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2008-01-03 Lakewood News
No end in sight
Council takes no action to stop picketing in Lakewood neighborhoods
By Jennifer Gilbert
January 03, 2008
Residents along West Asbury Avenue will continue to hear the sounds of protest and see the large signs protesting abortion on the weekends and holidays.




Photo by EMILY MEHRING

Colorado Right to Life vice-president Leslie Hanks and anti-abortionists protest at the home of Gary Meggison in Lakewood on Dec. 22. Meggison's company, Weitz Construction, is building the new Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood offices. Abortions will be performed at the new facility.

At the City Council study session on Dec. 17, councilors decided not to move forward with any residential picketing ordinances after the case came up in the Dec. 10 regular meeting.

A group called Keep the Peace began picketing Gary Meggison's home earlier in the year when the company for which Meggison works, Weitz Construction, contracted with Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountain to perform remodel and construction for the national organization's health clinic and administrative offices.

Anti-abortion rights protestors have been picketing executives and subcontractors working on the project in hopes of making them abandon the work, as abortions will be performed at the new facility.

That has turned into a weekend and holiday ritual in front of the Meggison's home, something that brought he and many supportive neighbors to the regular meeting of City Council on Dec. 10 to ask for some response.

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"I'm concerned for the safety and wellbeing of my wife and daughter," Meggison said at the meeting. "I cannot agree to have 10 to 50 people who have agreed on the tactic of bullying people."

Meggison said the picketing would not prevent his company from moving forward with the construction, but it has led to a residential anti-picketing ordinance in Greenwood Village. In that city, the City Council approved an ordinance on Dec. 17 limiting picketing to daylight hours and limiting the size of picketers' signs.

Similar ordinances in Aurora and Arapahoe County, the latter also deriving from abortion-rights protestors, include regulations that require protestors continuously move, not targeting any particular house.

Larry Wall, one of Meggison's neighbors who joined him at the Lakewood City Council meeting, said the protestors were invading his peaceful enjoyment of his home.

"The protestors are creating traffic and parking issues," Wall said. "There is a clear and enforceable balance between rights of free speech and rights of me as a private resident."

Councilors at the study session heard from Janet Young, Lakewood Police Department's legal advisor. She advised councilors could require a buffer zone and limit hours and certain other aspects, but she also said the U.S. Supreme Court did not allow the prohibition of picketing in residential areas.

"You can keep picketers from focusing on the target of demonstration, but you can't keep them out of the neighborhood," Young said.

Although each councilor expressed their sympathy for residents along West Asbury Avenue, the consensus was that Constitutional First Amendment Rights were more valuable than an ordinance that might only act as a quick fix for an isolated situation.

It is not the first time the city looked into the issue, deciding against it in 2000. The issue also came up when a Lakewood resident was picketed for her work as a nurse at a Planned Parenthood facility.

The picketing lasted for four months in 1992, but neighbors did not want the protestors walking throughout the neighborhood at that point, so no ordinance limiting the protests was enacted.

"One of the issues for me, anyway, is founded in basic civil liberties," Councilman Ed Peterson said. "It's a slippery slope. Sometime, somewhere, there will be someone who really has something to say, and we'll be hung by our own noose.

"I don't know that we can do anything meaningful to stop this, or if we can, if we should."

Councilman Tom Quinn, who is the councilman for Ward 5 where the protests are occurring, requested something be done to cushion the impact of the signs because of the residential aspect, but consensus was to have police officers give information regarding picketers' and residents' rights to people in the neighborhood.

Just as in 1992, residents will seemingly have to wait out the picketing.

Lakewood Community Editor Jennifer Gilbert can be reached at 303-279-5541, ext. 263.


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January 07, 2008 | 09:43 PM

Get your facts right - Planned Parenthood will be performing abortions at this location. How much are they paying you to spread their lies?

Alex, Denver
Hmm
January 07, 2008 | 07:40 PM

Why are you attacking the writer now. This all started because people wanted some privacy. Now it has turned into a violent attack one the reporter? How can all of you attack a person that you dont even know? If anyone of you did know her i dont think that you would be writing such things.

Rick, Evergreen
I'm waiting for MileHighNews to issue a correction re "no aborti
January 07, 2008 | 04:08 PM

Jennifer,

...

Are you there?

...

We're still waiting? ... No abortions? Wow, that'd be great! No kids killed there!

...

Is Jayson Blair around to serve coffee while we're waiting?

...

Jenn? A correction please?

...

"No abortions?" What? Will they use that building to prepare meals for United Airlines?

...

For pilot simulation training?

...

Did Planned Parenthood lie to you, or did you just make that up?

...

Jennifer, did you know PP put up for sale their abortuary at 20th & Vine when they purchased this new property from UAL?

...

Support of child killing makes people mad (the supporters that is; makes 'em inane).

...

We're waiting for that correction...

