Pro-Life Displays at Catholic Churches in Florida and Rhode Island Vandalized

LifeNews.com ^ | March 24, 2004 | Steven Ertelt and Maria Gallagher

[nickcarraway]

St. Augustine, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life displays in two states have been vandalized. In Rhode Island, an abortion advocate spraypainted a Catholic church's statue with a message accusing parishioners of being "Nazis." In Florida, hundreds of crosses in a pro-life display at a church were destroyed.

In a scene that has become all too familiar, more than 200 crosses have been uprooted from a 4,500 cross display at the Mission of Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Florida. The crosses symbolize the unborn children who die each day as a result of abortion.

The vandals left about 20 wire coat hangers behind, indicating that the vandalism was fueled by pro-abortion sentiment. The coat-hanger is a symbol abortion advocates use to decry the days when abortion was illegal.

"They're not educated," Al Wolff, the caretaker of the display, told the St. Augustine Record. "They don't understand. I pray for them."

Meanwhile, in Johnston, Rhode Island, vandals spraypainted a statue of Jesus with the words, "Anti-choice nazis."

A prayer inscribed on the statute reads "Let us pray for an end to abortion."

"It's just scary," Patricia Pallante, parish secretary, told the Providence Journal newspaper.

Reverend Douglas Spina told the newspaper, "Word travels very quickly in this town. The parishioners are very concerned. They're saddened."

"To identify the Catholic Church with the Nazi movement is very disturbing," Spina said. "It's a contradiction to the message of life. I have prayed about this today and the message I received from the Lord is to ask other people to pray for the people who did this."

In Florida, an agency which helps pregnant, unwed mothers, St. Augustine's St. Gerard Campus, sponsors the pro-life exhibit. The white, 18-inch crosses have been placed at the church each year for the past 16 years.

Wolff decided against calling the police to report the vandals.

"I'll just pray for them," he told the St. Augustine newspaper. "Some night if they want to come by and talk to me, I'll be here," he added. The local police department was not aware of the incident, but offered to put additional patrols in the area, if Wolff requested it.

Pro-life exhibits and organizations throughout the U.S. have been the target of pro-abortion vandalism. But such incidents seldom receive a great deal of attention from the mainstream news media.

Just a few months ago, a pro-life billboard in South Venice, Florida promoting a pregnancy hotline was the target of vandals. The baby's face, phone number, and the name of the church sponsor were covered with paint. A representative from the church classified the vandalism as a hate crime.

Meanwhile, the abortion lobby is using the St. Augustine incident to attempt to smear the pro-life movement.

"The pro-choice movement has been terrorized by the anti-choice movement for over 30 years, including bombings, arson, harassment, and even murders," Kathryn Burton of the Massachusetts Abortion Access Project told the St. Augustine Record. "The coat hanger, however, is a powerful reminder that making abortion illegal will harm women and their health."

Actual medical evidence, however, indicates that abortion can be extremely dangerous for a woman's physical and mental health, putting her at risk for sterility, breast cancer, depression, and a number of other health problems.

Burton qualified her statements, however, by saying that her group does not support vandalism.

Yet, there are obviously segments of the pro-abortion movement that do support property damage in pursuit of their political agenda.

[Rutles4Ever]

Of course. This won't be getting better anytime soon.

[MEGoody]

They put pro-life protesters who stand to close to an abortion mill's door in jail. Wonder if they'll even bother to look for the guys who did this? Probably not.

[Lost Highway]

I'd consider it a badge of honor that they did this. It means pro-lifers are getting to them.

[el_chupacabra]

I doubt any mainstream media person will describe these incidents as "hate crimes".

[Lion in Winter]

There is a HUGE cross, it is hundreds of feet high, at the Mission to commemorate the landing of Menendez and the Missionaries of the Catholic Church in 1565. I know this area well as my wife and I used to vacation in St. Augustine for years and years.

I would bet some of those liberal twerps at Flagler College had something to do with the vandalism.

[joesnuffy]

The devil knows his time is growing short....and he's got to take as many human souls with him as he possibly can...
It's what he does...

[Bismarck]

Let's not forget that the "Pro-Choice" movement doesn't really believe in choice. The core of this movement is constituted by feminazis and they have strong ties to Anarchist and Marxist organizations. So, are we really suprised when this vermin vandalizes pro-life infrastructure?

[kenth]

Nazis? They should ask themselves who is killing whom.

[CounterCounterCulture]

The pro-aborts have no respect for their own flesh and blood, so it's not surprising these sad creatures have no respect for private property.

[Digger]

All should have had a copy of "The Naked Communist" & acted on it for the last 40 yrs. Then this crapola wouldn't be infesting a once great nation.

[WOSG]

"The pro-choice movement has been terrorized by the anti-choice movement for over 30 years, including bombings, arson, harassment, and even murders," Kathryn Burton of the Massachusetts Abortion Access Project told the St. Augustine Record. "The coat hanger, however, is a powerful reminder that making abortion illegal will harm women and their health."

-------

wow. this sicko uses the indident to blame the victim of the vandalism.

[WOSG]

"The pro-choice movement has been terrorized by the anti-choice movement for over 30 years, including bombings, arson, harassment, and even murders," Kathryn Burton of the Massachusetts Abortion Access Project told the St. Augustine Record. "The coat hanger, however, is a powerful reminder that making abortion illegal will harm women and their health."

-------

wow. this sicko uses the indident to blame the victim of the vandalism.

[Vigilanteman]

Pro-life exhibits and organizations throughout the U.S. have been the target of pro-abortion vandalism. But such incidents seldom receive a great deal of attention from the mainstream news media.

However, if some disgusted patriot elbows some peacenik protestor aside to get to work on time, it would be quickly reported and investigated as a hate crime.

[NYer]

Pro-life ping!

[NYer]

In a scene that has become all too familiar, more than 200 crosses have been uprooted from a 4,500 cross display at the Mission of Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Florida. The crosses symbolize the unborn children who die each day as a result of abortion.

The vandals left about 20 wire coat hangers behind, indicating that the vandalism was fueled by pro-abortion sentiment. The coat-hanger is a symbol abortion advocates use to decry the days when abortion was illegal.

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[TASMANIANRED]

"Meanwhile, in Johnston, Rhode Island, vandals spraypainted a statue of Jesus with the words, "Anti-choice nazis."

Intresting what has happened to the language. The murderers claim those wishing to preserve life are Nazi's.

Who's hands have the blood on them?

[oldironsides]

Democrat Catholics in Rhode Island go to Mass and support politicians like Rep. Kennedy. I know people that are very active in the church, read from the altar and give out communion to others and vote for Democrat pro choice politicians. I cannot understand how they think and told them so many times.

[Integrityrocks]

But the GOOD NEWS is that Pro-Aborters are aborting themselves right out of the gene-pool. Pretty soon (figures show about 15 years) and the entire generation of liberals will have been whiddled down to a tiny minority. As sad a picture as it brings to mind (all those aborted babies), God will take very good care of those little angels and their murders will not be with them.

[Lexinom]

...an abortion advocate spraypainted a Catholic church's statue with a message accusing parishioners of being "Nazis."

H U H ?

YOU FOLKS are the ones killing a distinct group of people, not us.

Good grief. Unbelievable: that those who so strikingly match the Nazi profile would apply the moniker to their adversaries.