Linda Gibbons was sentenced yesterday. (Linda protests inside injunction zones around particular abortion clinics in Toronto.)
It appears the judge sentenced her more harshly based on a personal bias against her:
She has indicated no remorse to the court,” Bhabha said angrily. “She believes in the rightness of her cause … (but) abortions are legal. Miss Gibbons does not appreciate that it’s a legal right.”
Of course she’s not remorseful. And of course she doesn’t appreciate that it is a “legal right.”
The bubble zone laws, protecting a couple of clinics in Toronto from peaceful protestors and sidewalk counselors are unjust, and I’m grateful to Linda Gibbons for being willing to go to jail for this.
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I just don’t get how asking someone to reconsider their decision somehow interferes with their “legal right” to get an abortion.
And is it fair to say that abortion is a legal right? Of course, you are free to do anything that isn’t expressly prohibited by law, and abortion isn’t prohibited by law. But what would you think of someone who said “I have the legal right to spank my children for the slightest offence”? Or someone who said”I have the legal right to drink as much as I want, and you can’t stop me”?
Are women going into an abortion clinic really so fragile that they can’t handle being faced with the idea that someone disagrees with their decision?
Bingo Melissa. It seems to me that the judge is at least misinformed about the law, or worse, misrepresenting the law – unacceptable for a judge. This is reminiscent of the Alberta judge in 2011 who somehow assembled pregnancy and childbirth and abortion all into one thought in explaining why someone should be given a suspended sentence for strangling their newborn to death. The judge noted; ‘abortion is less than ideal’ but ‘Canadians generally understand.’. Hm? I thought abortion had to do with pregnancy as in aborting the pregnancy. And, I thought ‘rights’ were things described by law not the things not described by law. Seems to me the ‘slippery slope is greased by these two.
I think we could have a bit of fun with this. Let’s see. Should we call out the government for interfering with my legal right to smoke by mandating those nasty pictures on the cigarette packs? Or for interfering with my legal right to drink while pregnant by publishing posters that beg me not to?
Just why is a peaceful protest on public property illegal and worthy of six months in jail with NO leniency at all for time already served? Oh. It’s because it is about abortion. That’s why.
Sorry to monopolize the combox. Just had a thought–this is for Faye–does she have the legal right to a trial by jury?
It is arguable that Gibbons – along with Mary Wagner, also in jail in Toronto, & for the same reason – may doing the most valuable work on earth. By their willingness voluntarily to absorb a small measure of the injustice inflicted on the innocent, no child dies without this incomparable witness to their value. They are thus – humanly speaking – not utterly abandoned. Hard to see what else in the world stands against injustice as these two do.
Is there a petition anywhere that we can sign in protest of this sentence and these unjust “bubble zone” laws? I’d like to see an online petition along with links to phone numbers we can call to express our objections to the relevant MPs.
Rob. THE THING TO DO IS TO WRITE YOUR MP. CC THE PRIME MINISTER. He’s keeping tabs either way.
Hi guys, sorry for the delay. Linda does not have a legal right to a jury trial given her sentence.
Hi Rob,
I don’t think petitions are the most effective option at this point. I would recommend that people donate funds to Linda’s legal fund. As well as writing notes of encouragement to her legal team and to Linda herself. These legal battles are tough and often discouraging and isolating. Trust me – a little note and a donation go a long, long way.
MPs can’t do much about this either. It’s a legal matter before the courts.
Unless I’m missing something.
If everybody wrote to every MP, the matter would be bound to come up in question period. And the more you shine light on this case, the more it stinks. It’s an absolute disgrace that there are political prisoners in this country.
When I go on the link it is broken,no article for Linda Gibbons shows up. What was the sentence given Sept 12th