July 27, 2001

Empty Stroller Day

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 28, 2001, People for Life will conduct an Empty Stroller Day picket of the Professional Building at 1611 Peach Street in Erie from 1:30 PM until 2:30 PM. Many of the picketers will be pushing empty strollers (and a few with passengers).

A portion of the Professional Building is owned by an out-of-state abortionist, Dr. Steven C. Brigham. Unless there is a change of plans, the building will one day harbor a first and second trimester abortion facility.

All across the United States, legal abortion has ensured many empty strollers and many empty arms. "We are having an empty stroller day," said Tim Broderick (president, People for Life), "because every fourth baby dies from Choice - a frightening commentary about life in the 21st Century! Millions of children are missing from our playgrounds, schools, and families because their young lives were ended by abortion. We intend to illustrate this sad reality on Saturday with a fitting symbol - the empty stroller."

Dr. Brigham's services will ensure many additional empty strollers, empty arms, and broken hearts throughout northwestern Pennsylvania and the entire tri-state region.

We would like the good people of our community to understand what so many mothers of aborted babies know already: Abortion is a tragedy not only for the baby, but for everyone involved.

Abortion is a violence against motherhood as well as childhood, as the empty strollers will certainly portray. We cannot and will not deny the gravity of abortion. And, similarly, we will not downplay or dismiss the pain that abortion brings to the aborted mother.

Only after admitting the evil of abortion and the problems-the sadness and regrets-often faced by aborted mothers, can we begin to reach out to empathize with the many women who deeply regret having resorted to abortion. "Sweeping the subject under the carpet will not help anyone," commented Broderick.

Thankfully, there are fewer real-life empty strollers in northwestern Pennsylvania than there would be if Dr. Brigham had opened his abortion business in January 2000, as originally announced. Cause for tremendous celebration!

People for Life, Inc. is an all-volunteer, non-profit, citizen's organization committed to affirming the intrinsic value of human life. People for Life is dedicated to advancing true justice by working for the protection of all innocent human lives, whatever the age, race, sex, physical condition, economic status, or place of residence (including the womb). People for Life encourages local involvement through education, political awareness, and the promotion of loving alternatives to the primitive and violent "solutions" of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. Together, we can create a society in which all human lives are held sacred.