Vigil for Life, a radical anti-choice group, was unsuccessful in "convincing" a woman to terminate an unintended and untenable pregnancy. So what did it do? It put out an All Points Bulletin to track her down.

“Have you seen the pregnant mom? The young pregnant woman, probably in her 20′s, had a darker complexion with dyed red hair and tattoos on her neck and right shoulder. She also had some facial piercings. The woman looked obviously pregnant….please let us know immediately if you have seen a woman with this description.”

After reading this plea you may grow worried – what could have happened to this woman? Certainly this must be a call for help from the pregnant woman’s family, desperate to locate her. You can’t be blamed for thinking that – but you would be dead wrong.

This is an All Points Bulletin – an APB! – issued by radical Wisconsin anti-choice group Vigil for Life to track down a pregnant woman seeking services at Planned Parenthood. Yes, you read that correctly.

The young woman came to Madison but by the time she arrived Planned Parenthood was closed. Unfortunately, Vigil for Life is setting up a crisis pregnancy center right across the street from the Planned Parenthood Clinic and was there to feed this young woman anti-choice propaganda. However, the young woman slipped away before the Vigil For Life volunteers got her name.

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If you are unfamiliar with Vigil for Life, these are the hardcore protesters outside Planned Parenthood clinics with their “sidewalk counselors” accosting women as they enter. Remember Ralph Lang, the man arrested in Madison who was planning an attack on Planned Parenthood to, “lay out abortionists because they are killing babies?” Mr. Lang is associated with Vigil for Life and has attended several of its “vigils.”

Vigil for Life happily trumpets its new crisis pregnancy center on their blog:

Right across the street from Planned Parenthood in Madison, good things are happening! The City of Madison has approved building permits to bring the Women’s Care Center, a successful crisis pregnancy center model, to Madison!

Pulled right from the anti-choice play book – set up shop next to an actual medical clinic to make yourself appear like an actual medical clinic and you get to harass women going into Planned Parenthood to boot.

As I mentioned above, the APB came after three volunteers – or as they say “prayer warriors” – failed to get her name. The Vigil for Life email blast details the encounter:

The women then crossed to the other side of the street to the future Women’s Care Center to read the sign by the gate. One of the prayer warriors asked, “Do you ladies need help with anything?” One of them, a young woman said, “Yes, I’m looking for information about an abortion. The prayer warriors started to talk to the woman and her sister about abortion. By looking at her, it was obvious that the young woman was very pregnant and quite sad. The prayer warriors referred her to resources to help. When they mentioned the physical and psychological negative effects of abortion, the sister of this young woman responded, “Yeah, but isn’t the psychological trauma of having a baby and giving it away worse?” One of the prayer warriors was able to speak to the women on the benefits of adoption versus the consequences of abortion. She shared that, even if you give your baby up for adoption, you can know that you gave some person out there the gift of life. At that point, the pregnant woman started to cry and walk away. As the pregnant woman walked back to the car she turned around and shouted, “I know. I have two children of my own already!” The interaction seemed rushed, and the prayer warriors weren’t able to get the names of the women before they left.

And then, of course the APB:

Have you seen the pregnant mom? The young pregnant woman, probably in her 20′s, had a darker complexion with dyed red hair and tattoos on her neck and right shoulder. She also had some facial piercings. The woman looked obviously pregnant. We pray that she will never decide to come back to Planned Parenthood. Please let us know immediately if you have seen a woman with this description.

So now anti-choice radicals will be tracking down women by circulating physical descriptions of them? How many more tools will they be able to use to terrorize women? At what point does the protection of Vigil for Life’s rights begin to destroy the rights of others? And when is someone going to step up and legislate against this kind of behavior on the part of anti-abortion zealots? This move by Vigil for Life is beyond the pale and must not be allowed to pass without notice.

I spoke with Lisa Subeck, Executive Director of NARAL Pro Choice Wisconsin, about this. (We were speaking about another subject but this topic came up. she is the one who shared the email blast with me.) She is considering contacting the Madison police department about the email, rightfully concerned about the legality of it. I say good on Lisa – this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated. Will keep you posted.