All it took was some pro-abortion harassment, a threat of violence, and the prospect of an Al Sharpton led protest and now a pro-life billboard is being removed from Manhattan.
Yup, the billboard that showed a young black girl in a pink dress and the words “the most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb” is gone. Mind you, nobody argued with the facts that the billboard presented. They just don’t want the truth to be known. Remember, silencing opposition is their greatest weapon.
NY Times reports:
“It’s down, or at least it should be coming down soon,” Peter Costanza, the general manager for Lamar Advertising, said in a telephone interview on Thursday. “Why did I take it down? Yesterday, somebody came into the restaurant harassing the waiters and waitresses. I don’t want any violence to happen around the buildings there.”…
“It wasn’t about politics,” Mr. Costanza said, adding that it was more about safety…
Letitia James, a City Council member who represents parts of Brooklyn, said she was outraged that Life Always members had said they decided to post the billboard to coincide with Black History Month. Ms. James said she had talked to concerned citizens throughout the day and night on Wednesday, and she directed her staff to start an online petition. Ms. James said she asked MoveOn, the liberal activist group, to post the petition. It went online around 10 a.m. on Thursday, and included Mr. Costanza’s name.
Hal Kilshaw, a spokesman for Lamar Advertising, said that the advertisement had complied with the company’s policy. “It’s our belief that people have a right to express their message,” he said, adding that advertisers must have a disclaimer saying who is sponsoring the message.
“We would have left it up,” he added. “But Peter has become concerned because the wait staff in the restaurant below was harassed by people who objected to the message. There were talks about a protest tomorrow, and he was worried about their safety.”
Ms. James said that before Lamar had decided to pull the ad, she had planned to hold a news conference with the Rev. Al Sharpton on Friday under the billboard.
They posted Costanza’s name on MoveOn.org’s website and threatened an Al Sharpton protest and now the billboard is coming down because employees didn’t feel safe.
Understandable in that Sharpton’s protests in the past have led to murders including the Crown Heights Riot.
It’s despicable what’s going on. I hope and pray that Life Always, the group behind the billboard are able to place the billboard elsewhere because hey, there’s a reason that pro-aborts are freaking out about this billboard and wanting it gone. It’s because they know it works.
February 25, 2011 at 3:36 am
Shaun Hannity addressed the billboard add during the shows roundtable, universally the guests criticized the ad as not an effective way to reason with people if your trying to change their mind. Well, after forty years of reasoning the time has come for the truth to be told. Tens of millions have seen this, they have been told of abortions evil they have been warned of abortions consequences. the add has served its purpose. now, will any repent?
February 25, 2011 at 4:34 am
Has anyone explained to them that we WANT more African-American people in this country? That is the whole point of it. We don't want any race to be eliminated. God's beauty is fully manifested when children of ALL races are allowed to be born! Please, God, don't allow this deception to persist!
February 25, 2011 at 5:06 am
Trading freedom of speech for safety. Sounds like the pro-aborts are taking a page from the "Do Not Criticize Islam, Or Else!" playbook.
February 25, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Sean Hannity is also pro-contraception so he is not pro-life's greatest asset.
February 25, 2011 at 2:42 pm
I thought the billboard was tasteful, given the subject mater, but I would have made sure it said that 60%of black babies in NYC are aborted. That might have avoided the angry attacks on restaurant waitstaff. Wish I could say the news report you embedded before had provided the context.
February 25, 2011 at 2:51 pm
"Yesterday, somebody came into the restaurant harassing the waiters and waitresses." And how do these tactics differ from the mu slim brotherhood?
…crickets chirping
February 25, 2011 at 3:29 pm
It's beyond sad when people are more upset about a sign than they are about the facts behind the sign. They should worry more that more black babies are being aborted in that city than are being born–instead of worrying that a sign might upset people.
The sign is down, but abortions continue.
February 25, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Fortunately, there are other companies who lease billboard space in
the Manhattan area. It's good that the money from Life Always should
go to a business that is less craven. As it is, the publicity that the
billboard has generated both by going up and coming down has
amplified Life Always' message exponentially.
I assume that as the surrender-monkeys at Lamar discontinued their
lease of the billboard space they also refunded the rent to Life Always.
Sweet win-win for the good guys–heaps of publicity and discussion
of their message, at little or no cost financially.
February 25, 2011 at 7:19 pm
This kind of thing makes me want to scream. There are immodest billboards put up daily all over this country that honest folks don't have a hope at getting removed because of "free speech" and "anti-censorship" fanatics. Someone puts up a beautiful billboard with a true and loving message, and this evokes violence and the fear of more violence. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. That's the way evil works. But, wow, does it drive me nuts.
February 27, 2011 at 11:08 pm
Would the Justice Brothers be happier if the KKK took out a billboard saying that they not only support but encourage abortions in the Black community?