This is part 1 of 2 posts about defending Dr. Carhart’s Abortion and Contraception Clinic of Nebraska August 28th and 29th. In July, Operation Rescue announced their “Keep It Closed” campaign aimed at preventing Dr. Carhart from opening his planned clinic in Kansas. The campaign also hopes to close ACCON. This past weekend, pro-woman activists from 16 states converged in Omaha and Bellevue. Several members from Kansas NOW attended, intent to stop Operation Rescue from attacking another clinic as they had done Dr. Tiller’s.
Ever since anti-abortion foes have decided to take their battle directly to women, pro-women forces have been there to defend clinics and women choosing abortion. As legislative and judicial battles were decided on behalf of women, anti-abortion zealots moved from “sidewalk counseling” to property vandalism and destruction, employee harassment and stalking, and even murder. Trying to lead the way since the late 80s, Operation Rescue (formerly Operation Rescue West) harassed Dr. George Tiller with frivolous lawsuits and loud intimidation. Troy Newman, current president of OR, claims to have come up with “Truth Trucks,” one of which was constantly parked outside Women’s Health Care Services every day it was open.
Having moved once already to target Dr. Tiller, Operation Rescue has been considering a move to Bellevue, Nebraska, to target Dr. LeRoy Carhart. Determined to show support for our providers, women and men from 16 states and the District of Columbia began planning their trips to Nebraska to counter Operation Rescue’s “Keep it Closed” campaign, a campaign aimed at keeping an abortion provider out of Wichita. They have already claimed a victory when, according to their website, Wesley agreed to not allow Dr. Carhart privileges.
When activists from Wichita arrived Thursday evening, already we saw more than 70 dedicated pro-woman activists gathered, ready to defend the clinic. Just being in the same room with all these activists energized everyone, made us ready for the next day. People had come from California and New York, Texas, New Jersey, and, of course, the Midwest – Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri. We groaned about starting at 7am on a Friday morning, but we wanted to beat the antis to the clinic.
Crisp, moist morning air greeted us Friday morning. Already activists carried banners on the street corner. Signs of “Clinic Entrance” and “Welcome” were held at the main drive. Only a few antis were there, some with simple signs, some with graphic. A few people carried walkie talkies. One man shouted “The Carhart Chronicles,” a copy of testimony Dr. Carhart gave concerning late abortions. He wanted us to know about the man we defended.
Abortion and Contraception Clinic of Nebraska sits on a hill. The entrance faces a pleasant little neighborhood while the gravel parking lot sits on a main road. Nearby sits a fake “clinic,” A Woman’s Touch, and across from that a Catholic grade school. As the day wore on, planes began practicing for the air show the next day. C-5s banked close to the ground while the Blue Angels buzzed the clinic more than once.
Not even 10 anti-abortion zealots showed Friday, and they were all gone by lunch. Standing on a main road, we received many honks and thumbs up though the occasional middle finger flew by. A family of 12 came by late in the day, marching on the sidewalk between the fake “clinic” and ACCON’s drive, stopping to pray and even sing. We waited for signs that Operation Rescue had finally arrived. Some cars drove by multiple times. Some occupants made quick signs telling us to go home. Around 5pm, as news crews began live coverage from the site, a Truth Truck drove by. About an hour later, Troy Newman and Cheryl Sullenger made their drive around the clinic, twice circling and taking pictures. Only about a half dozen of the 60 people remaining had experienced this before. Now Operation Rescue had our pictures in their database of “pro-aborts”.
With the news over, we left for the evening, needing plenty of sleep for the long day ahead. An evening potluck and round-up, followed by bed for most of us. 5am Saturday morning would come quickly.
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