Pro-life advocates launch round-the-clock vigil
Planned Parenthood: Protesters should work to prevent unintended pregnancies
By Meagan Sexton, Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, September 25, 2008
Members of the Knights of Columbus began the 40 Days of Life vigil outside Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa in Sioux City Wednesday. The pro-life vigil will continue around the clock for 40 days. (Staff photo by Sam Burrish)
SIOUX CITY -- Jerald Vanderham prayed with a heavy heart Wednesday morning as he stood in front of Planned Parenthood, wearing the sash, sword and plumed hat of the Knights of Columbus and holding a rosary.
"It hurts inside," said Vanderham of Westfield, Iowa, who joined other Siouxland Knights of Columbus members on day 1 of the 40 Days for Life campaign to protest abortion.
"Your heart aches for the unborn child that's being sacrificed, for lack of a better word," he said. "That baby is being sacrificed for the satisfaction of somebody else so their life isn't interfered with. There are a lot of prayers being said."
The Sioux City effort is part of a nationwide initiative with a focus on prayer and fasting through Nov. 2. People in more than 175 cities in 45 states plan to take part in peaceful vigils at facilities where abortions are performed, according to local spokeswoman Mary Stevens.
The 40 days alludes to biblical events that took place over 40 days, such as Noah's flood and Jesus' period of fasting and praying in the desert.
In Sioux City on Wednesday, pro-life advocates stood behind a yellow line painted by Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa to mark the boundary between public and private property. Jill June, the organization's president and chief executive officer in Des Moines, said Planned Parenthood gets more protesters and pickets in Sioux City than in other parts of the state.
June said she disagrees with the 40 Days for Life campaign because it inappropriately labels Planned Parenthood as an abortion clinic.
"We prevent unintended pregnancies, which then in turn prevents abortion," she said. "We prevent sexually transmitted infections, we prevent cancer. ... We also offer adoption care. It would be incorrect to call us the STD clinic or the HIV clinic, and it's incorrect to call us the abortion clinic. Abortion is only one service that we offer and, as it turns out, a very small part of what we do."
Although volunteers have prayed outside the facility at 4409 Stone Ave. every other Tuesday for years, this is the first year Sioux City has participated in the 40 Days for Life movement, which started in Texas and has been building momentum for about five years, said Larry Schuetz of Sioux City, a Knights of Columbus member and an administrator for the local campaign.
Schuetz said the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic service organization, has always been pro-life and that the group was one of the first to sign up for the campaign and get organized. He said other groups from across Siouxland also are involved.
Marge Stanek of Sioux City, one of the organizers, said more than 1,000 people are expected to take part, but she urged others to show up and say a prayer.
"We intend to have two to four people here every hour, day and night, for 40 days," she said. "In our nation today we have allowed 36 years of legalized abortion. We've lost 50 million of our young people in this nation. So, it's time that we make a change."
Clutching a rosary, Stanek said she had to pray harder to tune out the distracting noise of cars driving down the street, people honking and, at one point, a group of boys in the back of a pickup truck yelling as they passed.
Planned Parenthood's June said the protesters' efforts are misdirected.
"If they would just take some of their energy and turn it into joining us in our prevention efforts," June said. "If they would spend more time working on the 99 percent that we do and less time protesting the 1 percent that they don't like, I think we could do more as a community to prevent the need for abortion in the first place."
Meagan Sexton can be reached at 293-4243 or meagansexton@siouxcityjournal.com.
Log on to siouxcityjournal. com to watch a video and hear from members of the Knights of Columbus who are taking part in the 40 Days of Life vigil.
"It hurts inside," said Vanderham of Westfield, Iowa, who joined other Siouxland Knights of Columbus members on day 1 of the 40 Days for Life campaign to protest abortion.
"Your heart aches for the unborn child that's being sacrificed, for lack of a better word," he said. "That baby is being sacrificed for the satisfaction of somebody else so their life isn't interfered with. There are a lot of prayers being said."
