Concerning the authenticity of CBR’s “evidence,” any good faith questioner will be easily satisfied. A reporter with The San Francisco Chronicle recently covered the truck project and his article (quoted above) was refreshingly free of allegations of “photo fraud.” When I thanked him for his even-handedness, he sent back an E-mail which said in part “Anyway, the issue of the photos did emerge in conversations, but I chose to stay away from the topic because it seemed like you had all the evidence and anyone making accusations against you didn't. So you win.” We do indeed “have all the evidence” but it is the public which wins when news organizations report with integrity.
If there is any humor in this grim topic, it is that the abortionists can’t seem to keep their “fraud” stories straight. Tammy Sobieski, who works for a chain of abortion clinics called Women Care Centers Of Florida, was interviewed in September by Orlando, FL Channel 2 News and she contradicted many of her baby-killing colleagues by actually confirming the accuracy of our pictures: “I think what is disheartening for me is the lack of trust they [CBR] have in women that they think women don’t know that that’s [our photos] the reality of abortion.” Either no one let her in on the smear campaign or she can’t bring herself to lie about her victims.
Our counter punch to all this slander has been our hand-delivered warning letters (confusingly reported in news coverage quoted above) which threaten defamation lawsuits if the allegations are repeated. The letters also contain the aforementioned academic references which authenticate our photos. This gets CBR over the legal hurtle of proving that subsequent allegations were made with knowledge of their falsity or in reckless disregard of the truth. CBR must do more than merely prove that the pro-abort statement was false because we are considered by law to be “public figures.” This status requires a higher standard of proof to prevail against anyone defaming us. It is amazing how quickly our detractors toned down their rhetoric when the warning letters began to go out.
INTERNET DIALOGUE
Even pro-lifers sometimes criticize our trucks, frequently on the theory that trucks don’t afford opportunities for dialogue with passersby. Au contraire! (which, loosely translated, is French for “no way”). Nearly everywhere we operate the trucks we get newspapers writing about the project (read them on our Website at www.abortionNO.org) and then the television news crews start calling. Last but not least, we are swamped with invitations to appear on radio talk shows -- many of them hosted by hostile liberals. Hundreds of thousands of listeners have heard us defend life against the agruments of angry callers.
Our Website also provides an E-mail forum for lively debate. In fact, last week it received more than fourteen thousand visits. This average of two thousand visits per day rivals the traffic on many commercial sites and our viewers are coming in from all over the world. A recent printout of countries from which visitors accessed our site included Russia, Chile, Canada, Italy, Ukraine, Australia, Poland, Estonia, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Germany, Columbia, Singapore, United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand, Indonesia, Argentina, Sweden, Netherlands, Taiwan, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, Hungary, France, China, Austria, Brazil, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, Norway, Guatemala, Turkey, Switzerland, Belize, Czech Republic, Israel, Cyprus, Nicaragua, South Africa, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Pakistan, Ireland, Finland, Uruguay, Vietnam and Ecuador.
News coverage of our truck project has also dominated countless Internet chat room discussions (see www.970wfla.com). Here are some more excerpts from the messages people E-mail in response to our photos -- and this list doesn’t include the hundreds of phone messages we receive. One such message was left by a woman who told us that somebody should “blow up our building.” Another was from a man who said “you should all die.”
[Loves Us Not] -- Get your trucks off my highway. I almost had an acute case of road rage this morning on the way to work, stuck in an already frustrating traffic jam, when I saw your disgusting trucks. As the father of two children, I was sickened by your graphic displays. Regardless of politics, your truck campaign is blatant sensationalism and therefore totally unethical -- would you recommend gun control advocates drive trucks around with graphic photos of gunshot victims? Or seatbelt advocates with photos of car-crash victims? Well, your trucks nearly caused me to have an accident, and left me feeling queasy for hours. Although I am a busy working- and family-man, I will take the time to press Oakland [CA] politicians to keep your trucks off the I-80!! The thought of my 5-year-old daughter (or any children) being subjected to your revolting trucks is so enraging .…
CBR note: Nobody is confused about whether gun shots or car crashes are acts of violence which kill human beings who are entitled to rights of personhood. So pictures are unnecessary to dispel those kinds of misapprehensions. But many people are confused about whether abortions are acts of violence which kill human beings who are entitled to rights of personhood. Pictures of abortion do, in fact, clarify that confusion.
[Loves Us] -- I recently read an article about your Reproductive "Choice" Campaign on WorldNetDaily.com and I wanted to commend you on this brilliant strategy. These ads unavoidably point out the moral depravity, logical contradictions, and horrific violence involved in the pro-"choice" positions by making viewers immediately uncomfortable with the obvious implications of this perverted perspective marketed as 'choice.'
