About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

31 Cath. Law. 50 (1987-1988)
Sidewalk Counseling: A First Amendment Right

handle is hein.journals/cathl31 and id is 64 raw text is: SIDEWALK COUNSELING: A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT THOMAS PATRICK MONAGHAN* If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of a contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in si- lencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. -John Stuart Mill' In 1974, a group of Third Order Dominicans began praying the ro- sary in front of an abortion facility in Santa Rosa, California. While bear- ing this witness, they discovered that they were very often able to support women who actually did not want abortions and to persuade others not to have abortions. From this experience, they formed Catholics United For Life and developed the concept and term sidewalk counseling, to de- scribe this special type of communication designed to dissuade particular mothers from killing their unborn children. Sidewalk counseling is a more non-confrontational pro-life witness than some picketing or non-vi- olent direct action sit-ins. The effectiveness of sidewalk counseling in saving lives, in the words of Catholics United for Life representative, Theo Stearns, a Dominican Third Order Prioress, is dependent upon speech and action with charity, love, persistence and prayer. Catholics United for Life popularized sidewalk counseling through publications, workshops, and such vehicles as a presentation at the National Right to Life Conventions. As a result, sidewalk counseling is practiced by many groups who witness their faith and life at abortion centers across the country. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech. This guarantee would be of limited importance if it * Director of Legal Services, American Life League; Co-Chairman, Free Speech Advocates. Sarah Anne Biety, J.D., Creighton Law School, 1985, aided in the research and preparation of this Article. J.S. MILL, ON LIBERTY AND OTHER ESSAYS 20 (1926).

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most