THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 1, 1995 TAG: 9501010107
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBRA GORDON AND MATTHEW BOWERS, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
``Oh, God,'' thought Carolyn J. Venable. ``Not this. Not here.''
The 23 shots fired Saturday at the Hillcrest Clinic, South Hampton Roads' only abortion facility, will only hurt the peaceful work she and others do to end abortions, said Venable, a Virginia Beach resident active in the Virginia Society for Human Life.
``My first reaction when I heard it was distress,'' she said. ``It pains me. . . . I feel like a lot of people have the wrong definition of a pro-lifer. They've zeroed in on these fringe people.''
But those on the other side of the issue are angry and frightened at the continuing escalation of what some call terrorism against a lawful medical procedure.
Volunteers from the local chapter of the National Organization for Women have been keeping Hillcrest under surveillance since the summer, looking for suspicious activity in the wake of fatal shootings in Florida in July. Two women were killed Friday at separate clinics outside Boston; John C. Salvi III, the suspect in Saturday's shooting here, is a suspect in those slayings.
``It's a real cause for concern that the person who is under so much national attention shows up here,'' said Connie Hannah, vice president of the Hampton Roads chapter of NOW. ``But we're committed to making sure our clinic remains secure. . . . We are going to do whatever it takes. This is a mandatory procedure for a lot of women for a lot of reasons, and we're committed to making sure we keep that right.''
Tania Blagrove, executive director of the Virginia affiliate of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League in Falls Church, called for a moratorium on terrorist tactics.
``It's appalling,'' she said. ``It's shocking and saddening, and we would hope that all people who are part of the anti-choice movement would take responsibility for the fact that their rhetoric and actions inflame this kind of action.''
But several regular protesters say the recent violence is justified. One reason, they say, is a new federal law aimed at abortion protesters - the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, or FACE.
``It's just natural that this has evolved into a war,'' said William Powell of Virginia Beach, who regularly pickets at the clinic. ``And I think what he did was justified. . . . A lot of people in the rescue movement are predicting violence due to FACE stopping peaceful forms of protest. When that happens, a lot of people feel that when peaceful means are stopped, then other forms take place.''
Powell, his wife and two daughters had packed up their picket signs just 10 minutes before the gunman arrived Saturday.
Powell said he and his family showed up despite what he called a telephoned threat that morning to their organization's director. The caller warned that five anti-abortion activists would be killed.
Those who use the clinics say that no violence is justified, especially since not everyone who enters a clinic is seeking an abortion.
``I'm appalled at it,'' said Lindsay Lavin, a 38-year-old Portsmouth mother of five who had an abortion in Florida almost 20 years ago. She also has gone to abortion clinics to obtain birth control pills and to have a pregnancy confirmed.
Although she regrets her abortion, she abhors the violence of the anti-abortion ``fanatics.''
``I think it's a terrible problem that we have these fanatics running around,'' Lavin said. ``It's shameful and ridiculous. They want us to fight this out in the streets in this country, and it's not going to happen. You can't tell people what to do with their bodies.''
Another woman who has had an abortion sees things differently. Jennifer Patterson of Norfolk, a regular Saturday sidewalk protester, left about two hours before the shooting. But after hearing of it, she tried unsuccessfully to contact Salvi in jail, to offer him support. She and others got on the phones to organize a prayer vigil today at 3 p.m. at the Norfolk City Jail.
``I agree with what he did,'' said the 22-year-old mother of three, who said her mother coerced her into getting an abortion at 16. ``Because I agree that what he did was justified.
``If it happened to somebody who worked in the clinic, I wouldn't feel bad. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't feel bad. Because they kill babies in that clinic every day.''
But clinic workers have nothing to fear from her, she said.
``I wouldn't have the guts,'' she said. ``And I couldn't afford the time in jail because I have children.
``I believe it's going to put the doctors more on the defensive, as it should be. I feel, personally, they shouldn't have a moment's peace, as long as they do what they do. I feel they should be scared all the time.''
But not all her fellow protesters agree that violence is the way.
``I'm glad they caught the guy,'' said Richard J. Ganas of Norfolk. He was among the last protesters to leave Hillcrest, about 25 minutes before the shooting.
``I totally don't believe in the shootings at all. I believe all life is sacred. . . .
``I don't believe in abortion. But I believe the ones shooting people with guns are just as bad as the doctors performing the abortions.''
KEYWORDS: ABORTION CLINICS ANTI-ABORTION SHOOTING ARREST by CNB