Trucks protest pro-abortion - Pro-abortion, pro-life supporters offended, pastors are next
By Rob Moll
© 2002 Christian Citizen

DAYTON-When the Reproductive Choice Campaign (RCC) drives its trucks with pictures of aborted babies, it is normal for people to be upset about it. Gregg Cunningham, director of the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR), the organization driving the trucks, said he expects people to be mad, but he will do what he needs to in order to stop abortion.

RCC's trucks were driving through downtown Dayton and it's highways last month. Most people lining the streets downtown simply stared at the trucks, with huge pictures of unborn babies meant to show that even in the first trimester, babies are not a blob of tissue, but human.

One picture shows a small hand holding a dime. The word "choice" is in quotations.

Cunningham explained his organization's efforts saying that in the history of social reform people have dramatized injustice by showing horrifying pictures. But the pro-life movement, said Cunningham, has been shut out of the regular press. In a statement announcing the beginning of the campaign in June, 2001, CBR said, "for the first time in recent history, political conservatives are using this tactic in an effort to reform an unjust status quo."

The campaign is meant to offend both pro-life and pro-choice supporters. Cunningham said Christians should feel guilty for not participating more in pro-life causes. The pictures upset everyone, he said, and it brings out a lot of anger, but Cunningham believes that they are effective.

Crisis Pregnancy Center does not believe that horrifying pictures on trucks change anyone's mind. Barbara Iles, director of center services, said that they have the opposite effect. "We don't come at it from that angle," she said. CPC focuses on the mother, said Iles, "We are pro-woman." She said they have more success by taking care of women than by more offensive means.

Iles said the center does not support the CBR campaign, though she said there is room for other people in the pro-life community.

"The church has blood on its hands," said Cunningham, who said that one of every five abortions is performed on a woman who says she is born again. Cunningham said Christians do not do enough to oppose abortion.

The CBR has conducted campaigns using its pictures on college campuses, and Cunningham said that it has stopped many women from deciding to have an abortion. He said he is buried in testimonies and points to one campaign at the University of Tennessee in which five women went to a CPC saying they had decided not have an abortion.

However Nina Lapitan of Planned Parenthood said the campaigns are antagonistic and that some have broken out in violence. Lapitan said they had no response from people in Dayton however, except a call from the police asking to be notified if the trucks park in front of their building.

In its statement, CBR said it is willing to have people hate the organization if that is what it takes for people to ultimately hate abortion. It also says, "Those who retaliate against us with violence will only help focus public attention on our project. . . we. . . deplore violence but we will not be deterred by its threat against us. We are more determined to save than our adversaries are to kill them."

CBR is conducting its campaign nation-wide. It is also targeting churches whose pastors say they oppose abortion but do not do enough. Cunningham said he would not disclose what churches or pastors will be under fire but said, "a lot of churches are targeted."

Cunningham said pastors will be notified if they are to be targeted. If they do not take the action that CBR wants, it will stage protests outside the church. Cunningham estimates that after four to six weeks the church's attendance will drop by 25 - 30 percent.

Cunningham said they would take a problem that pastors ignore and make it a problem they can't. He said hundreds of influential churches will be part of the campaign.

Pastors are very unhappy, Cunningham said. "They are angrier at us for bothering them," he said than at abortion. "They don't know how much we will bother them." Cunningham said that they would be lawful and respectful.

CBR's activities do not offend everyone, however. Teresa Bowling said she supported the trucks as they drove through Dayton. "It needs to be done," she said. "We are lied to about it," said Bowling. "It's damaging our society."