Pro-Life Activists, Please Cease With The Circular Firing Squads

Recently Kristan Hawkins of Students for Life sent an email blast to her list.  The topic revolved around the pro-lifers who were arrested and are now facing prison because of the rescue at Cesare Santangelo's baby-killing center in Washington DC.  Five of the activists have already been convicted and the others will go on trial shortly. 

I gather that some affiliates of Students for Life were concerned that their sidewalk activism might land them in jail and Hawkins was trying to reassure them that it wouldn't.  While I understand her desire to give assurances to her affiliates, she did so in a way that appears to belittle the efforts of those who engaged in the rescue of 2020. 

The body of her email blast appears below, with problematic parts highlighted.

Begin blast email.

Dear XXXX,  I've had a handful of students reach out concerned that doing peaceful pro-life activism, like engaging in sidewalk counseling or praying in front of an abortion facility, could result in an arrest. First and foremost, I'm writing you today to nip that in the bud... but I also want to give you some context. In October of 2020, pro-lifers affiliated with a different organization protested at the Washington Surgi-Clinic, operated by the notorious late-term abortionist Cesare Santangelo. Their chosen form of protest was a blockade of the facility. They knew that blocking the abortion facility was illegal, and they could be arrested for a felony thanks to the unjust FACE Act, which has been a law since the early 90s. This week, these activists were found guilty of FACE Act violations, which will be appealed according to their attorneys’ statements, and they are now in jail awaiting their sentencing, which could mean up to 11 years in federal prison. These young people collectively face decades in jail. XXX, I understand the passion that drove these activists to protest this evil late-term abortion facility. What Santangelo allegedly did to at least five fully-formed babies is horror beyond words. But while I empathize AND wholeheartedly believe the FACE Act is a garbage law designed to silence pro-lifers, I don’t believe that risking arrest and eleven years in a federal prison is the way the Pro-Life Generation will abolish abortion. The activism we ask the Pro-Life Generation to engage in is always legal.   Now, you may be remembering a different 2020 incident in which Students for Life members were arrested in Washington, D.C. for sidewalk chalking. There are some really important differences between these two arrests: 1. SFLA made every effort to obtain legal permission to carry out our event in front of the Washington, D.C. Planned Parenthood. We were unjustly denied despite our peaceful activities being clearly protected by the First Amendment (as we've argued in court, due to viewpoint discrimination). We did not show up thinking anyone would be arrested for sidewalk chalking. 2. The activists arrested at Santangelo's facility knowingly violated the FACE Act. It's their prerogative to peacefully carry out pro-life activism that way, knowing they will be punished by a weaponized, pro-abortion Department of Justice. But it's just not how we do things at SFLA. I believe pro-life activism can be impactful, life-saving, and mind-changing within the confines of the law. Granted, the FACE Act is, as I mentioned, a garbage law meant to oppress Americans who believe abortion is wrong. It's representative of a pattern of legal oppression against pro-life Americans that is emerging. But we will protest and work to change bad laws - not break them. And we will not stop working as hard as possible to abolish abortion, no matter what stands in our way. Please let me know if you have any questions about our practices and beliefs as it relates to your involvement with Students for Life.

For Life,

End blast email.

I have things that I could say about those hghlighted phrases, but that would obscure my main point.  It's one thing to disagree with tactics used by others, but quite another to hold oneself superior to others because of that disagreement.  This is what comes across in this email blast.  If that was not the intent, I suggest some clarification be issued.  

The pro-life battle has many fronts.  Various good people will focus on given fronts, depending on their talents and their life circumstances.

This is not the first time I've addressed this matter.  Besides this blog, I also write for a Baltimore-based pro-life organization called Defend Life.  On page 3 of the May 23 - June 23 issue, I addressed it because of a talk given by one of the rescuers.  He too fell into the error of disparaging aspects of pro-life work that utilized tactics other than rescues.

I humbly suggest that all pro-life parties cease immediately this sniping at each other and/or engaging in self-aggrandizement at each other's expense.