City desecrates pro-life memorial crosses
Posted by Matt Yonke on Friday, November 2nd, 2007
Our fine public servants are at it again, showing their disrespect for the lives and memories of the unborn.
As you may recall from my article on October 29th, someone had uprooted the memorial crosses pro-lifers had placed in the ground along New York St. as a part of our huge "We're Here for Life" rally on October 27th. That time they at least had the courtesy to leave them laying on the ground so our faithful prayer warrior Bruce could stake them back in place later that day.
Yesterday police and city workers came by and removed the crosses again, this time taking them into police custody. After some inquiries, our purloined property was restored to us and the crosses are now safely stored, ready to be put back where they belong.
Why write about this again, you may ask? We seem to be in a constant struggle with police that goes "Take this down…move this over here…you can have a sign but you can only set it down for 6.5 seconds." What’s the significance of a few crosses moved here or there?
The significance is twofold. First, these crosses are a memorial for the dead, each one of them bearing a name given to a baby lost to abortion, representing a tiny fraction of those lost. And second, the actions of city officials in this case clearly violate the cities own standing ordinances on the subject of memorial signs.
These crosses represent the prayers and petitions of pro-lifers and their mourning for lost lives. Not only do common human decency and all religious traditions respect this kind of memorial, the City of Aurora itself has expressed this respect in legal form in an ordinance excepting memorials of this kind from the typical sign related ordinances:
CODE OF ORDINANCES City of Aurora, Illinois
Codified through Ord. No. 006-167,
Enacted Dec. 19, 2006 (Supplement No. 41)
Chapter 41 SIGNS
. . .Sec. 41-8. Exemptions.
A permit shall not be required for the signs covered by this section. However, the owner of the sign is still responsible for the erection and maintenance of the sign in accordance with the requirements of this article. Such signs shall be permitted in any location on any frontage, subject to any conditions specified herein:
(1) Model home signs.
(2) Street numbers up to eight (8) inches high.
(3) Nameplates, plaques, cornerstones and memorial signs.
(4) Private informational signs up to four (4) square feet in area.
(5) Government signs. However, such signs which project over the public right-of-way are considered projecting signs.
(6) Temporary real estate and construction signs of less than sixty (60) square feet.
(7) Window signs. However, total window signage shall not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of total window area on a facade.
(8) Political or personal expression signs in single-family and two-family dwelling districts.
a. Such signs shall be no more than six (6) square feet in area.
b. No such sign shall be permitted on the public parkway, in order to preserve traffic safety.
(9) Political or personal expression signs in other than single- and two-family dwelling districts. Such signs which are ground or projecting signs shall be set back a distance at least equal to the height of the sign.. . .
(Ord. No. O03-159, § 1, 12-9-03)
"Desecration" is exactly the word for what the city has done. The ordinance clearly states that memorials are an exception to the city’s sign ordinances.
Word on the street has it that one complaint was lodged by a disgruntled city employee and the City's legal department went right along with the complaint, ordering police to violate a city ordinance and desecrate a sacred site.
Not only is this desecration against the law, it's also unconstitutional. What we have here is a Heckler’s Veto, where police silence the speech of one group of people on the grounds that another group is made uncomfortable by it. This is absolutely unconstitutional and must not be allowed to continue.
So please continue to pray that the City of Aurora will begin to enforce its own laws. Prayer is the strongest weapon we have. Also, get involved with local politics. If justice is to be brought to bear on this situation, we must make our voices heard.
I'm beginning to be more and more ashamed to be a resident of this city. A city that silences free speech and tears down memorials because they don't fall in line with popular "group thought." I never realized how free speech has only come to apply to people who say what city officials of aurora want to hear. If your's is an opinion that isn't popular with the masses…we will silence you. That's the city of aurora's new motto. Well they're not going to silence me, that's for sure. I'll be at every rally we EVER have because we WILL be heard.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Matt,
Thanks for keeping us up to speed on this. It is unseemly for the city to do this. Maybe the Beacon will make it into a story?
Well, I guess not. They didn't bother to report on the first desecration of the crosses, so why start now. And they certainly COULD have reported it in an article about the desecration of memorial crosses at the corner of New York & Eola for some teens that were killed 10 years ago.
Why is the Beacon silent? Where has all the news reporting gone?
Oh, that's right, it's going online! With BLOGs like this and the Open Line Blog.
Well, they say that the printed news is outdated anyway. So why maybe thats why the Beacon is trying to lose readership.
God Bless,
Roger
November 2nd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
God Will ALSO never be denied!
