ARTICLES

A Visit to Fred Hopkins

An Abortionist in Cardiff

Over 70 Christians joined forces on Saturday, September 16, to expose the Planned Parenthood abortion-only facility located in Scripps Hospital in Encinitas. The hospital complex has been a regular target of pro-lifers since the California Life Coalition exposed the North County hospital's alliance with the world's largest abortion provider in July.

A letter sent to Scripps chairman of the board, Frank Panarisi, by the coalition's Cheryl Sullenger in early July asked for a meeting to discuss the possibility of Scripps terminating their business relationship with Planned Parenthood. The letter was responded to by Scripps' new CEO, Chris Van Gorder, who refused the invitation to meet and informed the pro-lifers that it had no intention of terminating its association with Planned Parenthood. The pickets have continued.

The group members came from the coalition, Operation Rescue West, Christian Men United, Calvary Chapel of Oceanside, and Calvary Chapel of Ramona. Pro-lifers came from as far away as Hisperia, Moreno Valley, Lake Arrowhead, and Laguna Hills to participate in this event.

Around midmorning, the group moved to the residential neighborhood of Planned Parenthood's Encinitas abortionist Fred Hopkins to conduct a neighborhood prayer walk. Hopkins has been a licensed physician only since July, 1998, and is a 1992 graduate of Harvard Medical School. According to a recent newspaper article, Hopkins was inspired to become an abortionist after reading John Irving's novel, The Cider House Rules, and was a guest speaker at a National Abortion Federation dinner honoring Irving for his Oscar-winning film glorifying abortionists.

The pro-lifers spread throughout the Cardiff neighborhood with signs and leaflets bearing the abortionist's name and address. "Hopkins comes to our neighborhoods to conduct his grisly business," one flier read. "Today we are coming to your neighborhood to tell the truth about what he does for a living." Some of the men sang hymns and preached to groups of curious residents who gathered in front yards and on sidewalks

Several angry residents shouted at pro-lifers to go home, and one jogger knocked signs out of the hands of two of the protestors as they attempted to answer his questions. Loud music blared from some houses as most residents emerged with beer bottles in hand. Referring to the pro-lifers' neighborhood prayer walk one resident remarked, "Man, I can't believe this is legal and marijuana is not!" Other residents stuck wire coat hangers in their yard with the slogan "Pro-Choice" hastily written on the paper wrapping.

Sheriff's deputies at the scene attempted to bully the pro-lifers out of the neighborhood by detaining and requiring "mug-shot" photographs of two of the event leaders, Cheryl Sullenger and attorney Michael Kumeta. At one point the supervising sergeant threatened to declare an unlawful assembly but backed down after negotiations by Operation Rescue's Troy Newman. Later the police remarked to a reporter that the pro-lifers were "peaceful and cooperative."

"If a pedophile lived in their neighborhood, the residents would probably want to know about it," remarked Newman. "What Hopkins does to children is worse and we believe they should know the truth about that as well."

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