The FACE Act

Carla Coon is right on target about Clinic-Access Laws enacted to suppress the freedom of speech and assembly rights of pro-life demonstrators (“Clinic-Access Laws Go Too Far,” Register, June 27–July 3). The precedent for this is from pre-Civil War days when slave states enacted laws allowing mail to be opened and anti-slavery papers and other publications to be interdicted in order to protect the “peculiar institution” of that era.

There's an important feature in the federal FACE Act, however, that should also be mentioned. Senator Orrin Hatch amended FACE so that the same protections it provides to abortion clinics extend to houses of worship. Today any person intimidated by protesters near a church need not wait for the Justice Department to prosecute; he or she may bring a civil suit just as pro-abortionists have done to pro-life groups.

Think of the ACT-UP protesters who interrupted Mass and desecrated the Eucharist at St. Patrick's a few years ago. Or the decapitated statues in church Gardens of the Innocents.

And if FACE can be enforced to close down anti-abortion Web sites, it can also shut down anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish, or other anti-religious hate sites that abound on the Web. Where is the courageous pro-life organization preparing to seek out these Web sites, follow up on church disruptions and desecrations, and demand harsh punishment under the FACE Act?

“I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves,” Jesus advises, “so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” Certainly pro-lifers should oppose new Clinic-Access laws. But nothing will chill pro-abortionist ardor for these repressive measures like a few lawsuits using FACE against anti-religious bigots.

Dennis Teti Alexandria, Virginia

Gun Control

I agree with the conclusion of Father Schall's recent column (“Guns Are Wrong Target After Littleton,” Register, June 6-12) that if we were a virtuous people we wouldn't need to be concerned about gun control. How about a piece on how to instill virtues in children (and adults) and how to try to remain virtuous?

Please ask Father Schall to give more discernment to his parables, however. If my 15-year-old grandson were to get information about planned violence at his high school I hope he'd have the common sense to tell his parents so they could inform authorities. In his story about gun-toting Zeke, Father Schall seemed to be advocating that teens take the law into their own hands!

Dot Boyle Bristol, Connecticut