The following comes from a June 28 story in the L.A. Times.
About 50 to 100 antiabortion protesters wrote messages in chalk and shouted slurs outside the home of a Newport Beach obstetrician who was one of the doctors to oppose Hoag Hospital’s decision to eliminate elective abortions.
The protest late Thursday outside the Dover Shores home of Dr. Richard Agnew, a Hoag Hospital-affiliated physician, was led by a group of protesters who mostly appeared to be in their early teens and wrote messages in chalk that included “neighborhood serial killer” and “This house was built from blood.”
Paula Durnian, a longtime neighbor, said she found the protest to be “really out of line.”
“I’m a firm believer in freedom of speech, but this was a disturbance of the peace,” she said. “We had to clean the street because they chalked the most horrific things.”
Katharine Agnew, the doctor’s wife, called the demonstration “very disturbing.”
Hoag halted elective abortions shortly after forming a partnership with Catholic health provider St. Joseph Health System. Hoag said the decision was based on low demand for such abortions and that the hospital had performed fewer than 100 a year.
But records and interviews show the decision was closely tied to the Newport Beach hospital’s partnership with St. Joseph….
To read entire story, click here.
Pro-life teacher to kids: You do the cause no favor by such nonsense. Knock it off.
Pro-life teacher to society at large: Since you have let these kids know through liberal abortion laws that they live or die at your whim, how can you command their respect?
These young people peacefully (albeit loudly) exercised their right to free speech for those who cannot speak for themselves. They would do the same for Dr. Agnew and his wife if their lives were threatened. They deserve our support and respect for speaking the truth.
Tom,
The only thing these protestors did wrong was to leave a mess for someone else to clean up, otherwise they had every Constitutional right to be there and protest and you a self proclaimed pro-life teacher should know that!
The neighbor who protested is probably a spoiled rich person who can’t stand someone maring her “ideal” life!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Compare this incident to these:
https://www.answers.com/topic/report-to-the-president-for-the-white-house-conference-on-hate-crimes
McCrea, the metropolitan community church is a gay operation that provokes society with its perversion. It should be outlawed, not as a religious org but as a pervert organization.
“Katharine Agnew, the doctor’s wife, called the demonstration “very disturbing.”
The stench filled plumes of dark smoke that arose from the gas ovens at Auschiwitcz were also disturbing.
Cold steel embryotomy scissors is the instrument that is used to cut off the head, arms and legs of the baby in the womb. This is also disturbing because it is murder.
History IS repeating itself. Many people in Germany looked the other way because they found the mass murdering of the Jews too disturbing a topic. Apparently in Newport Beach Ca. the rejection of the mass murdering of helpless babies is too uncomfortable a topic for the wife of the doctor who is murdering the unborn babies.
Well said Catherine
Amen!
Catherine said it all !
I think those protesting chalk warriors are awesome. Good on them.
The protesters could have been more effective doing something positive. Something as evil as abortion should be resisted firmly, but with a mature and positive focus. Writing slogans and criticism in chalk on someone’s sidewalk is not going to change any minds or touch any hard hearts. I would be surprised if any of the kids who did this really felt any better after they were done. They wasted time, energy and got nowhere in their quest. They only made themselves out to be one big group best represented as the northbound end of a southbound horse.
These young people take the heat for speaking the truth and confronting the horror that we so often turn from. Anyone involved in the pro life movement would know them and their work and the fact that they do so many things to save lives. This was one brief, peaceful demonstration. It is the truth that we find offensive and so we blame the messengers.
I disagree Ted. The chalking informed neighbors as to what the “doctor” is supporting and very possibly doing. It brings the evil out of the darkness and shines light on it. And I would guess that the young people who did this felt as if the accomplished something, the exposition of a grave evil. Ted, what have you done to counteract the evil of abortion?
I wonder if the “Doctor’s” wife has ever seen the mess that the pro-aborts leave after they demonstrate!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
For me, a perfectly legitimate protest. And the good doctor deserved it. And if I lived closer to Newport Beach, I would have joined the protestors. Over 1 billion abortion murders have taken place worldwide since 1980. Look up the stats if not believed by any. It’s way past time for everyone to finally realize that abortion killing terminates the existence of an UNREPEATABLE human being; there will never ever be another like it, made in the image and likeness of God Almighty, it’s CREATOR. MEDITATE UPON THAT, ALL OF YOU CALLING A FETUS A “CLUMP OF TISSUES,” and nothing else. Your CONSCIOUSNESS needs deperately to be raised, those of you still engaging in knuckle-dragging trogloditian mode by claiming stridently “IT’S HER BODY, HER CHOICE,” as did the totally delusional governor of New York state, one Andrew Cuomo. Oh, and btw, he makes a claim to be a “practicing Catholic” at the same time he pushes for the most EXTREME pro-abort legislation in the U.S.! Another candidate for impeachment. Along with “the one,” Barack H. Obama. Impeach them both, along with Nancy “Sacred Choice” Pelosi, and worthless Harry Reid. Actually, how about the whole miserable demonic mess of a party, the demoncrats, those who claim to be “Catholic” and pro-choice? Add all of them to the impeachment process. Oh, it’ll probably never happen, I agree. But it’s PURE SCHADENFREUDE imagining it. VIVA CRISTO REY! AND GOD BLESS ALL, MARKRITE
markite,
I do believe that Mario Cuomo is a “Knight” of Columbus! Why?