HE can turn this violation of the Law and common morality into an advantage for his PLAN. Joseph's brother's sold him into slavery but through that act AND the faithfullness of Joseph God saved the people of Israel. All God needs is ONE faithful person to take the insult and keep working for Him and he can turn it into a triumph. However, he has MANY who will work tirelessly against these Evil Acts in Aurora (both the desecration of the Crosses and the killing of his young people). God WILL BE VICTORIOUS IN AURORA (and everywhere else).
May God Bless You and Keep Us FAITHFUL!!
Ian Wylie
November 3rd, 2007 at 6:50 am
Certain city officials don't want the crosses to bring more attention to the clinic. They are worried that more people come to realize what is actually going on and join the fight against PP. We are perfectly within our rights to put up memorials. I think we should line both sides of the street! We should just keep adding more at every rally. They are sadly mistaken if they think they can silence us and make us go away while they murder our next generation!
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 am
Here once again the most sacred symbol of our Christian faith desecrated, this time apparently at the behest of the city. The desecration of innocent human life is taking place at the same locale. This is where the culture of life as represented by our prayer presence and symbol of the cross meets the culture of death.
Where is the Beacon? What was once a decent paper has now become an organ of the entrenched powers that be in our city govenment.
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:07 am
How about taking a different approach since the crosses are constantly being taken down at Planned Parenthood?
Let's continue to try to put up the crosses at Planned Parenthood but in addition…
-Let's ask all our Aurora Church's if we can put crosses up in their lawn's facing the street in memory of those unborn innocent children being killed at Aurora Planned Parenthood.
-We can also put up crosses in our front yards also!
These are just a couple of suggestions that came to mind.
Mike
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:29 am
As far as the front yard crosses I think actually "one cross" in the yard would do and people will get the message.
Mike
November 3rd, 2007 at 9:31 am
I would also like to know where the Beacon is? Check out the article today about the hearing. No surprise at the bias shown?!? Maybe we should start writing to the Beacon?
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 am
I was at the abortion mill praying this morning. One womand actually dropped off a young girl (She didn't look any older than fourteen). And when sidewalk counselors offered help the older woman said "I'm just her ride" and left. So sad.
Also saw another woman go in with a person who appeared to be mother. When they came out a couple hours later the girl looked distraught. They just sat in the car outside while the girl had a meltdown. Another mother daughter relationship scarred forever by PP. How can these mothers do this to their children and grandchildren? So sad.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:43 pm
I've got three white crosses in my front yard. They are holding up a sign that says PP kills bsbies. I am leaving them there as a memorial to the babies I saw killed at PP today.
November 3rd, 2007 at 12:51 pm
All this talk of crosses put me in mind of one of my favorite pieces of liturgical music in the Byzantine Churches. I thought I'd share the words as a reminder that the Aurora bullies can take down all the crosses they want, but they're just pulling the ground out from under their feet. The cross and He who bore it will always be vindicated.
The Cross is the guardian of the whole earth;
the Cross is the beauty of the Church.
The Cross is the strength of kings;
the Cross is the support of the faithful.
The Cross is the glory of angels and the wounder of
demons.
Today the Cross is exalted and the world is sanctified. For Thou who art enthroned with the Father and the Holy Spirit hast spread Thine arms upon it, and drawn the world to knowledge of Thee, O Christ.
Make worthy of divine glory those that have put their trust in Thee.
Exapostilarion from Matins of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
In Pax Christi,
Matt
November 3rd, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Paul2,
I think it is beautiful that you put the crosses in your front yard. It is very hard to watch those young girls go in and come out empty and shattered. What also hurts is watching the guys drop them off and leave, so that the girls have to go throught it alone. Horrible. Like I've said before, Real men don't sacrafice their girlfriends/wives on the alter of choice and they don't help kill their unborn children.
Yet we know our prayers are heard for those children lost at PP and for their mothers. We will continue to stand as a witness and be in prayer for all of them.
November 3rd, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Paul2,
That makes me so sad that mothers would allow their daughters to be put through such a traumatic experience. I mean they obviously KNOW what pregnancy is all about and KNOW that is a life inside of their daughter. It just makes me so sad. On the day of the rally I saw a mother and daughter coming out as well…the daughter didn't look distraught so maybe she was getting birth control but still…parents are the one's who are supposed to be sending the right message. And yet they are harming their own children for the rest of their lives.
Elizabeth
November 3rd, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I would hope a mother could see that PP is not about birth control pills. Women can get those in a lot of places. PP is abortion and I can't understand why a mother would introduce her child to them. I didn't see anybody going in and out very quickly today. It seemed like it must have been all abortions.
November 3rd, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Paul2,
How truly,truly sad.
