Anti-abortion speaker threatens to call cops on those who disagree with him

Damn, I wish I had the Eyewitness Cam rolling when this was going on!

Today, Fountain Square was invaded by Created Equal, a cult-like Columbus-based anti-abortion organization. They set up large signs and a huge video screen featuring graphic photos about abortion.

You can respect anti-abortion folks, as long as they try to use sound arguments and don't foist nonsense like the above onto unsuspecting bystanders. You might not agree with them 100% of the time, but at least you can respect them. But the scoundrels from Created Equal are a different story altogether.

In addition to flooding Fountain Square with nauseating pictures while many families and workers were eating lunch on the square, Created Equal also displayed their intolerance of any dissenting views. A headline in CityBeat said, "Anti-Abortion Group to Show Graphic Video on Fountain Square: Created Equal cites First Amendment rights for protest." But the group showed no regard for others' First Amendment rights. A man from Created Equal gave a speech on the east side of Fountain Square. During the speech, gobs of folks peppered him with powerful questions. But he didn't always answer them. Instead, he boasted about how he could call the police and have the questioners removed from Fountain Square.

I don't think so, mister. It's a public space. End of story.

That's not to say 3CDC - which manages the square - hasn't tried to muzzle dissent. During the illegal Iraq War, 3CDC forced antiwar protesters to buy a prohibitively expensive insurance policy. 3CDC later forced Occupy Cincinnati off the square. But the Tea Party and Created Equal have faced no restrictions whatsoever. Fact is, 3CDC is as intolerant of free speech as Created Equal is.

One of the arguments put forth by Created Equal is that abortion is a form of ageism. Yet the speaker spoke about his own parental rights as if they were absolute. Judging by his behavior today, he doesn't sound like someone who should be trusted in a position of authority.

What would have happened if Created Equal had called the police? If cops had arrested or expelled the questioners, wouldn't that be a First Amendment lawsuit against the police right there?