Earlier this week we mentioned that Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition announced that he would be leading a daily prayer vigil outside the White House until Barack Obama's inauguration that would coincide with his own 21-day hunger strike to "stand in solidarity and identify with the homeless, poor and disenfranchised of America, as well as the 50 million innocent victims of abortion."
As we noted before, the focus of Mahoney's stunt was far more about abortion than any sort of concern regrading the homeless and poor - and now it looks like it will culminate with a CDC-led anti-choice rally during the Inaugural Parade:
The Christian Defense Coalition has been issued a permit to conduct a pro-life vigil and display along the parade route during the Presidential Inauguration.
The permit was issued after discussions between the American Center for Law and Justice, who is representing the Christian Defense Coalition, and the National Park Service and the Secret Service.
The group plans to display 25 large signs on Pennsylvania Ave. showing the development of life from conception until birth.
...
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments,
"It is critical that moments after Barack Obama takes the oath as the 44th President of the United States he drive by a visible reminder of those who will have no voice or rights in his Administration. Those are the over 50,000,000 innocent lives that have been brutalized and lost through the violence of abortion.
"While millions will be celebrating along the Inaugural Parade route, we will be speaking 'truth to power' and calling for justice and equality for all Americans. Sadly , President-elect Obama is on the wrong side of history and human rights by embracing the most radical abortion policies of any President in American history.
"This display will also serve as a 'teaching moment' for the new President in helping him understand that life begins at conception and that social justice begins in the womb.
You can see the full series of CDC signs here.
But speaking of this event, it looks like the CDC aren't the only ones planning on staging a protest during the inauguration - they'll have some company in the form of members of the militantly anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church:
The U.S. Park Service granted some groups permits to protest on Inauguration Day.
The Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kan., will have 15 people at the northeast corner of John Marshal Park protesting military funerals and gays until the parade clears, the park service said.
Protesting abortion clinics in front of the Canadian Embassy will be 100 to 200 people from the Christian Defense Coalition in New Jersey.
