Amos, Ref: the stick job. It was right after Roe V Wade, and I was a Sgt in the Fairfax VA PD. One of the first abortion clinics opened in a place called Annandale, VA. My squad was assigned to keep the peace, which basically meant keeping the anti abortion protesters from the young ladies, who would arrive in cars and go into the clinic, usually with a coat over their heads. The protesters kept rushing the cars and hitting the arrivals with their signs, sometimes to "get their attention" as the priest later said, and sometimes to pull the coats off, to expose the young ladies to the TV cameras.

Finally, I had demarked a line separate from the arriving traffic, and told the protesters, I would consider it an assualt if they rushed another car. The very next car that came in, the good Father rushed the car, pulled the girls coat off and poured a cup of chicken livers all over her, as my night stick broke his collar bone. We cuffed him and stuffed him, and I charged him with assualt.

The Archdiocese made some anxious sounds about suing the Department, until the papers hit the street. Then the bad publicity made them back off, and the priest got a suspended sentence (and a cast). Since this was before VCRs, all I had was some film outtakes of the moment, but everybody said that for a short shit, I was high in the air and coming down, when I hit him.

The funny part was that at the time, I was leaning against abortions, since it had been against VA state law for years, and all officers had received classes in the Police Academy about detecting and charging abortion as a crime. But as I said later, when I saw who was against it, my personal feelings changed, though I was careful not to let my feelings get in the way of arresting or protecting either side.

And make no mistake, I have known some exemplary Catholic priests, including several in the 'Nam. As a former "high church" Espiscopalian I had much in common with them, and would have the done the same to any man pulling the same stunt.

As for Greg, please note : "Absolve" Webster II, Riverside Publishing, 1. To clear of blame or guilt 2. to relieve a requirement or obligation 3. to grant a remission of sin (One of the things I learned in my many college courses was that the first definition was the most common usage, but that ANY of them would serve). Judging from your use of the words "paranoia" and "absolve", I have to wonder does your degree have a UPC bar code for a seal?


And yes, Greg, I do get tired of restating the background info, but sometimes its necessary to expose a fraud. It must really gall you to know there is someone out there who has been there, done it (though not always perfectly) and who can then look you in the eye and say you're wrong. But I am sorry that I took your words to task, if only because, for a brief moment, I cared what you stated. Let me now advise you, this is no longer the case...


But now I must work on my spelling, since my vocabulary seems in fine shape...