Operation Rescue urges Christians nationwide to never let pro-life activists stand alone
Flagstaff, AZ – Just a week after Jim Pouillon was shot and killed for his public stand against abortion, 69-year old Johnny Wallace was attacked by two women as he held two non-graphic, text-only signs protesting abortion in Flagstaff, Arizona, on Saturday.
Wallace was alone in front of City Hall on the busiest street in town at the time of the attack with signs that read, “Abortion kills more black Americans in four days than the Klan killed in 150 years,” and “Life begins at conception and ends at Planned Parenthood.” Wallace was known to protest at that location every day.
Wallace was approached from behind by two women, both 48, who began by yelling profanities at him. One then attempted to take way and destroy his sign. After Wallace was wrestled to the ground, the other woman joined the attack.
Paramedics were called and Wallace was treated for minor injuries. He suffered an elbow injury that has required additional treatment.
Both women were cited and released on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and criminal damage.
“Mr. Wallace was simply exercising his God-given rights as an American citizen when he was brutally assaulted because his attackers disagreed with his beliefs,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “This attack is especially disturbing because the motivation for the attack on Mr. Wallace was the same motivation that caused Harlan Drake to murder Jim Pouillon.”
“Recently there has been an increasing attitude that it is okay to hurt pro-life people if one does not agree with them. This disturbing trend must stop,” said Newman. “We are thankful that Mr. Wallace was not hurt worse than he was, and pray that the violence against pro-life activists will come to an end.”
Operation Rescue has received hundreds of threats and suffered three acts of vandalism on their headquarters in recent months.
“We cannot depend on pro-abortion groups to rein in their supporters. It is incumbent on the Christian community to come alongside pro-life activists all over the country and stand with them. There truly is safety in numbers. Even Jesus sent out the disciples in groups of two,” said Newman. “We urge pro-life churches to take it upon their congregations to make sure that no pro-lifer stands on the street alone. Christians will find that this is an amazing ministry and evangelical opportunity that is spiritually energizing and satisfying.”
Arizona Daily Sun is reporting that Flagstaff police say Mr. Wallace was holding a sign with a picture of an aborted baby on Friday September 18 when assaulted. Which story is right?
See news page
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/09/19/news/20090919_front_204017.txt#blogcomments
Our story is correct. We talked to Mr. Wallace. The Arizona Daily Sun misreported the story.
Does it matter? Friday with a picture of a fetus or Saturday with words, it’s still not okay to attack non-violent protesters.
So what if he WAS holding up a picture of aborted babies? The truth hurts sometimes. It’s no reason to beat someone up, unless you have a guilty conscience.
As a 2009 Journalism graduate of Northern Arizona University, I am not surprised by the attack on Mr. Wallace, or the Daily Sun’s misinformation. I know many people in Flagstaff who refuse to talk to their reporters because of their absolute refusal to get the facts right. I wouldn’t be shocked if the reporter intentionally falsified the information on Mr. Wallace’s poster to make him appear more radical, and “in your face” than his signs actually were.
Sounds like a HATE CRIME.
Those women should spend time in Federal Prison…..
It continues to trouble my heart to see peace demostrations of free speech end in such useless violence. This is a step backwards in America’s progression. It is just plain sad.
I’m astounded that people want to kill over a photo of an unborn child. If you find the photos of aborted babies offensive, then why are you doing and supporting what is even WORSE – the actual MURDER of your own unborn child? Which is worse, revealing that abortion is really a gory murder of a human baby, or going to hell? I will not lie to you. Speaking out is a risk. But not speaking out is a greater risk, in more ways than we imagine.
Clearly, pro-aborts have deliberately stirred up an assault mentality towards pro-lifers. What is needed are GUARDS! From now on, pro-lifers should go out to protest with GUARDS in uniform. BIG guards. I suspect those women would not have acted as they did if they had seen a uniform there. You might even be able to get volunteer guards.
I will tell you that if you do not stop the violence now, it mutates and grows. It does not end. It needs to be met with appropriate measures to put an end to it. I highly encourage these people to not only continue their efforts, but to go out in greater numbers with armed guards. There is a serious effort out there, and I believe it to be organized to stop pro-life efforts. If the assaults work, they will be increased and proliferate. They are trying to silence the pro-life effort now through intimidation. This is the actual line in the sand. If pro-lifers back down, then this intimidation will become the new tyranny, the new norm for controlling social issues. And we know where that will lead. We saw it in Nazi Germany. It is already developing in that direction. There are other personal assaults on individuals.
What is needed is religious education for adults! ADULTS need to be taught in their churches about the real life and death of the unborn and the fact that this is a real murder, and will be accounted to us as such when we face God. How do we know this? We know it from the DIDACHE, the first Catechism we have on record. It was written they are fairly certain, around 60 A.D. by St. Clement of Rome, who was the disciple of St. Peter, I think it was. Clement accompanied St. Paul on his missionary journeys, and is mentioned as such by St. Paul in Philippians, Chapter 4, verse 30. We know that this was the teaching of Jesus Christ. I think the exact words went something like this: “You shall not abort a fetus. That is murder.”
