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Hot Wichita Summer

San Diegans Attend Abortionist's Church

By Allyson Smith

Three San Diego women were arrested in Wichita, Kansas on July 22 as they protested late-term abortionist George Tiller. Patricia White of Jamul, Heather Mechanic of Poway, and Sylvia Sullivan of La Mesa spent over 30 hours in jail after they attempted to display signs during services at Reformation Lutheran Church where Tiller is a board member. Their arrests capped a week of pro-life activities that began on July 15 and were sponsored by Operation Save America in commemoration of Operation Rescue's "Summer of Mercy" protest held 10 years earlier, in 1991.

In an essay titled "Which Way Wichita?" Sullivan described the scene outside of Tiller's abortuary during the week: "The pro-aborts were out in force though greatly outnumbered by the pro-lifers. The pro-aborts were very blatant about who it is they serve. One woman proudly wore the satanic pentagram symbol around her neck. Another wore a T-shirt the stated, 'Escort from Hell' and 'We escort the patients to the gates.' They would cheer and applaud loudly every time a woman was driven into the clinic to abort her baby.

"One of the most disturbing things I experienced was when Tiller fired up his on-site incinerator to burn the bodies of the dead babies. The smoke poured out with ashes and the horrible smell of death."

Recounting the events surrounding the ladies' arrests, Sullivan wrote, "We were informed by the locals that Tiller is on the board of his church, Reformation Lutheran Church. This church leadership knowingly supports, indeed embraces, Tiller in his evil deeds. They give him religious cover to enable him to continue in killing children.

"Sunday morning [July 22] was the last day of the Operation Save America week of events. Pat, Heather, and I were scheduled to fly home to San Diego that evening. We even had our suitcases with us since our ride to airport was to pick us up at Tiller's church. We had three posterboard signs written in black letters folded over to fit in my big bag.

"The police were present outside the church. We walked around the street and sidewalk and headed to the front door through the parking lot. The greeters welcomed us. We went in as the second service was just beginning. We sat down on the left side close to the front. There was hymn singing and Scripture reading. We were passed the red Friendship Register in our row to sign. I wrote in the space provided, 'We are three who love you and are here to pray for your salvation.'

"When everyone was seated and the sermon began, I slipped a folded sign to Heather and then Pat and took out mine. Someone behind us said something like, 'I hope you are not going to do anything.' At that, Heather quickly stepped out of the pew and opened her sign. It read, 'Tiller, there is no place to hide from God.' She walked down the front with the sign facing the people and up the center aisle heading to exit the front door.

"Meanwhile, behind me, a man tried to grab my sign and they got Pat's. A young man in a pew in front of me jerked mine out of my hands. Both of our signs were folded up and not seen. None of us uttered a single word in the service. The usher escorting Pat out grabbed her neck and arm as he manhandled her. (She is a petite 70-year-old.)

"The police were called. They observed Pat and Heather on the church property as they were leaving. I had been asked by a fellow pro-lifer to give out sodas to some of the outside picketers. As I was doing that, an officer came over and asked that I join the other two ladies. We were being detained as they did their investigation. They called for a sergeant who came and spoke with the church leaders. After awhile another squad car arrived. The officer told us we were under arrest. At that we were handcuffed, placed in squad cars and taken to the jail for booking. They said we were being held under the $3000 cash bond each. We did not have that kind of money, so we stayed in jail.

In an August 11 interview, Mechanic said, "What really bothered me is that unlike [former president William] Clinton's church, they [the members of Tiller's church] read extensively from the Bible. [They read] from the Book of John, from Acts, Esther and Ruth, and that really bothered me because they sounded so Christian. They said that we must treat our neighbor as ourselves. But if you don't have the Holy Spirit indwelling you, you can sound like you are speaking he truth yet not be."

When she was showing her sign, said Mechanic, "people gave me really evil looks, which only reinforced my feeling that the Holy Spirit is not here."

Mechanic described her stay in jail. "This time it was okay. I still hated being there, the food was horrific and I was really sick, but it was very positive. Sylvia, Pat, and I spent a lot of time in prayer. I did therapy with one girl whose mother died in childbirth (Mechanic is a licensed family counseling therapist.) Any time I've been in jail, the inmates have been wonderful. I was never afraid of any of them. The correction officers were lovely with us, too. They allowed us to set up cots in the gym to stay together instead of putting us in individual holding cells.

"The Lord answered prayers for us in jail. The guards were very kind and helpful to us. One told us he would rather deal with murderers and rapists than ladies like us. He said he fought in a war for our right to protest. Then he said that was all he was going to say. The inmates also were so sympathetic. They lent us Bibles and asked to have Bible study and prayer together. Many there were struggling new believers in need of encouragement. Upon hearing that we were to be released they applauded, cheered, and hugged us good-bye.

Sullivan concluded, "We were arrested on Sunday morning at 11:30 am and released on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. On Monday morning, we went before the judge who said we would be released, upon local legal representation, on our recognizance. The $3000 cash bond requirement was dropped and we are to return to Wichita in the future for trial. When I got home, I looked at the booking paperwork and found the complaint and notice to appear which stated the charge. It was, 'Interrupt a congregation by rude and indecent behavior within their place of worship.' We plead not guilty."

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