Operation Outcry: A Voice of the Victims

Jan 24, 2003 11:25 AM EST

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court said, "We need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins ... the judiciary, at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer," legalizing abortion in the United States. Now, 30 years later, the silenced voices of those harmed by abortion rises up to overturn the infamous ruling.

The Texas Justice Foundation, a non-profit public interest law firm in cooperation with the National Foundation for Life Litigation Project and the Protectors of Women's Rights Movement are leading Operation Outcry. One of the initiatives of Operation outcry, "Silent No More" combines testimonies of women with legal action to reverse the rulings. The Texas Justice Foundation represents Norma McCorvey (former "Roe" of Roe v. Wade) and Sandra Cano (former "Doe" of Doe v. Bolton, the companion case to Roe), both of whom realized the truth behind the "lies of the pro-abortion movement."

The founder of TJF, Allan E. Parker Jr., described his efforts in an interview with Richard Land on the "For Faith and Family" radio broadcast. Land is the weekday program's host and president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

Land: Tell us about the Texas Justice Foundation.

Parker: We're a nonprofit, public interest litigation foundation that represents people in important landmark cases at no charge. Right now we are representing Norma McCorvey, who was Roe of Roe v. Wade, and Sandra Cano, who was Doe of Doe v. Bolton. These cases together brought legalized abortion on demand to the United States. The amazing thing is that these ladies want to go back to the Supreme Court to overturn those cases. This is, as far as I know, the first time in American history that two people who won landmark cases want to try to see them overturned.

Land: What is Operation Outcry?

Parker: The goal of Operation Outcry is two-fold. The first is to reach out to post-abortive women in the name of Jesus Christ to bring salvation and healing. The second is to gather affidavits, sworn testimony that can be used in a trial, to tell the court that Roe v. Wade was a bad decision.

There are two great lies about abortion: it's not a baby being killed and it's good for women. The goal of Operation Outcry, legally, is to destroy those lies with the testimony of women who have been injured -- physically and emotionally -- by abortion.

Land: How is Operation Outcry different from all of the other pro-life efforts?

Parker: The collection of affidavits makes us different. Our affidavit asks if they were informed about the consequences of abortion and/or pressured into the abortion, and inquires about its long-term impact on their lives. Our goal is to present thousands, if not tens of thousands, of affidavits from post-abortive women to the court as evidence that abortion is not good for women.

These women have a story that must be told. Some of them have been silent about their abortions for 20 or 30 years, not even telling their husbands. They've lived with the shame and humiliation. We are discovering they are willing to come forward and say, "Roe v. Wade was poorly decided. I was led to do something that was wrong. I was injured severely by this decision. Now is the time to put a stop to it."

Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano have a unique role because they were the original plaintiffs. They can go back in under federal rules and present this evidence to the court, forcing the court to at least consider the sworn affidavits.

Because Norma [who is now a Christian] was a party in Roe v. Wade, she can file a motion to reopen the case. The ultimate goal is to file these affidavits in the original district court in Dallas that decided Roe v. Wade. There will be different judges today, but the same courthouse. We encourage ladies who have had an abortion to contact us. Norma McCorvey needs you. The unborn need you. The Lord desires you to speak the truth and be silent no more about your abortion.

Land: I imagine you're hearing heartbreaking stories from the women who contact you.

Parker: Yes, we are. Women who have aborted a child are forever changed. We have heard from many women who were pressured or even forced to have an abortion. One young woman didn't want to abort her child, but her parents insisted and took her to an abortionist. When she told the man she thought abortion was murder, he refused to do the abortion. Her father took her home and hit her in the stomach, hoping to force a miscarriage. When that didn't work, they took her to another abortionist who didn't ask any questions. The child was removed from her own body against her consent.

Land: When will you move to have the Roe v. Wade case overturned?

Parker: The case will go to court as soon as we have enough evidence to take it back. That's why it's so important for women who have had an abortion to call or go to our website and download an affidavit. There also is a Friend of the Court form for anyone who is in support of overturning Roe v. Wade. These completed forms will be presented as evidence to the court to show that what the court thought was a good thing in 1973 is in fact a very bad thing for women.

By Pauline C.