Bob Enyart, Arvada
You people are terrorists
January 07, 2008 | 01:10 PM

You're attacking people that are just trying to do their jobs. It'd be nice to be able to pick and choose who you work for and write about but that's not reality. Ms. Gilbert wrote a story about events on her beat while expressing no personal beliefs of her own. It's disgusting to see so many personal attacks on someone just trying to do her job. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Rick C, Golden
Whoa
January 06, 2008 | 10:51 AM

The crazies came out on this one

Ben Foyers, Lakewood
Open Mind
January 05, 2008 | 01:16 PM

I truly care about you, Jennifer. I respect your right to your opinion. My simple request is for you and your associates to take 20 minutes to view the www.Abort73.com website. It contains a wealth of information, testamonials, etc. This organization does a great job communicating the Truth. If nothing else, it will help you understand why it is so important to us to protect innocent life as well as the women it victimizes. Abortion is greatest social evil of our time; having dwarfed the death tolls of the Jewish holocoust, slavery, and other genocides. There is a steady rising tide in America against abortion and increasingly so as more people become educated of the real facts. My fellow warriors against this evil where correct in pointing out Planned Parenthood's intentions for this facility. Perhaps, once you have investigated this further, and realize the consolidation strategy they have undertaken, you will honorably print a retraction. If not, I still will not judge you. I will instead look forward to the day you embrace the truth and join us. God bless you.

Chris Mohr, Delaware, OH
Citation Needed
January 05, 2008 | 10:40 AM

If possible, please include a source for the statement in this article that "Abortions will not be performed at the new facility." If this is true, it is really big news for pro-lifers and pro-choicers alike, and all of us should have a way of confirming the statement. If the statement comes from a reliable and trustworthy source, some pro-lifers may feel less urgency to protest the construction of this new facility. Isn't this what the author is trying to acheive? Please provide a reference or a link to the original source of information, for the sake of good journalism if nothing else. Thanks!

BHE, Fort Collins
Give us proof
January 04, 2008 | 08:51 PM

Please provide us with a written document that Planned Parenthood will not do abortions at the largest facility they are building? Please provide the truth.

Terri B, Centennial
Is this true?
January 04, 2008 | 08:49 PM

Dear Jennifer, if it's true that Planned Parenhood will not be performing abortions at their new facility, isn't it enough that they are openly providing sexually explicit books, pamplets and advice to the innocent people who made it out of the womb alive?? http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/teen-pregnancy-sex-education/perfectly-normal-6251.htm

Ms. Jennifer, if you feel the need to right an article for or against a cause, it's necessary that you back up your words with FACTS. Is it true or is false that there will be abortions performed in the Planned Parenthood facility going up here in Denver?? The TRUTH will set you free!!

Lisa Salazar, Englewood
January 04, 2008 | 08:47 PM

Why is Jeniffer so full of hate? Could it be that something very tragic happened to her as a young woman? I wonder if she has had an abortion or possibly a dear friend of hers.That would at least explain her "pro choice to murder" additude. But none the less lieing is about such a hideous thing as this is down right EVIL!

olrobbieboy
http://www.TheWeitzCompany.com Why are they hiding the truth?
January 04, 2008 | 08:20 PM

If they are so proud of what they do because it is good, why do they hide and deceive? Why do Bill and Marti Hornaday and Jennifer Gilbert hate children so much? I have struggled with understanding this. I understand hate, anger, evil but to little babies? Even hardened criminals in every prison in the world know you should protect a baby not kill it. It makes sense that TheWeitzCompany.com, the hornadays and Jennifer Gilbert deceive and want to hide what abortion is (the killing of an innocent child) but I am sorry, I just can't fathom how they could sleep at night or live with themselves. The neighbors of the Weitz Executives, how could they be upset about "protestors" when there is a guy who is building a human slaugther house living in on their street? This is just insane. For those of you who are blinded by evil hatred like Jenifer Gilbert, let me explain something to you. Planned parenthood is not a child nurturing center. They are the largest abortion provider in the world. Do you understand what abortion is? Look at the pictures! The picture is of a dead baby do you get that? Don't you see Jennifer that the likes of you are so blinded by extreme raw hatred that you can't even see that IT IS ALWAYS WRONG TO HURT A LITTLE BABY!!!

mrshamblin, Aurora
No abotions at Planned Parenthood
January 04, 2008 | 08:12 PM

After reading Pat Shamblin's post I grieve for you Jennifer, but I grieve more for the poor innocent babies that are slaughtered in the name of "choice". I grieve for a nation that tolerates this great evil.

Rick Renfrow, Arvada
No abortions at planned Parenthood?
January 04, 2008 | 08:04 PM

I agree with Mr. Evans, Jennifer where is your proof that no abortions will be performed at the new facility?

Rick Renfrow, Arvada
Why is Jennifer Gilbert so full of hatred?
January 04, 2008 | 07:56 PM

It is important to know what Jennifer Gilberts experience with abortion is. Why? Because something as serious as forcefully and violently taking the life of a innocent little baby often drives a woman to a life long struggle with anger and biterness and often the anger and bitterness causes a person to hide it by creating more distruction. In this article she uses the term, "Anti-Abortion Rights" What does she mean? She makes it sound like a catholic missionary that would pray and stand outside an abortion clinic with the hope to talk a young mother into not killing her little baby, is someone who is bad. The severe nature of the evil hatred that fills Jennifer Gilberts heart is gut wrenching. When I look at my little baby boy smiling at me. It just greives my heart to know that to Jennifer Gilbert actually believes to take a little innocent baby and stab it until it bleads to death is a RIGHT? Jennifer, that is a wrong! What has happened in your life to cause such a tremendous amount of pain, anger and hatred? Especially to little babies? Why would you hate the most innocent amoung us? Why?

Pat Shamblin, Denver
No Abortions at Planned Parenthood
January 04, 2008 | 07:23 PM

Where does author, Jennifer Gilbert, get the idea that no abortions will be performed at the largest Planned Parenthood facility in the nation after it's built? I believe responsible journalism requires backing up a statement like that.

Scott Evans, Longmont
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