This issue of Right Wing Watch Online covers an eyewitness
account of a recent anti-choice celebration held in the
Washington D.C. suburbs on January 21 -- the third annual
"White Rose Banquet."  The event honored clinic-bombers and
other violent terrorists of the anti-choice movement.  
Given events in Alabama this past Thursday, it is all the
more timely.

As always, subscription and unsubscription information as
included at the end of this newsletter.  Please forward to
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Right Wing Watch Online, 2.2

RIGHT WING HONORS VIOLENCE IN THE NAME OF LIFE

This month's 25th anniversary of Roe v. Wade brought to
Washington thousands of activists on both sides of the
abortion debate for a variety of rallies, protests and other
events.  Among the anti-choice activists was a contingent
that the Pat Robertsons, Gary Bauers, and Beverly LaHayes of
the world work hard to keep at arm's length:  the
clinic-bombers of the anti-choice movement.  About 100 of
this group and their supporters gathered on the evening of
Wednesday the 21st at a Holiday Inn in suburban Maryland.

Organized by Michael Bray, an anti-abortion activist whose
claim to fame is the bombing of seven abortion clinics--for
which he served four years in federal prison--the event was
held in a Maryland Holiday Inn nestled in the Washington
D.C. suburbs.  The event -- a dinner banquet -- brought
celebrated the September release of Marjorie Reed, who was
jailed for arson.

For an outsider, the third annual White Rose Banquet, was a
remarkable study in contradictions, and testimony to the
enormity of the gulf dividing pro-choice and anti-choice
activists.  Literature passed out at the event said it was
held "In Honor of Prisoners of Christ Jailed for
Righteousness Sake," language one might associate with
prisoners of conscience.  But the "righteousness" referred
to is the cause of bombing women's health clinics and
shooting doctors who perform abortions -- all in the name of
"life."

The atmosphere was congenial; attendees knew or knew of each
other.  Like all honoree dinners, in-jokes and the sharing
of common experiences abounded, in this case brushes with
ATF agents and providing support for loved ones jailed for
arson and blockading "abortuaries."

The literature table was telling.  Bumper stickers to "Free
Paul Hill."  (Hill was convicted of killing a clinic doctor
in Pensacola, Florida in 1994, as well as the doctor's
74-year old escort, and wounding the latter's wife).  
Stacks of "Prayer & Action News," with updates on martyrs to
the cause, ghoulish pictures of aborted fetuses, and
exhortations to do the Lord's work.  Placards for the
following day's rally reading:  "FREE PAUL HILL (Protector
of the Innocent).  EXECUTE ABORTIONISTS (Murderers)." 
Copies of Michael Bray's book "A Time to Kill," which uses
the Bible to demonstrate that deadly "godly" force is
justified to protect the unborn.

After dinner, Michael Bray acknowledged the participants,
who had come from around the country. The group was very
happy to have Cheryl Richardson, who had been unable to
attend last year's banquet because she was in jail for her
pro-life activism.  And the attendees gave two standing
ovations to Anne Arena, a woman in her seventies whose
husband John is beginning his fourth year in jail for his
role in two butyric acid attacks on a New York Planned
Parenthood clinic.  (A member of the Lambs of Christ and
chair of central New York Right to Life, John Arena
allegedly planned to firebomb the clinics as well, according
to his accomplice. )

Michael Bray himself had the aura of a local hero.  A
charming and witty man, he was a gracious host.  It was
difficult to remember that he advocates stoning abortion
providers to death.

Most of the event was dedicated to reading letters from
those in prison, which became tedious to an outsider.  More
interesting was the relics auction, featuring articles sent
from inmates.  It was run by the Rev. Donald Spitz, advocate
of clinic violence and director of Pro-Life Virginia, and it
featured attendees bidding for handmade crucifixes, posters
and tee-shirts, and writings of prisoners.  Also auctioned
off amid chuckles about federal agents was an Army of God
manual, which has a section entitled "99 Covert Ways to Stop
Abortion," including arson, bombing, and the use of toxic
chemicals.  Instructions are included.

For their organizing efforts, Bray awarded the Spitzes
"deep-fried Philistine foreskins" (in reality some
indistinguishable junkfood--fried pork rinds maybe?).  The
significance of this became clearer when I read an article
by Bray in which he "humorously" refers to a sacrifice of
philistine foreskins (Samuel 18:25). According to Bray, "The
modern equivalent of the Near East Philistine is, of course,
the American Abortionist...[who is] located conveniently in
cities throughout the nation and is easily found by walking
fingers through the yellow pages."

Perhaps the most surreal aspect was the dual levels of the
experience:  on one level, the banquet was explicitly about
glorifying violence and murder.  People in the room had
committed arson and worse, and the words "execute" and
"kill" ran easily off their tongues.  Yet on another level,
it was all very ordinary.  People chatting about their
families, their work.  Ordinary-looking people in suits and
dresses, jeans and sneakers.

Having attended Religious Right conferences in the past, I
expected this banquet to be similar.  There is an element of
fun in going to conferences of those with whom you
disagree--I'm sure Christian Coalition staffers enjoy it as
well.  Sometimes I meet someone I might like.  Often I even
agree with their concerns, if not their solutions.  But this
was different.  These people crossed the line.  They believe
that their crusade is holy and their adversaries not human. 
And this allows them to come to a dinner to celebrate arson,
hatred and murder.


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