ARTICLES
June 2002 ARTICLES
Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
Talk About Hypocrisy. Good Grief!
Demonstrators Say, Remember the Holocaust -- Oppose Abortion
By F. Michael Forrester
"The temple shook with standing ovations," said the Los Angeles Times, "as speakers "drew parallels between the Holocaust and the current struggles in the Middle East." To a crowd "of almost 2,000," Governor Gray Davis was quoted as saying, "we must remember the Holocaust in all its barbaric details. We must not shrink from it, and we must summon up the outrage to prevent history from repeating itself."
Outside, no one saw the temple shaking, but what they did see was a handful of demonstrators on the corner of Beverly Grand and Wilshire, displaying signs that read, "Resist The Abortion Holocaust" and "Gray Davis' Abortion Policy: Kill More Babies."
Holocaust Remembrance Day, established by the Israeli Parliament in 1951, (also referred to as Yom Hashoah), was marked on Sunday, April 14 at the Sinai Temple in Los Angeles. A number of influential speakers attended the observance, Governor Gray Davis among them. On account of the recent tumult in Israel, the event took place under impressive amounts of security, with a swarm of Los Angeles police restricting access to wide areas surrounding the temple. Concrete barriers lined the streets, police checked underneath cars with mirrors, locals sat in long lines of traffic on account of detours, and metal detectors were used on every individual entering the event.
The main intention of the pro-life demonstration -- cosponsored by the California Life Coalition and C.A.R.E. (Cherish and Respect Everyone) -- was to honor "rescuers and resisters" of the European holocaust by urging event-goers to become "rescuers and resisters" of abortion.
The idea to bring the pro-life cause to this particular event was that of Rose Mary Leon. Leon, born and raised a Jew herself, three years ago started C.A.R.E., a relatively small operation which focuses on sidewalk counseling in the San Fernando Valley area. "The theme for this Remembrance Day," said Leon, "is 'Honoring Rescuers and Resisters of the Holocaust.' We are here to tell people that the authentic way to honor them is to become rescuers and resistors of the abortion holocaust." "We just want to increase awareness of the plight of the pre-born," said Cheryl Sullenger, one of the principal organizers for the event. "The Jews say, 'Never Again,' but, unfortunately, it is happening again, and again people are turning a blind eye and a deaf ear."
One of the pro-lifers present, not affiliated with either of the groups, had come for another reason. "When I heard Gray Davis was attending, I just had to come," she said. "Talk about hypocrisy. Good grief!"
For security reasons, the pro-life demonstrators had to situate themselves across the street from the temple. Even so, most of the cars entering the building were forced to drive by the demonstrators, including the governor's motorcade. "It went right past us," said one. "They had to have seen us." One of the members of the group, Ronald Brock, was situated about a mile down on Wilshire where police had blocked off the street. There Brock was parked in a van displaying graphic photos of Jewish holocaust victims alongside graphic photos of aborted babies.
Those not holding signs handed out flyers entitled, "Sing a Little Louder." "They tell the story of a church next to a railroad," explained one of the demonstrators. "As the trains went past their church, they could hear the cries of the Jews, but did nothing. In fact, they only sang louder to drown out the cries for help. Now, today, the same thing is happening and very few people are trying to rescue the babies scheduled to die."
The majority of the responses the demonstrators received was polite and positive. "Handing out the flyers," said Leon, "I was shocked at how mellow and gracious everyone was." Being a Jew, Leon related how most Jews take great offense at the comparison between the European holocaust and the abortion holocaust. "For them it's an insult. They feel that it in some way trivializes the Holocaust," she said. "They seem to have some kind of proprietary attitude towards it. I really thought people were going to be irate. I was expecting a raucous afternoon. But no, not at all."
At one point, however, a rather determined looking middle-aged woman, escorting a small elderly man, walked up to the group. "Are you survivors of the holocaust?" she asked. "Well he is!" and pointed to her elderly companion. After a short period of befuddled silence, Cheryl Sullenger addressed the elderly man, explaining how honored she was to meet him, how much she respected him, and that the reason the demonstrators were there was to protect unborn babies who, similar to what he had experienced, are being killed on account of being unwanted. When she had finished speaking, the man serenely nodded, turned, and ushered his angry companion away with him.
"Although there weren't that many of us," said Sullenger, "we were more than enough to get our message across. Most of the people we offered literature to took it. We feel that our small group made a positive impact here."
Governor Gray Davis continues to hammer Republican challenger Bill Simon for his opposition to abortion. Recently, Davis has been flanked by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat, New York), and other prominent pro-choice women, in efforts to promote his "Women for Gray Davis" campaign. "For women, for families and for their future, Gray Davis is the right choice and I am proud to be his friend and supporter," Senator Clinton has said. Davis has accepted the endorsement of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), its California affiliate (CARAL), Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and Voters for Choice. Displayed on the Gray Davis website is a quote from the CARAL executive director, Belle Taylor-McGhee: "Pro-choice Californians want to elect, and re-elect, candidates whom they can depend on to defend their right to choose. They also expect their lawmakers to advance policies that will give women and their families sound choices, such as access to affordable reproductive health care services and unencumbered access to emergency contraception. We have no doubt that Governor Davis will work to ensure that these priorities are met."
On that point, Belle Taylor-McGhee is not mistaken. Davis has already signed seven laws as governor in favor of abortion "rights"; among them a law that "protects" women entering abortions clinics from "intimidation." After signing this bill, Davis proclaimed, "This bill is important to people who care about freedom. Hopefully, it will give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on those who would deny us our basic freedoms."