Category Archives: sidewalk snippet

Sidewalk Snippet ~ {5/20/13}

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We stood there counting. There were 9 antis out this morning; Donna and 8 men. Four of them circled the block; continuous motion in an attempt to reach any client before escorts. It wasn’t really a full block, more like a half of a city block. Their circle took them past the CPC, through their parking lot, down the alley behind the clinic and between two buildings on the other side of the EMW clinic to reach their starting point again.

They greeted each escort as we arrived, but continued circling. I counted and in a five-minute period they reached their starting point 6 times. Power walking for harassment. This particular group always reminds of a school of sharks. They all dress in dark clothing and are in constant motion.

The other antis divided their time between praying at the clinic windows, preaching at the clinic windows, or talking to clients in the parking lot and on their walk up the sidewalk.

It would intimidate me to face a group of men determined to interrupt my trip for needed healthcare. That’s the purpose.

Sidewalk Snippet ~ {5/6/13}

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Spring in the Ohio Valley means a lot of rainfall. As I have said before, this always has good and bad associated with it as far as escorting is concerned.

We had no problems getting clients and companions to the clinic entrance. There were fewer antis out, but most stayed grouped under the overhang. While our walks were wet, we had only a couple of antis walking the sidewalk with their umbrellas. The clients were able to walk without a lot of interference.

However, when we reached the entrance we had to navigate around antis with their umbrellas up blocking the entrance. When I said, “You are blocking the entrance,” to one anti who works for AWC the reply was, “No, I am not.”

Three antis were standing with their umbrellas up across the entrance. The companion had to push a little to get through and bumped the anti’s umbrella. I pointed out she blocked the last client only to be told, “He got in.”

Yes they did, but it is still blocking when huge umbrellas are added to the people.

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!

The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.

Use this form to make your pledge:

 


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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {4/29/13}

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It was raining again and it was an easy morning for escorts. There were just a few antis out.

We had several very empowered clients and companions. It is always a privilege to witness them navigate around the antis with ease. Several companions thanked the escorts for what we do, including physical pats on the back from a couple of them. Clients were upbeat and seemingly unphased by the words the antis said, sailing peacefully into the clinic.

As the morning’s activity was winding down, the antis were getting more aggressive with their words and walking two antis to every client. Still, the clients ignored them.

One of the last clients coming in had two companions. I was able to explain the difference between protesters and escorts before we were joined by two antis. In my explanation, I added the phrase, “You can ignore the protesters. This is one place you can be rude.” The client pointed to one companion and said, “That’s why we brought him.” The two antis zeroed in on the two companions because the one brought to be rude was talking to them. The client and I were able to walk in front without interference, sharing our amusement over the comments being exchanged.

Before the morning was over, the pedestrians on the sidewalk joined in. One runner stopped in front of the two prayers across from the clinic entrance. He asked them, “What is going on here?” One answered, “We are praying for the babies. This is an abortion clinic.” The runner answered, “You have been deceived by Satan. This is not Christianity. You are wrong to be here.” Then they continued running down the sidewalk. The “We will pray for you,” shouted after them was met with a curse tossed over a shoulder.

If I had one wish, I would wish for no antis in front of the clinic. If this wish cannot be granted, this day was the next best thing.

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!

The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.

Use this form to make your pledge:

 

 

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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {4/22/13}

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It is so easy to get sucked into responding to the antis sometimes. I always regret it, but still it seems impossible for me to not respond to comments directed towards me personally.

NB approached close to me and said, “I read your article about the glove and it is so wrong to accuse D of lying.” When that didn’t get me to respond, she tried several more times. The next few comments directed to me didn’t get a response either. “You just write about us all of the time,” did get the response, “Yes. You always give me a lot of material.” And it was on.

M, the anti who thrusts plastic fetus dolls at clients,  joined in to ask me about ultrasounds, the abortion procedure at EMW, “partial-birth” abortion, the difference between the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting and killing babies, and finally the connection between breast cancer and abortion. There was some back and forth conversation between us with these subjects; short answers from me longer statements from M and her repeating, “I just want to understand.”

M was speaking quietly, but statements of, “I prefer not to talk to you about this,” and “This conversation is over,” did not deter her. I finally told her the sidewalk was not an appropriate place for this conversation. It ended when she said she would pray for me to change my mind and me telling her it would not change. Of course, I did have to walk away too. Of course, she trailed after me for a short distance  trying to continue a conversation.

