Trucks carrying anti-abortion messages hit south Florida highways
By Irene Hey
© 2001 The Florida Catholic

Most people try to avoid congested highways but Mark Harrington from the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform prays for them

This week Harrington and three other representatives from the California-based anti-abortion group took to South Floridaís highways during rush-hour traffic.

The men drove a fleet of trucks plastered with large photographs of aborted babies down Interstate 95 from Miami to Palm Beach Gardens. The purpose, Harrington said, is to make abortion real to the American people. <br>
"It is something that has been a distraction that has been called choice," said the 41-year-old father of three from Westerville, Ohio. "We want to make it real ñ we want to put a face on this pro-choice and we do that visually in a big way," said Harrington, the centerís Midwest director.

The traveling billboards are a part of the organizationís "Reproductive Choice Campaign" that utilizes the highway system, a key means of transportation, as a vehicle of education. The trucks displaying images of children who were aborted within the first 11 weeks of pregnancy is expected to reach about 400,000 people daily. Florida was the first stop in the centerís three-month, 11-city tour.

The truck campaign evolved from the centerís Genocide Awareness Project that displayed large photos of aborted babies on college campuses.

According to recent statistics by the Worthland Group, 93 percent of Americans now oppose pregnancy termination in the third trimester of pregnancy while 61 percent believe abortion should be legal in the first trimester for any reason.

"We take that statistical information as a lesson," said Harrington. He said many American people changed their minds about third trimester abortions after visual displays and descriptions of partial birth abortion made it into the mainstream media. "The American people changed their minds solely because they understood what abortion did to that baby. So we are trying to take those lessons and apply them to where it matters the most and that is in the first trimester of pregnancy," said Harrington, who added that 90 percent of all abortions take place in the first trimester.

Janine Williamson, a mother of two who saw the anti-abortion trucks on her way to work, said she opposes abortion but she thinks the organization is taking the wrong approach to getting their message out. <br>
"It worries me that children will see these graphic images on their way to school and I am not sure if they can handle that," said the 42-year-old secretary from West Palm Beach.

But Michelle Charzfield from Riviera Beach, who saw the trucks on her lunch hour, said she thinks it is a wonderful idea. "We need to make people aware that this is wrong ñ it is murder," Charzfield said.

When asked how she feels about children possibly viewing the images Charzfield said, "The kids are already exposed to so many horrific images with all the violent movies, TV shows and video games that are out there. When they see these images we can tell them that they are real and I think that will impact them so they will never approve of abortion," she said.

Fletcher Armstrong, the centerís southeast regional director, said the organization is more concerned with lives than feelings. "What we are trying to do is save babies lives," said Armstrong, a father of one from Knoxville, Tenn. "Some people may get offended by it but the bottom line is we need to change the minds and hearts of the American people and we believe this campaign will do just that," Armstrong said.

Don Kazimir, the director of the diocesan Office of Respect Life, said his office fully supports the organizations efforts. "Many people today have grown up with abortion and are comfortable with it. They need to see the truth, what abortion is really about ñ the taking of human life in all its horror," Kazimir said.

The Catholic Church, Kazimir said, is very concerned about women who have had abortions. "They suffer terribly and we offer a healing program called Project Rachel. It is open to all and there is no cost involved," he added.

For more information about The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform visit online at www.AbortionNo.org. For more information about Project Rachel call toll free at 877-908-1212.