From: chrisl@stpaul.gov (Chris A Lyman)
Subject: Robbinsdale Clinic Protest Follow-up
Organization: City of Saint Paul Public Works
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 21:19:59 GMT

While running around Minneapolis last Saturday, I decided to stop by the
Robbinsdale Women's Clinic and see how the weekly protests were going.
Many of the leading characters were there.  It was a beautiful fall day,
however, and no one seemed to feel especially confrontational.

The 'abortion alternative' Women's Health Center was still doing business
across the street in the converted beauty parlor.  The only services they
offered were the kind of pregnancy tests you could buy at the drug store,
and 'counseling.'  They still didn't have one doctor, registered nurse or
practical nurse on staff.  I read in the paper that, when confronted with
this shortcoming, a volunteer at the Women's Health Center retorted, "But
our counselors are better than yours."

I talked briefly with a police officer assigned to keep watch over the
protest.  He said that most of the protesters from the local Catholic
church were easy to deal with; it was with the extreme fundamentalist
Protestants he had trouble.  He knew all of the EFPs by name, they were
all confrontational, bizarre and sometimes prone to violence.  (Btw, I
did not take notes during this visit, so many details and interesting
stories have fallen by the wayside.)

I also talked to some of the escorts.  One escort had driven up from Grand
Meadow, some 85 miles from the Twin Cities.  She felt that it was important
to assert her presence to counterbalance the protesters, and made the trip
every Saturday that she could.  She is Catholic, btw.  Other escorts were
college students, professionals, men, women.  A diverse group.

The paint lines on the sidewalk and the driveway showing where it was ok
for protesters and counter-protesters to stand were still there.  For most
of the time I was there, a pro-life woman stood in her 'goalie crease'
attempting to give literature to people entering or leaving the clinic.  A
couple of times she strayed from her crease and nearly got hit by moving
traffic.  I was told that she'd been demonstrating at that clinic for seven
years!

At one point, this woman started yelling at a young couple getting out of
their car in the clinic's parking lot.  This sparked the only angry words
I saw that day.  The woman getting out of the car stomped over and hissed:
"I'm here for a mammogram, you stupid bitch.  Get outta my face."  Needless
to say, the pro-life woman did not offer any literature when the couple
drove away later.

After many, many Saturdays of protests at this clinic, it seems that both
sides have agreed to 'knock off' at noon.  As 12:00 approached, the pro-
lifers said one last prayer and slowly began to disperse.  Some of the
protesters walked by me as they left.  I was deep in conversation with one
of the escorts.  We were talking about the children who had appeared on that
talk show some weeks ago, the ones that were compiling the arrest records
at abortion protests.  As a pro-lifer walked by, I mentioned the 14-year-old
who'd been arrested 42 times.  The pro-lifer shot me a startled look and
then hurried on her way.

The next statement is for you, Mr. Hampe.

That's the news from Minnesota, where the women are strong, the men are
good-looking and all the children are above average.

-- 
Chris Lyman  /  email: chrisl@pwcs.stpaul.gov  /  #include <std.disclaimers.h>
    In America, any boy may become president and I suppose that's just one
    of the risks he takes. -- Adlai Stevenson
Newsgroups: talk.abortion