A Call to Help Beseiged Doctors and Clinics

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A call has been issued by the Feminist Majority Foundation to keep the Family Reproductive Health clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina open, and its doctors, patients and staff safe.

Operation Rescue/Operation Save American (OR/OSA) announced that it is preparing for a battle in Charlotte from July 17-24. They have said they want to storm “the gates of hell” and to “unsheathe the sword” to close down the Family Reproductive Health clinic and other clinics that are nearby.

Phillip “Flip” Benham, head of OR/OSA, was arrested for stalking and violating a residential picketing ban. In spite of that arrest, the Feminist Majority is working with lawyers in Charlotte to make sure that Benham and others are not on the clinic’s property. Feminist Majority wants to prevent them from blocking the driveway and setting up ladders to look over the fence to scream at and threaten doctors, staff and the patients.
Apparently threats on the clinic have been increasing. In February, Benham and others congregated on the offices of two doctors who work at the clinic, and posted “WANTED” flyers with photos of the doctors, their home addresses, and the clinic’s information. This is outrageous, and highly illegal.
Members of this group distributed the posters in the doctors’ neighborhoods and at the clinic. Before Dr. Gunn and Dr. Britton were killed by anti-abortionists in Pensacola, Florida in the early 1990s, similar posters made their appearance.
The Feminist Majority has traveled to Charlotte many times to meet with local officials urging more protection for the clinic and doctors. Through the support of its members the Feminist Majority has helped to fund new security measures at the clinic, including surveillance cameras, video cameras for legal observers and other equipment.
Katherine Spillar, Executive Vice President of Feminist Majority said, “Without doctors and clinics to provide safe, legal abortions and access to birth control there can be no choice for women.”
In clinics in 14 other states there has been an increase in hostile activities by anti-abortion extremists. When will these extremists stop infringing upon the rights of others? They certainly have a lot of time and energy to express their dangerous zealotry.

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