View from the parking lot: Local abortion protestors defend their actions

by Jill Case and Jamie Oakes

TAMPA, Fla.--Every Saturday morning, protestors line up along the street at 2010 E. Fletcher Ave. in front of a purple and white brick building. It has a white picket fence protecting it from the seedy road, in which three pawn shops encompass the building. A Scion xB blares rock music to drown out the voices of the onlooking activists. It’s the Tampa Women’s Health Center, a place that performs abortions; a place that causes controversy.

The debate between pro-life and pro-choice has long been a political social issue, even before Roe v. Wade, which passed in 1973.  Most conservatives consider themselves pro-life, and believe that life begins at conception. Whereas the majority of liberals fall on the side of pro-choice, believing women should have the choice to decide what to do with their body--whether it’s an abortion or not.

These are the pro-life protestors. They come out here every Saturday for four hours to exercise their First Amendment right: freedom of speech. Signs that read “Pray to end abortion” wave in the air and pamphlets are distributed to passing pedestrians. They’re doing anything to get their word out that there are other options.

“We have the right to be out here, we have the right to stand where we are as long as we are on the public access,” said Carl Francis Kosierowski, a regular protestor, a bus driver for Hillsborough County Schools and devoted Catholic. “After all, that’s what America is all about.”

Carl Kosierowski stands outside Tampa Women's Health Center.

Although some people may believe these activists are forcing their morality on the women who come to the clinic, Kosierowski feels differently. He gave thought to what abortion is and was motivated after watching “The Silent Scream,” an early 80s pro-life educational video where it shows an ultrasound of what happens during an abortion. After that, he believed there is no other evidence that contradicts that life begins at the moment of conception.

“There’s no other human more defenseless than an unborn child and that’s why I’m here,” said Kosierowski.

Protestor Chris Glaud, a Tampa artist, feels that he needs to exercise his rights, too. He is motivated because he has friends that have suffered from the process and for his love of the unborn and their mothers.

“What happens is they end up stuffing feelings deep inside,” said Glaud. “Something happens years later and they go ballistic.”

This condition he is describing is called post-abortion syndrome. Many people believe this is what happens to some women after they get an abortion. Symptoms include guilt, depression and suicidal tendencies. Although those emotions could be experienced afterward, the American Psychological Association (APA) says that abortions do not lead to increased mental illness in the patients. The APA also concludes that post-abortion syndrome is not recognized by any medical or psychological organization.

“We’re trying to reach out to these women before they make a mistake that they can’t undo, and at the bare minimum make them aware of the resources that are there,” said Glaud.

“You hear on the news that it’s all about choice. It’s rarely about choice. It’s usually about feeling like there’s no choice.”

Glaud and Kosierowski are just two of the protestors who come to the clinic finding it difficult to reach out to these women. The clinic has recently put security guard, Brian Cramer, in charge of escorting the women around back and blasting the music from his Scion to deter the protestors from talking to the women.

“What we’re doing for the most part is counseling and praying,” said Kosierowski. “We’re not forcing ourselves on anyone, we don’t do that. If we can convince them, fine.”

When the activists have an opportunity to speak with the women, they have been able to change a few minds. “It brings tears to your eyes because you know you’ve saved a life,” said Kosierowski.

The sanctity of life is the number one reason they don’t support abortion. Both men think it should be illegal, regardless of certain circumstances, like rape or incest. The two see there is the adoption path.

However, neither of them could come up with a possible penalty for the women or the clinic.

“I’d never really given that much thought. I’m not a believer of capital punishment,” said Kosierowski. “So I know that wouldn’t be part of the penalty.”

They focus more on the loss of life rather than the punishment for the mothers. “The bigger problem is people wanting to kill a baby, people thinking that’s okay,” said Chris. “That’s the real problem. The laws are secondary.”