Group takes anti-abortion message to skies over Lynchburg

An airplane towing a banner depicting the hand of a human fetus lying on top of a dime flew for three hours over Lynchburg on Monday and is expected to return today.

The anti-abortion banner flew circles around Candlers Mountain and other places in the city. It will resume its flight today around noon, said Mike Schrimsher, Florida area regional director for the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. The privately funded nonprofit works to “establish prenatal justice and the right to life for the unborn,“ according to its Web Site.

Shelli Montgomery, spokeswoman for Falwell Aviation, said the plane took off from their facility on U.S. 460 and will return today for three more hours of flight over the city. She said the organization chose to fly a second day based on the feedback received on its toll-free number.

Schrimsher said the organization chose Lynchburg after the pro-life conference held at Liberty University last week. The university’s first ever pro-life conference on campus was a student-driven event meant to unify the student voice against abortion, said SGA president Matthew Mihelic.

The four-day event honored Norma McCorvey, “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade, and featured speakers including Clenard H. Childress Jr., founder of the nation’s largest African-American pro-life organization; Carol Everrett, a former owner of an abortion clinic that facilitated 35,000 abortions; and U.S. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.).

“We were pleased and wanted to lend our support,“ Schrimsher said.

Liberty University spokesman Johnnie Moore said that the school has no affiliation with the banner.

“It was a surprise to us like it was to everyone else,“ he said. “It’s a pro-life organization, it’s a pro-life banner, but we did not invite them.“

The organization uses graphic images of aborted fetuses to protest the practice of abortions across the country.

“CBR operates on the principle that abortion represents an evil so inexpressible that words fail us when attempting to describe its horror,“ the Web site said. “Until abortion is seen, it will never be understood.“

The organization’s toll-free number received more than 200 calls Monday, though not everyone left a message, Schrimsher said. The organization recently flew its banner over Knoxville, Tenn.

Sidener is a staff writer for The News & Advance in Lynchburg.