Anti-abortion protester outside of high school
Some interact, debate with activist
April 24, 2018
Senior Jake Dempsey looks up at the anti-abortion sign held by protester, Jeffery Stocker on the corner of Edgewood and 33rd St. outside of the high school on his way walking into school April 24.
With signs reading “Abortion is murder” “Fear Jesus” and “Obey his commandments,” protester Jeffrey Stocker stood in front of the high school on the corner of Edgewood and 33rd Street the morning of April 24.
According to Police Liaison Pamela Gronski, because the protester was not on school grounds, and did not disturb traffic, he is protected by the First Amendment.
“It depends on what type of protest it is, but this gentleman is completely within his rights, standing on the street corner, not obstructing traffic, not bothering anybody, so we just have to let him be and monitor it,” Gronski said. “As it goes on and if things change then we will re-evaluate and respond appropriately.”
Principal Scott Meyers said the administrative team works to ensure students stay safe if interacting with the protester.
“All we do is check with students to make sure that the students aren’t being harassed or bothered by the person that’s there,” Meyers said. “Hopefully they share their opinion, and they move along.“
Senior Jake Dempsey said he approached the protester to talk rather than change his perspective about abortion.
“I’m just taking it all in,” Dempsey said. “I’m not trying to flip this guy’s view in the five minutes I have before I have to get to class.”
According to the Stocker, he chooses to protest at high schools in order to reach an impressionable audience.
“There are kids here in their early teenage years and their brains are developing,” Stocker said. “This is where they are being indoctrinated into lies that (schools) tell them.”
Senior Jeremy Robb, who spoke to the protester, said he was motivated to speak to Stocker by his friends.
“I have a friend who was pregnant, who recently got an abortion,” Robb said. “I would assume she’s scared of it. I didn’t want that near our school, so I wanted to see if I could help stop him.”
Robb said he feels the approach of other students was overly aggressive.
“What he was preaching was bad, but two girls also approached me while I was out there, and they started swearing at him, cursing him, and I just feel both sides need to be a little nicer about things,” Robb said.
Senior Jake Henry said while he disagrees with Stocker’s view on abortion, Stoker was protected by the First Amendment.
“I disagree with him, but he has the right to say what he’s saying,” Henry said. “I just don’t think he’s going to make an impact here.”
Dan • Apr 26, 2018 at 10:18 am
Thanks Jeff for standing in the gap….abortion is murder…
Rebekah • Apr 25, 2018 at 5:34 pm
As Jeremy Robb in this article states, he knew someone that murdered their preborn baby by abortion. This is the perfect place for abolitionists to stand and make an impact! Students are having sex and babies are created. They won’t be taught that abortion is wrong within the 4 walls of the government indoctrination center! Thank you Jeffrey for standing there and engaging the culture of young students. To God be the glory!
Shawn Kellim • Apr 25, 2018 at 8:55 am
Great job Jeff. Not only do high schools students need to hear about the holocaust of the preborn in our culture they need to hear the cure for the desire to murder. Jesus Christ is faithful to save those who recognize and repent from their sin, too many pro lifers are teaching the opposite in that killing your child is not sin and making the mother a victim. The real victims are the children being murdered, abolitionists seek to end child sacrifice and help women in need both physically and spiritually. Abolitionists will put an end to the pro life movement and abortion as they stand upon the principles of Christ. http://www.abolishhumanabortion.com
Secondly, no longer are civics taught or lived out in our culture. Public discourse should be sought and understood rightly not as thuggery. It is past time to remove the safe spaces where children and their parents hide from the necessary means of change because they fear the implications of conversation. Stop seeking to eliminate the voices of dissent but rejoice in the ability to have a voice, peaceably. Without such voices many of the atrocities of our own past would still be present today, ie. slavery and civil rights.
Greg Delauney • Apr 25, 2018 at 5:21 am
What a biased article. The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance, He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
Jeriah Knox • Apr 25, 2018 at 3:33 am
Kids need to know the truth that abortion is murder, the shedding of innocent blood.
Psalms 106:37-38 (KJV) Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
• “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written,which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” – Psalm 139:14-18
Proverbs 24:11-12 (KJV) If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Psalms 94:6-10 (KJV) They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?