The Sioux City effort is part of a nationwide initiative with a focus on prayer and fasting through Nov. 2. People in more than 175 cities in 45 states plan to take part in peaceful vigils at facilities where abortions are performed, according to local spokeswoman Mary Stevens.
The 40 days alludes to biblical events that took place over 40 days, such as Noah's flood and Jesus' period of fasting and praying in the desert.
In Sioux City on Wednesday, pro-life advocates stood behind a yellow line painted by Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa to mark the boundary between public and private property. Jill June, the organization's president and chief executive officer in Des Moines, said Planned Parenthood gets more protesters and pickets in Sioux City than in other parts of the state.
June said she disagrees with the 40 Days for Life campaign because it inappropriately labels Planned Parenthood as an abortion clinic.
"We prevent unintended pregnancies, which then in turn prevents abortion," she said. "We prevent sexually transmitted infections, we prevent cancer. ... We also offer adoption care. It would be incorrect to call us the STD clinic or the HIV clinic, and it's incorrect to call us the abortion clinic. Abortion is only one service that we offer and, as it turns out, a very small part of what we do."
Although volunteers have prayed outside the facility at 4409 Stone Ave. every other Tuesday for years, this is the first year Sioux City has participated in the 40 Days for Life movement, which started in Texas and has been building momentum for about five years, said Larry Schuetz of Sioux City, a Knights of Columbus member and an administrator for the local campaign.
Schuetz said the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic service organization, has always been pro-life and that the group was one of the first to sign up for the campaign and get organized. He said other groups from across Siouxland also are involved.
Marge Stanek of Sioux City, one of the organizers, said more than 1,000 people are expected to take part, but she urged others to show up and say a prayer.
"We intend to have two to four people here every hour, day and night, for 40 days," she said. "In our nation today we have allowed 36 years of legalized abortion. We've lost 50 million of our young people in this nation. So, it's time that we make a change."
Clutching a rosary, Stanek said she had to pray harder to tune out the distracting noise of cars driving down the street, people honking and, at one point, a group of boys in the back of a pickup truck yelling as they passed.
Planned Parenthood's June said the protesters' efforts are misdirected.
"If they would just take some of their energy and turn it into joining us in our prevention efforts," June said. "If they would spend more time working on the 99 percent that we do and less time protesting the 1 percent that they don't like, I think we could do more as a community to prevent the need for abortion in the first place."
Meagan Sexton can be reached at 293-4243 or meagansexton@siouxcityjournal.com.
Log on to siouxcityjournal. com to watch a video and hear from members of the Knights of Columbus who are taking part in the 40 Days of Life vigil.
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Leo wrote on Nov 24, 2008 8:50 PM:
rick wrote on Nov 24, 2008 3:35 PM:
grammatrain wrote on Oct 6, 2008 10:42 AM:
In Hitler's personal journals he stated that God was false and Christianity was the biggest lie ever told and if anyone believed it they were a fool.
I cant prove right now, but it is truth. I litterally would have to go and buy a 100 dvd set to find out where the source is.
By the way in a selfish country like the US perverted ads are rampant everyday to warp kids minds and adulterous shows on tv everyday of every hour. Hundreds of dollars spent on hair and makeovers every week! Yet we are finding truths such as the Ten Commandments being exited off public lawns. I feel Christians have won this argument God is not a freak. He cares for people and is awesome. I feel privledged to know his many many truths. Hitler was and is a BIG DUMMY. "
VegasRage wrote on Oct 5, 2008 10:04 PM:
I think it is important to understand the factual truth about pivotal moments of history such as WWII especially since were making similar mistakes again today. Many inaccuracies have been perpetuated about Hitler.
The death of Germany's fiat currency helped foster an environment that allowed Hitler to come to power, today we are witnessing the death of fiat currency globally making ripe the conditions for a new nut job to come to power somewhere in the world. "
Peggy wrote on Oct 5, 2008 7:45 PM:
The key word in your post is "demented."
Hitler could talk about God all he wanted to but he was NOT doing God's will.
You need to get a better argument - one that makes sense and isn't based on falsehood. "