I PICKET because I know that babies are being killed every day in my community. These killings demand some act of intervention on the babies' behalf. I am there to intercede for them and their mothers before their date with the abortionist.
I PICKET because many of the women having abortions are Christians* and some of them may go to my church or other churches in the community. My presence may encourage them to reconsider their decision or to ask their pastors about Christian teaching on abortion. This doctrine is rarely discussed in most churches.
I PICKET because 43% of women having abortions have previously had an abortion. My presence makes a statement of protest and may influence some of them to act more responsibly in the future.*
I PICKET because it makes the abortionists uncomfortable. They like to do their killing unobtrusively, under pretense that they are esteemed physicians. My presence calls attention to their motive of greed and their callous behavior.
I PICKET because it sends a chilling message to the other doctors. Doctors know that a woman will cross a picket line for an abortion, but women don't want to cross that line for common medical treatment. Doctors know that if they start killing babies and we start picketing, they will lose many of their regular clients.
I PICKET because our community needs to know where abortions are done and what goes on in the abortion mill. I am a grim and unpleasant reminder that offends our foes and ruffles the sensibilities of some of the prolife folks who would like to forget this national shame.
I PICKET because it allows me to take a forthright, public stance. Each time I demonstrate, it forces me to re-examine my logic, my motive, my faith and my obedience to God.
I PICKET because standing outside the abortion mill and being a witness to abortions each day gives me some comprehension of the aborting of America. That insight motivates me to be informed and active in several prolife programs.
I PICKET because I believe that God wants me to. I believe that He uses my hands and feet to do something He wants done. Every once in a while He lets me see a little bit of what He is doing through the picket. That's my encouragement.
I PICKET because it polarizes the community and encourages those who pass by to pick a side. This is a valid strategy because there are more prolife folks than there are proabortion folks. Picketers are an assault force that opens the battle. Once we have created the ideological beachhead, other activist groups are better able to do the work of informing, educating, and persuading.
* Statistics from The Alan Guttmacher Institute.
The hands of the unborn are too weak to ward off their own death. Their voices are silent and unable to protest their brutal treatment. These little ones have no effective hands or voices other than yours.
Pete H
Stephen Hindes is the abortionist at Healthy Futures for Women. He is also known as Steve Hindes. Sometimes they call the place Healthy Futures PC.
