Abortion foe punched

The Gazette ^ | Wednesday, November 27, 2002 | Erin Jordan

[toenail]

Abortion foe punched

By Erin Jordan
The Gazette
Wednesday, November 27, 2002, 8:59:24 AM
IOWA CITY -- Donna Holman said her husband, Dan, has been beaten up four times in the last year by people who don't like his anti-abortion preaching outside clinics that offer abortions.

Dan Holman, 55, ended up in the hospital Tuesday after he was assaulted outside the Emma Goldman Clinic for Women by a man who objected to him videotaping people entering the clinic, police said.

The Holmans are from Keokuk. "He preaches repentance and says you will burn in hell if you don't repent. They don't like that here at Emma Goldman," Donna Holman, 67, said.

Bradley Glenn Ewoldt, 20, of Davenport, was charged with assault causing injury after police accused him of punching Holman in the nose just after 9 a.m. Tuesday outside the clinic at 227 N. Dubuque St.

The Holmans, members of a group called the Missionaries for the Unborn, have been in Iowa City for several weeks protesting at both the Emma Goldman Clinic and Planned Parenthood, at 850 Orchard St.

While they stood in front of Emma Goldman on Tuesday with large pictures of aborted fetuses, Dan Holman videotaped four people entering the clinic. He later used the camera to tape Ewoldt when Ewoldt came out of the building to smoke a cigarette, Iowa City police reported.

Ewoldt told Holman twice to stop videotaping, but Holman continued, police said. Ewoldt punched Holman in the face and broke Holman's video camera, police said. Holman said Ewoldt also kicked him. Holman was transported to Mercy Iowa City, where he was treated and released.

Donna Holman said she and her husband usually use the camera to videotape their interaction with police to make sure their right to free speech is not violated. Lt. Sid Jackson said the Holmans have videotaped police officers' actions in the last two weeks.

Emma Goldman Executive Director Karen Kubby said she is concerned because the tactics of anti-abortion protesters, such as the Holmans, are escalating from verbal interaction to videotaping.

"Although the courts have said it (videotaping) is legal, I think it is an invasion in many people's minds," Kubby said. "It does make it very difficult for clients and supporters when they are yelled and screamed at."

Kubby said she has heard of anti-abortion protesters putting videos of people using clinics that offer abortions on the Internet or public-access television. This has not been done at the Emma Goldman Clinic, she said.

All local content copyright © 2002 by The Gazette Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

[Zansman]

My friend, it is YOU that seems more like the Democrat here. Arguments based on emotion (like yours), not logic, facts and reason are their hallmarks.

[Malcolm]

You didn't hit anything. And we'll see on Judgement Day who is right and who is wrong, won't we?

[Malcolm]

But the POINT is, are going to stop abortion this way? The answer is NO! Voting for people to end abortion is not "sitting at home." All authority is from G-d, and yes Psalm 73, that ALSO means the US gov't. We shall see whether your method or mine, mixed with prayer, will end abortion. The flesh profits nothing. If you do it YOUR way, instead of G-d's, (and let's always consider that we CAN be wrong in our methods), you will always fail. Another question for you "perfect" people: who ended slavery, John Brown (illegally) or Lincoln (legally)? Think about it, if you do any thinking at all.....

[Malcolm]

I'm not convinced it has worked at all. For the handful of clinics it has closed, it has also galvanized the opposition. If this was changed LEGALLY, (via our gov't, the only real place that any meaningful change CAN take place), then how could the pro-abortion people argue against that, with any MEANINGFUL argument, since it was done within the legal process?

My sincere thanks for you thoughful input. It sure beats the h--- our of pompous replies like P73 and what other self-righteous trash post here.....

[Chesterbelloc]

Well, I'm not sure if what you just wrote was aimed at me, but I actually agree with what you wrote:

"I believe prayer and voting for the right candidates to overturn Roe v. Wade is the best we can do."

I'd just add that it is not necessarily the only thing that can be done. And I don't think that a local prayerful, peaceful presence has to be counter-productive to larger goals; and they have resulted in some little ones running around now that otherwise would just not be.

[victim soul]

What you said is true and I am an eyewitness to at least three acts in the last 6 months.

"These people are desperate .. they are finally being exposed and it's from the public witness of the street prayer warriors and the new ability to bypass proabort media and get the news out over the internet!!

"The baby-killers are feeling the pressure from pro-life Americans, and the recent pro-life victories in this past election are increasing their paranoia.
They will get much nastier, and Americans sitting on the fence will see their true colors, just like at the Wellstone memorial/rally."

[desertcry]

This is HATE CRIME!

[Trailerpark Badass]

Many abortion protesters see their actions as saving lives. They believe that by giving pause to those going to the clinics, they might cause the mother to rethink her "choice," if only maybe for a day.

Many folks see this as a struggle to save lives, not just influence public policy.

[toenail]

http://www.chicoer.com/articles/2002/12/02/news/news7.txt -- 11:48 a.m. Chico, CA.