· Posted 28/01/10 by Administrator
Walk for Life West Coast: Timmerie Millington Reports
Thirty Survivors from Southern California braved torrential rain on Thursday, January 21st as they began their journey to San Francisco to commemorate the thousands of lives lost since the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. Standing strong to face the issue of abortion and to be voices for voiceless, Survivors led and participated in several pro-life events in Northern California.
Oakland
The Survivors started their weekend with a Show the Truth Picket on Friday morning at Webster Street abortion clinic in Oakland — the abortion clinic where Reverend Walter Hoy was arrested for violating Oakland’s 8-foot bubble ordinance. This 8-foot bubble ordinance prohibits sidewalk counselors and prayer warriors from going within eight feet of anyone walking into the abortion clinic. Instead, you must ask for permission to approach. You may not even hand literature to a woman seeking an abortion without asking permission to approach, or else you are violating the city’s ordinance. Despite rumors to the contrary, this is only the law in the city of Oakland and it is not statewide.
By prosecuting Walter Hoye, the clinic had effectively intimidated all prayer warriors and picketers to the other side of the street. The Survivors challenged some of the procedure restrictions against picketers. Clinic workers had said that you could not hold signs or talk to women outside the clinic, but they were wrong. In fact you could hold signs and speak with anyone entering the clinic. The Survivors demonstrated that you could be on the public sidewalk in front of the Webster Street clinic legally. Over 15 police officers were present at the Survivors picket, and the Survivors were able to work with law enforcement to help clarity the rights of sidewalk counselors and prayer warriors.
Testing areas where understandable fear has taken over is one of roles the Survivors play. Survivors helped a dear pro-life grandmother, who had been scared by clinic workers into staying across the street, to realize she could legally be on the public sidewalk in front of the clinic. That day The Survivors were able to be a witness to many women walking into the abortion clinic
“Peacefully, nonviolently, but boldly we exercise and protect our first amendment rights,” said Jeff White, Founder of Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust.
Following the Survivors’ picket, the Survivors participated in the 3rd Annual Standing Up 4Life Walk in Oakland, where there was a fantastic lineup of speakers; one of the key speakers was Dr. Jim Garlow, Senior Pastor of Skyline Wesleyan.
Dr. Garlow emphasized the necessity for the black community to be involved in the battle against abortion. It was fantastic to see the black community rallying to the pro-life cause.
Following the walk in Oakland, the Survivors were invited to speak at a youth rally where they shared about the ministry of Survivors. They encouraged youth to become active in the pro-life movement in their own hometowns.
San Francisco
On Saturday, the Survivors joined over forty thousand other people at the Walk for Life in San Francisco. It was a great opportunity for the Survivors to walk in solidarity with fellow Americans and to share about their involvement in the pro-life movement. Some of the young Survivors were interviewed on Catholic radio stations. At the end of the Walk for Life path, the Survivors had a booth promoting the Survivors ministry and encouraging youth to join their peers at the Campus Life Tours and Pro-Life Training Camp.
The Survivors also conducted a Million to One Memorial Die-In, a visual witness commemorating the millions of human casualties of abortion. The Survivors’ fetal development signs were set up surrounding the Memorial Die-In. This was a great example to other pro-lifers of just one of the creative events the Survivors organize. Students passed out literature at the Memorial Die-In and shared information about abortion and the work the Survivors do.
The Survivors’ presence in Northern California strongly encouraged other youth to be bold witnesses for the pre-born. The young Survivors expressed their opinions and showed their strengths in ways that touched and inspired many.
36 years of legalized abortion in the United States, and we have just witnessed thousands coming together from across the country to bring a loud and clear message: We will continue to be voices for the voiceless. One day we will see an end to abortion because of people like the Survivors who are unafraid to stand for what they believe in and practice their first amendment right.
For more photos from the Survivors’ events in and around San Francisco, check out our photo gallery!
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Survivors is a Christian, pro-life activism organization dedicated to educating and activating high school and college age individuals. If you were born after 1973, you are a Survivor. Over 45,000,000 of our generation have been killed since the decriminalization of abortion by Roe v. Wade… and thousands of innocent babies are scheduled to die tomorrow in America. The Survivors believe this generation is called to stand up, speak up, and be a powerful voice for the voiceless.
Resist apathy – join the Survivors.