Friday, July 21, 2006

ANTI-ABORTION GROUP BURNS QURAN;
DID PRIEST CONNECTED TO TOP D.C. REPUBLICANS WATCH (OR PARTICIPATE)?


From yesterday's Jackson Clarion-Ledger:

...Activists from Operation Save America, formerly known as Operation Rescue, have been in Jackson since Saturday for eight days of protests against [Mississippi]'s only abortion clinic, the Jackson Women's Health Organization in the Fondren neighborhood.

During a demonstration at the Capitol on Tuesday, anti-abortion activists tore up pages from the Quran, the Muslim holy book, along with a gay pride flag and copies of six U.S. Supreme Court rulings related to religion in public schools, sodomy and abortion.

The group intended to burn the items at the Capitol but couldn't because it didn't have a permit, said Operation Save America volunteer Pat McEwen, a retired college professor from Palm Bay, Fla.

Instead, the activists burned the Quran and other items Tuesday evening in the parking lot outside Making Jesus Real Church in Pearl, McEwen said. Police confirmed the burning....


Was Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life there? He's certainly participated in other OSA activities this week in Jackson:

Anti-Abortionists Give Funeral For Fetus

An unusual event marks the sixth day of abortion protests in Jackson. The group Operation Save America drew crowds downtown, where they had on display what they say is an aborted child.

It began like any memorial service. But inside the casket was what protestors say is an aborted fetus they named Rebecca....

National Director of Priests For Life Father Frank Pavone led the ceremony...


OSA has burned Qurans before:

...at Columbus City Hall, Thursday July 22, 2004, ... Operation Save America (OSA) burned a "gay" flag, a copy of Roe vs. Wade and a Muslim "holy" book, the Koran....



And Pavone was there:

Thursday, July 22, 2004...

Frank Pavone, a priest who is an official of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family, spoke this afternoon at OSA's City Hall event.


As I've pointed out several times, Pavone gave invocations at both a rally for religious conservatives organized by the GOP before the 2004 convention and a subsequent "Christian Inaugural Eve Gala" that was also addressed by Karl Rove.

And now I see that he spoke at these GOP functions after he participated in at least one Quran-burning event.

(First story via DU.)

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UPDATE: Did I forget to remind you that another member of Priests for Life is Father Paul Scalia, who's Antonin Scalia's son?

Also, here's some background on Flip Benham, head of Operation Save America.

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