-Thomas girls in the news again, Waco Tribune

This article from the Waco Tribune over the city protecting Planned Parenthood from the gospel of Christ takes note of the Thomas girls' faithfulness in storming the gates with other Christians. The battle for God-given rights rages in Waco and these young arrows are taking their position with the Waco Church on the streets as the saints stand firm.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2004/08/28/1093672728.18121.9008.8014.html

8/28/04

Anti-abortion protest shifts to city court

By TERRI JO RYAN Tribune-Herald staff writer

Every Wednesday for nearly a decade, 15-year-old Cassia Thomas and her 12-year-old sister Charity have joined their parents and others demonstrating in front of Planned Parenthood's Audre Rapoport Women's Health Center.

But at high noon Friday, the home-schooled duo, self-described foot soldiers in the battle against abortion, took their protest to city court.

Part of the 10-child brood of the Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas of Elijah Ministries, the girls upheld the family tradition of Christian dissent along West Waco Drive in front of the city's municipal court building. They joined several others, helping hold aloft banners proclaiming: "What kind of city would allow this?"

"This" referred to yet another banner showing a dismembered fetus known as "Malachi" in anti-abortion circles. Graphic images of broken, bloody body parts are used by some abortion foes, such as the Thomases, to shock the senses and make their point.

"This courthouse made some wrong decisions," red-haired, freckle-faced Charity said.

Flaxen-haired Cassia added: "We can't protect the babies that are being aborted unless we can protest."

Friday's modest-sized protest was prompted by a verdict Wednesday night when visiting Judge Rod Goble of Woodway upheld the constitutionality of a Waco ordinance prohibiting "street activity and parades" — including demonstrations — during posted school zone hours.

City officials say the ordinance seeks to reduce traffic hazards near the Planned Parenthood clinic, especially considering its proximity to children attending Waco Montessori School. Anti-abortion activists see it as an effort to muzzle free speech, religious liberty and the right to peaceably assemble.

The Rev. Ronnie Holmes, pastor of Church of the Open Door in Bellmead, stood outside the municipal court building Friday afternoon, distributing anti-abortion literature, including a flier by Thomas decrying the city's actions.

"It's becoming more and more clear that the city is not willing to do anything except through court proceedings," Holmes said.

He accused the city of "bending over backwards" to accommodate Planned Parenthood of Central Texas. He expressed concern other cities with Planned Parenthood operations will take heart and adopt Waco 's ordinance to curb anti-abortion demonstrators.

The pastor said this week's court battle is part of God's plan to "ratchet up the pressure on the city and expose its unholy alliance with Planned Parenthood in the curtailment of liberty in our city."

Police maintain their actions — ticketing protesters, though not arresting them — are merely dictated by city leaders.

"As far as we are concerned, we enforce the law — in this particular case, us under the guidance of the city's legal department," Waco Police Chief Alberto Melis said. "Any changes in enforcement would come from there."

The chief acknowledged the legal complications arising from the city's policy.

"If the law was easy to interpret, we wouldn't have any need for attorneys," Melis said. "But the law is not easy to interpret, so it's going to have to go through attorneys."

City Attorney Art Pertile did not return a call from the Tribune-Herald about the protesters' latest gathering.

The anti-abortion demonstrators make it a practice to offer "sidewalk counseling" as area women head into the clinic early Wednesday mornings, the only day the Planned Parenthood facility on Columbus Avenue offers abortions.

Activists sing hymns, pray, preach the Gospel and often hand out written materials to dissuade women from going through with the procedure.

Holmes predicted crowds will be much larger at the Planned Parenthood clinic next Wednesday, their numbers swollen by those eager to contest the ordinance and bolster a federal case filed in June by the American Family Association's senior litigation counsel, Michael Deprimo, and his colleague, Stephen Crampton.

The two men, who represented the demonstrators in municipal court this week, said late Friday they will also file an appeal for a new trial by the end of next week to McLennan County Court.

Wednesday's judgment, though disappointing to their clients, actually reinforces the federal case filed simultaneously with the local city ordinance challenge, Deprimo said. Police officers' testimony shows both unconstitutional vagueness and inconsistent enforcement of the law, Deprimo said.*** ??? Terri Jo Ryan can be reached at tjryan@wacotrib.com or 757-5746.