I myself attended a protest at the clinic near my hometown. Coincidentally, it was the abortion day. I knew it was going to be emotional and difficult, but I had to go. To me, there’s never a good excuse not to go to anything that will defend the unborn. Especially not when Planned Parenthood is trying, once again, to get away with their corrupt business of duping women (and men), killing the innocent and having the audacity to smile along the way. As soon as I reached the property, I immediately felt an overwhelming sense of death. It’s not something that can be accurately described as it is self-explanatory... Planned Parenthood carries an aura of death with them. I’m not the only who has described it that way.
We had a strong turn out, at least over 200 people. Maybe even 300. Throughout the protest we prayed the rosary, and the religious were present, with young and old alike. I held a huge sign that pictured baby feet at 11 weeks, right outside of the driveway, for everyone entering and leaving to see, even those just driving by. The sign was almost bigger than me. I propped my elbows on it and calmly stood there, right by the security guard too.
He seemed uncomfortable, but he smiled at the little kids with us. I smiled at him. He smiled back, somewhat. He wasn’t hostile or adverse with any of us. We simply couldn’t step onto the property. Fair enough.
Despite the large signs and throngs of people, the folks coming, going, and driving by pretended not to see us. Truth has never been easy to look in the face. Some looked away, some glanced, some threw the bird, some gave us thumbs up. Towards the end, some guys even threw eggs at us. As if that would really stop us from being there or even coming back. I can hear it know, “Well everyone, we had eggs chucked at us so I guess that means we’re done. No coming back next week, thanks to those dastardly and nefarious eggs.”
No.
I’ll be back. We’ll all be back. We won’t stop until Planned Parenthood is just a past nightmare.
Standing by the driveway, though some might not think of it as much, both reveals and says a lot. I hardly spoke a word to anyone around me, but I saw the humanity in these people leaving Planned Parenthood, the humanity they fail to see. I saw a sadness in their eyes, tears being wiped away. It broke my heart.
Although we gathered to make a statement and stare in the face of death, to tell him he will not triumph, we brought along with us a peace. The peace that only life gives, that Christ gives. Life is joyous, and we exemplified that. There were tears, prayer, laughter, hugs... peace. Planned Parenthood doesn’t offer that.
At the end of the protest, I was glad I went. Like I said, it’s the first of many for me. But a serious question was also posed in my mind.
Where’s the rest of the pro-life movement?
I’m dead serious. Where are you? Although our turn out was amazing, many more could have been there. While the rest of the world is living in a state of passivity, we cannot and must not fall into that as well. Especially not as Catholics. If we are to truly and really be pro-life, it cannot stop at prayer. We are both physical and spiritual beings, catechism 101 up in here. With hard pressing issues like this, it’s easy to just hide behind prayer and do nothing. We cannot settle for not doing anything, the stakes are and have been too high for that. What Planned Parenthood is doing is beyond sickening, sad, and disgusting, and we cannot passively allow them to continue. If a baby being born alive, getting their face cut open and having their brain harvested doesn’t bring you to action to end the madness, I don’t know what will. Although I’m a writer, I couldn’t make up such a savage horror if I tried. What’s truly heartbreaking is that I can’t, because it’s real.
If you are really and truly against what Planned Parenthood is, has been, and continues to do, I heartily invite you to leave your own little bubble, get out of your comfort zone, and stand with us. Too many are pro-life in name alone, and not in action. You never know how your mere presence, aided with prayer, can impact someone else. You’re not doing it for yourself; not to show people you’re pro-life, and not to prove it to yourself, you’re doing it for those who cannot speak, when you have the voice to speak for them. Let me ask you this, when this holocaust of children is over, a sorrowful memory of the past, what will you be able to say you did to help end it?
Therefore, I hope to see you there, soon.
Check out these pictures (per my personal Snapchat) from the protest in Riverside, California.
My baby brother is so cute, the end. |