We at one time tried to transfer a pro-life warrior into his Council but then Supreme “Knight” Virgil Dechant took steps to block us. No real pro-life Knights were allowed to transfer into his Council!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Very disgusting tactic, creating a public nuisance in a residential neighborhood. Childish. If the abortion folks started messing up our neighborhoods, we’d be outraged.
Get a grip, protesters. There are more effective ways of communitcating your message.
This article is from the LA Times. These young people were peaceful. They used sidewalk chalk on a public sidewalk in the neighborhood of a man who kills children for money. They exercised their free speech rights in defense of defenseless children. The whole thing lasted 20-30 minutes. Congratulate them for having the courage. And pray for these people who are more worried about their sidewalks than the LIVES of helpless children.
There is no courage involved in this. They should not be congratulated. It is harassment and intimidation. Perhaps they should have been encouraged to write a respectful letter to the doctor asking for a chance to meet with him and explain why they support life.
Cowardly Annonymous,
By your inane statement above you make it only too obvious that you are not at all involved in the pro-life movement!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Anonymous Mr. Fisher, there is not a pro-life movement. There are several. I like the ones that actually help prevent abortions.
Good cause: “Disgusting” is too far the other way. “Obnoxious” would be better. I’ve taught teenagers for almost three decades, and this age group for several years. They can mean well, but too easily get a sense of power and invulnerability, unless reined in by responsible adults, and end up going too far. Yes, in one sense the “Hitlers” and Goebbels” of the pro-death movement deserve no sympathy, but we need to convince the far more numerous “good Germans” to vote (as in Texas and Wisconsin recently) to start to shut the killing chambers down. Chalking sidewalks with obnoxious slogans irritates ordinary folks when lefties do it, so why would we think it would work for us?
Terrorizing a doctor and his family cowering inside their homes is a perfect example of how to turn observers against a good cause. Take it one level higher (or lower I should say) and you have Pensacola, where a fundamentalist killed an abortionist, claiming moral outrage from a “pro-life” position.
If the doctor did not sleep well and show up at work refreshed the next day, who knows which of his patients may have been harmed, perhaps seriously. I wouldn’t want anyone in my family to be treated by him following such an experience, yet everyone who was treated by him the next day (and thereafter) are someone’s family member or loved one.
Think more clearly, my fellow pro-life supporters: you are playing with fire here!
To Maryanne Leonard,
You should be ashamed of yourself. Speak for the babies killed, don’t defend murder.
“Think more clearly, my fellow pro-life supporters: you are playing with fire here!”
Have you thought more clearly Maryanne Leonard? YOU are playing with fire when you canonize clergy that teach people to disobey or ignore Church teaching.
Not fire, chalk!!!!!!!!!!!!
MaryAnne Leonard,
As a professed Catholic, you should not want any of your family treated by any Doctor who approves of the Killing of the Unborn.
What exactly have you done lately to justly call yourself a pro-life supporter? Your statements don’t really sound like one, and I know most of the National Leadership of which I am one.
These young persons perhaps could have used well made signs instead of chalk, I grant you that, but that is only my opinion.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
As a Pro-life teacher, I applaud these Pro-life young people. Thank God they had the courage to stand up to this doctor. It is wonderful to see the youth do the work that Catholic adults are afraid to do. Writing with chalk, what a nuisance, novel idea, that would probably make Jesus smile. Didn’t Jesus call the Pharisees white washed graves. How about chalk washed abortionists. Letting the neighborhood know that their kind doctor is making his living by the slaughter of innocent children is welcome news. Oh by the way, ‘Good Cause” since you haven’t noticed, the Pro-Abortion folks have been messing up our neighborhoods with abortion clinics for decades now resulting in over 50 millions deaths. That is more than every man, woman, and child in the State of California. Get a grip yourself, whats a little chalk when your trying to save lives. Unlike Ted and others, I am proud when the followers of Christ stand up FIRMLY to bullies. I thank these kids for EFFECTIVELY FOCUSING their POSITIVE EFFORTS in my neighborhood.
OC Catholic,
Thank you for explaining the real truth of the matter.
To good cause: There is an abortionist in the residential neighborhood…he is “messing up” the neighborhood. True, they could voice their concerns in a better manner. But they boldly stepped out! Have you ever prayed outside an abortion clinic? Very eye-opening experience. There lies a true spiritual battle. Pray the Rosary in reparation for sin, Church!
