by Ken Kreps
©2000, all rights reserved
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ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) - A Catholic priest smashed his car into an abortion clinic Saturday morning, then chopped at the building with an ax until the owner fired two shotgun blasts to stop him, police said.
The clinic was not open and nobody was injured in the attack, which came just two days after federal approval of the abortion pill RU-486.
The man drove through a door at the Abortion Access Northern Illinois Women's Center around 8:15 a.m. He was swinging an ax when the clinic's owner fired a 12-gauge shotgun twice. He did not hit the man.
The Rev. John Earl, 32, was arrested and charged with burglary and felony criminal damage to property, said Deputy Police Chief Dominic Iasparro. Earl was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Abortion foes bitterly denounced government approval of the abortion pill RU-486 and vowed to continue to fight a drug they called "baby poison" and a threat to women's health.
RU-486 was approved Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration, ending a battle that has involved two presidents, several countries and heated debate for 12 years.
Approval of the drug gives American women a pharmaceutical abortion method already in wide use in France, Britain, China and 10 other countries.
Will RU-486 increase the number of abortions performed in this country each year? Probably so. Not because the abortion process is easier with RU-486. It's not. Contrary to popular opinion, a woman doesn't just pop down one pill and that's it. No, she must have a minimum of three appointments this type of abortion. But more clinics and Doctors who do not presently perform surgical abortions, will offer the RU-486 method and that will no doubt increase the number of yearly abortions due to the simple fact that they will be available from more sources. The percent of increase is anyone's guess.
The Christian Coalition and other religious right organizations are at the forefront of the protests regarding RU-486. They see this as just another way to, in their words, "kill babies." I see it as just another way for the religious right to meddle in the affairs of women by trying to tell them what they can and cannot do with their bodies.
For a moment, let's re-visit the actions of the Catholic Priest. He is, I'm sure, a staunch opponent of abortion rights. The Catholic Church would not hold with Priests who had any other viewpoint. What did he think his actions were going to accomplish other than get him in jail and in a lot of trouble? The clinic no doubt has other doors and will soon repair the damage he caused with his car and ax. Business will go on as usual. Public opinion will not be swayed and, indeed, Father John Earl will go down in history as just another loony who tried to make his point by breaking the law. To be sure, his actions were not as reprehensible as those who murder doctors who perform abortions. Nor are they nearly as bad as those who bomb Planned Parenthood and abortion clinics, but they certainly are not the actions of a responsible adult, particularly when that adult is charged with the representation of a world-wide religion. His career is either over or severely damaged and either way he will be remembered for his actions only as long as it takes tomorrow's newspaper to hit the streets.
RU-486 would have been approved in the United States much earlier had it not been for the religious groups meddling in affairs of state. The separation of church and state is one of the precepts that makes this country strong. It means that religious beliefs (or lack of same) will not be used as a determining factor in any affairs of government. Many people have different religions, some even have different Gods. They have every right to any and all of those beliefs, but none of them should have any bearing as to how this country is run.
Also, I find it incredulous that any man should stand up and say women should not have abortions. If a woman says that, I may not agree with her, but I respect her right to have such an opinion. Men have no such right as the entire subject has nothing to do with our bodies. Women should have the last say about their bodies just as men should have the last say about theirs. If women were to suddenly come out and say men should not have prostate exams, we would tell them they didn't know what they were talking about and we would be absolutely correct. That's a male condition concerning an organ that women do not have and it's a man's prerogative to handle that subject if, when and how he chooses. The same, in reverse, holds true for women, as to have an abortion or not is strictly the decision of the woman who is pregnant. She can seek advice, but the ultimate choice is hers. It's her body...it's her decision, and if religion enters into it, it should only be her religion, no one else's.
The religious organizations often refer to those of us who are pro-choice as being pro-abortion. That's not true. It's allowing a woman to make her own decision that's important. Whether she decides to have the baby or to have an abortion is none of my concern, but the fact that she's allowed to make that choice is very much my concern.
Finally, I'm not saying anyone (religious or otherwise) doesn't have a right to a strong opinion about abortion or any other aspect of American life. Of course they do. But taking the law into your own hands by killing, bombing, maiming, or otherwise destroying property and/or endangering life to make your point, is just plain wrong and that includes Catholic Priests and their automobiles.
©2000 by Ken Kreps. This article may not be re-published in electronic or print media without the express written permission of the author. All rights reserved.
Ken Kreps lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife. He has written a number of published articles, essays and short stories, as well as numerous consumer and business pieces. Ken has also written scripts for Imagination Theater, an award winning audio drama series heard on over 150 commercial radio stations across the nation.