Cheery 'Operation Save America' Folks Stage Fun-Times Open-Casket 'Wake' For Aborted Fetus

Oh, those fun-loving merry tricksters from "Operation Save America!" Last Sunday, the little scamps invaded a Unitarian church to interrupt the service and yell the Gospel at the congregation. And they continued to let the Grim Times roll in New Orleans Tuesday, staging a public "wake" for what they claimed was an actual aborted fetus in an open coffin. Because there is absolutely nothing too weird for these people, except of course letting women make their own decisions about pregnancy.

Flip Benham, the leader of the group, was on hand to announce,

“In 1995 there were 10 abortion clinics in New Orleans, now there is just one ... Our prayer is that the last one will be closed and that the Planned Parenthood under construction will never be built.”

Benham, a founder of "Operation Rescue," of which "Operation Save America" is a splinter group, was convicted in 2011 of stalking a North Carolina doctor who provided abortions; he had passed out hundreds of "Wanted" posters with the doctor's name and photo on it. He and his group were doing the same thing in New Orleans this week, picketing and distributing pamphlets in a doctor's neighborhood. Benham is also the father of the Hot Bigot Twins, who got sent to FEMA camps instead of getting a cable show like the First Amendment guarantees to all radical Christians.

The Big Dead Fetus Show in Jackson Square yesterday was quite the spectacle, it seems:

Protesters gathered around a small white box with a very large fetus in it, performing a wake with crying attendants forming a line to place carnations around the casket. The event closed with a performance of "Amazing Grace" by young children. The protestors named the fetus Amos and stated that it came from outside of New Orleans. Under state law, no abortion clinic can perform the procedure after 20 weeks. Exact retrieval methods were unclear. “Most of the time we find them in dumpsters” says Benham.

That sounds completely plausible! Or maybe they got it out of a jar in the George Bush Presidential Library.

Apparently, even though it was in New Orleans, the "wake" did not include a traditional Second Line parade, either because the organizers couldn't find a band that would lower themselves to play for them, or because somebody thought that might be tacky somehow. Haha, we are joking. That would never occur to them.

The New Orleans Abortion Fund has responded to the invasion of screaming god-botherers by arranging for clinic escorts, and says its main goal is to keep clinics open and available to women; in a public statement, the group urged supporters not to engage the wackaloons, since attention is what they want:

“The presence of counter-protestors - while well-intentioned and appreciated - can often escalate situations with "sidewalk counselors" and other anti-choice protestors. With groups like Operation Rescue/Operation Save America, that potential is even higher.”

Yes, not even if yelling back is fun and emotionally satisfying.

Also, an update on yesterday's story:  After Yr. Wonkette mentioned that Operation Save America had received an official Certificate of Welcome to the city from the office of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, we received an email from the Google-savvy folks in the Mayor's office including a statement that clarified that the certificate was "issued in error" and that New Orleans "does not endorse extreme or violent tactics." Noted! We'd like to suggest that whoever's in charge of issuing official welcome certificates may want to look into a jobbooking concerts for Idaho's Coeur d’Alene Tribe. 

[ Nola Defender / Image credit: Jessica Placzek, Nola Defender ]

 Follow Doktor Zoom on Twitter. He really CAN wait to hear what these jerks come up with next.