Is saving babies a "hate crime"?

California Legislature targets pro-lifers... again

"Antiabortion crime and hate crime differ in concept but often converge in practice, and ... law enforcement should address them in concert," asserted California State Senator Deborah Ortiz, the author of SB 780, which supposedly is designed for the "protection of the exercise of constitutional rights." (Ortiz also authored last year's SB 1945.)

The source of the bill is Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion institution. The targeted "antiabortion crimes" include "attempt[ing] to ... interfere with" anyone entering a "reproductive health services" facility. (In recent years, Planned Parenthood has even claimed that peaceful prayer vigils on public streets adjacent to their abortion chambers have been criminal acts. For more information on Planned Parenthood's recent un-American efforts to portray peaceful pro-life activities as if they were criminal acts, click here.)

The bill's authors claim that the "level and threat" of "anti-reproductive-rights" crimes in California is "unacceptably high." In fact, however, the pro-life movement in California has a long history of being peaceful and non-violent, with the exception of a few isolated acts by individuals who were not connected with any pro-life group. Planned Parenthood has become proficient in contorting statistics to produce the false appearance of an epidemic of antiabortion violence.

To promote passage of this oppressive bill, the Senate Office of Research produced a report which fraudulently claims that six California pro-life organizations are "known to advocate, condone, or practice actions such as violence, vandalism, assaults, obstruction and stalking, or that openly cooperate with national organizations that do so." However, all of the organizations listed promote only non-violent action against abortion (most of the accused organizations are associated with Voice For Life).

If an actual crime is committed by someone in the name of the pro-life movement, that individual is already subject to aggressive prosecution.

SB 780 would allow volunteers (pro-abortion escorts and activists) to be officially protected in legal proceedings, along with patients, abortionists, and employees, using pseudonyms so that they may officially accuse pro-lifers of crimes in court without using their real names. Even if no crime has been committed, an individual may seek protection under this bill by claiming to be "at risk of becoming a victim"! Provisions for restricting photography of such individuals are also included (which may further endanger pro-life sidewalk counselors, who often need to use video cameras to protect against violent assaults).

Under SB 780, law enforcement agencies will be required to track "anti-reproductive-rights crimes" as part of hate crimes reporting efforts.

The Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training will be required by SB 780 to develop a training course dealing with pro-life street ministries (focusing on "anti-reproductive-rights crimes") for all California law enforcement officers. Provisions are also included for enabling Planned Parenthood and their cohorts to train law enforcement officers on how to implement SB 780.

The bill also claims to protect "church entrances," but this was clearly thrown in as an effort to garner more support. Few of the provisions of the bill have any bearing on churches. The focus of the bill is punishing pro-life ministries.

Californian pro-lifers exercise their "unalienable right to defend life" which is guaranteed by the California Constitution. SB 780 must be rejected as an unconstitutional infringement on these rights.

Click here for more details on SB 780.

Click here for information on how to express your opinion on SB 780.

Click here for a picture which displays Planned Parenthood's profit motive in promoting abortion. (The picture, courtesy of Operation Save America, shows an armoured car arriving at a Planned Parenthood abortion chamber to haul away the blood money.)

Click here for the text of the Senate Office of Research report which fraudulently accuses various pro-life organizations of "criminal" activity

For more information, contact Tim Palmquist of glorifyJesus.com.