PRO-LIFE WOMAN FACES INDICTMENT FOR READING BIBLE [to abortionist]

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | 12.18.02

[victim soul]

The U.S. Attorney's office will convene a grand jury in order to seek an indictment against a local pro-life activist, Terri Palmquist. Mrs. Palmquist's alleged offense is threatening abortionist Kenneth Wright by reading passages of the Bible to him.

On July 9, 2002, Mrs. Palmquist, who regularly leaflets and counsels at the Family Planning Alternatives abortuary, saw Wright entering the clinic and read to him passages from Ezekiel 33 concerning admonishing the evildoer to turn from his sins lest he die. Although Wright has seen Mrs. Palmquist at the clinic for years and did not appear concerned at the time, he reported the incident to police and the FBI as a death threat despite Mrs. Palmquist's explanation to him that she meant no threat.

Wright also sought a restraining order against Mrs. Palmquist, trying to prevent her from coming within 150 yards of him or the clinic. After a three-hour hearing at which Wright testified about Mrs. Palmquist's alleged threatening activities, Judge Wallace of the Kern County Superior Court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to warrant issuing any order against Mrs. Palmquist and dismissed Wright's case.

In spite of this vindication of Mrs. Palmquist, the FBI has continued to hound her and anyone associated with her, seeking evidence that she is violent and a threat to Wright. On Dec. 19 Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar, acting under U.S. Attorney John Vincent, will present this "evidence" to a grand jury in hopes of having Mrs. Palmquist indicted on felony charges. At this time the specific charges are a matter of speculation. "They will either seek an indictment for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act or some alleged terrorist threat," stated Brian Chavez-Ochoa, who has taken Mrs. Palmquist's case on behalf of Life Legal Defense Foundation.

[michaelje]

America the beautiful.

[2banana]

Freedom of speech only to those whose views agree with the government...

[trebb]

And these are the people who want to take our guns away - a Stephen King story couldn't match the horror of real life in a Dem/Socialistic/Commie fantasy...

[Cicero]

According to Ezekiel 19, the righteous have a duty to preach to the wicked to mend their ways, warning them that if they persist in their wickedness they will die.

On the other hand, if they are converted to righteousness, they will live: "But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby" (19:19).

Any lawyer could surely use this as evidence that Mrs. Palmquist's intention was to save the abortionist, not to threaten him. In fact, of course, the abortion-rights people bring these lawsuits simply to harrass picketers and protestors and frighten them away. Planned parenthood has millions of taxpayer dollars to work with, whereas most pro-lifers are ordinary folks without much spare money.

If they lose, NARAL loses very little, whereas if they win they can use RICO to rake in huge fines and confiscate homes and salaries.

[Jack Black]

I Karen Escobar a Clinton apointee? Bush needs to do a lot more house cleaning. Clinton fired all the US Attorneys and replaced them with rabid commies, didn't he.

[Paul Atreides]

Abortion and homosexuality have become the new religion of the left. Christianity will probably be illegal by the end of this century.

[LiteKeeper]

bump

[Hila]

As they have hounded, they will be hounded. It is getting sooo ridiculous. Call the police because someone read the TRUTH to them, while the police will protect the one who murders innocent babies. Hope for an awakening soon.

[dasboot]

Paul,
I did a search on 'names of women in the bible' last night and came up with about 90% articles and bulletin boards that seek to debunk the bible, poo-pooh Christianity, and villify Christians--and Christ. I was totally blown-away by the volume of anti-Christianity on the net. Angry, sarcastic vitroil; picking away at the very foundation of civilization....and it's growing exponentially with the help of the internet. I had no idea how big the movement was. Gonna come 'down to it' soon--facing physical persecution and declaring faith at 'gunpoint', with all the consequences......in my lifetime, I think.

[Servant of the Nine]

According to Ezekiel 19, the righteous have a duty to preach to the wicked to mend their ways, warning them that if they persist in their wickedness they will die.

If you lived in a theocracy, a kind of Christian version of Iran, that would be fine, but in this free country, a threat is a threat, however you care to phrase it.

Even lowlife gangbangers understand that "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime". Are pro-lifers too dense to get it, or do they just self rightiously think they deserve to be treated better than any one else?

[Red Jones]

no surprise, we have a bush in the white house, so people who work for him do stuff like this. Nothing new. Bush' have been stepping on americans and america for a long time.

[1stFreedom]

I know Terri from years ago. She is about as theatening as a teddy bear.

[MEGoody]

So, for example, if you were to say to someone "If you continue to smoke, you will die," you'd construe that as a threat? If not, then why in the world would you consider this lady reading a bible passage a threat?

[Paul Atreides]

Also, notice the media's big free public relations campaign on the behalf of Islam. Now, I don't think for a minute that the leftists want ANY sort of religion to play a part in people's lives, but I think the appeal of Islam is the ABC Factor (Anything But Christianity).

[SkyPilot]

Abortion and homosexuality have become the new religion of the left. Christianity will probably be illegal by the end of this century.

I totally (and sadly) agree.

[Hank Kerchief]

Freedom of speech only to those whose views agree with the government.

Freedom speech means being free to say whatever you want, whenever you want. It does not mean someone else has to provide you a platform for saying it or that they must allow their property rights to be violated so you can say it.

The issue here is not free speech, but property rights.

This obfuscation of principles is wrong and harmful to any cause that supports it.

Hank

[jimmyray]

Paul, I did a search on 'names of women in the bible' last night and came up with about 90% articles and bulletin boards that seek to debunk the bible, poo-pooh Christianity, and villify Christians--and Christ.

I did a search on Google using your phrase 'names of women in the bible' and did not get ONE "poo poo" response - I then did the same on Dogpile, and guess what - Nothing!

Either you are using some odd search engine, or you are exagerating and being alarmist?

Granted, I am a strong believer in Jesus, and believe that their is occasional open hostility towards Christianity, but your statement is untenable, unless there is additional info you can provide?

[Search4Truth]

The sleeper shall awaken.

[Cicero]

If you tell a bank robber, "If you continue to rob banks, you are likely to get shot by the police," is that a threat? If you tell an abortionist, "If you continue to murder innocent babies, you will probably end up in hell," is that a threat? It's only a threat if you say, "Stop doing that, or I'll kill you." And that is not the message of Ezekiel 19. The message of Ezekiel 19 can be summed up in other biblical passages. "The wages of sin is death," and "Choose life."