New York: Pro-Life Poster Taken Down


Thursday evening, a large poster mounted by pro-life organization Life Always, was removed from a billboard in SoHo Manhatten, New York due to complaints. The poster had the words “the most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb” written above a photograph of a young African American girl. The poster, half a mile from one of New York City’s three Planned Parenthood abortion clinics, also had Life Always’ website thatsabortion.com posted on it.
The city council acted quickly on the poster: it had only been up for two days before removal. The Wall Street Journal reported that African-American Brooklyn Council Member Leticia James, said the poster was an “affront” to all women. “It borders on racist, but all good people of conscience should be offended,” said James.

Tricia Fraser, mother of the girl model told NY Daily News that she was unaware that her daughter’s photograph would be used to portray this message, although she knew it would be used for advertising, and she was devastated to see the poster. “I’m happy that it’s [being taken down], but at the same time I’m concerned that they can use that image again.”

Life Always says in a released statement that it “strongly disagrees with Lamar Outdoor's decision to remove the billboard in Soho, but the billboard's message holds true, and truth has a place in the public square.”

Life Always also points out that in 2009, 59.82 percent of black pregnancies in New York City ended in abortion, and that twice as many African-Americans die as victims of abortion in the United States than from AIDS, cancer, violent crimes, heart disease, and accidents combined. “During Black History Month, we celebrate our history, but our future is in jeopardy as a genocidal plot is carried out through abortion,” said African-American Life Always Board Member Pastor Stephen Broden.

This censorship, coming just months after the arrest of five pro-life students at Carleton University for their GAP (Genocide Awareness Project) display, is a reminder of the stakes the pro-life cause have been raised to in North America. The pro-life movement needs to continue to break the silence and use our freedom of speech to get our message out. So much of the pro-life movement depends on educating people on life issues. If we do not continue to advocate for freedom of speech and raise our voices to defend the unborn, we will be silenced.

For more on the poster, read Rebecca Millette’s article at http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-life-ad-yanked-from-soho-ny-site-after-complaints

- Catherine Helferty