Can righteousness endure in the land of forgetfulness? - Psalm 88:12
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| Part of the saints remembering the fallen soldiers and aborted babies on the blocked off Bleckley Street |
At a Memorial Service for fallen soldiers and aborted babies in Wichita, KS on Saturday, May 29th, the Wichita Police Department once again tried to silence the gospel of Christ on the public streets and sidewalks. Operation Save America-Wichita obtained a parade permit well in advance jumping through every hoop the City asked but one lone security guard for Mr. George Tiller was determined to stop the gospel from being proclaimed. The police in a city that protects a killer gladly helped him. Two assaults would ensue: one assault on a pastor and another assault on the liberty of all.
Assault Number One
OSA erected the barricades and blocked off Bleckley Street between Kellogg and Orme where a parade permit gave Operation Save America control of the street between the hours of 9:00 and 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 29. Yet as the service began Tiller security guard John Rayburn was determined he would do whatever it took to disrupt the Memorial Service for veterans and aborted babies - including violence. Rayburn walked down to Kellogg and to the barricades while Pastor Mark Hollick followed.
Rev. Flip Benham pleaded with police officers to walk the short half block saying, That guard is an angry bully and he is dangerous. I’m begging you. Please go down there and stop him. He has a history of this. I tell you that bully is intent on harm. Flip told Police Officer Denby, "We've jumped through every hoop to have this Memorial Day service and parade and you're just going to allow this guy to ruin it!" The officers knew Rayburn has no authority beyond the property line of "Women’s Health Care Services," Mr. Tiller’s abortion mill, as they have ordered Rayburn to get off the property of Choices Inc. and to stay on Tiller’s property in months past.
The officers ignored Flip’s pleas. Rayburn then moved the barricade and as soon as Pastor Mark Hollick moved the barricade back in place, John Rayburn put both his hands forward and violently slammed Pastor Mark back at least 10 feet. It was all Pastor Mark could do to keep from falling down on the pavement. When he walked back toward the visibly angry security guard, John Rayburn had pulled out both his can of mace and people-prod (a version of the electric shock cattle prods designed for riot control) and held the can of mace up in Pastor Mark Hollick’s face. It was clearly a terroristic threat after the assault.
Rev. Benham who was still pleading with the police officers said to them, "See there, I told you he would do this! Now do your duty and arrest this man." He told Sergeant Bruno who had arrived that John Rayburn should be arrested, and informed him that the offense was captured on video.
The police officers were so arrogant in support of George Tiller that they refused to arrest Rayburn claiming, "We did not see it." The 110 Christians gathered for the Memorial Service were shocked.
When Flip told the officers, "We have it on video tape," Police said, "Okay, let’s see the video tape." After the officers viewed the video tape which included Flip’s warning of John Rayburn’s intent and the violent assault still refused to arrest Rayburn. In spite of the officer’s denial the video shows an officer did see it. Though they would not honor their oath and do their duty, these officers asked us to give them our video tape. We are not stupid and refused their request. After all, the evidence indicts them and vindicates us. We will soon have this video here on the web so you can decide for yourself.
Had this been any other citizen other than an employee of infamous abortionist George Tiller the officers would have body-slammed them to the ground, cuffed them and hauled them off to jail. This police department however is determined to cover the sin of abortion and violate the constitutional rights of any citizen, especially Christians, who dare oppose this heinous evil of child killing. Since OSA had a parade permit it was clear that issue was all about silencing the gospel on the public streets.
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Children and crosses |
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Pastor Mark Hollick shares about the city trying to silence the gospel before Flip delivers the message |
The Memorial Service then began -again- 15 minutes late with the finishing of the presentation of colors to honor the veterans of foreign wars, the bagpipes playing Amazing Grace, pledging allegiance to the Christian and American flags, and the Bible. A beautiful worship service led by the Spirit One worship team helped usher in the presence of God. Pastor Mark emphasized how the earlier assault, violation of our parade permit and subsequent refusal of the police to arrest the security guard was all about silencing the gospel.
Assault Number Two
Flip Benham no sooner began to deliver his message when several police officers began asking people to move as they ushered a black paving truck & trailer through the barricades and up the street. As the truck approached northward a number of men refused to move. We had a parade permit and this deliberate attempt to disrupt the Memorial Service and silence the gospel could not be allowed to proceed.
