The Pensacola Report
The Christians in Pensacola were in hiding. One would have thought that the
government was hunting them down. It was February 21, the opening day of the
trial. Having bowed to a Supreme Court edict of 1973 which denied the states
their right to prosecute abortionists, the state of Florida was prosecuting a
citizen for doing what it formerly did - protect the innocent from death, by
force, as necessary. Yes, Florida prosecutor James Murray was trying a
citizen for defending twelve preborn babies with lethal force.
I was reminded of my walks through East Berlin and Czechoslovakia over two
decades ago. One could not walk through town without feeling watched. One
resident who lives near the courthouse said there was an uncommon "tension"
on the street according to the local Pensacola Journal.
Indeed, as I walked toward the courthouse passing out Fully Informed Jury
Association leaflets, I was fearful. People walked by coldly, refusing to
take the information. Another supporter of Michael Griffin was near me with
a camera, one Jacob Miller. And we were being watched.
Standing across the corner from the courthouse, I looked at the roof and saw
a man with binoculars looking down at us. I mentioned the fact to my
associate, who then waved to the one with the spy-glasses. Moments later a
car stopped in front of us and Mr. Miller offered a leaflet to the two
passengers. Both exited the car and approached Mr. Miller in black uniforms.
He took their pictures. As they proceeded to arrest him, they were joined
by four other SWAT personnel. I took a few pictures and then was told to
take no more. "O.K."
And, Oh well. I paced up and down the street opposite the courthouse. Paul
Hill was on the other side on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse with a
huge sign declaring Griffin's action to be justifiable. I joined him and was
soon approached by some of the same SWAT men. They wanted my picture and ID.
I complied, doubting whether it was the right thing to do. They then turned
to Philip Mullens, a local anti-abortionist Episcopalian, and took his
picture and ID as well.
There were only a few other prolife protestors at the courthouse when the
trial (jury selection) began. There was the itinerant Prolife Anderson from
Reno, Nevada - the "Human Pro-Life 'Poster' in God's Hand" according to the
Reno Gazette (August 24, 1990), who legally changed his name to "Prolife
Anderson" in 1987. There was also a local couple which did not explicitly
support Griffin, but desired to confirm their opposition to the abortionist.
At noon Fr. David Trosch joined Paul and me for a press conference. The
priest from Mobile was under discipline for speaking the truth after having
been enjoined by his superior to keep silent. Fr. Trosch spoke without
timidity, loving the truth of God and obedience to His word more than the
word of his bishop.
The next day Cathy Ramey, Paul Hill, and I were in front of the courthouse,
joined by Prolife Anderson and three young local boys with signs. After
Cathy picked up a jury questionnaire from the courthouse, she stood with us
on the corner and held a sign. A policeman accompanied by someone he called "judge" politely ID'ed Cathy. Later that day her press privileges as a
reporter for Life Advocate magazine were revoked because she had
"participated in a protest."
On the next day (February 23) Andrew Cabot of New Hampshire was outside the courthouse taking pictures. After pointing the camera at the top of the
roof, he was descended upon by several SWAT men, arrested, taken to the
station, IDed, and released. He was interviewed by local television and took
the opportunity to decry the jury questionnaire (see Dr. Mike Colvin's "The
Jury System," p. 3).
Miller was released about one week after his arrest and returned to the
courthouse, joining the small group which continued to maintain a witness in
defense of Griffin. He had accompanied Cabot in a car, but remained in the
car out of fear of re-arrest. From inside the car he took pictures while
Cabot joined others at the courthouse.
Suddenly SWAT men descended upon Miller, pulled him out of the car, frisked
him, took the keys out of the ignition, opened the trunk of the car with the
keys, and searched the trunk. Cabot, upon seeing the siege, headed toward
the car. A police car drove in front of him, smashing into the metal
barricade surrounding the courthouse. The officer forbade Cabot from
approaching the car as the search was conducted.
Pearl Jam
A popular rock and roll group was recruited by Eleanor Smeal to perform a
"Rock for Choice" concert in Pensacola on March 9, the eve of the anniversary
of Gunn's termination. Numerous foolish Christian children supported the
concert with their money, caring nothing for the fact that it would enrich
the efforts of the 'borts.
A well-meaning but foolish youth pastor of a local church organized "Positive
Life Rally," a counter concert. David Hutchinson of Pinewoods Presbyterian
Church said, "This is as much a response to extreme pro-lifers like Paul Hill
as it is to Pearl Jam. I believe as Christians we are commanded to live
lives like Jesus and Jesus would not advocate killing people because he
disagreed with their life-style." If Pastor Hutchinson believes the death of
Dr. Gunn was the result of a "life-style disagreement," he hasn't been paying
attention.
Regina Dinwiddie
Came from Kansas to be present during the gathering of abortionists in
Pensacola for a convention on the weekend. She was arrested on that Saturday (March 12) for an old warrant in St. Petersburg in connection with an
abortuary blockade in 1989. She was released on St. Patrick's day. Time
served.
