Report and Call to Action from Reproductive Freedom Summer in Jackson, Miss.

In the past 20 years, the religious right has declared war on reproductive freedom and women’s rights. The latest battle in this war is taking place this week in Jackson Mississippi, where the right-wing group Operation Save America (OSA) is waging a campaign to shut down the last abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi. Report and Call to Action from Reproductive Freedom Summer in Jackson, Miss.

by Road, Central Texas Anti-Racist Action

In the past 20 years, the religious right has declared war on reproductive freedom and women’s rights. The latest battle in this war is taking place this week in Jackson Mississippi, where the right-wing group Operation Save America (OSA) is waging a campaign to shut down the last abortion clinic in the state of Mississippi.

The battle started the morning of Saturday, July 15 with about 40 members and allies of OSA picketing in front of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization clinic, but at the same time, women’s rights groups were planning their opposition. The National Organization of Women (NOW) held a rally in a public park in downtown Jackson at noon, with Radical Women, World Can’t Wait, Anti-Racist Action (ARA), and Common Ground activists participating.

The rally began with music and speakers from the various groups while OSA activists began to wander in with their 3’x5’ foot signs of aborted fetuses. Activists affiliated with ARA moved to confront and halt the advancement of OSA, despite the urges of NOW organizers to ignore OSA and not turn attention from the rally. NOW had been assured by the police that they would be providing security. However, the police soon made it clear that they would not restrict the movement of OSA in a public park, and OSA made it clear that their intentions were to proceed to the stage and end the rally. On ARA and an increasing number of NOW and Radical Women activists kept the OSA activists at bay and the NOW rally going.

By 1:00pm, it was no longer and issue of keeping OSA off the stage or out of the crowd, because the police began pushing everybody out of the park because of a bomb threat that had been received. Police pushed about 200 women’s rights activists across the street to a narrow sidewalk against a wall, but stopped before they had pushed the OSA activists out of the park. The police had effectively turned the park used by NOW and allied groups over to OSA.

Furious at the police betrayal, (or for others, un-amused by typical police behavior), the people from the NOW rally defiantly crossed the street back to park, despite police orders, to confront OSA by covering their signs with pink and black banners and shouting down their mindless preaching with every insult imaginable. The afternoon was filled with the dark underbelly of the radical right and their police protection. Women’s rights activists would be hit with signs by OSA and then threatened with arrest by the police for “pushing”. A young man with a t-shirt proclaiming, “Homosexuality is a sin. Islam is a lie. Abortion is Murder,” blamed queers for everything from murder and crime to the dissolution of families and told one young man, “If you are a homosexual, somebody should put a gun to your head and blow it off.” Police denied women’s rights activists access to their buckets of water bottles, which were still in the evacuated part of the park, but could be seen drinking it themselves.

Around 2:45 pm, police completely pushed every one out of the park after which it is reported they detonated the suspected bomb. In a way, the victory went to OSA for successfully disrupting and ending the NOW rally, but there was a victory for the reproductive freedom movement. NOW organizers lost faith in the words of the police, after they made it abundantly clear whose side they were on. Also, many people realized the utility and empowerment of more confrontational and militant tactics in dealing with Christo-fascists. Both of these led to more collaboration and solidarity between the variety of groups fighting for reproductive freedom in Jackson.

The action picked up again the next morning. OSA was planning to protest at the church during their Sunday services, and the church requested the presence of ARA, NOW, and the other groups in countering the OSA and defending the church. About an hour before the service, OSA began arriving across the street from the church, with the women’s rights groups at the church waiting. An automobile barricade had been formed around the parking lot, leaving only the entrance and exit open. OSA members had to move their cars from the parking lots across the street at the demand of the police because they were on private property.

Soon, one OSA member attempted to drive in to the church parking lot. Militant women’s rights activists positioned themselves in front of the car, stopping it only feet into the parking lot, but them the OSA man kept moving forward into the activists. People climbed on top of the hood, windows were shattered, and panels smashed in. The man, who was scared to death, and his broken car were escorted out of the parking lot by police, under threat of arrest if he didn’t leave. Later, another OSA man was threatened with arrest when he tried to walk onto church property and was physically blocked by militant women’s rights activists. The police sympathy was a pleasant surprise compared to the previous day’s clear police antagonism, which is expected to return as the week wears on.

The rest of the morning, OSA was held to the other side of the street and their preaching on the sound system was drowned out by shouting and noisemakers.

The weekend’s events have been both stressful and exciting, but have generally succeeding in frustrating OSA’s efforts and demonstrating our “no compromise” stance towards defending reproductive freedom and women’s rights. We are asking all concerned people to come to Jackson and stand with us in solidarity for women’s rights. Events are continuing all week and even into August, because as OSA leaves, Oh Saratoga is arriving to continue their war against women’s lives and freedom.

For more information, email Asheville ARA at ashevilleara@hotmail.com or call 828-335-7329