STORM2K

Kerry Campaign Responds to Woman Holding Sign Opposing Abortion
By Jimmy Moore
Talon News
March 16, 2004

TAMPA, FL (Talon News) -- A campaign staffer for likely Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA) confronted a woman holding a sign opposing abortion at a campaign event.

LifeNews.com reported on Rebecca Porter's encounter with Kerry in Tampa, Florida recently when she decided to create a sign that read, "My abortion hurt me."

Porter stood outside the campaign event holding her sign in plain view of Kerry campaign supporters.

"I almost didn't go because doubt and fear were beginning to set in," Porter told LifeNews.com. "But I went to hold my sign for the people walking in. I did not go as a Bush supporter or as a Republican, but as a woman hurt by abortion."

LifeNews.com reported that one man told Porter that he wished the abortion had killed her as well.

As the Florida director of a group called Operation Outcry Silent No More, Porter said her intention was to simply be a representative of those many women who now regret having had an abortion.

"There was no protest. We were not there to say anything. Just to let our signs speak for us -- and they did, powerfully," Porter revealed to LifeNews.com.

An opportunity for Porter to show her sign to Kerry happened after he finished his speech, which ironically ended with Kerry assuring the crowd that he would support abortion as president.

As Kerry was shaking hands with people in the crowd, Porter stood in his line of sight holding her sign.

"Then it happened," Porter detailed to LifeNews.com. "[Kerry] reached up to shake a hand in the back and his eyes went up to my sign. He read it and then he looked into the crowd to see who was holding it -- and he looked me directly in the eyes."

She added to LifeNews.com, "I hope he saw my pain. I was not angry, just pleading with him to understand. You could see the shock and surprise on his face."

Yet moments later, Porter saw a Kerry campaign staffer approach her and yank the sign out of her hands.

"You can't have that sign here," the staffer told Porter, according to LifeNews.com.

The Kerry campaign staffer took the sign and "tore it to pieces" before quickly retreating.

"He wouldn't even let me have the pieces," Porter told LifeNews.com.

There has been no comment from the Kerry campaign about this incident.

Porter said she "had done what the Lord had wanted me to accomplish" by holding her sign for Kerry and his supporters to see.

"I hope he will remember my sign and my pain in my eyes," Porter stated to LifeNews.com. "I know there were many people laying in their beds that night thinking about their abortions."


http://www.hardincountygop.org/kerrypage1/

liberals for ya. intolerant

Helen - I'm liberal and I'm not intolerant. You just hate liberals.

I don't agree with what the campaign worker did. I understand where that woman is coming from - I've been there.

On the incident .... the Kerry bully was wrong. Indicative of all Liberals? I don't think so.

What we can't deny when equating politics with social issues such as abortion is the undeniable fact the Democrats as a whole favor abortion, while Conservatives oppose it.

There will always be radicals like this man, and Lord I hope that Kerry didn't have anything to do with the action taken.

The woman did NOTHING wrong, and is to be commended for her courage to peacefully make a statement amongst what she knew would be a crowd of predominately pro abortion supporters. This was a woman with a powerful message...and it was SQUASHED!

I think Kerry should issue a public apology for the actions of his staff, or at least this one person. He is ultimately responsible for the people who are working for him; therefore, for him to say nothing about the incident says he condones what happened.

Wouldn't surprise me.

Steph, I think Helen may have been stereotyping liberals, but I know for a fact that there are some liberals who are all inclusive as long as you don't disagree with them -- like person A is for abortion, person B is for gay marriage, person C is for eating pizza, and as long as A, B, and C don't think or at least say the other people are wrong, everyone is OK, but the second one of them says something contrary to this, BAM!!! the sirens go off and the thought police come a runnin' because there is a closed-minded son of a Nazi in the room and he is intolerant of other people's views and so on and so forth.

I should know. I used to be one

I agree j. And for the record, Stephanie is one of the nicest and most reasonable liberals I know. We don't see eye to eye on a lot of political issues but we can debate them without attacking each other and we get along just fine. Believe me that isn't true of all liberals. I know a few who fly off the handle and start cussing and name-calling if you don't agree with them. I suppose it's remotely possible that somewhere in the world there could be conservatives the same way but I don't know any.

southerngale wrote:I agree j. And for the record, Stephanie is one of the nicest and most reasonable liberals I know. We don't see eye to eye on a lot of political issues but we can debate them without attacking each other and we get along just fine. Believe me that isn't true of all liberals. I know a few who fly off the handle and start cussing and name-calling if you don't agree with them. I suppose it's remotely possible that somewhere in the world there could be conservatives the same way but I don't know any.

AMEN!!

I am disgusted that someone would say that to the poor woman. What in the makes some people so mean?

Ignorance sunnyday. And pure hatred.

i firmly believe intolerance is rampant on the left. just look at college campuses. best not let anyone know you are conservative there

Rainstorm you dont think you are intolerant???????????????

ert wrote:

rainstorm wrote:i firmly believe intolerance is rampant on the left. just look at college campuses. best not let anyone know you are conservative there

Please jx-you are a vicious racist and for you to accuse others of intolerance is laughable. Your favorite website, http://www.stormfront.org, is far worse than "intolerant"-it is sickening and so are you.

Dude it might be best if this is kept over at the other place. Trust me everyone here knows who rainstorm is. This place doesnt tolerate the same crap that the other does. Just a little friendly suggestion is all.

Not trying to start anything I just want to make clear to all the very friendly posters on here exactly who they are dealing with in jx/rainstorm.

This isn't a liberal vs. conservative issue. Both sides are guilty of doing similar things to anyone protesting at one of their rallies. It makes it look better when the TV cameras are turned on to have any dissenting voices or signs kaboshed.

If you want to blame anyone, blame overzealous staffers, not necessarily the candidates.

good point weatherluvr.

The abortion issue is one of the most polarizing issues in this country. The staffer was definitely out of line in this case.

Thanks Kelly, etc. Okay, I admit, I'm intolerant of people that stereotype. Actually I HATE it. Anthony - I'm sure that you are right about Helen but some people just don't care and make insensitive comments like that just to antagonize others.

My biggest thing ever since I've been apart of S2K is the segregating of "left" versus "right", etc. and how alot of people when they post do that. I realize that sometimes it is due to raw emotions, especially when it's about politics or subjects like abortion. Believe me, I know I've done it. It's posts and discussions like that that keep our nation polarized. I think that this board has come a LONG WAY and the discussions have been positive and informing.

I certainly hope that John Kerry did not have his staff member take the sign away and rip it up. I hope it was an isolated incident commited by some idiot. I applaud the woman's honesty. I think for the MAJORITY of the women that have made that decision it wasn't done lightly.

Stephanie,

Over the past 40 years, I have attended rallies, protests, marches, etc. all across the fruited plain. The one thing I've seen most is those people who champion "left" causes are by far more violent and destructive...and these are the SAME ones that always call for "peace"????

I suppose that "peace" is only for those who agree with them.

streetsoldier wrote:Stephanie,

Over the past 40 years, I have attended rallies, protests, marches, etc. all across the fruited plain. The one thing I've seen most is those people who champion "left" causes are by far more violent and destructive...and these are the SAME ones that always call for "peace"????

I suppose that "peace" is only for those who agree with them.

Well Bill, that doesn't include everyone.

weatherluvr wrote:If you want to blame anyone, blame overzealous staffers, not necessarily the candidates.

I totally disagree on that point. Granted, he is not to blame, but he needs to accept responsibility for the actions of his employees. In essence, he condones the actions by not "taking action". What in the world can we expect from his staff should he become President?