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Godly veterans and stand their ground in face of tyranny |
More men of God including a number of veterans stepped out in front of the truck determined that our right of assembly under the permit would not be violated. Suddenly, John Rayburn angrily got into the truck and began to drive forward and run over the men if they did not move.
The men of God stood as others prayed and Flip rebuked the officers sharply for allowing this and demanded that they stop this madman before he killed the men in front of the truck. The people stood in shock as these brown shirts with WPD badges did nothing. Flip kept pleading with the officers to stop the truck before more innocent blood was shed in the street on this Memorial Day.
Finally at the last second, an officer stepped forward and stopped John Rayburn from driving over the men in the street. Flip kept pointing out that this unconscionable act was a deliberate attempt to silence the gospel of Christ saying, "It is this place (George Tiller’s abortion mill) that is disturbing the peace in this city and no one else."
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| Saints stand firm as security guard John Rayburn tries to drive truck over men of God including veterans |
The men of God stood in the street with more joining at the driveway. Ten squad cars arrived and a stand-off ensued as Flip told the Christians and the officers, "This truck is not going into that driveway right now. If officers feel they must arrest peaceful Christians who have a permit to be there then let the arresting begin! The time to stand has come. We will not back up any more."
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| Police officers ponder next step since the righteous would just let their rights be taken away without cost |
Ten minutes passed by and police officers ordered the truck to back out of the blocked off section of Bleckley Street until after the service. Flip asked the veterans, most of whom were standing in the driveway, to step forward and Rev. Rusty Thomas prayed for the veterans (Flip included) and for our nation. Rusty quoted Gen. George Washington’s words from Valley Forge recalling that all the veterans of America’s wars sacrificed not for themselves but for the Unborn – they gave up their todays so that future generations might have a tomorrow. He then prayed this Scripture:
"Collect your thoughts, yes, unbend yourselves in submission and see if there is no sense of shame and no consciousness of sin left in you, O shameless nation not desirous or desired! The time for repentance is speeding by like chaff whirled before the wind! Therefore consider, before God's decree brings forth the curse upon you, before the time to repent is gone like the drifting chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you--yes, before the day of the wrath of the Lord comes upon you! Seek the Lord -inquire for Him, inquire of Him, and require Him as the foremost necessity of your life, all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility -inquire for them, require them as vital. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger." Zephaniah 2:1-3, the Amplified Bible
Rusty closed his prayer with, "This day is for remembering and we in America have forgotten much!"
After Flip delivered his message the saints followed Judgment, Mercy and the RV playing Christian music in a parade several blocks around the neighborhood and back. When we returned it was obvious why Tiller’s security guard and the police were so anxious to move that truck inside the abortion mill. The sound of the paving equipment was deafening. It would have drowned out even the loud sound system on the RV let alone the battery operated sound system present for the service. That their motivation was to silence the gospel of Christ is irrefutable. That they would do this during a Memorial Day Service honoring veterans is unconscionable.
Flip said later, "Police were just encouraging this guy to more volatile behavior by refusing to intervene." He said, "On the side of the police cars, it says 'To serve with honor,' but there was no honor among the police on this day."
The silencing of little baby boys and girls in their mother’s womb inevitably leads to the silencing of the gospel of Christ in the streets. Tolerance of the killing of children will just as surely kill our freedom. By robbing the innocent of their inalienable right to life we sacrifice all of our God-given rights. May 29, 2004 in Wichita will be a day remembered in which this fact was illustrated undeniable clarity. May we never forget that this day men of God stood for King Jesus willing to pay the cost for freedom and prevailed. God help us as stand on future days.
Steve Mashburn
Please contact Mayor Carlos Mayans and Police Chief Norman Williams to ask them to take action regarding John Rayburn's assault on Pastor Mark Hollick.
Mayor Mayans may be reached at cshull@wichita.gov or by phone at 316-268-4331.
Chief Williams may be reached at policeweb@wichita.gov or by phone at 316-268-4158.
The company that was involved in this assault on the gospel is on our local boycott list already but it would be fitting for them to hear your thoughts on the events above and this company’s complicity in the murder of children.
Holland Paving Inc. (Asphalt Sealing & Paving Contracting)
1255 S. Tyler Rd.
Wichita, KS 67209
316-722-7114, 1-800-536-6144
John Rayburn is contracted by George Tiller out of Diamond Security. Please contact them regarding their employee and his disdain for a service honoring veterans.
Diamond Security LC
220 W. Douglas, Ave Ste 150
Wichita, KS 67201
316-263-3883
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