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Tennessee Right To
Life, Inc. Attempts To Sabotage Horsley
Speaking Engagement At the University of Tennessee
(Christian Gallery
News Service, March 6, 2003)
The Tennessee Right To Life organization tried to block Neal
Horsley’s speaking engagement booked for the 700 seat Auditorium on
March 13, 2003 at the flagship
University of Tennessee
campus in Knoxville, TN.
According to The student
representative for the Free Speech Society,, a University
of Tennessee student and the on
campus organizer of the Horsley speaking engagement, the Tennessee Right To
Life organization went to University
of Tennessee administrators and
accused Horsley of “advocating domestic terrorism” and encouraging “people to
kill abortion doctors and burn down and bomb abortion clinics.” As soon as he heard about the attempted
sabotage, Horsley contacted University
of Tennessee officials and
supplied them with evidence proving the accusations false. After investigating the charges, University
officials accepted Horsley’s refutation of the false accusations and his
speaking engagement is now scheduled to go on as planned.
Many people will be shocked to learn that the Tennessee
Right To Life, an organization that presents itself as opposed to legalized
abortion, would use false witness to try to prevent Neal
Horsley, a nationally known abortion abolitionist, from
warning Tennessee college students about the coming Judgment of God against this
nation because of legalized abortion and other forms of egregious
desecration.
Few stories illustrate better than this story why
legalized abortion continues after thirty years of legalized butchery. It demonstrate that in many ways
well-funded organizations long known as the leaders of the “pro-life
movement,” organizations like Tennessee Right To Life, have begun to treat
abortion abolitionists like Neal Horsley
exactly the way Planned Parenthood and the National Organization For Women
treat them.
Such treatment proves that many top-level leaders in the “pro-life
movement” have become accessories and allies to legalized abortion and the
baby-butchering industry rather than the effective opponents pro-life
contributors expect them to be. Is there any wonder Roe v.
Wade continues in the face of such backstabbing complicity and collaboration?
THE BLOW BY BLOW
DETAILS
Read what follows and you will see exactly how the
“pro-life leaders” have adopted the tactics of Planned Parenthood, etc. To document what happened, the student
representative for the Free Speech Society sent the following report to Neal
Horsley:
“Myself and some fellow-students wanted you [Neal Horsley]
to come speak at the University of Tennessee. On approximately February 18, I contacted the Knoxville
Right to Life president, Paul Dunn. I told Mr. Dunn that the University of Tennessee Pro-Life
Collegians referred me to his
organization, due to the fact that the Knoxville Right To Life frequently
provides financial sponsorship of their events. Mr. Dunn asked me about
you, and I told him about your work on the Nuremberg Files and Abortioncams.com. He said that
the organization would be willing to pick up the tab for your hotel bill, and
that I could solicit more help from the Tennessee Right To Life. He also said
that the Knoxville Right To Life would help publicize the event in their
newsletter, which goes out to approximately 2000 people in the Knoxville area.”
He continued, “On
February 19, I contacted the Tennessee Right To Life (parent organization for
the Knoxville Right To Life) to ask for help. I was put in touch with a
lady named Michelle Tassart who said that they
needed more information about you before they could make any decision. Again, I
related to them your work on the Nuremberg Files and Abortioncams.com, and mentioned
the Supreme Court case, etc. She said
that they would research you, and get back to me.”
The student
organizer continued, “On Sunday, February 23, I again spoke to Paul
Dunn. He said that Knoxville Right To Life was withdrawing its
sponsorship due to concerns raised by the Tennessee Right To Life, and by one
of its own officers - Stacy Dunn. Paul
said that (these are his exact words) ‘if he was just going to show
pictures of chopped-up babies, that would be OK, but saying that it's OK to
kill people is wrong and we won't support that.’ He also
indicated that he had spoken with Professor Kathy Proctor, of the University of Tennessee Pro-Life
Collegians, and had advised her to keep the
organization away from the event.”
He continued, “I was
not willing to let things end like that.
