Two Groups Exercise Their Constitutional Rights in Hartford

From the last week or so of September through October we have noticed a group assembling with signs on a tiny traffic island near the South Green. What we found is a group called "40 Days For Life" who identified themselves as "good Christians" who would be praying in the area outside an abortion clinic from 6AM to 6PM for the next 40 days.

This is clearly an exercise of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly as guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution. The leader of the assembly (pictured - sorry forgot your name) told us that being "good Christians" they peacefully prayed for the people at the abortion clinic. We were told that the 40 days ended on "All Souls Day" on either October 31 or November 1.

We were also told that they had dissuaded one person from going into the clinic that day and in the past had got medical professionals to stop working there.

Now while this group is clearly exercising a Constitutional right, tension comes from the fact that they are doing so in order to prevent or deter a certain group of individuals from exercising their Constitutional rights, the Right to Privacy, which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade extended to a woman's right to an abortion.

No matter where one stands on such a controversial issue, one of the more difficult issues to deal with is when two groups are both exercising undisputed Constitutional rights in such stark contrast to each other.