Chris Smith: “I make the point that those who are strongly against the violence, and that includes this particular Member and every…”

“I make the point that those who are strongly against the violence, and that includes this particular Member and every Member on the pro-life side, we had a substitute that was considered last November which said those who commit acts of violence ought to go to jail big time. Clearly we ought to mete out a very serious punishment to those people. The difference in what we are dealing with today are those acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, and I can tell you Mr. Speaker, if we applied the standard in this bill to those who have been involved in D.C. statehood, civil rights, women's rights, animal rights, and a whole host of other very important causes, this particular legislation would never see the light of day on this floor. Mr. Speaker, just let me also make a very important point: that sidewalk counseling has saved tens of thousands of children throughout the last 20 years. Women, many of whom have had abortions frequently become sidewalk counselors and go to abortion clinics to speak out. These women, and I have pictures of women who have helped women through the difficult, distressful pregnancies they may be experiencing, they have helped women about to abort at that 11th hour. When everyone else was saying it is a go for the abortion they said, wait, stop, think about it, perhaps go back. There are alternatives that are nonviolent nurturing and caring.”