Counter protest to abortion protesters

[scout8]

Have you already talked about this here? I don't think I have seen a thread.

I tried to cut and paste, but I couldn't get the photos to post which are the best part. Basically, these "protesters" protest the abortion protesters every weekend.

www.bustle.com/articles/33220-grayson-and-tina-haver-currins-counter-protest-to-abortion-clinic-picketers-is-the-stuff-of-genius

[NewOrleans]

I mean, it's fun to point and laugh at antis, but counter protests, in my experience, just add to the circus feeling in front of a clinic and don't improve patient morale.

[erbear]

Aug 1, 2014 19:22:06 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

I mean, it's fun to point and laugh at antis, but counter protests, in my experience, just add to the circus feeling in front of a clinic and don't improve patient morale.

I agree. I would rather see counter protesters with signed like "I support you" and "your body, your choice" than "I like turtles" or some shit. That almost makes a mockery out of what is a really hard day for a lot of women.

[Deleted]

Not as fabulous as they think.

[Deleted]

I dunno, I think by making ridiculous signs and mingling it, they make all the other signs look ridiculous. By replying with absolute opposite signs, you are upping the tension, it becomes a war. By replying with "I like turtles", you are turning the whole thing into a farce making it difficult for the other side to mount a good response.
Anyway, I live there, and I just emailed them so I can join in!

[NewOrleans]

Aug 2, 2014 9:00:41 GMT -5 @eveer said:

I dunno, I think by making ridiculous signs and mingling it, they make all the other signs look ridiculous. By replying with absolute opposite signs, you are upping the tension, it becomes a war. By replying with "I like turtles", you are turning the whole thing into a farce making it difficult for the other side to mount a good response.
Anyway, I live there, and I just emailed them so I can join in!

I agree,,, IF it is not at a clinic location.  Because the patients come before my politics. There are always anti choice rallies at busy intersections and such-- that is the appropriate kind of protest to mock, imo.

[arborgold]

Aug 2, 2014 10:32:49 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Aug 2, 2014 9:00:41 GMT -5 @eveer said:

I dunno, I think by making ridiculous signs and mingling it, they make all the other signs look ridiculous. By replying with absolute opposite signs, you are upping the tension, it becomes a war. By replying with "I like turtles", you are turning the whole thing into a farce making it difficult for the other side to mount a good response.
Anyway, I live there, and I just emailed them so I can join in!

I agree,,, IF it is not at a clinic location.  Because the patients come before my politics. There are always anti choice rallies at busy intersections and such-- that is the appropriate kind of protest to mock, imo.

Agree. I honestly think is depends on whether or not the clinic has approved of the counterprotest. Oftentimes, counterprotests (even "silly" ones like these) disrupt the clinic and can endanger patients and staff.

Unless the health center has approved of your protest, it's best to be trained as an escort and do that (if asked), or to protest somewhere other than a health center.

[sushi]

Aug 1, 2014 19:22:06 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

I mean, it's fun to point and laugh at antis, but counter protests, in my experience, just add to the circus feeling in front of a clinic and don't improve patient morale.

Yep. When I was an escort our rule was not to engage at all. There are more of them, and they're louder, so they'll win a war of noise/words.

I did like the strategy of two older ladies I escorted with. They had giant golf umbrellas they'd used to shield the pt from sight of protesters. And as they walked her in they'd just make gibberish noise so the pt couldn't hear what was being yelled at to them.

[phunluvin82]

This though, is pretty good, IMO:

Have you interacted with or heard from any clinic visitors about what you’re doing? Do you feel like you’re having an impact?
GHC: We haven’t. There’s the legal barrier, where we have to stay a certain distance away. Due to that distance, there’s a protestor with a Bluetooth headset and speaker, and they’ll yell at these families going into the clinic, and really harass them. We’ve been able to stop them from doing that simply [by turning our camera phones on them] because they don’t want us to record them doing that. They’ll put their signs away too sometimes. We know for sure that the people entering the clinic while we’re there are not being harassed or hearing anything they don’t want to hear.


www.elle.com/news/culture/couple-uses-humor-to-defuse-abortion-protests 

[omgzombies]

I think the fewer people outside a clinic the better. It's harder for security to keep an eye on everyone, and the patient in their car often times just sees a big mob, and doesn't immediately distinguish supporters from protestors. The more people, the scarier it can be for a patient.

[Deleted]

Aug 1, 2014 21:38:56 GMT -5 @spenjamins said:

Not as fabulous as they think.

That was how I felt. It seemed very strange.

[ringstrue]

Aug 2, 2014 12:08:22 GMT -5 phunluvin82 said:

This though, is pretty good, IMO:

Have you interacted with or heard from any clinic visitors about what you’re doing? Do you feel like you’re having an impact?
GHC: We haven’t. There’s the legal barrier, where we have to stay a certain distance away. Due to that distance, there’s a protestor with a Bluetooth headset and speaker, and they’ll yell at these families going into the clinic, and really harass them. We’ve been able to stop them from doing that simply [by turning our camera phones on them] because they don’t want us to record them doing that. They’ll put their signs away too sometimes. We know for sure that the people entering the clinic while we’re there are not being harassed or hearing anything they don’t want to hear.


www.elle.com/news/culture/couple-uses-humor-to-defuse-abortion-protests 

That's a cool tactic. Though you don't need to org a counter protest to do that, right?. Just go out and stand there with a camera.

[Deleted]

Aug 2, 2014 10:32:49 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Aug 2, 2014 9:00:41 GMT -5 @eveer said:

I dunno, I think by making ridiculous signs and mingling it, they make all the other signs look ridiculous. By replying with absolute opposite signs, you are upping the tension, it becomes a war. By replying with "I like turtles", you are turning the whole thing into a farce making it difficult for the other side to mount a good response.
Anyway, I live there, and I just emailed them so I can join in!

I agree,,, IF it is not at a clinic location.  Because the patients come before my politics. There are always anti choice rallies at busy intersections and such-- that is the appropriate kind of protest to mock, imo.

I understand that reasoning, but I respectfully disagree. Yes, the patients definitely come before politics - but the other side doesn't give a shit. And I agree that its not appropriate at a clinic - and again, the other side doesn't give a shit. Speaking for myself, if I had to walk thru a bunch of ignorant shouting a-holes at one of the worst times of my life, I would prefer to see some support. If the signs are very pro choice, it heightens the friction between the protesters. So the reason I like this way of protesting is that it diffuses more than inflames the other side. They feel ridiculous standing next to someone with an "I like turtles" sign, where as they will feel justified to be fighting against the pinkie liberal commie baby killers.
But I do agree this couple is not as amazing as they think they are - on the other hand, I have never stood outside anywhere and protested anything, so I am not sure I have the right to criticise too much lol. IO just think this tactic is a good option, but only compared to the other options of a) nothing b) signs that will definitely increase tension.