decent prosecutor could get any grandrnjury to indict a ham sandwich), but thernfact that prosecutors would choose to gornforward with this weak case requiresrnsome sort of explanation. Parhsan politicsrnwould do, of course, but while thernprosecution is being conducted by arnDemocratic state official, Stephen Montanarelli,rnthe proceeding appears to havernbeen approved by Howard CountyrnState’s Attorney Marna McLendon, a Republican.rnThe case will probably be dismissedrnby the time you read this, but inrnthe meantime, is it possible that thernDemocrats would like to see Tripp inrntrouble not only to punish her for tarnishingrnthe Clinton presidency, but also to divertrnattention from the President’s latestrnlegal troubles at the hands of JudgernWright? Is it possible that the Republicansrnare delighted to see the Democratsrncaught in the awkward position of tryingrnto punish a whisHeblower, whose trial isrnlikely to prove acutely embarrassing tornMrs. Clinton as she begins her run forrnthe Senate?rn—Stephen B. Presserrn”ABORTION KILLS CHILDREN”rntheir signs say. They are the indefatigablernpro-lifers (or “anti-choicers”) whorn”peacefully” protest the barbaric practicernof elective abortion in communitiesrnacross America. Here in Rockford, theyrnline up outside the Ft. Turner buildingrn(fittingly, an abandoned public school),rncarrying signs and sometimes more.rnWhile Dr. Richard Ragsdale celebratesrnthe modern sacrament of death inside,rnon the outside a peculiar activity occurs.rnA grown man holds a baby doll in hisrnhands and proceeds to stab it beforernwomen entering the clinic as well as beforernpassersby (and their children). Therndoll gushes red “blood,” as the meatbaster,rnfilled with dyed liquid and concealedrnin the toy, is employed by thernprotester.rnA colorful continuum of anti-abortionistsrnhas emerged from the Christian right.rnOn oire end are the dear ladies of thernchurch auxiliary who hold signs at thernannual “life chain” and volunteer asrncounselors at the crisis pregnancy center.rnOn the other end are those who findrnabortionists in their crosshairs andrnsqueeze the trigger, believing that theyrnare —in the spirit of Dietrich Bonhoefferrn—stopping the hands of an assassin.rnBetween the two are those whose civilrndisobedience stops short of murder andrnassault, but extends to trespassing, resistingrnarrest, and distmbing the peace.rnMurray N. Rothbard, Economic ThoughtrnBefore Adam Smith and ClassicalrnEconomics: An Austrian Perspective onrnthe History of Economic Thoughtrn(Edward Elgar). The greatest Americanrndisciple of Ludwig von Mises illuminatesrnthe history of economic freedom.rnDonald W. Livingston, Hume’srnPhilosophy of Common Life (University ofrnChicago). Through an examination of thernthought of David Hume, Livingstonrnexplores the tension between individualrnautonomy and tradition.rnSir James Fitzjames Stephen, Liberty,rnEquality, Fraternity (Liberty Classics). Arnutilitarian’s critique of the excesses of JohnrnStuart Mill.rnFriedrich A. Hayek, The Fatal Conceit:rnThe Errors of Socialism (University ofrnChicago), hi his last book, Hayek explainsrnwhy abstract conceptions of the individual,rnwithout some grounding in history andrntradition, inevitably lead to tyranny.rnThey are fond of holding up graphic andrnhideous posters of mutilated babies whornhave been salined or suctioned to death.rnTiny, mangled, two-dimeirsional limbsrnand torsos are thrust into the faces ofrnyoung women in an effort to dissuadernthem from entering the clinic. And, byrnthe way, the clergyman’s sign reminds,rn”Jesus heals and forgives.”rnToday’s thought police would have usrnbelieve that anti-abortion rhetoric is thernequivalent of an act of violence againstrnwomen. But the acrimony and hostilit)’rnof “pro-choicers” do not absolve thernChristian right of committing public actsrnof indecency. Wliat justifies the displayrnof children, made in the image of Godrnbut defiled by man, on the posters andrnpamphlets of pro-lifers? Is this pornographyrnsomehow justifiable because it servesrna higher purpose? Does the end of stoppingrnthe killing of children justify thernmeans of civil disobedience?rnIt does irot, for the purpose is not higher,rnnor are the means acceptable, particularlyrnin light of the unbiblical and historicallyrnfalse notions upon which they arernbased.rnWhen pagairs go to slaughter theirrnown children, individual Christians arernnot comnranded to intervene, either byrnforce or peaceably, if “peaceably” meansrnbreaking the law. Stopping the hands ofrna murderer is in the power of the executivernbranch and is based on the lawrn(which currently permits, and oftenrnfunds, abortion on demand). Self-defensernis also permitted, but that only coversrnoneself (which includes one’s wifernand children).rnThe pro-life movement perpetuatesrnthe myth of the “great Christian America”rnto which we must return. “God is goingrnto judge us if we do not end abortionrnin America.” By the time of this nation’srnfounding. Western civilization was enteringrnits post-Christian era. The Puritans’rnfalse identification of their “city oir a hill”rnas the modern-day Israel was quickly secularizedrnby enlightened deists whosernManifest Destiny was not uniquelyrnChristian. Perhaps God is judging us byrnallowing abortion.rn”If only we could pass a ban on abortionrnthrough Congress,” pro-lifers oftenrnlament. This emphasis on political actionrnpermeates the pro-life movementrnand carries the same sentiment formerlyrnattached to civil-rights legislation. Prohibition,rnand gun laws. But an amendmentrnto the Constitution does not comparernwith an empowered local governmentrn8/CHRONICLESrnrnrn