Umbrella Shields

Rain or Shine, Protecting Privacy vs. Preachers

Here are two screenshots (grabbed from a protester’s FB page) as I direct a patient into the parking area at the clinic, then shield them from the Cruelty Crusaders outside the fence. Moments later, the loud preacher yelled at me as usual for being a murderer among murderers (see the story below)

The umbrellas help block the view of patients coming in and out of the clinic. Women not only have to endure verbal abusive in the Name of Jesus, but risk having their faces and license plates photographed and posted on social media.

“Loving Christians” don’t believe in privacy for a private medical appointment.

Now, you see why some of us do this week after week, month after month?

Scene from today. . .

In the last few weeks, a young Black woman has been standing in the hot sun at the entrance to the driveway. Dressed in black with a black headscarf, I assume she’s Muslim. She wears a t-shirt that asks why people want to kill babies.

She was very loud and repetitive today, yelling at women, volunteers, passing cars (and sometimes no one) saying “Abortion is Murder,” “Abortion is not an option,” over and over.

When two Black women were entering the clinic, I tried to shield them with the umbrella as the young protester yelled toward them: “Don’t kill your baby! You’d be a wonderful mother!” She was too busy screaming to hear the reply from one of the women, who smiled while saying: “I already AM a wonderful mother!”

When she came back out of the clinic, she walked over next to us and in a calm voice began to tell the young Muslim woman—Black woman to Black woman—she had recently given birth and had an appointment at the clinic for a checkup. I didn’t hear more of the conversation, but I was very happy she took the time to educate at least one anti-choice harasser. These folks verbally assault women out of complete ignorance, without any knowledge of why patients are at Planned Parenthood.

I’d sure like to see more of these kinds of moments, when there is at least a possibility for direct, personal education, since the real teachers are the women themselves, telling their true “life” stories.

Last note: During one of this young Muslim woman’s shouting periods, an older protester filmed her, then smiled and hugged her. She seemed delighted to have a new voice to Shout for the Savior. Then, no surprise, I read on the older woman’s FB page that she asks other Crusaders to pray this young woman “comes to know Jesus as her Savior.”

Of course. Not enough to show up and shout alongside us … you need to believe like we do or the Lord will abort you (or something like that).

Chris