Every time I engage with the antis, I know it is a mistake immediately. We will never change each others minds about our firmly-held beliefs in a back and forth conversation on the sidewalk.

I have gotten a button made saying: I Will Ignore You So Hard You will Start To Doubt Your Own Existence. The button isn’t for them, but a reminder to me that engaging with antis is never productive and never ends well. It has the added bonus of being handy to point to when attempts are made by the antis to engage.

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!

The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.

Use this form to make your pledge:

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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {4/15/13}

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The companion and client pulled to the curb in front of the clinic before 7a. We talked awhile about orange vests, protesters and parking options. They decided to remain parked where they were since it was close.

When I moved to the clinic door after talking to them, D decided to stand one foot away from me and stare at me. She wasn’t talking to me and I wasn’t talking to her or looking at her. She continued to stare for about 5 minutes and only stopped when another escort came to join me. That pretty much set the tone for the day. The antis were aggressive and there were enough of them to swarm around each client entering the clinic.

We were able to escort this client and companion with minimum interference when the doors opened. The companion repeatedly told D and the other antis near the door to leave them alone, but of course this was ignored.

When most of the clients were in the clinic, the anti we call “Screaming Preacher” showed up to shout at the clinic windows. He always says the same things: you are sinning, you are murdering, let me adopt your baby, I want to pray with you. We call him Screaming Preacher because he is so loud he never needs amplification to be heard down the street. The clients can hear him while they are in the waiting room, but they cannot always hear his words. They just know someone is harassing them by screaming about his views on what it means to be a Christian..

The companion came out of the clinic after 8a and just stood by the door staring at him. She did say, “You need to be quiet,” and then moved towards their car. As I walked to the car with her she said, “I am trying to be polite about unsolicited opinions. They can hear him in the waiting room. These people (gesturing towards the antis) don’t need to be here. They aren’t helping. This decision is hard enough, we don’t need people giving their opinion of what is right.”

I let her know there was nothing personal in the antis’ words. “We hear the same thing said every day to every client. They don’t know you. I agree they shouldn’t be here, but we cannot prevent them from saying hurtful things. They will be gone soon. When we leave they only stay a few more minutes. We are leaving now and most of them should be gone right away.”

She just shook her head and said, “Thank you for being here. I just wish they weren’t here too.”

All I could do is agree.

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!

The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.

Use this form to make your pledge:

 

 

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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {4/8/13}

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“Show some respect. There are 26 babies being murdered in there and you are laughing and dancing around.”

D sure knows how to bring a conversation to a standstill. All of the clients were in the clinic and we were waiting for late arrivals before leaving. Another escort and I were standing at the entrance to the clinic and talking about the weather, ballet, and what had happened in our lives during the time we had not seen each other. We were laughing as we traded stories and were enjoying each other’s company.

When D made her proclamation, we both turned to her and said her name. You know, in the way you say someone’s name when you can’t believe they just said something so off-subject and unaware.

It had been a day with a lot of antis and D always gets energized when she has an audience. Earlier she was stomping up the sidewalk beside another escort and telling them, “I am not a protester. You know I am out here to protect babies. You are an accomplice to murder.” The three other antis in the area were watching her performance and letting her know how they appreciated D’s words afterwards.

It seemed inevitable that she would try a repeat performance. Unfortunately for D, her witnesses did not see her encore performance. E was the only other anti present and he has heard it all before. She was left with no praise and only our backs to her face as we continued our conversation.

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REMINDER: If you are interested in escorting, don’t forget the training on Saturday, April 13th at 9A.  Training is not required, but it’s helpful. Please see our Trainings for Escorts page or email us for additional information

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!

The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.

Use this form to make your pledge:

 

 

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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {3/25/13}

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There were not many antis out this morning. A group of three people were approaching the clinic from across the street. They decided to jaywalk right at the time the traffic light changed.

When that traffic light changes, the cars start whizzing down the one-way street. Everyone is in a hurry to get to work and don’t always pay enough attention to pedestrians. Escorts jaywalk across the street frequently, but we also have it timed for when the lights combine with the traffic to make it safer. We still walk clients to the corner to cross with the lights if the client doesn’t want to cross in the middle of the street, traffic is particularly heavy or one of the group is having mobility issues making a quick crossing impossible.

