Washington D.C., Feb 28, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Priests for Life and Concerned Women for America (CWA) applaud the unanimous Supreme Court decision that peaceful demonstrations outside abortion clinics could not be deemed extortion.
The judges ruled 8-0 in the NOW v. Scheidler case. After having this issue battled in the courts for more than 19 years, Joseph Scheidler and other pro-life demonstrators were exonerated of all allegations.
CWA filed two amicus briefs in this case and CWA president Wendy Wright testified at the trial, providing eyewitness accounts that violence did not occur, contrary to the claims made by NOW.
“For decades, in this case and many others, pro-choice groups have tried to paint us who oppose abortion as violent people. Today, yet again, that strategy fails,” said Priests for Life national director Fr. Frank Pavone.
He urged pro-life citizens to be more active. “The proper response to this ruling is to increase our peaceful, legal presence at killing centers everywhere, without fear of ridicule, false arrest, or persecution.”
He said pastors should encourage and join their people in prayerful protest outside abortion clinics. “The Supreme Court takes our First Amendment rights seriously; so should we,” he said.
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, in his statement on the Courts ruling said that "Today's ruling by the Supreme Court puts an end to two decades of abuse by radical pro-abortion forces against one of America's most stalwart pro-life heroes. It is our desire that today's ruling will be a herald of even better news to come from our nation's highest court. It is becoming clearer by the day that our nation is recognizing the truth of abortion's heinous nature and that the days of Roe v. Wade are numbered."