[Loves Us Not] -- SHAME ON YOU! How do you define terrorism … religious fanatics trying to terrorize American citizens by driving around with rolling displays of oversized photographs of mutilated fetuses. Keep your religious beliefs to yourselves and stay out of Northern California.
CBR note: Who said anything about religion?
[Loves Us] -- Hooray for you!!!!!! I was absolutely ELATED when I read the article in WorldNetDaily about your truck convoy. What a fantastic way to expose the evil of abortion .… What you're doing takes tremendous courage and I just can't commend you enough!
[Loves Us Not] -- PREGNANT WOMEN, CHILDREN AND NORMAL PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO BE SUBJECT TO YOUR PROFANITY. SHAME ON YOU. YOU WILL NOT WIN YOUR CASE THIS WAY. JUST A BUNCH OF RADICALS PUTTING YOUR PICTURES IN PEOPLES FACES. HOW DARE YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CBR note: Killing these babies is right but showing them is wrong?
[Loves Us] -- I first found out about your trucks in the OC Register and I was so proud of you!!! ... I just finished reading the letters people have sent you and wow! you are pushing some buttons, GOOD!! All those people that feel offended and call you names and insults will get my prayers! May God Bless You and please, please, please DO NOT STOP EVER!!
[Loves Us Not] -- Well you sick [expletive] got your religious fanatic message out even here in Florida. You are doing more harm for your sicko organization. I will spread the word that you are a bunch of freaks. Abortion is a personal choice in which you morons have no choice in [sic]. Stop trying to tell people what to do. You freaks would not like me telling you what to do with personal choices. What about rape pregnancies???? Is that evil to you bigots...? The un-born is just that…UN BORN. You wanted a response well here it is [expletive] YOU!"
CBR note: Our truck signs don’t tell anyone to do or refrain from doing anything. They merely depict a dead baby with the word “CHOICE.” Perhaps it is this person’s barely functioning conscience which is telling him/her “what to do.” As to rape, killing the baby won’t “unrape” his mother. It won’t take away her injury or even her memory of the sexual assault. Abortion will merely compound one painful memory with another. Let’s offer the rape victim real help by giving her real support and eventually arranging a loving adoption if that would really help. It would certainly help the baby and its new parents. It could also reduce the injury done the rape victim.
[Loves Us] -- I just read about your mighty convoy rockin' through California, and had to write and say, 'Bravo!' The reason so many are offended is that you're effective in spreading your message this way. The power of pictures!
[Loves Us Not] -- YOU GUYS ARE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE TO SOCIETY. IT IS AN INDIVIDUALS [sic] RIGHT TO CHOOSE; GOD HELP YOU IF ONE OF YOUR TEENAGE DAUGHTERS ARE RAPED AND BECOME IMPREGNATED WITH HER RAPIST'S BABY. OR BETTER YET, IF DADDY OR UNCLE BOB HAVE SEX WITH HER AND SHE BECOMES PREGNANT WITH YOUR HUSBAND'S, SON'S, ETC. CHILD. WOULD YOU BE SO QUICK TO FORCE THESE PHOTOS DOWN HER THROAT THEN????
CBR note: “Force down throats?” Every viewer has the right to look away. We don’t force anything on anyone. But this writer’s assumption seems to be that many mothers won’t be able to kill their children once they have seen what abortion is and does. This assumption is correct if the mother has a functioning conscience. Is a baby less human because it is conceived in incest? Why kill the child in a misguided attempt to help her mother? Shouldn’t we help them both?
[Loves Us] -- I read the article in the OC Register regarding your trucks going up and down the freeways in Southern California, and I say "RIGHT ON!" ... When I read how well thought out every aspect of your truck caravans were, I marveled at your ingenuity.
[Loves Us Not] -- Congratulations you stupid [expletive]. Your truck campaigne [sic] pissed me off so much that I have decided to donate $10,000 to pro-choice! Many of my dot-com millionaire friends feel the same way. Whoops. Guess your little scheme backfired!
CBR note: “Backfired?” Does this person really believe that Planned Parenthood will become more effective through the donation of additional money? They are rolling in cash! What would they do differently with more? What a hollow threat.
[Loves Us] -- Absolutely AWESOME! I watched Fox11 news last night and they profiled your convoy campaign. There are so many people out there who don't even think before having an abortion. With your graphic trucks, people can't help but THINK!! Thanks and GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
[Loves Us Not] -- If ever, even once, my child is with me in a car & we pass one of your trucks, it will be your responsibility to pay for his therapy. If you're so concerned about children, how about concerning yourself with those children you expose to your drummed-up carnage.
CBR note: If abortion is such a good thing, why would the sight of it drive a child into psychotherapy? If a mere glance at the results of an abortion is that damaging, perhaps it should be against the law. Maybe this writer should care a little more about the lives of unborn children than the feelings of born children.
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