In response to the many articles and events surrounding the recent vandalism at All Families Health Care, the Kalispell area 40 Days for Life Leadership Team feels compelled to comment.
Following the news of the vandalism, 40 Days for Life issued a press release stating, “We stand in strong opposition to the vandalism incident that occurred at the All Families Healthcare location. Violence and vandalism are opposed to our belief and continued focus on a prayerful and peaceful means to oppose abortion.”
Many have been quick to link pro-life organizations, such as 40 Days for Life, to this break-in and vandalism. After nine local campaigns, including tens of thousands of hours of peaceful, law-abiding, and prayerful vigil and witness by hundreds of local volunteers; it is extremely sad to see attempts to link pro-life groups such as 40 Days for Life to this crime. Comments and statements that seem to smear the pro-life community are as follows: “This was very much a hate crime, not a random attack”; “This is an act of terrorism”; “I think that the only worse thing would be if someone was dead in there – which could have happened – and I keep being very thankful that there was not.” The implication has been made that this was a coordinated effort to intimidate.
First, the accused is not and has not been a member of 40 Days for Life. We have no knowledge of him ever participating in our pro-life campaign.
Second, 40 Days for Life is a worldwide movement seeking to protect mothers and babies. The following is a summary of our statements found in print and on the internet: 40 Days for Life is a peaceful, prayerful pro-life campaign featuring three components.
1. Prayer and fasting for an end to abortion
2. Peaceful vigil, including standing for life during a 40-day peaceful public witness
3. Community outreach by bringing a positive pro-life message to every corner of our city, county, state and country through media efforts, advocacy and public visibility
We believe that “with God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:26) and so our pro-life community is joining with hundreds of other cities and more than 600,000 people to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves”.
Third, 40 Days for Life, both nationally and locally, require participants of our campaigns to sign the following statement of peace:
• I will only pursue peaceful solutions to the violence of abortion when volunteering with the 40 Days for Life campaign
• I will show compassion and reflect Christ’s love to all abortion facility employees, volunteers, and customers
• I understand that acting in a violent or harmful manner immediately and completely disassociates me from the 40 Days for Life campaign
• I am in no way associated with Planned Parenthood, its affiliates or any abortion provider
• I will not obstruct the driveways or sidewalk while standing in the public right-of-way
• I will not litter on the public right-of-way
• I will closely attend to any children I bring to the prayer vigil
• I will not threaten, physically contact or verbally abuse abortion facility employees, volunteers or customers
• I will not damage private property
• I will cooperate with local authorities
The same day the damage was discovered, communication was made between our local leadership, Kalispell police, and F.B.I. representatives. We pledged cooperation, made known we were not involved, told them we were opposed to what happened and promised we would delay, for at least a week, our planned prayer vigil and witness so that they could investigate the crime scene and do their job without any interference. Since All Families is not currently operating its abortion clinic, our spring campaign consists of pro-life supporters praying in their own homes or churches.
Abortion is a painful and brutal procedure to end the life of a pre-born human person. We believe and proclaim that abortion is not providing health care but death care. Whenever someone comes for an abortion, there are two patients present. One, the mother, makes a choice. The other patient, her unborn child, dies at the hands of the abortionist. The vandal wrongly destroyed property but the abortionist actually destroys human life.
We proclaim a culture of life, not death, because we know that life begins at conception. We rely on both the Bible and science for proof. Jeremiah 1:5 states, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Science declares that in the DNA and gnome of each pre-born baby is an entirely new creation, separate and different from each of his or her parents.
This is why 40 Days for Life volunteers continue to pray for an end to abortion and give public witness to the sanctity of human life.
Leadership Team
40 Days for Life