Subject: M-FEM: Arsonist strikes abortion-rights events! (fwd)
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 17:30:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: "hoov" <hoov-AT-freenet.tlh.fl.us>


forwarded by Michael Hoover

Forwarded message:
> From: simcha-AT-igc.org (mds)
> 
> [The Rock Christian Outreach Church is the single most anti-gay church
> in
> New Mexico. Two years ago, they tried to get the Democrats to take
> anti-gay
> and anti-abortion platform positions. Last year they testified against
> equal civil rights and for the anti-marriage Constitition Amendment.]
> 
> Arsonist strikes abortion-rights event
> 
> The national president of Planned Parenthood was set to speak at an art
> gallery before someone tried to set it on fire
> 
> The New Mexican, Tuesday, April 14, 1998
> 
> By Daniel J. Chacon
> 
> An anti-abortion arsonist may have ignited a blaze inside the Cline
> LewAllen Contemporary gallery Monday, about an hour before the national
> president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America was scheduled to
> attend a reception there, police say.
> 
> "It's shameful, undemocratic - it's domestic terrorism," said Gloria
> Feldt,
> the organization's national president. "And they have every right to
> their
> beliefs. But they don't have a right to burn, or a right to harm another
> person. And they don't have a right to ignore basic civility that allows
> a
> free and democratic society to exist.
> 
> "We must respect each other's views," she added.
> 
> Firefighters and police responded to the blaze inside the gallery, 129
> W.
> Palace Ave., shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, but gallery employees had
> already extinguished the fire.
> 
> Fire Marshal Ted Bolleter said no one was injured and damage to the
> downtown gallery and exhibits was minimal. The fire burned art supplies
> and
> about 5 square feet of carpet in a room that's open to the public, he
> said.
> 
> "We discovered evidence of an ignitable liquid in the area of fire
> origin,"
> he said. And carpet samples with patterns of flammable liquid were
> collected and sent to an Albuquerque crime lab for investigation, he
> said.
> No one inside gallery reported anything suspicious to police.
> 
> About 80 people were expected at the gallery opening at 5 p.m. Monday,
> but
> the reception, which drew top Planned Parenthood officials, had to be
> redirected to a Santa Fe home.
> 
> Outside the crowded street on the Plaza, expressions of disappointment
> and
> looks of disgust were thicker than the smoke that poured from the
> gallery's
> glass door.
> 
> Actress Ali McGraw, a strong supporter of Planned Parenthood who was
> supposed to speak at the reception, said she was stunned someone would
> set
> fire to an art gallery.
> 
> "I'm a longtime supporter and I'm in complete shock that there's this
> level
> of violence against Planned Parenthood," she said. "I think it's a
> pretty
> inappropriately targeted piece of behavior. It seems quite astonishing."
> 
> Shortly after police arrived, eight people from The Rock Christian
> Outreach
> church in Espanola, protesting abortion rights and Planned Parenthood,
> turned the corner onto Palace Avenue.
> 
> As onlookers pointed in their direction, police quickly intervened,
> pushing
> protesters away from the gallery and demanding that others clear the
> street
> and stand behind the yellow-taped area engulfed by the stench of smoke.
> 
> Since anti-abortion activists have damaged abortion clinics or Planned
> Parenthood facilities elsewhere, police questioned the group.
> 
> The Rev. Mike Naranjo, who led the all-male group, stood on the corner
> of
> Palace and Washington avenues near a giant poster with the picture of a
> third-trimester aborted child. It was missing half of its skull.
> 
> "Am I nervous? No, because I'm innocent," he said after a police
> interview.
> "I don't believe in violence, but I'm not surprised (about the fire). I
> don't support (violence) but I feel like it's probably going to increase
> because people are fed up."
> 
> Police say they will continue their efforts to find the person
> responsible
> for the small blaze.
> 
> This is the second suspected arson in two days. On Sunday morning,
> someone
> burned the back of El Farol, a restaurant and bar on Canyon Road. No one
> has been arrested for that blaze either.
> 
> "It is being treated as an arson," Sgt. Jack Dietz said of the gallery
> fire. The FBI also was called to help investigate.
> 
> Dietz said the fact that there were protesters after the arson "may mean
> nothing," he said. "There may be no connection whatsoever. I will make
> no
> other speculation than that."
> 
> Felice Gonzalez, who organized the reception's move to her home, paced
> up
> and down the narrow sidewalk, answering questions from those who had
> planned to attend the gallery reception.
> 
> "When we can get the president of the federation here, it's a big deal,"
> Gonzalez said as firefighters walked into the still slightly smoky
> gallery.
> "It's very upsetting to me. I'm mad. It's shocking because you plan
> these
> things and you expect things to go as planned."
> 
> But protesters said they were there in peace and didn't know who was to
> blame for the fire.
> 
> "We came to do what free speech allowed us to do," Naranjo said. He
> added
> that his church is "networked with pro-life organizations" and he
> doesn't
> know if they're responsible.
> 
> Late Monday evening, the sound of laughter and chatting filled
> Gonzalez's
> home. Feldt said the fire was a top issue at the reception, but
> organization members said they must be united, especially now.
> 
> "We all have to stand together and say we don't want this in our
> community," said Feldt, who will be in Albuquerque tonight. "Santa Fe is
> a
> very tolerant community and has enormously strong support for Planned
> Parenthood. It's good not to be complacent. We do have to be vigilant.
> 
> "There is no morality without choice," she added. "I just hope that the
> public will express its outrage in a positive way. I hope people will
> not
> be intimidated."