Elyea’s Folly
Elyea’s Folly? The following story is another example of the chaos that the bubble zone has brought into the Chicago area. Alderman Karen Elyea’s proposed bubble zone for Rockford will bring this kind of confrontation and upset into our community. Pray that this non-productive, confrontational, and, according to many, illegal legislation does not go through.
Now It’s a TEN Foot Bubble?
As Sidewalk Counselors and Prayer Warriors gathered on Saturday, February 13, 2010 to pray outside of Planned Parenthood at 1200 N. LaSalle in Chicago, they were subjected to yet another interpretation of the Bubble Zone law.
Making It Up As She Goes Along
This weekend saw the return of Officer Hagen. This is the officer who, on January 9, inaccurately told us we could not picket within 150 feet of the clinic or stand within 8 feet of the door but, upon reading the ordinance, magnanimously granted us permission to pray.
This week she told our sidewalk counselors they “can not come within ten feet of the doorway and try to hand—that’s panhandling.”
Ten feet? Panhandling? What?
To clarify that we were still talking about the Bubble, I told the officer that the Bubble [PDF] is only eight feet. She told me that the difference was insignificant. Holding her hands about 10 inches apart, she said “eight feet, ten feet, it’s this much.”
Maybe she meant two baby feet, because that’s not two standard feet with 12 inches in each!
The charge of panhandling strikes me as particularly amusing. “Panhandling” is asking for something, or begging. Offering literature is the exact opposite! It’s giving something!
Moreover, if the Bubble Zone ordinance was supposed to solve all of Planned Parenthood’s problems, why does this officer need to bring in extra, inapplicable, laws to get us to go away? What is the point of the Bubble after all?
Ignoring The Signs
Amusingly, now the police are taping me, taping them. The second officer to arrive on the scene went back to her car to get her video camera, then told me, “We all get cameras.” Later she walked up to me and took my photo. If she brings the picture back next week, I’ll autograph it for her.
Aid For Women ad right outside Planned Parenthood
As you can see in the video, someone had placed two signs outside the clinic on Saturday. Although last time Hagen was there, we were told we couldn’t let the signs even touch the sidewalk, this time she paid no notice to signs which were unmanned and leaning against a street sign.
Pro-Life Victory
One pro-life victory from this week, though, is the new billboard put up by Aid For Women. It’s on the newsstand near Planned Parenthood’s doorway and offers women real assistance. I know these ads are expensive, and I’m sure Aid For Women would appreciate a donation to support this project, if you are able.
Do you think the fact that a
Sat, 02/27/2010 - 4:17pm — Ed O'Malley (not verified)Do you think the fact that a bubble zone can never work would stop these merchants of death? They take away a child's right to life they will gladly take away your rights too.
The moment Alerwoman Karen
Fri, 03/12/2010 - 2:39am — Anonymous (not verified)The moment Alerwoman Karen Elyea made the conscious and free will decision to involve herself in local pro-abortion politics and intentionally alienate the constituents who not only elected her, but patronized her business was the moment she LOST our business. What makes it all the sadder for me was for years I genuinely enjoyed going into Minglewood, chatting with Karen, james and their friends and enjoying the friendly socio-political banter and almost always finding a shirt or incense or a ring that I just couldn't live without. BUT NOT ANYMORE! I'll NEVER understand Elyea's choice/decision to plunge head-long into Rockford's death for more and more money debate; especially when at some point in her life, she obviously was pro-life, as she has a young impressionable and pretty young daughter. I often wonder if Karen, her family and "friends" are indoctrinating her daughter in her mother's poisonous beliefs?? Doesn't Karen - as a mother and as a reasonably intelligent person - think or suspect that HER choice of friends and political "bedmates" could expose her young daughter to some unsavory and outright dangerous individuals?? It's a KNOWN FACT that most of the REAL medical community believes that those that work in the abortion industry are known for less than spotless [criminal]backgrounds and have a long known and DOCUMENTED history of predatory behaviors-esepcially when it