Paul Hill
Was visited on March 14 by two federal agents at the dealership where he was
working. He was questioned about the recent arrest of one Daniel Ware in
Texas on some kind of firearms charge. It is typical of federal
investigators to harass in this way, showing up at the work place to
embarrass employees before their employers. Persons under investigation are
threatened with the loss of their jobs. Employers don't like having workers
who are pursued by federal agents.
The federal government has been busy conspiring to prosecute Christians under
RICO legislation. Grand juries have been in session. Life Advocate editors
have been subpoenaed and interrogated, allegedly in connection with the
Shelley Shannon case. But questioning indicates government efforts to
prosecute anti-abortion Christian activists under various RICO statutes. In
particular, the government is in pursuit of that minority of
anti-abortionists who have spoken in defense of forceful defenders of the
innocent. (ACLJ, Rutherford Institute, and Free Speech Advocates are you
listening?)
The Janet Waco Reno Syndrome
The arrests in Pensacola have a common thread. All are Christians showing
public support of the man who aborted an abortionist. Illegal arrests,
searches, and extraordinary measures taken to apprehend anti-abortion
misdemeanants are all actions which reflect the intolerant anti-Christian
spirit of the Clintonista regime. It is not just blockades they don't want.
They don't want speech. Speech which declares that murderers/abortionists
may rightfully be stopped with lethal force is intolerable.
Daniel Ware
The feds are abuzz investigating a man who allegedly wanted to prevent the
feds from doing to anti-abortion Christian activists in Pensacola "what they
did in Waco" (Houston Chronicle, March 13). Daniel Ware was arrested in
Houston after returning from Pensacola on March 11. He had traveled there
two weeks ago with several firearms in his baggage. Apparently, with the
Waco Holocaust impressed deeply in his mind, he feared for the safety of the
small band of fellow Christian activists in Pensacola. (Unreasonable? Maybe
he is seeing a little further into the future.)
The poor fellow seems to have meant well. But he obviously lacked the arms
necessary to resist the federal government. Mr. Ware had blocked abortuaries
with the Lambs and associated himself with the activists of Rescue America.
Crazy in the eyes of 'borts, of course. And even some pro-your-own-lifers
would regard such self-sacrifice as evidence of a intellectual shortage. But
we wouldn't want to judge the man's intentions.
Mr. Ware's concern for protection against federal tyranny should raise
important questions for honest pundits. If the feds did murder innocent
people in Waco (if they had malevolent intent to abuse law-abiding
arms-bearers), would it have been right to resist them with arms had such
intentions of the feds been known?
The jurors in Texas apparently thought so, and we think such musings are in
order. Ware's intentions may well have been good ones. If the federal
government were to storm the Burt residence as it did the Davidian residence,
it would have been right to defend the Burts with arms. It is a basic
principle of the U.S. Constitution. Government was never to be trusted
absolutely. The purpose of the Second Amendment was not to allow the
citizenry to possess arms against neighborhood hoodlums. Such goes without
saying. The citizen's right to bear arms has to do with protection against a
rogue government!
To paraphrase the Founding Fathers, How shall we have a revolution against
tyrants if we cannot bear arms? As the motto of the State of Virginia
declares: sic semper tyrannis ("thus ever to tyrants"). Just as it is good
for a wayward people to have a healthy respect for civil authorities, it is
also good for those in power - well inclined to abuse it, as humans are wont
to do - to have a healthy respect for the power of the citizenry to revolt.
Dan Ware, according to the Chronicle, lives in his cab, where he was arrested
by ATF agents. He has been a long time local activist. Officials with
Planned Barrenhood of Houston said "Ware had been a virtual fixture outside
their family planning clinic at 3601 Fannin." The agents searched the home
of 74-year-old Marie Antoinette Kehlhof where Ware spends part of his time.
She said, "They came in with agents and the bomb squad and they told me to
stay outside because it might be dangerous. I said to them, 'What is more
dangerous, being blown up or having your house bugged?' "
The actual arrest charge was illegal possession of a firearm. (Federal law
does not permit a felon to own a firearm.) Ware had been convicted in 1977
of possession of a counterfeit $100 bill, but did not reveal on federal
firearms forms that he was a convict. "Why should I? I was told by the U.S.
Attorney I would have all my rights after I completed a 5-year probation
after my 1977 conviction."
Should such a willingness to protect a fellow citizen from tyrannical deeds
of the state be scorned? We do not have all the facts. But if the picture
is as we understand it, we advocate the release of Mr. Ware.
Defensive Action
Paul Hill has spent much time and personal finances to speak in defense of
those who have taken defensive action. He provides for his family with his
own hands doing auto body repairs. Paul Hill along with his wife and three
children are worthy of your support. We commend to you Defensive Action, PO
Box 2243, Pensacola, FL 32513-2243.
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