With my heart in my mouth, I stepped out into the street and encouraged them to hurry while holding up my hand towards the oncoming traffic. All the time I was hoping my orange vest would stand out and slow the traffic. I joined them on their walk and laughed with them about the timing for traffic being tricky. We made it across the street safely and they were able to enter the clinic with no interference.

One companion came back out of the clinic later while I was standing at the entrance. With a pat on my back they said, “You all do such a nice job. Thank you.”

It gave me the mood lift I needed.

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!

The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.

Use this form to make your pledge:

 

 

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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {3/18/13}

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There are times a client and/or companion is so empowered they instantly gain my admiration.

The companion got out of the car first. E was hovering right behind me ready to start shaming. I was able to explain the vests and offer to escort them before he began his spiel. E handed the companion some literature. When I explained he was a protester, they handed it right back to him.

The companion and I escorted the client down the sidewalk. We were in a line: E, companion, client and me. E started with “Women regret their abortions. Don’t lead her into this place.” The companion waved dismissively at him and said, “Oh, I know all about abortion. I have had 10 already.” There was a pause then E leaned over towards the client and said “You don’t have to go into that place.” The client turned to me and said, “I am not listening to him.” I replied that was best.

We walked to the clinic entrance with E talking the whole time, but nobody was paying any attention to him.

It was great to witness these two completely ignoring the words meant to hurt and shame them. They are just words. The antis don’t know anything about the clients and why they made the decision for abortion. I felt privileged to witness this calm confidence.

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REMINDER:  Kentucky Support Network’s 2013 Bowl-a-Thon is April 19

There are many ways to get involved:

    • Captain a team, set a fundraising goal, and recruit 4-6 other bowlers to work together to meet that goal
    • Join or donate to an existing team
    • Show your support by attending the event
    • Share this information with your friends, family, coworkers, and networks via email, Facebook, Twitter, other social media, or good old-fashioned word of mouth!

However you choose to get involved, know that your support is invaluable in helping people from all walks of life realize their reproductive rights!

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REMINDER: Our annual  fund drive Pledge-A-Picketer is NOW!
The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the biggest protester day of the year.  It also is the date  where we count protesters for donations to support the pro-choice effort and the escorts.  You can pledge a certain amount for each protester showing up that morning. If you prefer, you can also make a straight monetary donation.
Use this form to make your pledge:

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Sidewalk Snippet ~ {3/4/13}

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Another escort and I arrived early, but a client had already parked behind the anti-abortion clinic. The client and companion were inside AWC when we arrived. They exited in about 5 minutes and moved their car.

When they came back to park in about 30 minutes, they parked on the curb. We escorted them to the clinic doors.

As we approached the entrance two of the antis rushed towards the client and companion saying, “Come back next door. We can give you a free ultrasound. We can help you.” The client turned and shouted at them, “You don’t know me and and don’t know anything about me. Leave me alone.” The companion calmed the client and they entered the clinic doors.

When they were signed in, the companion came out to move their car to the $3 parking lot. As we were walking down the sidewalk, D asked the companion why they left AWC. “Because you lied to us. We have made our decision.”

The companion expressed outrage to me that AWC would trick clients into entering their clinic. We agreed it was unfortunate, but we were glad they found out where they were in a short period of time.

A little later another companion exited the clinic and I walked them to their car. They asked, “Did I hear a fight at the door when I went in?” I replied, “No, a client was upset with the protesters and was yelling at them. It happens sometimes.”

Why the antis think tricking, lying and harassing clients will sway them to trust what they say is still a mystery.

Sidewalk Snippet ~ {2/25/13}

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We escorted a client and companion to the doors of the clinic before they opened. There were not many antis out that morning, but they were determined to stop, block and yell. We had to dodge around them at the entrance.

The client and companion talked to a couple of escorts while waiting for the door to open. They were asking about how they could join the escorts. We explained our website and training. They were asking us how we were able to ignore what the antis were saying and doing. We explained about “the thousand-yard stare”, non-engagement and daydreaming about what we needed to do later in the day.

Sometimes the antis present on the sidewalk are our best tool for recruiting escorts.