posted to Indiana Law