On Monday, February 24, I spoke with Brian Harris, president of
Tennessee Right To Life. Brian told me that they
would not get involved in any way because you, quote, ‘encourage people to kill abortion
doctors and burn down and bomb abortion clinics.’ He said to me
that ‘You really need to check your guests out more thoroughly’ and
that ‘Neal's message is pretty much advocating domestic
terrorism.’ He also said that he had contacted the Knoxville Right To
Life to demand that they rescind their support, and that if they were
involved in ANY way they would lose their affiliation with the Tennessee
Right To Life.’ Harris also said that you advocated
killing homosexuals.”
He then told how the
University responded to the accusations against me, “On Tuesday, March 25, I
was contacted by the faculty advisor for the Free Speech Society. He
told me that concerns had been raised by unnamed pro-life and pro-choice
individuals about you and your message. It was said
that there "would be serious trouble" if you come to the University of Tennessee. He said that that warning caused alarm due
to the fact that any university-related activity must be able to reasonably
guarantee the safety of participants. I was told
that the event was "on hold" for the moment, but would likely be
changed if the UT police didn't confirm that they could have officers there
to prevent any unfortunate incidents from occurring. While the
possibility of a public forum was in danger of being taken off the table, the
Political Science department was still going to bring you here to address
various classes in a more controlled atmosphere.”
It was at this point
in the story that Neal
Horsley was told about the
false accusations. He responded by
sending the following email to University of Tennessee officials:
“I have been informed by a student
at University of Tennessee in Knoxville who was setting up a speaking
engagement for me at your campus, that some individuals representing local
“pro-life” or local “pro-choice” organizations have accused me of advocating
assassination, or terrorism, or vigilantism, or some similar illegal
activities and that on the basis of these accusations the venue originally
scheduled and reserved for my March speaking engagement has been canceled by
the University of Tennessee.
“Such accusations, if they did
occur, are libelous because they are false accusations.
I have published three books and literally hundreds of magazine
articles and not one of them contains anything remotely similar to an
advocacy of the actions I am accused of.
Furthermore, I have appeared on nearly one hundred national television
and radio programs, sometimes for an hour at a stretch where I was questioned
exhaustively and never have I uttered words that advocate the things I am
accused of.
“A series of national television
interviews posted here: http://www.christiangallery.com/mainstory.htm
give insight into what I do advocate and how I
conduct myself in public. For years I
have been involved in matters of serious public concern and a lawsuit
involving my work on the Internet is now before the Supreme Court of the USA in what is generally understood
to be a pivotal and decisive case regarding the meaning of a “true threat” in
American jurisprudence. To now be
treated as persona non grata on the basis of false
accusations made against me is startling to say the least.
“As the founder of The Creator’s
Rights Party, for nearly twenty years I have consistently done everything in
my power to develop a political response to the desecration occurring in this
nation that gives citizens a viable alternative to assassination and
terrorism in forcing this nation to correct the grave errors that presently
threaten the survival of millions of citizens in this nation.
http://www.christiangallery.com/strategy.html
defines precisely what I advocate citizens do in the face of what I
understand to be a revolution in American government and law.
“Please review
the material cited here and let me know the position of the University of Tennessee regarding this matter. I attended a similar forum at The Freedom
Foundation at Vanderbilt University a couple of years ago without
incident and to the mutual benefit of all who attended.
You can contact them to get further information about what I advocate.
“To now be informed that the University of Tennessee refuses to follow through on
commitments previously made and upon which I have organized my schedule, such
refusal based on untrue accusations where I was not even given the benefit of
defending myself, is prior restraint censorship.
I certainly hope there has been some mistake and that I can proceed in
fulfilling the commitment I made to the Freedom of Speech organization on
your campus. But if what I have heard
is true, your censorship of me will be resisted to the best of my ability and
the damages your decision has cost me will be recovered by all means
available.
“I have informed my attorney about
this matter and he will contact you shortly if in fact you persist on
refusing my previously scheduled venue at your campus.
