I DETROIT
NCJW
Continued from preceding page
away from the clinic by anti-
choice demonstrators."
Mrs. Landis, who joined
MARAL 18 months ago, said
an important distinction
must be made when defining
the two sides of the abortion
issue.
"Our side is pro-choice; the
other side is anti-choice,"
Mrs. Landis said. "To call us
pro-abortion is a distortion.
We do not advocate abortion,
we advocate choice. We are
as 'pro-life' as the 'anti's'.
We support reproductive
freedom, which means that
an individual woman should
be able to make her own
choice."
According to Lynn Mills,
Michigan's Operation Res-
cue spokeswoman, there is
no such thing as pro-choice.
"If you support abortion as
a choice, you support it,"
said Mrs. Mills, active in
Operation Rescue for 10
years. "Abortion always
kills the baby."
At First Optometry SPEC•TIQUE, we feature the
finest designer eyewear names including GUCCI,
LAURA BIAGIOTTI, GIORGIO ARMANI,
BENETTON, LIZ CLAIBORNE and more at the
GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES! Come
in and see the latest designs and the hottest
colors! Examinations are available or bring
us your prescription and SAVE!
Mrs. Mills, a native of
Detroit with three children,
prays daily for Operation
Rescue to come to Detroit. In
the meantime, the local
chapter is planning its own
"rescue" Oct. 19 at an un-
disclosed location, she said.
"Our goal is always to save
the lives of the mother and
the baby," Mrs. Mills said.
"Twenty percent of all wo-
men stopped from having an
abortion, for whatever
reason, don't go back. When
women are given a grace
period of 24 hours, they most
often change their minds."
Mrs. Mills said Operation
Rescue workers, called
sidewalk counselors, talk to
patients and try to convince
them of other alternatives.
WEST BLOOMFIELD
626-9590 6667 Orchard Lake Road
SOUTHFIELD
647-9790 30800 Southfield Road
GET YOUR NEXT PAIR OF
NIBBLES & NUTS
We Wish Everyone
LShanah nova Tikatevu
Gift Baskets & Trays Our Specialty
33020 NORTHWESTERN • W BLOOMFIELD
mi. Outside Of Michigan
61111 4. 1 1.'800452 ,1133 LL _ _ Y 7
Special Candy & Sugarfree Available
16
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1991
- - - -
•
$36 99
plenty of
free parking
behind our store
737-8088
■
SANSABELT
slacks at a sensible price.
Why pay more when we
offer them at discount?
We even include FREE
tailoring. Discount prices
start at:
Local & Nationwide Delivery
sizes 32-60
JOHN R MEN'S WEAR
543-4646
hours daily 9:30-6:30
Fri. & Sat. 9:30-8, Sun. 11-5
9 mile & John R Take 1-75 to 9 Mile
"There are 23 crisis
prevention centers in
southeastern Michigan,"
Mrs. Mills said. "We let wo-
men know they have a
choice and an alternative to
abortion. We take the time
to find out what their needs
are, especially when they're
being dragged there by
men."
Carol King, executive di-
rector of MARAL, said the
"anti's" use any means to
get their point across, even
illegal methods. "If they so
much as touch an escort or
patient, drop to the ground
and start yelling whiplash,"
Mrs. King instructs vol-
unteers.
"If that's the worst thing I
do in my life, I'll be happy,"
Mrs. Mills said. "If a house
is burning down with a child
in it, and someone is walk-
ing by, that person has an
obligation to save the per-
son, even if it means
touching someone or
trespassing."
Mrs. King said it is
MARAL policy not to get
into any confrontations with
the other side.
"The program is not about
counter-demonstration,"
Mrs. King said. "We do not
carry signs and chant
slogans. We do wear hats,
but that's so we're easily
identifiable to the patients
who need our help. We are
there to provide a sane, ra-
tional voice."
Tracy O'Connor, the com-
munity education director at
Northland Family Planning
Clinic in Southfield, called
MARAL's patient escort
service invaluable.
"You don't know what it's
like to be on the inside of the
clinic, trying to give patient
care, with taunts and gibes
raining in from the outside,"
Mrs. O'Connor said. "I've
been called everything —
even a murderer.
"Unfortunately, it's all
legal unless Operation Res-
cue supporters picket on our
A recent NCJW
survey found nearly
two-thirds of new
members joined
because of NCJW's
pro-choice stand.
property and block access to
our doors. We were blockad-
ed last October and luckily,
the protesters were taken
away. But I'm still filled
with dread coming to work
in the morning "
Joan Bronk, national pres-
ident of NCJW, has publicly
commended Wichita's Judge
Patrick Kelly for ordering
the arrest of Operation Res-
cue picketers and has de-
nounced the Kansas Justice
Department for supporting
and politicizing the actions
of Operation Rescue.
"The Justice Department
contends that Operation
Rescue's act of blockading
access to a clinic is sanction-
ed under freedom of speech,"
said Mrs. Bronk in an offi-
cial statement. "However,
freedom of speech has never
been interpreted as denying
women access to proper
health care."
Ann Stern, president of the
NCJW section in Kansas
City, Kan., said a group of
NCJW members drove three
hours to Wichita in protest
of Operation Rescue.
"We are the only NCJW
section in Kansas," Mrs.
Stern said. "But we were out
there, with our signs,
`NCJW for Choice.' "
Other Jewish women's