Abortion rescues succeed where sidewalk counselors fail
There’s an old saying in the pro-life movement: “If abortion is murder, act like it.” This catchy phrase is meant to inspire people to take action and prevent the killing of unborn babies.
Recently, Lauren Muzyka wrote an article for The Federalist titled “How To Sidewalk Counsel Abortion-Minded Moms Without Going To Prison.” In her piece, she harshly criticizes pro-life rescues and compares them to the counseling method advocated by Sidewalk Advocates for Life, a ministry that I personally admire and support.
I have a unique perspective on pro-life rescues and rescuers. Since 1978, I have spent countless hours counseling women on the sidewalk, urging them not to have abortions. I have also organized and participated in numerous pro-life rescues, and even served a short jail term just last April for a Red Rose Rescue at an abortion center in Michigan in 2022. Through my experiences, I have come to appreciate the value of both sidewalk counseling and abortion rescues at the places where unborn lives are scheduled to be ended.
What Is an Abortion Rescue?
In the mid-1970s, the pro-life rescue movement emerged as a nonviolent defense of the unborn. Leaders like John Kavanaugh-O’Keefe and Joan Andrews Bell, who were active in the anti-war movement, pioneered this approach. Rescuers would sit or stand in front of abortion centers, sometimes even chaining themselves to objects to prevent removal.
Operation Rescue, founded in the late 1980s, became the largest nonviolent civil disobedience movement in American history, resulting in the arrest of tens of thousands of pro-lifers. However, the passage of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) in 1994 nearly halted these activities, as it made sit-in-type protests a federal crime. Despite this, Operation Save America has continued to conduct rescues in recent years. In fact, just on Feb. 1, 2024, six pro-lifers were convicted of violating the FACE Act.
In 2017, a new rescue method called Red Rose Rescues was introduced. This approach combines the best of sidewalk counseling and defense of the unborn. Red Rose Rescuers do not physically obstruct anyone or anything, so they are not subject to the FACE Act. Instead, a small group of pro-lifers quietly enters the abortion facility, sits down next to women in the waiting room, and counsels them to choose life. They offer roses as a symbol of life and hope, and often both the women and the staff accept the roses.
Their goal is to bring a peaceful presence to a place devoid of peace. They enter the “dark holes of the poor,” as Mother Teresa described it. Even if women still choose to have abortions, a few pro-lifers remain with the unborn babies in those “dark holes,” serving as witnesses to the sanctity of their lives. This is where the risk of arrest comes in. Muzyka not only opposes the older form of rescue, but she also criticizes Red Rose Rescues.
Last Line of Defense Between Babies and Abortionists
Muzyka claims that rescues, regardless of their type, are ineffective in saving lives. Sadly, the majority of women we try to reach on the sidewalk still enter the abortion center and their babies are killed. So the question becomes, “What more can we do for those innocent lives led to the slaughter?” These are the lives that sidewalk counseling failed to save.
Rescues are a response to Proverbs 24:11: “Rescue those being dragged to death, and those tottering to execution withdraw not.” Every woman who enters the abortion center with the intention of going through with the procedure is a woman who either wasn’t counseled or didn’t respond to the sidewalk counselor. Red Rose Rescuers aim to give these women a final opportunity to turn away. Most Red Rose Rescues take place at abortion centers where sidewalk counseling is extremely difficult or impossible due to large parking lots. The only effective way to reach these mothers and save their babies is by entering the private property of the abortion center. And contrary to Muzyka’s claim, rescues have indeed saved babies from abortion.
Women have accepted the roses and left the waiting room. In two Red Rose Rescues, two women decided to keep their babies. An abortion facility office manager in Michigan even testified under oath that 12 women changed their minds and did not go through with the scheduled procedures. If sidewalk counseling achieved the same result with 12 women, it would be considered a significant victory. Rescues, at the very least, offer these babies scheduled for death a reprieve and give their mothers more time to reconsider their decision.
Motivated by Conviction, Not Bravado
Muzyka presents a biased portrayal of pro-life rescuers, suggesting that they engage in “risky bravado” and are motivated by the thrill of confrontation. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Pro-life rescuers simply want to be faithful to Christ’s teaching to “Love your neighbor as yourself” and are willing to make sacrifices to put those words into action.
Rescuers support and engage in sidewalk counseling, just like Muzyka. However, they also respond to their conscience and to God’s calling to go the extra mile. They ask themselves, “If I were an unborn child about to be aborted, wouldn’t I want someone to stand between me and the murderer’s knife?” Surely, Muzyka would want someone to do at least that much for her. It’s about being consistent with the reality of the injustice of abortion and always acting with peace and nonviolence to show love to the mothers as well.
