New Jersey Pro-Life Sign Across From Church Victim of Pro-Abortion Vandalism

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 16, 2008   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

New Jersey Pro-Life Sign Across From Church Victim of Pro-Abortion Vandalism

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 16
, 2008

Milltown, NJ (LifeNews.com) — A pro-life sign sitting in a lot across from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in this central New Jersey town has been victimized by pro-abortion vandals. The sign read "Abortion Stops a Beating Heart" but vandals covered the words and image with red and blue spray paint.

They also spray-painted the message "free choice" in the lone part of the billboard that has available white space.

The two-sided sign that stands about seven-feet tall was vandalized at some point last week and Deacon Robert Gerling, who runs the Our Lady of Lourdes pro-life group talked with the Courier News about the incident.

"It’s not a surprise," he said. "The pro-life community is not terribly respected in the broader (national) community, if you will."

"The issue of course does touch nerves," he added. "Obviously it’s a constantly debated question."

Gerling said the current sign was put in place after vandals defaced a hand-painted sign in the same spot years ago. The current sign has been up without incident until last week.

A man working outside the church first noticed the vandalism and reported it to police on Saturday morning. Officials are treating it as a case of criminal mischief.

The back side of the sign has the words "Choose Life" and they were also covered in paint and a new message sprayed on it saying "women’s choice."

"It’s generally a quiet, prayerful voice and we stand up for what we believe in," Gerling said of his pro-life group’s work. "That is certainly our first amendment right."

He told the newspaper the sign will eventually be replaced.

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