Anti-Abortion Activist Calls for Burning Effigies of Pelosi, Reid

Randall Terry, the anti-abortion rights activist and Operation Rescue founder, believes it's time to "start drawing from our proud American tradition of burning people in effigy."

And he's starting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Terry wants like-minded individuals to burn effigies of the two Congressional Democratic leaders on Halloween to protest health care legislation that he suggests will make Americans pay for "child killing."

"No, this is not a threat to their body," a man (not Terry) says in an introductory video, which you can see here. "But it is a threat to their soul." (Above is a shorter preview video featuring the same man.)

In the introductory video, people are told to order a large printout of Reid and Pelosi from a local office supply store, along with images of a devil, and purchase cardboard to tape or paste them to. They are also instructed to call local media to publicize the protest and check local ordinances about open flames.

A woman is then shown pouring lighter fluid onto the cutouts of Reid and Pelosi, along with the devil images, and setting them on fire.

(AP)

The protest, Terry writes on his web site, represents a "prophetic witness of what awaits [Reid and Pelosi] then they die if they don't repent." (At left is a 2005 photo of Terry speaking to the media outside the hospital where Terri Schiavo was a patient.)

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters the protest is "unfortunate," the Associated Press reports.

"I don't think appealing to people's anger and in effect inciting them to acts which either display or in any way project violent acts is consistent with rational discussion of very critical issues," he said.

The Washington Independent's David Weigel, who flagged the videos Monday, wrote that "the decision to use the leaders of the House and Senate, instead of the African-American president, seems like a wise one."

The Hyde amendment, passed in 1976, bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortions, with exceptions for rape, incest and when a mother's life is in danger. States seeking to cover abortions for women who cannot pay for them must thus use state funds, since they cannot turn to Medicaid.

The current health care bill, the AP reports, "would create a new stream of federal funds not covered by the restrictions."

Democrats in the House have said people who get subsidies from the government to buy health insurance will not be permitted to use taxpayer money to pay for an abortion.

[jkrauter]

so hypocritical....I am against abortion, but I'm also against burning effigies (implied murder) and propaganda (like our cable news...which is fabrication and fear-mongering...also a type of murder). The terrorists have won...the U.S. is using their horrible methods to try to get THEIR message across.....awful, just awful.

[BenRodriguez72]

Talk about propaganda! It's not like they fabricated reasons for going to war or something!! Get real people.

[wdh3007]

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters the protest is "unfortunate," -No it's not what's unfortuante for Reid and Pelosi is that they are both fired and voted out of office come 2010.

[spillover]

What gets me is all the folks posting here and calling names would not have the slightest problem with this if it was Bush. Hypocrites?

[hakori]

spillover, hypocrites? Excuse me! I've witnessed the reaction you "conservatives" have had over what the Obama adminstration has said about Fox news. Ummmmm, do you remember the recent past very well? I think you don't. Let's see who was it who blew a gasket over NBC when Richard Ingle reported from Iraq that everything wasn't as rosey as was being reported by Fox and the White House? Oh yes, the Bush adminstration! Stop accusing others of what you people do best! If you like I can type out a list of "conservative" hypocricy...

[stn_sage]

If someone had called a public meeting to burn Henry Hyde and Bill Frist in effigy, Bush probably would have had them arrested!

[stn_sage]

I wonder how many Reps will show up in disguises to watch such an event?

[omded]

Sounds very similar to what they did to Jesus. Maybe next they'll have little crucifixs with dolls of their most hated politicians nailed to them...Way to go Randall Terry! You've been out of the public eye for way too long. People might forget who you are! What better time than right now to get your face back in the headlines! You'll keep those millions flowing in!!!

[BlueDogDem]

Will Randall Terry ever grow up?

[blondelar7]

Randall Terry is a freak; he is a wart on the face of humanity.Who made him God to determine what women can or cannot do! Hey buddy, the middle ages are over and nutcases like Terry can go you know where!

[spillover]

Not so fast, Who made Obeyme and his commie Zsars God to tell the rest of us what to do. Talk about a nut case.

[ubrew12]

Religious nuts used to burn REAL people on the cross. These guys are modern religious wannabee's. Hey, anti-abortionists! Grow some cojones and go where your religious brethren went during the Middle Ages.