Abortion foe eyes ‘new generation’

Randall Terry, one of the best-known abortion opponents in the U.S., launched a new version of Operation Rescue this weekend, calling on activists from across the country to press on despite bad publicity over the May 31 slaying of abortion doctor George Tiller.

Forty-five people from 16 cities met at the Crystal City Doubletree hotel Saturday for a hastily arranged “emergency pro-life training conference” to recruit more foot soldiers in the battle against abortion.

“The freeing moment will come when you decide to take a bullet for this movement,” Mr. Terry said in a small ballroom watched over by one security guard. “Then you can’t be bullied and intimidated into silence anymore.”

Mr. Terry has renamed his movement Operation Rescue Insurrecta Nex - the latter two words meaning ‘insurrection against death’ in Latin - and is trolling for new affiliates.

“My mission is to raise up a new generation,” he said, “to recruit them, train them and unleash them.”

He brushes off criticism that activists like him created a climate that goaded the suspect in Dr. Tiller’s slaying into action.

“You can’t work with me if you can’t say abortion is murder and child-killers are murderers,” he said. “You’ve got to be prepared to take the heat over those words. The true terrorists are those who reach into a woman’s womb and kill her child.”

His opponents “refuse to admit that abortion is the cauldron from which evil flows,” he added. “George Tiller reaped what he sowed. He was a murderer.”

Energized Friday night with speeches by pro-life activists Alan Keyes and Norma McCorvey, conferees watched a four-part film series Saturday on pro-life activism.

Abby Glackin, a member of Mother Seton Catholic Church in Germantown, stashed away four “student guide” training manuals to pass around to church members.

“I’ve talked a lot about wanting abortion to end,” she said. “I just haven’t done anything about it.”

Ed Faddoul and David Mitchell drove 23 hours from Iowa to attend.

“We’re committed to ending abortions in this country,” Mr. Mitchell said. “We want to accelerate the process.”

Ann Nicolosi-Foose, who said she endured heavy traffic to drive from Phillipsburg, N.J., shrugged off the inconvenience.

“We should go to the ends of the Earth to speak up for the unborn,” she said.

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