This article troubles me. The picture is from a protest at the hospital. There are no pictures of the offensive chalking. There are hearsay interviews with the wife of Dr. Agnew and a neighbour. This article appeared in the L.A. Times. I wonder if a new tactic is emerging in the media’s war on Christians, prolifers and social conservatives. After the passing of so many laws to protect the unborn and the health and safety of women who are being treated by abortionists, the pro-abortion establishment is on the defensive and their media allies begin a new tactic in order to repaint the dark picture of “wing nuts on the rampage”. The idea is to get average readers to be disgusted and reject the prolife message by presenting prolifers as pseudo-terrorists. We have already struggled with the acts of a handful of people who performed violent acts against abortionists/clinics and staff that were blown into a three decade long media attack on prolife activities, demonstrations, sidewalk counselling and crisis pregnancy centers. We must turn the tide of public opinion. Many people have already started to think about a topic that has long been hijacked by the liberal media because they have seen ultrasounds, have had firsthand experience of the regret and loss of abortion. We must carefully consider how we represent our case. Witnessing in front of an abortion clinic, protesting at political events, the Walk for Life, active church groups educating and assisting through the local community, advertisements, well-constructed and enlightening arguments, appeals to the minds and hearts of those who would normally avoid thinking about this topic and those who believe they are defending women’s rights, these are successful and nonviolent ways to put forward the prolife message. There may be other good ways that bright and caring minds can discover, but we must refuse to allow media to distort the truth behind our message.
Maria, you said, “After the passing of so many laws to protect the unborn and the health and safety of women who are being treated by abortionists,…..” This is only true in some States other than California. Here in California, our Democrat rulers have decided that it is ok for nurses and PA’s to now perform surgical abortions. In addition, those few regulations that are currently on abortuaries, are slated to be further minimized. Both of these changes in California are solely for the expressed purpose of making abortion as readily available as possible, not to protect women and babies.
As far as your doubt as to whether or not this protest did occur in front of the doctor’s home, I can only assure you that I am aware of at least two groups of young pro-life activists here in southern California who do this very thing. By the way, they know the law and are not afraid to push the envelope.
I am proud of these young people, they are not afraid to purge evil from our midst. All of the other activities you mention in your post are important too, but just as a war has it’s doctors, nurses and clergy, so too does it have its warriors on the front lines of battle!
Oh, and every war has a propaganda machine on both sides!
Tracy, you misunderstood my comment. What I was trying to say was that I distrust the LA Times in the characterisation of an event that did occur (according to Lisa Williams it lasted about 20-30 minutes and was quite peaceful). My concern is that in the wake of these high profile pro-life laws being passed and the Gosnell trial, the media will attempt to use any and everything done to create an atmosphere of distrust towards pro-lifers. I do not think that these protesters did anything wrong, only that it was spun by the Times to seem menacing. I do live in California, I have worked in pro-life and I know that this state is one unholy mess. God bless those protesters and I commend them for their willingness to confront a doctor who supports abortion, but I also would hope that these acts of witness to the truth of the evil of abortion would be carefully, consistently and peacefully carried out and always be accompanied by prayer.
Read the LA Times article. I was referring to it in my original post. The picture used in the Times article is of the demonstration at the hospital with positive signs thanking the administration for supporting women who choose life. The article quotes a neighbour who described the chalking. No pictures of the “horrorific” things written on the sidewalk appears, so LA Times readers are invited to imagine threats etc. to the doctor and/or his family. That is what I am troubled by. The kids should have taken pictures of the chalked comments and provided them as evidence. Even people who commented in this thread were upset because they imagined unruly youth vandalising the neighbourhood and threatening the family… Stand up for life, be brave, but be aware that you must be as gentle as doves and as clever as serpents to show yourselves as witnesses to truth.
Maria, thank you for the clarification. The main steam media, although, shrinking is still very powerful. They manipulate public opinion by ignoring some news and inflating other news. There are still those who think that they are receiving objective reporting from the media. Yes, Maria, since we are up against such a formidable foe, we need armies of Holy Angels on our side, lead on by the Blessed Virgin Mary. God Bless
Excuse me, but all you squirrely people who believe that the protestors against the abortion murder doctor in front of his house GO TOO FAR really don’t GET what we’re up against; these “doctors” are murderous creatures who have FORFEITTED any kind of consideration for their “sensibilities” due to the horrific nature of the way they make a living. Come on, all you FALSE POSITIVISTS, these are people, men and women, who tear unborn humans LIMB FROM LIMB, and apparently have seared their consciences shut in their heinous pursuit of the almighty dollar by exterminating innocent humans in the womb, and think relatively LITTLE OF IT! They DON’T deserve to be brutally murdered like herr Dr. Tiller in the vestibule of his Lutheran Church, on that I’ll agree, BUT they deserve whatever scorn can be heaped upon them. If it means going to their homes and doing what OPERATION RESCUE does in other contexts, i.e., displaying VERY GRAPHIC IMAGES of aborted little ones on their fleets of trucks for ALL TO SEE, then I say, DO IT! WE’RE AT WAR with people who’ve debased their humanity to the nth degree by engaging in what they do. Once again, the statistic: over ONE BILLION of these helpless innocents have been cruelly, savagely, exterminated in excruciatingly painful deaths in their mother’s wombs; the perpetrators of their extinguishing should be exposed for the world to see how widespread their crimes have become. VIVA CRISTO REY and GOD BLESS ALL, MARKRITE