Richmond Times Dispatch: Hundreds Protest in Richmond at Planned Parent Clinic

More than 500 Including Women and Children

It was actually more than 500 men, women and children lining both sides of Hamilton Street. The practically windowless multimillion dollar building Leslie Blackwell, protest leader, refers to as a “butcher shop”.

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Blackwell spoke to the largest assembly of prolife groups of its kind in Richmond in many a year. The event was sponsored by a partnership of area and national prolife groups.

The large peaceful assembly stood patiently and quietly for almost two hours as speakers spoke about Planned Parenthood’s harvesting and selling of baby body parts. They held their signs, many hand made, and listened to a half dozen speakers including VCA Board Member Terry Beatley who talked about the origins of Planned Parenthood and NARAL.

Several speakers gave heartfelt testimonies of their personal experiences with abortion and rape. There were several pauses for prayer and a special prayer for those inside the facility, workers and “clients”. It truly must be difficult for men and women working in a facility whose primary purpose is to kill babies.

Jen Hanrahan of the East End Pregnancy Center in Richmond, spoke about the options available to women other than Planned Parenthood.

Jen Hanrahan and their two adopted childrenJen introduced two of her adopted children and told their stories. Both children spoke briefly. Jen told of the many services available at the four Richmond area Pregnancy Centers and the many options for adaption. It was one of the most inspiring talks.

The rally was closed out with an inspiring personal testimony and closing prayer by VCA board member Craig Johnson.

The rally was well covered by local media. All three T V stations reported the rally Saturday evening and on social media nationwide. For the most part local and national media have been very quiet about Planned Parenthood selling baby body parts.

The Governor of Virginia and seemingly the entire Democratic Party in Virginia are standing like a “Brick Wall” in support of Planned Parenthood’s programs.

Church Leadership AWOL

The glaring omission of the event was the lack of participation from Christian church leaders. Five hundred plus attendees from as far as Williamsburg, and Fredericksburg from many church denominations, but only a few pastors and one priest, who gave the opening prayer.

Only one church bus was seen and that was from a small Hanover church, Winns Baptist carrying 30 members. There are some 700 plus churches in the Richmond area. Those pastors stayed home Saturday morning.

Where was Bishop Di Lorenzo or any major Catholic leader? The reason our nation is in such moral decay is that “church leaders “are AWOL. There are several churches in the Richmond are with 7, 8, 9000 members. The headquarters for the Southern Baptist Conservatives is Richmond.

What a powerful voice could be raised up if these Christian leaders would stand and speak moral authority starting in their own churches and in the public arena.

Another glaring omission, was the absence of black and Hispanic men and women at the event. There were a handful of each, but one would think that being prolife is a “white” thing.

The event was a blessing for those who attended, stood patiently on the sidewalks for almost two hours perhaps straining to hear the speakers standing on the back of a pickup truck with a speaker system turned to full volume.

The Christian church must come together and stand with Biblical Moral Authority before all religious rights are lost to the government and the unrighteous.

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