Domestic terrorism

RICHARD A. SOKERKA

In my more than three decades of work in the Catholic press, never have I used the term “domestic terrorism” with “the Catholic Church” in the same sentence.

But the recent outbreak of targeted vandalism against Catholic churches, the fire-bombings of crisis pregnancy centers, Masses being interrupted, the illegal protests outside the homes of Catholic Supreme Court Justices, coupled with an assassination plot against one of them by pro-abortion fanatics upset by the likely overturning of Roe v. Wade are just that — acts of domestic terrorism.

Yet, why is there no condemnation of this violence, let alone calling it what it is — domestic terrorism and deep-seated anti-Catholicism — by the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Justice?

An organization that calls itself, “Jane’s Revenge,” has taken full credit for committing domestic terroristic acts against Catholics who believe what their Church teaches — that life in the womb is sacred and abortion takes the life of a human being. Emboldened by their violent acts of arson, vandalism, and defacement of religious buildings, and by the lack of any arrests for their criminal actions, “Jane’s Revenge,” announced last week that it has declared “open season” on pro-life groups now. It is calling for a “Night of Rage” on the day the Supreme Court is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The group’s latest message states: “You have seen that we are real, and that we are not merely pushing empty words.” The message, apparently addressed to pregnancy care centers and other pro-life institutions, claimed that “Jane’s Revenge” is not “one group, but many,” that it operates “invisibly” throughout the country, and that its members “know where your operations are.”

“We have demonstrated in the past month how easy and fun it is to attack. We are versatile, we are mercurial, and we answer to no one but ourselves. We promised to take increasingly drastic measures against oppressive infrastructures. Rest assured that we will, and those measures may not come in the form of something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti.” The message also threatened to harass and sabotage pro-life organizations until “your insurance companies, and your financial backers will realize you are a bad investment. Everyone with the urge to paint, to burn, to cut, to jam: now is the time,” the group’s message said.

Seeing the violent acts and the continuing threats to Catholic churches and pregnancy centers, a large number of Republicans in the House and Senate formally called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate recent attacks by radical pro-abortion groups as acts of domestic terrorism.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla,) tweeted, “If 23 Planned Parenthood centers were attacked and someone tried to kill a liberal Justice that is all the media and Democrats would be talking about. But since it was 23 pro-life organizations and a conservative Justice, the media and most Democrats are silent.”

Finally, last Friday the FBI asked for the public’s help as it investigates attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers and Catholic churches.

But that is not enough. The Biden Administration and the Department of Justice need to act immediately to ensure that not only is our religious freedom protected but also that the lives of every single person who proudly proclaims, “I am pro-life” are protected from these vicious domestic terrorists bent on destroying life.