Pro-Choice and Anti-Choice on the Same Street:

Operation Rescue comes to Picket in Yakima, WA

In June 1996, Operation Rescue came to Yakima, WA. All ten of them. They were on a national tour culminating at the Republican Convention in San Diego. The good news is they came to picket in downtown Yakima, NOT to blockade our clinic. Unfortunately, they brought 6 foot tall hugely magnified fetus pictures.

We didn't want the fetus pictures to go unchallenged. We made up slogans and hand-lettered our signs. On the day of the picket we were delighted to find pro-choicers outnumbered the anti's by 3 to 1. But, we know the abortion debate is not about numbers. It's about individual women's lives, liberty, and integrity.

The contrast between the two groups on the sidewalk was fascinating. The pro-choice crowd waved to their neighbors and friends, smiled, and paraded in a wonderful spirit of camaraderie and joy at the opportunity to say: "We think abortion is a personal matter. Government and others should stay out."

Operation Rescue, on the other hand, filled the air with angry female-bashing attacks. "You just secretly want to be men. No we can't trust women with a choice. Shame, shame on you women. Look what you've done to your babies. Do your husbands know you are here?"

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who came out to support women's freedom of choice. Though we enjoyed our pro-choice picket, we hope Operation Rescue doesn't come back.

Only the pro-lifers want to impose their views on others. Pro-Choicers want to let each woman decide for herself.

Feminist Women's Health Center