Witnessing, Even on Trial
Rescuers are not caught up in “needless litigation.” Instead, they continue to provide a powerful public witness to everyone involved in the legal process, including police officers, bailiffs, judges, jurors, reporters, and even abortion center staff. In court, rescuers stand up for the innocent unborn, asserting a “defense of others” and insisting that the unborn are indeed “others” with a God-given right to exist. Many rescue cases are currently under appeal.
If rescuers endure unjust jail terms, it becomes another opportunity to bear witness to the sanctity of life. Pro-life ministry doesn’t stop behind prison walls. While incarcerated last year for our 2022 Red Rose Rescue, we counseled two fellow inmates out of having abortions. The work of pro-life ministry continues even in prison.
Rescuers have been accused of causing buffer zones to be implemented at abortion centers, making sidewalk counseling more challenging. However, most buffer zones, such as the one in Chicago, are a response to sidewalk counseling, not rescues. No one argues that sidewalk counseling should cease as a result.
Currently, ten pro-life rescuers are in jail and convicted under the FACE Act for their sit-in-type rescues. They have also been convicted of an additional charge brought by the Department of Justice: “interference with civil rights.” They will be formally sentenced on May 14 and could face an 11-year prison term. Instead of facing ridicule, they deserve our support.
Some may ask, “What is the point of a pro-life rescue? Isn’t it all just a waste of time?” Those who focus solely on the number of babies saved are asking the wrong question. Rescuers perform acts of sacrificial love for the most unwanted. The question should not be how many babies have been saved, but how many babies have been loved.
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How do rescues serve as a last line of defense for babies scheduled for abortion?
Title: The Value of Abortion Rescues: A Powerful Witness for Life
Introduction:
In the pro-life movement, the saying “If abortion is murder, act like it” has long served as a call to action. Recently, a controversial article titled “How to Sidewalk Counsel Abortion-Minded Moms Without Going to Prison” by Lauren Muzyka criticized the pro-life rescues and favorably compared them to the counseling method advocated by Sidewalk Advocates for Life. As someone who has been involved in sidewalk counseling and pro-life rescues for decades, I want to shed light on the importance and value of both approaches.
What is an Abortion Rescue?
The pro-life rescue movement emerged in the mid-1970s as a nonviolent defense of the unborn. Rescuers would peacefully sit or stand in front of abortion centers, sometimes even chaining themselves to objects as a means of preventing removal. Operation Rescue, founded in the late 1980s, became a significant civil disobedience movement, resulting in the arrest of tens of thousands of pro-lifers. Despite legal challenges, groups like Operation Save America continue to conduct rescues.
In 2017, Red Rose Rescues introduced a new rescue method that combines the best of sidewalk counseling and defense of the unborn. Red Rose Rescuers enter abortion facilities quietly, sit next to women in the waiting room, and counsel them to choose life. By offering roses as a symbol of life and hope, they create an opportunity for dialogue and encourage women to reconsider their decision.
Last Line of Defense Between Babies and Abortionists:
Critics argue that rescues are ineffective in saving lives because many women still enter abortion centers. However, these rescues serve as a final opportunity for women who weren’t counseled or didn’t respond to sidewalk counseling. Moreover, Red Rose Rescues often take place at locations where sidewalk counseling is challenging due to large parking lots. By entering the private property of abortion centers, rescuers can directly reach these mothers and save their babies.
Rescues have yielded positive results. Testimonies reveal that women have accepted the roses and left the waiting room, with two women deciding to keep their babies during Red Rose Rescues. Twelve women testified to changing their minds and not going through with scheduled procedures. If sidewalk counseling achieved these results, it would be considered a significant victory. Rescues, at the very least, offer a reprieve for babies scheduled for death and give their mothers more time to reconsider.
Motivated by Conviction, Not Bravado:
Contrary to the portrayal by critics, pro-life rescuers are not motivated by thrill-seeking or bravado. They stand by Christ’s teaching to “Love your neighbor as yourself” and act upon their convictions. Rescuers support and engage in sidewalk counseling, recognizing its value. However, they go the extra mile by physically standing between unborn children and the abortionist’s knife, exhibiting consistent action aligned with the injustice of abortion.
Witnessing, Even on Trial:
Rescuers are not engaged in needless litigation. Instead, they provide a powerful public witness to all involved in the legal process, including law enforcement, courtroom personnel, and even abortion center staff. By standing up for the inherent dignity of every human life, rescuers serve as a reminder to all that life, even in the face of legal persecution, is worth defending.
Conclusion:
Both sidewalk counseling and abortion rescues play crucial roles in the pro-life movement. While sidewalk counseling may reach many, there are cases where rescues become essential, reaching those whom traditional counseling cannot. Red Rose Rescues offer hope, support, and an opportunity for women to reconsider their choices. These acts of love, performed with peace and nonviolence, serve as a powerful witness to the sanctity of life. As the saying goes, if abortion is murder, it is vital to act accordingly.
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