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CHOICE-NET REPORT
For Week ending July 30, 1994
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CHOICE-NET REPORT is a weekly update on reproductive rights issues 
distributed through email, Women's Wire, gopher.WELL.com, Usenet 
groups alt.activism, talk.abortion, soc.women, and other Internet 
channels. Please reprint, distribute and TAKE ACTION.

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TRAGIC MURDERS IN PENSACOLA

On Friday July 29 Dr. John Britton, 69, and volunteer clinic escort 
James Herman, 74, were killed as they sat in a pickup truck outside 
the Ladies Center in Pensacola Florida.  June Herman, 68, who was also 
in the truck was wounded.  Rev. Paul Hill was arrested near the scene 
and charged with the murders.  Police said they recovered a shotgun, 
along with more than a dozen unspent shotgun shells stashed in black 
nylon holders strapped to Hill's legs and in his pockets.

Paul Hill is Executive Director of Defensive Action, a radical group 
that encourages the use of "force" to defend the "pre-born."  After 
Dr. David Gunn was killed in Pensacola last year, Hill called Gunn's 
murder justifiable and called for the release of the accused killer 
Michael Griffin.  At the time, Hill was the pastor of the Trinity 
Presbyterian Church in Pensacola.  He has since been relieved of that 
pastorship. Griffin has since been convicted of that murder and 
sentenced to life in prison.  Hill spread his message of violence via 
a media tour that included the Donahue show and Nightline.  Hill is 
certainly not alone in his belief that the murder of abortion 
providers is justifiable and called for in the bible.  A number of 
people around the country have signed onto Hill's Defensive Action 
Manifesto.  Only time will tell whether they too decide to put their 
beliefs into action.

On Friday night a clinic in Falls Church, Virginia was firebombed 
resulting in approximately $10,000 in damages.   A $100,000 reward is 
being offered for information about the bombing.  Witnesses saw 6 men 
on the property right before the bombing.

On Saturday the Justice Department announced it would provide 
protection for any abortion clinic requesting it.

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Excerpts from:  "Should We Defend Born and Unborn Children With 
Force?", 1993,  by Rev. Paul Hill:

"The Biblical evidence used to support nonviolent civil disobedience 
also logically supports violent civil disobedience. "

"Christians are urged to take up arms in a defensive war...Considering 
the pressing urgency of our cause and the lack of any other 
justifiable course of action, our duty is to pursue a defensive war if 
possible."

"There is an initial shock and horror that comes from considering that 
the death of Dr. Gunn may have been justified.  Once this shock has 
passed, the truth and duties involved will have an abiding effect.  
These truths will grip men's minds and not release them from their 
duties.  Men will be forced to admit their horrendous neglect and will 
respond with zealous repentant hearts...Our zeal will be from God 
Himself."

"Should we not therefore with zeal fired to a steady white glow, go 
forth and show God's righteous indignation upon those who defile with 
gruesome death children made in His image and likeness?  ...As 
hundreds are being rushed into eternity, other questions shrink in 
comparison to the weighty question, 'Should we defend born and unborn 
children with force?' Take defensive action!"

From a Defensive Action "Declaration" signed by at least 20 people 
including Rev. Paul Hill:

"We proclaim that whatever force is legitimate to defend the life of a 
born child is legitimate to defend the life of an unborn child.  We 
assert that if Michael Griffin did in fact kill David Gunn, his use of 
lethal force was justifiable provided it was carried out for the 
purpose of defending the lives of unborn children.  Therefore he ought 
to be acquitted of the charges against him."

(other signers include Mike Bray, Bowie, MD; C. Roy McMillan, Jackson, 
MS; Andrew Burnett, Portland, OR; Cathy Ramey, Portland OR; Matt 
Trewhella, Milwaukee, WI; Michael Dodds, Wichita, KS; Tony Piso, 
Forest Hill, NY; David Crane, Norfolk, VA; Dave Leach, Des Moines, IA; 
Valeria Zyskowski Pittsburgh, PA.; many others)

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WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1.  Call on President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno to bring 
the full weight of their offices to bear on anti-choice terrorists.

2.  Get out to your local clinics and volunteer as an escort.

3.  Write letters of support to the clinics in your area.  They could 
really use your support right now.

4.  Write letters to the editor in support of the inclusion of the 
full range of reproductive health care, including abortion *as basic 
services* in any health care reform bill passed by Congress.  Write 
your Congressmembers with the same message.

5.  Join your local pro-choice groups.  Offer volunteer hours or 
financial or technical help.

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Information Sources:  California Abortion and Reproductive Rights 
Action League-North, Alan Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive Freedom 
News, Culture Watch, Political Woman, various Congresspersons, various 
newspapers, C-Span, CNN, Reuters, AP, and UPI. Editor: Kathy Watkins, 
Administrative Director, CARAL-North

~*~  It's no more harmful to know there are gays living together than
     for an Orthodox Jew to know people eat pork. - Karen Davis

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 * Origin: Stop the Special Rights for Christians! (1:102/890.666)