What an awful state our world is in these days.
I don't even know what else to say to that.
Elizabeth
November 3rd, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Paul2,
When are you out at PP. I so appreciate your posts and would like to meet you. I was out there on Friday and saw quite a few girls go in, and were in there for a long time. My heart breaks everytime I see it. They look so unhappy. I haven't yet seen a girl come out from there after having an abortion smiling. I've seen many crying, in pain, and broken. Just writing this makes my heart break.
I did however get a chance to speak to a girl who walked over to us on Friday. That was a blessing. Even, if I never have the opportunity again, I thank Jesus for that one time. It put a bright note on a rather sad day when so many babies were lost. Just because you abort, doesn't change the fact that you are a mother.
Remember Paul2, all God asks of us right now is to stand in the Gap, like Jesus has done for us. To be a witness even if silent. I will continue to pray for strength and peace for you.
Blessing to you today. I read Psalm 23 today and in the light of PP it gave me great comfort.
"This is the day the Lord hath made, let us be rejoice and be glad in it."
November 4th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I think we are seeing a society so numbed, so indifferent to the reality of the murder of defenseless children inside their mothers' wombs, that they cannot stand to look at anything that will remind them of this truth. We must "forgive them" "for they know not what they do." The antidote is more truth be it in crosses, pictures of slaughtered children, pictures of whole children, t-shirt messages, any way we can medicate them with reality in the most prayful and peaceful way. We have wonderful lawyers to defend us. They will do their part with our prayers to support them and we will do our part. We must do our part, no matter what because as much as God is counting on us to save these children and their mothers, he is counting on us to bring all these lost souls to the only true peace on earth which is union with God. Thanks to everyone who is keeping us updated. God bless us all.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Tara,
I try and make it down to pray at bthe abortuary the morning of the first Saturday in each month. Also I like to be there for the big "Were Here For Life" rallies every third Saturday. Other than that I go down to pray whenever the Spirit moves me. Thanks for your kind thoughts and words.
November 4th, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Wouldn't it be something if someone could figure out a way to project a cross image onto the front of the PP building? You've seen those Gobo images that people have for the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, etc that project fireworks or turkeys onto their garage doors?
Since their fortress is all brick in the front, we wouldn't be shining a light into their building and disturbing them in any way, we'd simply be using it as a giant screen.
Just a thought…
November 4th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
"The Cross is the glory of angels and the wounder of
demons "
———————–
Hmmmm…really makes you think of the mastermind behind all of this. The city officials are just the pawns.
I wonder how they'll react if we have those 200 crosses Blessed and then planted in the ground around PP.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Great idea Ramir.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:04 am
Behold the cross of the Lord.
Fly all hostile powers.
The lion of the tribe of Judah,
Root of David hath conquered.
Alleluia, Alleluia
November 6th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
Let's decorate that ugly fence!
November 7th, 2007 at 2:07 am
Just out of curiosity, did anyone ask the city to respond as to why they would remove the crosses that seemingly are protected by city code?
November 8th, 2007 at 8:25 am
FIRE the ALAYNE WEINGARTZ for complete incompetency.
IMPEACH Mayor Thomas Weisner for total disregard for the rule of law.
PRAY for their souls.
And send them to their synagogues and rabbis to atone for their sins.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:31 am
Somebody stole the "Planned Parenthood Kills Babies" sign from my front yard!!!!!!!!!!
November 11th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Paul2,
Did you report it?
November 11th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Tara,
No I did not report it. I plan on putting another two out there though and planting them more substantially.
And if they take those I am going to put four out there.
November 11th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Paul2,
It's been suggested that if they are stolen to report it to the police. This has been happening all over Aurora and surrounding areas.
November 11th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
News from the front… on Saturday, Nov. 10:
Aurora Police came by our sidewalk counselors and prayer supporters in mid-morning. We were told they we may not "yell and scream" at the people going into PP. The police also told us that we would be arrested if we said "Don't let them kill your baby."
When I told them we were not "yelling and screaming", they said it doesn't matter. I told them we have to raise our voices above normal conversation level to be heard, and they said that doesn't matter.
Just want to let everyone know what the "New Rules" are for those of us courageous enough to go to the killing site and try to offer assistance to abortion-bound girls and women.
Apparently it doesn't matter what the 1st Amendment to the Constitution states, or what the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled regarding the rights of pro-lifers in these exact same situations. The Aurora Police are ordering us to stop speaking. And just for the record, we weren't "yelling or screaming". And the police were not there to witness whatever we are being accused of.
