by Scott Dreyer
According to the Catholic New Agency’s “Tracker: Pro-abortion attacks in the U.S. continue,” there have been over 90 attacks on crisis pregnancy centers, churches, and other pro-life targets since May 2022. That was when the draft opinion in the U.S. Supreme Court’s Mississippi Dobbs case was leaked to the public. To date, not one attacker or vandal involved in these hate crimes has been sent to jail for these acts.
The first attack after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the abortion issue to the states as had been the case until 1973 came on June 25, 2022, less than one day after the high court has issued its landmark decision. That first target was the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg.
A band of four hooded, masked vandals descended upon the pregnancy center at 3701 Old Forest Road under cover of darkness, broke ten windows, and spray-painted messages on sidewalks and walls. The graffiti included images of coat hangers, the words “Jane’s Revenge” and “vote blue,” as well as an open threat of violence: “If abortions ain’t safe, you ain’t safe (sic).”
On July 13, Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) stopped by the pregnancy center and had this to say about the raid:
“Anybody who thinks that it’s OK to vandalize a center that’s aimed at helping women [in] their most desperate needs are cowards by every definition.… They hide behind a mask and they think they’re making a political statement. They’re absolutely victimizing the very women they claim that they’re standing up for.”
To date, no one has been arrested in connection with the hate crime, and law enforcement is asking the community for help or leads to find the perpetrators.
In the wake of the attack and Attorney General Miyares’ visit, the news website The Daily Signal produced a video about the spate of attacks nationwide, with a focus on the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center and how the staff and community have come together to overcome the hate crime and continue their mission of helping women in unplanned pregnancies.
In an August 8 email to supporters, the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center unveiled the five-minute video. You can see it above.
Roanoke resident Scott Dreyer leads a team of educators teaching English and ESL to a global audience. This column has been republished with permission from The Roanoke Star.
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