Abortion foes picket teahouse despite order

Abortion foes picket teahouse despite order

Lawyer threatens more legal action
By Brian Brueggesmann

[OSA Note: Those businesses and individuals that support child killers by providing services to them share in the bloodguilt for these innocent children murdered by abortion. It truly takes a village to kill a child. Those who wish to remain a part of this deadly village ought to put up a sign or include language in their ads, that they "are proud to serve those that butcher little baby boys and girls and take their blood money." Whether they are this honest or not, they ought not be surprised when Christians, in obedience to Scripture "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." (Ephesians 5:11), publicly inform the community of such complicity in the abomination of killing God's precious little image bearers. The principle is the same as a picket of a pornography store, manufacturing plant or any other business with objectionable practices -- Only in this case, it is a matter of life and death. Citizens have the right to picket, protest and inform. Christians have both the right and the duty to do so. The Church will obey her Lord and expose this village.]

Four anti-abortion pickets held signs Sat. outside the Teabearies Tea Room in Highland, but not abortion opponents Daniel and Angela Michael, whom a judge barred from protesting there.

The lawyer for Teabearies, a business that holds birthday parties for girls, said the Michaels' fingerprints were all over the protest. Police were called, but no arrests were made.

The Michaels have been holding protests at Teabearies because one of its owners, Debra Dudek, works as a low-level administrator at Hope Clinic, an abortion provider in Granite City.

The Teabearies' attorney, Mark Levy, said if the Michaels' did orchestrate the protest, the Highland couple violated the court order issued Friday that prohibits them from "organizing, sponsoring and/or engaging" in picketing at Teabearies.

When asked whether the Michaels' asked him to picket at Teabearies, protestor Rusty Thomas answered: "I'm going to have to plead the Fifth on that one."

Thomas, 45, of Waco, TX, said he is the assistant director of Operation Save America, a pro-life group, and picketed with the Michaels on Saturday morning at Hope Clinic. He said picketers struggled in deciding to protest where children gather.

"Our point is not to ruin little children's birthday parties," he said. "The main purpose we're here is in the word of God: Do not participate in the works of darkness but rather expose it. You can't celebrate birthdays with live children on weekends and then destroy children the rest of the week. It's the height of hypocrisy."

Levy said one of his options is to ask a judge to find the Michaels in contempt of court. he said the following point to their involvement:

a.. One picket held a sign showing a fetus. The same sign was used during protests organized by the Michaels the previous two Saturdays.
b.. Daniel Michael walked past Teabearies once Saturday on the opposite side of the highway and drove past at least once.
c.. Daniel Michael, when served with the court order Saturday morning at an abortion protest at Hope Clinic, vowed to send other picketers to Teabearies, Levy said. d.. A young girl who briefly joined the four pickets is a daughter of the Michaels, Levy said.

The Michaels could not be reached later Saturday for comment.

Lisa Padgett, a friend of Teabearies owners Dudek and Joni Barth, photographed the pickets and told one of them, "You might as well put a sheet over your head and be a Klu Klux Klansman."

Barth said the pickets have hurt business.

"I've had a couple people cancel parties, " Barth said. "I don't know how many people have decided not to have parties."

A Madison County judge on Friday issued a temporary restraining order against the Michaels that is in effect until a court hearing Feb. 4.

Levy called police to Teabearies on Saturday and complained the pickets were distrubing the peace. Three officers arrived, spoke with Levy, and did not approach the pickets, who held large signs while standing on the city sidewalk.

"There's no violation the city of Highland is aware of at this point," Sgt. Brad Sherman said.

No birthday parties were held, and Dudek was not at the business Saturday during pickets.


Please uphold the Christians in Highland in prayer as they face a court date with some heavy confrontation in February.

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