CATALYST
June, 2001
NYS SENATOR SCHNEIDERMAN LIBELS PRO-LIFERS
In a libelous statement made against those involved in
the pro-life movement, New York State Senator Eric T. Schneiderman sent a
letter to his supporters linking Father Frank Pavone, national director of
Priests for Life, with those involved in criminal attacks against
abortionists.
Schneiderman called on his friends at NARAL, Planned
Parenthood and NOW to join him in a demonstration on April 25. It was on that
evening that Father Pavone was honored at a National Right to Life dinner at New
York's Waldorf Astoria. Confronting Schneiderman at the rally was Msgr. Michael
Wrenn, pastor at St. John the Evangelist in New York.
In a letter of April 11, Schneiderman called attention to the
recent capture of James Kopp, the person accused of killing Dr. Barnett Slepian.
He mentioned how a recent court decision found it legal for a radical pro-life
group, the Nuremberg Files, to post information about abortionists on its
website. He then linked Father Pavone and the "enemies of choice" at the
National Right to Life Committee to these extremists. He said that Father Pavone
"openly advocates criminal activity to harass abortion providers," without ever
providing evidence for this remarkable accusation.
William Donohue ripped Schneiderman in a news release. He
began by acknowledging that there are "irresponsible people in the pro-life
movement, some of whom are downright crazy." However, Donohue said, "most of
them are good, decent people who simply want to end the killing." "On the other
side," he pointed out, "we have groups like NARAL, an organization that is on
record saying that in instances when a child is born alive after an attempted
abortion - and is fully separated from his mother - he should be allowed to
die."
Donohue continued saying, "If the letter written by New York
State Senator Eric Schneiderman had been written by someone from NARAL, it would
be considered par for the course. But when a sitting public official writes such
an incendiary letter, it is outrageous. "
The rally had no effect on the evening's events. Father
Pavone thanked the league for defending him, something we will never hesitate to
do.
Click here for
Senator's letter to the Staten Island Advance and Fr. Frank's response.
