{"id":12740,"date":"2012-03-08T13:26:44","date_gmt":"2012-03-08T18:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.www.liveactionnews.org\/?p=12740"},"modified":"2013-04-02T21:20:30","modified_gmt":"2013-04-03T01:20:30","slug":"australian-senator-pro-life-protests-should-end-islamic-protests-ok-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/australian-senator-pro-life-protests-should-end-islamic-protests-ok-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian senator: pro-life protests should end; Islamic protests ok"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Greens Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon has written an article<\/a> denouncing the 40 Days for Life \u201cprotests\u201d.\u00a0 She states:<\/p>\n

There is a very large professionally printed banner urging people to pray and fast for an end to abortion and there are leaflets being handed out.\u00a0 I can only guess what disturbing images and guilt-making rhetoric they may contain. <\/em>(Author note:\u00a0 obviously an assumption on her part.)<\/p>\n

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, this action has special resonance.<\/em><\/p>\n

While there is obviously a right to peaceful protest, the women’s movement has also long fought for the right of all to safely access abortion services.<\/em><\/p>\n

The right to privacy, access to health care and to be free of harassment must be considered when striking a good balance.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And hinting that women\u2019s right to absolute privacy negates the right to free speech and peaceful protest is just the beginning.\u00a0 Rhiannon goes on to insinuate that the 40 Days for Life Campaign is somehow associated with violence, when nothing could be further from the truth.\u00a0 She writes<\/a>:<\/p>\n

On the website 40 Days for Life lists their ‘achievements’ since 2007: 21 abortion facilities completely shut down following local 40 Days for Life campaigns; 61 abortion workers have quit their jobs and walked away from the abortion industry; and 5,045 lives spared from abortion.<\/em><\/p>\n

In the US bombings, arson, vandalism and murder have been used to intimidate those using and staffing abortion services<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon<\/p><\/div>\n

Without even attempting to make a connection between 40 Days for Life and violence (there is none), Rhiannon plops them down together and associates them.<\/p>\n

Apparently, based on later comments she makes, she believes that 40 Days for Life creates fear in abortion clinic employees that there may be violence.\u00a0 This. Is. Crazy.<\/p>\n

Of all the peaceful pro-life protestors, the 40 Days for Life crowd are among the most peaceful out there.\u00a0 Unfounded fears are not their fault.\u00a0 They should not be denied their right to free speech based on an irrational fear.<\/p>\n

In another odd point, Rhiannon attempts to make 40 Days for Life sound almost partisan (if that were a religious word) instead of the very interdenominational organization they are.\u00a0 She says that the 40 Days for Life campaign calls for people to \u201cspend the 40 days of Lent praying outside abortion clinics.\u201d\u00a0 Just to be sure, I went to the 40 Days for Life website<\/a> myself, and there is no mention of Lent in their description of what they do.<\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019m not saying there\u2019s anything wrong with Lent or recognizing it by praying outside of abortion clinics.\u00a0 I\u2019m saying that not every Christian or Christian denomination participates in it.\u00a0 I’m a Christian, and I don’t.\u00a0 I just recognize Good Friday and celebrate Easter.\u00a0 So to make it sound that 40 Days for Life only targets those people who celebrate Lent makes the organization sound much smaller and more \u201cpartisan\u201d than it is.\u00a0 40 Days for Life claims<\/a>:<\/p>\n

40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:<\/em><\/p>\n