To those who find the photos offensive, don’t attack the people trying to warn you before it’s too late. Heed the warning! The photos are mild compared to the judgment of God, and they give everyone a chance to repent and receive forgiveness from God and from your deceased child. St. Faustina said this is the time of mercy, and there is no sin God will not forgive if one repents. Something to think about. Consider it a blessing to be reproved by a just person. Heed the warning. When Our Lady in Medjugorje was asked where all the aborted babies go, she replied, “They are with me.” When each one of us dies, where will WE go?
Participate in a 40 Days for Life Campaign near you.
ABORTION IS BAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!! will you only post stuff that agrees fully with your agenda the resuers down under
Truth is hate to those who hate truth.
I thought we lived in a free country. Very sad, the attack on Mr. Wallace and on innocent life!
those two wenches should be arrested for a hate crime, chritains we better wake up!!!!!!!, some of these dam judges are so anti family its sick. sooner or later christ is going to straighten these knuckle heads out,just wait and see!!!!!!!!!
This is so typical of the pro-choice agenda. They believe that it’s ok to attack an innocent life. Just what this poor man was trying to protest against.
Why were these folks not charged with assault???
These Women Hate the truth. Evil is in control, but only for a short time.
August Queen of heaven,Sovereign Mistress of the Angels! Thou who from the beginning recieved from God the power and mission to crush the head of satan, we humble beseech thee to send thy holy legions, so that under thy command, and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits encounter them on every side resist their bold attacks, and drive them far away from us into the abyss of everlasting woe. Amen This is a powerful prayer against evil given by The Queen of Heaven.
I got a woman’s compact thrown at me the last time I was in a Life Chain in October of 2008. It will not work; they are not going to silence us. There were no graphic pictures either. Never-the-less, there is a time for the graphic pictures. If the pictures are so terrible to them, why do they advocate doing the terrible things to the children in the womb?
It’s amazing that these women got away with what they did. However, we should use this episode as a learning experience in that it shows how corrupt people with certain mindsets can be. Anyone who goes along with the murder of innocent human beings in what has become the most dangerous place in the world, their mother’s womb, are biblically in the dark and they act accordingly in most areas of their lives. And I agree, there is safety in numbers. Just as we can no longer go out after dark, we can no longer feel safe in the daylight with these kooks around. God help us all.
It has been said that things will get so bad that the battle between good and evil would get down to fists. The man shot is a martyr he laid down his life for the safety of another. It is good to go in two’s but remember the most powerful weapon is the rosary. Please pray the rosary while holding your signs. It binds the evil one and weaken him. Keep your battle on holy ground which is prayer sacrificing and fasting santifying. You cannot remove evil with evil. Bless you area with holy water and bless salt. Say the formal St Micheal exocism prayer by the Pope Pius to remove evil from your area. Keep bless objects on your person eg scapular. Prayer for the attackers conversion and offer a Mass for them and offer a Mass to tear down the walls of intimidations by listing the street corner and block numbers in your Mass intention. Jesus states that some demon are removed except by prayer and fasting. Hold all night prayer vigils. BUT NEVER stoop to their level of hatredness in word deed or thought and call on the name of Jesus who conquered and Mary who crushes the serpent and Joseph who job it is to protect the children of God like he protected Jesus from Herod.
A picture says a thousand words. It is what it is and when people begin believing their own lies, they get angry when truth stares back at them.
I’m tired of protesters being killed over their right to speak out. Shows what type of society the people in our world have become.
These women should be charged with “hate crimes”. They attacked a man because of what he believes and what they hate.
Its ironic how pro-aborts whine about women’s “constitutional right” to abort their defenseless babies (and that right is NO WHERE in the constitution!) but yet OUR right to freedom of speech, AND the right to peacefully assemble which IS in the constitution gets trampled by the abortion industry left and right.
I had two pro-life bumper stickers on my car–just words, nothing graphic. “Abortion stops a beating heart” and “Abortion is forever” and I can’t tell you how many times i was tailed as the driver stuck his middle finger out the window at me, and screamed and honked. I was almost forced off the road several times. The last time that happened I had my infant son in the car and it really upset me! I couldn’t believe these people were so upset over a bumper sticker they would endanger my life and my son’s…but then should I be surprised?
When we bought a new car my husband said “NO BUMPER STICKERS!” because he was so concerned for my safety. Its really getting dangerous to be moral anymore.
If the Clinton Justice Department were in power….wouldn’t this be a Civil Rights Violation??? (Bush wouldn’t prosecute anybody who might sounds like it could remotely or even possibly considered to be politically motivated unless he absolutely had to and there was no way around it)
Let’s see…in the last two generations there have been two abortion doctors killed. No legal justification for that. I’m perfectly consistent in believing that those are death penalty offenses as they are pre-meditated murders. The killers should expect to be giving up their lives for their crimes.
In the last two months, we’ve seen one pro-lifer murdered and another old man physically attacked. And during that same period, we’ve seen multiple acts of violence against people in various cities where they were protesting their governments trampling of democracy.
Something tells me that the Left doesn’t really find anything out of bounds when it comes to opposing those who publicly dispute their version of reality. God forbid you actually tell them to their faces that you don’t agree with their vision for America or their vision for YOUR life. And yet, they are the ones who preach non-violent, pacificism and a total ban on guns.
Hmmm….interesting contradictions.
JOIN 4o DAYS FOR LIFE TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME THIS!