Neal Horsley
Publisher
The Christian Gallery News Service
Founder
The Creator’s Rights
Party
After the University received this email,
they investigated the matter thoroughly. Then they contacted the Free Speech Society
representative.
He explained what happened next, “After
receiving your email, and verifying that NO trouble had erupted on your trip
to Vandy (The Freedom Forum at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN), my advisor told
me that the event was ‘on as originally scheduled.’”
So this is your invitation to come be with
us at the University of Tennessee on March 13, 2003. It promises to
be an interesting evening indeed!
Invitation
is especially extended to all street preacher friends. The University of Tennessee has an open air speaking venue available in the middle
of the campus for the afternoon preceding the evening Horsley event. Much attention
is being focused on this event on campus and it is expected that hundreds of
students will respond to the open air preaching venue, as well as the evening
event in the auditorium.
THE ONGOING
CONSEQUENCES OF SABOTAGE
The student organizer summarized the present and ongoing
difficulties created by the Tennessee Right To Life’s attempted
sabotage: “Unfortunately, we're still
stuck without sponsorship. I'm working on it though. Anyone
wishing to contribute to the fund can do so by making their check or money
order payable to the Free Speech Society. Contributions
will go directly into the organization's account at UT, and its expenditures
are subject to STRICT controls and oversight (not even the advisor gets a
checkbook for the account - the university handles all the money and
check-writing to ensure proper stewardship of the funds).”
Donations can be mailed to:
Free Speech Society
1001 McClung Tower
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996
Just Make Sure the Donation is Marked for the Neal Horsley Event.
What follows is the succinct summary offered by the Free
Speech Society organizer, the man on the scene: “Expect opposition. I fully expect the
“pro-lifers” to be in cahoots with the Planned Parenthood people. They will
come out in force to try and take the event over. We need
people to come out en masse to show their support. Tell them to
inform their churches and civic organizations and co-workers about the event. “
The local Knoxville media, as well as
the media across Tennessee has indicated an
interest in the story so it is likely the event will be the focus of much
public attention by March 13, 2003.
Event
Details
The event will be held on the campus of the University of Tennessee on Thursday, March
13, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. It will be
held in the Auditorium of the University Center. (Directions
to the auditorium can be found at the end of this article).
Secondly, admission will be free and open to
the general public. You do NOT
have to be a UT student or faculty member in order to attend. Please try to
get there at least a half hour early to make sure you get a seat.
The format will be the Horsley warning,
followed by a Question and Answer session. If
people interrupt the lecture
portion, they will be given ONE warning - and in the event of
further violations, will then be escorted from the room.
People are discouraged from bringing signs
into the auditorium. If they
want to bring them, it is fine to display them anywhere OUTSIDE the
auditorium.
After the lecture is finished, there will be
microphones set up on both aisles in the Auditorium.
The rules will be one question at a time, followed by an answer. No immediate
follow-up questions are allowed - the person must go to the back of the
line and wait his/her turn again if he/she has another question.
Anyone is welcome to attend. People should
be aware of the fact that UT police will be on hand, and govern themselves
accordingly. Anyone caught with weapons of any
kind will be arrested - this
isn't our policy, but UT's.
Here are directions to
the University Center:
1) When entering downtown Knoxville on either I-40
(East or West), take the UT/Henley Street exit.
2) As you pass the new Knoxville Convention Center on the right, you
will come upon Cumberland Avenue. Turn right
onto Cumberland Avenue.
3) Follow Cumberland for approximately 2
blocks, and then turn left onto Philip Fulmer Way at the red light.
4) The University Center will be immediately
on your right. As you pass the University Center, you will see a
large parking structure adjacent to it. This is a PAY
lot, and costs approximately $1 for each half hour. However, the
garage is well-lit and usually monitored by UT police. Park your car
here (or take your chances elsewhere on campus) and take the stairs or
elevator in the University Center to the Second Floor. There are two
hallways on the Second Floor. The
Auditorium is in the middle of the main hallway. You can't
miss it - just follow the noise!
Neal Horsley
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