Our friend, pro-life colleague and fellow Chestertonian, Dick Peters, reminded me about the Massachusetts case coming up next week which could severely hamper sidewalk counseling efforts throughout America. He also sent along a prayer request about the case from Michael DePrimo himself.Though the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy dissolved last May, Michael DePrimo, its Senior Litigation Counsel, has continued to represent pro-life activists in this extremely important free speech case scheduled for Boston on Wednesday, May 28.
Here's a Boston Globe story on the case from earlier this year and below are a few comments recently sent out by Mr. DePrimo himself.
In November, 2007, Massachusetts enacted a statute that creates a 35-fixed buffer zone around abortion clinics. This buffer prevents pro-lifers from distributing literature and counseling women near the entrance to clinics. In January, I filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law. If the law is upheld, sidewalk counseling will be effectively eliminated. In all likelihood, other state and local government will pass similar legislation and pro-life speech will be seriously harmed.
The Massachusetts federal courts are hostile to pro-life advocates. Although case precedent is on our side, I know from personal experience that judges often susbstitute their own political agenda in place of existing law. Please ask God to move the hearts of the judge and his clerks to do justice by declaring the statute unconstitutional. Ask God to give me wisdom as I prepare the case. Finally, ask God to place his angels all around the courthouse. I expect this case will generate lots of spiritual warfare!
God bless you!
Michael