comes to young girls and women. This ISN'T anti-abortion "propaganda" or hate mail or a damning indictment or anything of the sort - it's KNOWN OBJECTIVE FACT! And STILL our "alderwoman" PERSISTS!?!?!?!? We SHOULD pray harder and pray MORE for Karen Elyea because I truly fear for her as I believe her political career is going to come to a big screeching halt in the not too distant future as a result of her intentional choice/decision to involve herself with the likes of Wayne Webster. In a way, I even feel bad for Mr. Webster, because no matter how genuinely decent and even nice we've attempted to be toward him, he is still very short tempered, very curt, rude and above all, paranoid and narcissistic. I just think it's incredibly schizophrenic that Mr. Webster AND KAren Elyea can care so much about his dogs and baby them and hate preborn babies enough to make massive profits enough to buy numerous luxury vehicles, and Karen can come across as concerned, friendly and accomodating...and then stab us in the social, financial and political back. Oh, and she QUOTE "Doesn't talk to terrorists"? For the record, Ms. Elyea, 99.999% of your constituents AREN'T the ones killing and/or profiting immensely from the grisly deaths of preborn babies AND 99.999% of your constituents and the taxpaying citizens of Rockford aren't the ones agitating for this politically expident and politically correct "bubble zone". If anything, like rockfordprolife.com says, there NEEDS to be a "bubble zone" around Rockford's abortion mill, it's wacked-out owner, the "doctors" and aiding/abetting "staff" and let's not forget Keith EXPLITIVE EXPLITIVE EXPLITIVE Sterkeson. All I can say is SICK SICK SICK and We The People are sick and tired of being labelled the enemy and being FORCED to pay for, mop up and deal with the fall-out from Ms. Elyea's dalliances with Mr. Webster and associates. WAKE UP ROCKFORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very, very, well written
Fri, 03/12/2010 - 12:21pm — A concerned citizen (not verified)Very, very, well written comment. Your common sense and real concern show through.
Thank you for your respectful
Mon, 03/15/2010 - 5:11pm — Anonymous (not verified)Thank you for your respectful and kind reply; it's truly a breath of fresh air to know that there are other concerned, like-minded citizens "out there"! My words are like my observations-born of seeing things and individuals as they are and NOT how I or others wish them to be! I sometimes am embarassed that I live so close to Rockford's abortion mill and our pro-death-for-more-taxpayer-money alderwoman, but I'm like countless over-taxed, over-burdened folks who are fortunate and blessed to still have a job in this deliberately created bleak economy..even if my job is only full time-I live where I can afford to and attempt to make the best of things. I feel like those of us who attempt to work, stay out of trouble, respect our laws no matter how messed up I or we may feel they are and attempt to make life just a little less hard for ourselves and those we care about are the ones being punished and being labelled as "terrorists". Someone has yet to explain to me "why" folks like us are being PUNISHED and FORCED through our social behavior and taxes to fund, subsidize and otherwise tolerate and prop up, the irresponsibility of others. I got in a heap of legal trouble when I was younger and will spend the rest of my life paying in so many ways for my own irrational choices and decisions. "Why" and exactly when did it become my job, duty, responsibility or obligation to pay for the irresponsibility of others; especially when our city-Rockford and Winnebago County-have a 12-15% unemployment rate?? And folks like us are labelled "terrorists" by those that we either elected and or help to elect to politically represent us?!? Again, kind sir or ma'am, your reply is genuinely a breath of fresh air and my words and observations are born of my living and shopping in the midst of this debate. Sincerely, Just ANOTHER over-taxed, over-burdened, unrepresented sick and tired of being labelled the enemy Rockford citizen...
Editor's Note: Thank you for your response. May God bless you and please remember, it's more than just a cliche-it's always darkest before the dawn; keep the faith. In spite of what the enemies of God do, He is in charge. The most important thing is for us never to despair and to keep our eyes on the risen Lord and one day we will be in Paradise with him.
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