AND… when I asked who are accusers were, the police flat out refused to tell us. That's the 6th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
I just want everyone to know what the Aurora Police are telling us and threatening us with, under orders from the chief of police, the corporation counsel Weingartz and the mayor Weisner.
We'll see them in court.
November 12th, 2007 at 12:11 am
Did anyone get the officer's name or badge number?
November 12th, 2007 at 12:24 am
Put out your signs and stake your crosses
Cause Planned Parenthood has moved into town.
Oh City of Lights Oh City of Murder
May God watch over your lives.
Theres a Rally coming up on Saturday
And theyv'e drawn the battle lines.
Spread the word to your friends and neighbors
Theres people standing up for Life
Help us to rid this town of this scourge
Raped girls getting processed every day
And nobody at Planned parenthood says a word
While the rapist gets away
Mothers there is a better way
These are God's children and not our own.
They want to rip your baby out one piece at a time
Once you enter into that House of Horrors
Just another day at the Abortoreum
Come join us while we march and pray
The Holy Spirit is bringing us together
It looks like we are Here for Life
November 12th, 2007 at 2:12 am
Call those crosses anything you'd like, but they do not fit the definition of a memorial quoted in the above city ordinance. It's embarrassing to see laws flouted, twisted, and ignored in the name of Christianity.
CODE OF ORDINANCES City of Aurora, Illinois
Codified through Ord. No. 006-167,
Enacted Dec. 19, 2006 (Supplement No. 41)
Chapter 41 SIGNS
. . .
Sec. 41-2. Definitions.
…
Sign, memorial or building identification: A wall sign naming the building upon which it is carved or inlaid in such a way that it is an architectural feature.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Mark…..I see crosses(exactly the same) across the highways and byways of our whole USA, as a reminder of some precious family member who died there, due in most part to neglect or maybe carelessness. I'm thankful of the reminder because life is so short and precious. I'm not saying this is legal, but if we really want to get into any legal arguements, there are far too many violations from our politicans than from our citizens. Be careful who we throw stones at.
I believe those people who are disturbed by those crosses are the very people who realize the sin they are guilty of.
I may not be politically corrected, however, I do not stand alone.
November 13th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
To Mark (# 33):
Are you an attorney?
If not, then your opinion is simply your opinion.
These questions will be decided in a court of law.
And in fact, our free speech rights are going to be the subject of a Federal Law Suit against the City of Aurora in U.S. District Court in the near future:
"The Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood et al v. City of Aurora, Illinois"
Case Number: 1:2007cv04803
Filed: August 24, 2007
Stay tuned.
November 13th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Mark—If you're right, then there are illegal memorial crosses all over marking places where people have been killed in car accidents. If the City tolerates those, they have to tolerate ours, too.
November 13th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
The city will remove memorial crosses from properties if you call them. My uncle had them removed a few times from in front of his property on near Jerhico Rd.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
I meant to type near Jerhico Rd., not "on near."
Sorry!
November 13th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Samantha,
Does your uncle live near a dangerous curve in the road or something? Why were the memorial crosses placed in front of his property in the first at all?
November 14th, 2007 at 12:25 am
It's an unlit stretch of road with some curves, yes. It doesn't seem particularly dangerous during the day, but most accidents around there are single car, drunk driving accidents at night.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:17 am
In our case, I do not believe that the property owner made the complaint; which makes this different than your uncle's situation.
November 14th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Samantha,
Out of respect for the dead and compassion for the people who placed those crosses, I imagine your uncle left those signs out in front of his house for some amount of time. I guess we will always have a logistical problem with the crosses around PP because of the sheer numbers being killed and the fact that different children are being killed on such a consistent basis.
Paul2
November 19th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
as a city worker, the city does not allow anything in the right-of-way. i do believe in pro-life and gods teachings, but i will remove any and all obstructions in the city right-of-way. granted the city does decide sometimes to leave things alone, as to avoid problems. i do not agree.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
mule,
You say you believe in God and pro-life. The dark side has a way of twisting perception and promoting confrontation even among the people who would never support them. That kiling center should never have been built in a residential area and they lied to get it built. May God bless you with you with clarity of judgement especially throughout this season where we are celebrating and honoring our Infant Saviour.
Paul2
November 25th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Mule, If the city does not allow small memorial crosses on the parkway on major streets (like New York), then that should be clearly stated in the ordinance and enforced equally. Maybe you and your boss need to carefully read that ordinance again.
November 29th, 2007 at 3:47 am
[...] memorial cross in memory of an unborn baby lost to the horror of abortion. You may also recall from this article and this article that twice the police had desecrated this perfectly legal memorial, first [...]
December 17th, 2007 at 2:21 pm