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TORONTO, February 3, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Friends and supporters of Linda Gibbons are asking pro-lifers to inundate the jailed pro-life heroine with letters to hearten and encourage her while she continues to witness to life behind bars at the Vanier Center for Women prison.

Kathie Hogan, who has been writing letters of support to Linda for over 15 years, ever since it was suggested by Campaign Life Coalition, told LifeSiteNews that although on a regular day, Linda receives more mail at the jail than all the other prisoners combined, a special effort to send Linda “some long distance love for Valentine’s Day” would give her much appreciated support.

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“No matter how committed she is to the pro-life cause, it must be a terrible burden to bear,” Hogan said. “I just think that it is the least we can do for her – it takes five minutes to write a letter. Not all of us are called to jail for the sake of our pro-life consciences, but everyone of faith is called to be actively pro-life.”

Linda was re-arrested on December 16 in Toronto outside the Morgentaler abortion facility on Hillsdale Avenue while walking back and forth on a public sidewalk with her trademark placard, “Why mom? When I have so much love to give.” (Watch a video of Linda’s December 16 arrest.)

Two days before this most recent arrest, the Supreme Court of Canada heard submissions by Linda’s lawyers, Daniel Santoro and Nicholas Rouleau, who argued that Gibbon’s odyssey through the criminal courts for violations of injunctions laid down in civil courts was an improper use of the criminal justice system.

Linda has spent about nine of the past 17 years behind bars for peacefully protesting abortion. (See Linda Gibbons’ arrest history compiled by LifeSiteNews.)

In a previous appeal for letters on behalf of Linda, friend and supporter Gordon Truscott remarked that he personally has mailed over 2500 letters to Linda, and encouraged family and friends to do so as well.

“I can’t begin to tell you how much of a comfort it is to Linda to know that she’s part of an ongoing struggle involving many other people,” Mr. Truscott told LifeSiteNews when Linda was faced with another Christmas in jail in 2010.

Kathie Hogan noted that the 2010 Christmas letter writing appeal was a resounding success. “Linda received over 1,000 pieces of cheery Christmas mail. It took her until almost May to personally answer all the letters one by one.”

Kathie remarked that many people are incredulous when they hear that Linda has spent so many years in prison for peaceful pro-life witness that is banned under a “temporary” bubble zone injunction.

“It is amazing to see the reaction that you get when you tell people about Linda and Mary (Wagner),” Hogan observed. “Average everyday Canadians just have absolutely no idea that this is going on in our country. They don’t understand how Linda can be jailed under a 18 year old ‘temporary’ injunction. They just don’t understand.”

Kathie added that a letter to Linda sent in a pink envelope would be appropriate for Valentine’s Day, and asks everyone to encourage family, friends and their church communities to “jump on board” this initiative.

“This Valentine’s Day campaign is an effort to educate,” Kathie said, “but it is mostly just to send some love to Linda Gibbons.”

To send a letter or card to Linda:

Linda Gibbons
Vanier Center for Women
655 Martin Street, Box 1040,
Milton, Ontario
L9T 5E6, Canada

Here are some mailing guidelines because the prison mailing department reads everything sent to the inmates:

1. Don’t use stickers (address, return address, pro-life) on the envelope or card.

2. Don’t send any laminated cards, bookmarks, prayer cards, pro-life pamphlets. Non-laminated items will get to her.

3. Don’t ask direct questions about daily activity of the detention centre.

4. Put your address directly in the card or letter. (Sometimes the mail sorter keeps the envelope.)

5. If you would like to send a little monetary gift, it must be a money order made out to “Linda Gibbons”. The detention centre will deposit the money directly to her account.

6. Many people add a variety of Christian reading material in their mailings, but a maximum of one or two pages of reading material or pamphlets may be sent. Pro-life material that shows the development of the baby but not post-abortion photos is permissible and often shared with other women in the prison. Books should not be sent as they will not be delivered to Linda.