To: The Gateway
Re: Omaha Police escort protesters off campus
I am writing on behalf of Missionaries to the Pre-born regarding our expulsion from campus April 9,2003. I personally have preached this message unhindered on hundreds of college campuses, and other public forums without prior approval. The police, faculty, and students seem either ignorant or indifferent on where the right to speech comes from. Our founding fathers recognized that Rights come from God.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, That among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” The unanimous Declaration of Independence of the thirteen united States of America In Congress July 4, 1776
Our group has fought much to retain the Right of Speech. We have won many lawsuits with campuses and cities to re-establish this Right. Not a few textbook cases bear our names: Frisby vs. Shultz (487 US 474); State of Illinois vs. Holman (No. 2-92-0574); State of Wisconsin vs. Braun (152 Wis, 2d 500) just to mention a few.
I do not have to give campus authorities prior notice, nor do I need a campus permit or approval for my speech. I do not have to carry state approved identification papers with me. It was sufficient that we identified ourselves. Our purpose on campus were clear. We were doing nothing illegal. It was campus authorities who acted illegally by forcibly denying us our right to speak.
The fact that no one on campus could enter into an intelligent discussion, or offer a reasonable response regarding the humanity and worth of the pre-born lead to our censorship by brute force. No one on your campus has the right to criticize our message as we were not fully heard. The little interaction I had with students leads me to believe that your students and faculty are hostile toward the children. The students remarks and mannerisms resembled the Hitler Youth. “Kill the fetuses!”; “Ummm, that looks tasty!”; and “My body, my choice” were among the remarks we heard. This is higher learning? I should not wonder why the home school movement is growing.
dan holman Missionaries to the Pre-born Iowa