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Catholics Give Kerry Cool Welcome in Steubenville

STEUBENVILLE, September 7, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A group of Catholic protesters gave John Kerry an unexpectedly cool welcome in that working class, traditionally Democrat town. Students, children, workingmen, housewives and nuns in full habits arrived in the rain at the park where Kerry planned to speak hours before his arrival. Carrying signs that read, "Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church," "You Can't be Catholic and Pro-Abortion," and "Pontius Pilate was Also Personally Opposed."

Clutching rosaries, a crowd that the Sheriff's department estimated as large as 500, marched and silently protested the presidential candidate's anti-life stand on abortion. Kerry who claims to be a devout Catholic, was visibly shaken when his speech was booed in this town that campaign organizers had expected to be enthusiastically supportive.

Steubenville is a union-based town that has been hit hard by tough times and is normally a bastion of Democrat support. However, Kerry campaign organizers did not know about the impact on the local community of Catholics organized around Franciscan University. Local churches and Catholics from throughout the Diocese of Steubenville took part in the march they said was meant for reverence, prayer, sacrifice and to challenge Kerry to stand up for life. "We prayed all four mysteries of the rosary," Emily Bissonnette, a junior at the university, said. "We also have people praying back at school."

The Kerry team tried several times to have the protesters barred from the park. The local constabulary was less than co-operative however citing freedom of speech and assembly and the fact that the rally, and therefore the protest, were being held in a public park. "They don't look dangerous to me," the Sheriff said.

One person present said that a little girl started chanting "we want Bush" in the midst of Kerry's speech. "We all chanted along. The campaign staff was beside themselves." The local councilman at large, Michael Hernon passed out Bush-Cheney signs to those waiting in line. "If you look at the record, Kerry is not good for this area," he said. "He is not in sync with steel. This is the largest counter-rally protest during a Kerry rally in the nation."

Herald Star coverage:
http://www.hsconnect.com/news/story/095202004_new04news090504.asp

Notes from those present along with photos can be seen at:
http://www.redstate.org/story/2004/9/5/123340/8278

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