Anti-Abortion Group Holds Graphic Demonstration
An anti-abortion protest in Jackson is drawing strong reactions from the community.
Images of aborted fetuses were boldly displayed up and down Jackson’s busiest street. They’re too graphic to show on television or online.
“We’re targeting Jackson as part of a bigger campaign, collaborating with many pro-life groups,? said Jason Storms, spokesman for the Missionaries to the Pre-Born. ?Our goal is to raise enough awareness and educate enough people in this city that this abortion clinic, the one remaining abortion clinic in Wyoming, closes its doors and Wyoming becomes an abortion-free state.”
Missionaries to the Pre-Born is an evangelical pro-life group based in Wisconsin. They aim to shock the public into getting the message across. Storms travels across the country with the group, accompanied by his five children and pregnant wife.
“There’s a lot of debate on the subject of abortion,? Storms said. ?Most people have never actually seen an abortion. Many people who advocate abortion rights — even here in Jackson — have never seen what an abortion actually looks like. Many of them, I’m sure, would be uncomfortable.”
The protest follows a Wyoming Supreme Court decision that gave anti-abortion groups a right to demonstrate.
It?s a right recognized, but still not welcomed, by locals.
“We’re not saying they don’t have the right to demonstrate,? said Marcia Kunstel, who was demonstrating with a group called Jackson Hole United. ?This is America and these are First Amendment rights that all of us have, but we do have the right that people try to avoid (the Missionaries to the Pre-Born).”
Just down the street from the Missionaries, volunteers from Jackson Hole United welcomed thumbs-ups, waves and honks of approval from passers-by.
Jackson Hole United was formed last week and is already hundreds of members strong. Some members are for, others against, abortion. The group just wanted to keep the gory images out of their community.
“We’re trying to make a statement that we don’t need people from out of state, out of town, to come in and tell us how we should live our lives, and to cause trouble and bring a lot of really provocative photos,” Kunstel said.
The protests appeared to be peaceful, as demonstrators followed the appropriate laws.
Another anti-abortion group, Operation Save America, is planning to protest in Jackson May 16 to 20.
